Lifting cabinet saw solo

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

Howdy all

On Tuesday next week my Sawstop Pro series will be here. It will get shipped to the store where I work and then into a buddy's truck to bring it home.

I'm trying to game plan unloading it from the truck, but also picking it up to plop it into the mobile base. I'll almost assuredly be doing this solo and it weighs about 500lbs.

Now there's the obvious steps of putting it into the base before installing the cast iron wings and fence rails. That'll save some weight.

I'm pretty much resigned to going to Harbor Freight for a shop crane for$135.

But wondering if any cabinet saw owners have good methods for moving and lifting their heavy saws solo?

I was thinking about pulleys in the horizontal members of my garage roof trusses but they're not made to bear that kind of weight and I've got sheetrock on the ceiling anyway so that's kind of out.

To unload from the truck I'm thinking of using some longer 2x8's as Ramps and walking the big box down them onto the floor.

Anyway, if you have a good plan for unloading or lifting it from the floor, I'd love to hear about it. 

I dropped my jointer into the floor a couple weeks ago putting it back in it's mobile base. So I'm a little gun-shy about muscling it and hoping for the best.

Thanks all

[..Kev]

A little beer and pizza for friends and neighbors is much cheaper than the cherry picker!

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

Problem there, Kev is getting 3 guys together on the one day I have off each week. Not one friend lives within 30 minute drive. And I'm not going to want to wait until I can hook that up. But it's a fine idea.

[..Kev]

5 minutes ago, applejackson said:

Problem there, Kev is getting 3 guys together on the one day I have off each week. Not one friend lives within 30 minute drive. And I'm not going to want to wait until I can hook that up. But it's a fine idea.

Check the local labor force as well.  We have a place called "labor ready" where you can call and get a few guys to come help.  Usually costs (here) about 75 bucks to get 2 guys for a couple hours of manual labor.

[Mark J]

Yeah, I get it about the friends idea.  If that's not so workable be sure to look through this recent thread.

I know you're down on the idea of an overhead pulley, but I have a block and tackle mounted to the joists of my basement shop and it has been key five times so far.  You can use a transverse piece to mount the block and tackle across 3 or 4 joists.  Really, your garage should be able to handle it easily.  And besides lifting the cabinet onto the mobile base you can also use it to lift the cast iron table.

[G Ragatz]

50 minutes ago, Mark J said:

I know you're down on the idea of an overhead pulley, but I have a block and tackle mounted to the joists of my basement shop and it has been key five times so far.  You can use a transverse piece to mount the block and tackle across 3 or 4 joists.  Really, your garage should be able to handle it easily.  And besides lifting the cabinet onto the mobile base you can also use it to lift the cast iron table.

I think Mark is right about the joists in the garage.  500# sounds like a lot of weight, but surely your joists could handle a couple of NFL running backs doing pull-ups at the same time - especially if, as Mark suggests, you spread the load across a few joists.

If you want to hire help, my wife and I have had good luck with Two Men and a Truck for help moving furniture and appliances.  I think we paid ~ $80 to have a couple of guys move a refrigerator into the basement and move a bedroom suite from first to second floor - about an hour's work.  Pricing may depend on how far they have to travel to get to you (our guys didn't have to travel far).

[bleedinblue]

Two men and a truck were going to charge me nearly $500 to move my Hammer from the driveway to my basement.

If you're still leary about the joists, I'd go cherry picker.  I almost bought one myself with the intentions of selling it after using it.  There were a lot of used cherry pickers in my area...I wouldn't have lost much if any cash.  Your area may be similar.  You could use the cherry picker to get the saw out of your truck, onto the ground, then again to put the saw on the mobile base.  It should be easy and safe.

[Chris208]

When I got my sawstop PCs, I was so excited to get it set up that I didn’t want to wait for help. 

I picked it up solo. Make sure you clean the grease off the top thoroughly. Makes it slippery. 

[pkinneb]

I too stood mine up by myself then installed the wings. FWIW I have a tractor with forks but never felt I was even close to needing to use it for this.

[Wimayo]

While you are buying 2x8s for your ramp, get a few more and build an "A" frame for lifting, with block and tackle, onto the base. Years ago, I did this to lift an engine out and into a car. Works great.

[Jfitz]

Are you using the integrated mobile base? IIRC, that's easy to install by laying the cabinet on its side.

If you need to drop it ...friends are good.  no neighbors or local football players?  should be a 5 minute job for 3 or four guys.

[blackoak]

11 hours ago, Wimayo said:

While you are buying 2x8s for your ramp, get a few more and build an "A" frame for lifting, with block and tackle, onto the base. Years ago, I did this to lift an engine out and into a car. Works great.

Frank Howarth has a "gantry crane" video that could  be of interest. Do you need to get under a garage door opening?  A short version  made of 2 x 4 stock w/ a HF hoist or block and tackle , and casters ?

[Chestnut]

Have to align and calibrate the saw anyway so pop the top and carry it stretcher  style. I've moved my table saw into and out of 2 basements this way and it makes it seriously easy. Reduces the number of helpers needed to 1. If you leave the boards on you could use a saw house to lift it yourself  and position the mobile base under neath. you could probably do something similar with the cast iron top mounted and stick a board under the wings. For the record the PCS is the same weight as the PM1000.

Also i'm not far so if you need help short notice feel free to ask. I know what it's like to be in a pinch and need a hand.

[Jfitz]

I wouldn't pop the top unless I had to, because of the weight.

One thought - carefully tip the saw over onto its side; prop the side up on something; install the mobile base while it's on its side with the bottom off the ground, then carefully lower the bottom and then tip the whole thing up.  without the wings, it's not that bad moving the saw around.

 

[Chestnut]

1 hour ago, Jfitz said:

I wouldn't pop the top unless I had to, because of the weight.

Why it's literally 4 bolts and lifts off.... there is nothing special about it. It'll reduce the weight and make the saw a breeze to move...

[Jfitz]

My point is that as I recall, it was a breeze to move anyways.  I wouldn't because it's just one less thing to deal with. 

Now if even that is an issue, then remove the top and lift it into the base.  SS table alignment is supposed to be pretty easy but mine was dead on when I set it up, so I didn't touch it.

 

 

[Chet]

31 minutes ago, Jfitz said:

but mine was dead on when I set it up, so I didn't touch it.

+1

[wdwerker]

I've popped the top on my UniSaws several times and it's no big deal.  Just 4 bolts under the corners. The SawStop is set up the same way. But really not nessacary just to get it on a mobile base. All the other methods mentioned work quite well .

[drzaius]

SawStop unpacking & assembly is super easy & can be done solo. I unloaded mine from the back of my pick up myself. The box is large enough that you can sort of role/slide it off with medium effort & no drama. Read & follow those unpacking instructions. They show you how to start uncrate it on it's side & then just tip it right onto the mobile base. The packing is designed to work with you in this & it's remarkably easy. 

In my case though, I bought the ICS mobile base & it was on backorder for a couple of weeks. Of course I couldn't wait that long to tear into it & get things going. When the base came in, I used a little hand held winch that I hooked to a truss & lifted the saw a few inches & then lowered it onto the base. It was just hooked to a single roof truss & it didn't even flex a bit with that load on it. YMMV.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

Thanks all. I appreciate everyone advice and weighing in. The horizontal members in my garage are rated to hold sheetrock and not much else. Yeah I know it'll probably be ok but I have notiriously bad luck. I'll pull the roof down! I'm debating going to Harbor Freight now. @Chestnut  thanks a million and I will hit you up if need be. Great idea about pulling the top. Will do if necessary. Thanks again all. I really appreciate this community.

[Chestnut]

3 hours ago, Jfitz said:

My point is that as I recall, it was a breeze to move anyways.  I wouldn't because it's just one less thing to deal with. 

Now if even that is an issue, then remove the top and lift it into the base.  SS table alignment is supposed to be pretty easy but mine was dead on when I set it up, so I didn't touch it.

 

 

I guess i'm one of the few crazies that when i move a saw it's not 10 feet. Carrying it through a house through doors and down sitars  any little bit i can get i'm going to take.

[Jfitz]

I definitely would not move it down stairs by myself.  I moved my saw down a set of stairs into my basement but waited till someone could help me.  Strapped it onto a hand truck and took it step by step.

I'm curious about the '4 bolts' .... as I said, i've never touched it. I'll have to pull out the manual and read up on it in case I ever have to. I hope it's that easy.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

@Chestnut how are those 2x4s attached to the cabinet?

[Chestnut]

16 minutes ago, applejackson said:

@Chestnut how are those 2x4s attached to the cabinet?

Screw and washer.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

I found a dandy of a YouTube of a guy taking this saw from the box into the mobile base with little to no difficulty. So I'm not going to purchase anything else to assist. Which is great because my check book took a hit buying this thing in the first place.  Doesn't look nearly as bad as I was expecting.