Moving equipment to my basement shop

[Minnesota Steve]

I've been spending months trying to clear out room in our basement storage area so I could move my table saw, jointer and planer from the garage down there.   I've made a lot of good progress.

So I moved the planer fairly easily.   It's just a DW735 on a stand.   I figure all totaled it weighs maybe 150 lbs.   I strapped it to a handtruck and down it went.

So then I moved onto the jointer.   A Powermatic PM54a.  I couldn't easily use a handtruck with it as it's so long/tall/wide... so instead  I took the cast iron off the base, and building a wooden crate around it and then basically slid it down the stairs my wife pulling from the top and myself keeping it from crashing down from the bottom.   It's never coming back up that's for sure.

I now have my Sawstop PCS 1.75hp mostly dismantled.   Took the extension tables and rails off and brought them down.  Now looking at the sawstop specs... they list the table saw as weighing 408 lbs with fence... and 317 without fence.   I assume that 317 includes the extension wings, which weigh about 35 lbs each based on the specs off their contractor saw which lists those separately.   So that leaves me with 250 lbs.

Anyway... I'm thinking about taking the top off to shave some more weight.  If a 12" extension weighs 35 lbs, a 20" top must weigh 50-60 lbs.  I feel comfortable taking about 200 lbs down with a handtruck, but not much more.

From the sawstop video on aligning the top, it looks doable.   I realize I'll have to realign everything afterwards.   

Any thoughts?

 

[Mark J]

Steve, I moved a SawStop ICS out of another basement and into mine.  This was detailed in another chronicle here which you may have already seen:

https://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/29838-used-sawstop/

The ICS is a heavier beast, and the primary problem was getting the saw UP the seller's especially steep stairs.  I ended up using a moving company.  While the dolly worked as advertised it failed in my particular application because the seller's stairs were not code (i.e. too steep), and the center of gravity of the ICS was too low once we had removed the cast iron top.  I think removing the cast iron top was a mistake and the stair climber might have worked if we had left it on.  But for what you are describing I think the stair climbing dolly I tried out is worth your consideration. 

So my suggestion to you given the lower weight of your saw is to rent a stair climber if one is to be had near you, and try the move with the cast iron top on.  The top is not difficult or time consuming to remove if you feel it needs to be removed after trying out the saw on the dolly.  

[Chestnut]

I'd not mess with a dolly period. I'd find someone else that could donate 2 min and carry it 2 pole stretcher style. I've moved my saw this way multiple times and imo it's the only way. Each person carries about 100 lbs. Going down stairs put the stronger person on the bottom as they will support a bit more weight due to the angle. I attached the 2x4s with construction screws and washers.

If it needs any more clarity see below.

[wtnhighlander]

Drew's suggestion is good. If your stairs / hallway aren't too narrow, you can put 1 person at each corner on heavier stuff.

[Minnesota Steve]

Interesting thoughts.   Either case it looks like you guys took off the top.   I found some articles of others with the PCS who also took off the top.   So it shouldn't be a big big deal.   Nothing else, this will provide an excuse to buy a Woodpecker's saw gauge.

The stretcher idea may work, except then I gotta find some strong guys and I don't want to burden my friends... and they'll stop coming over if every time I ask them to move something.

So if you say the ICS was low center of gravity, your motor must be down towards the bottom?   The PCS it's up towards the top and kind of hangs out the side a bit.   Yet the trunnion is still mounted to the cabinet, not the table.   I looked inside and the bottom half is basically empty except for a dust collection hose.

I'll see about that stairclimber dolly.

 

 

 

[Chestnut]

The only thing with the top is sometimes there are brass spaces. Just tape them together and note the corner and put them back. Otherwise top alignment is easy and honestly should be done anytime you move a saw as a misaligned top can cause work defects and in bad cases can be dangerous. It sounds FAR more daunting than it really is, if you can tighten 4 bolts you can mount a table saw top.

The stretcher thing really makes it feel lighter than it is. With your arms at your side you can lift a LOT more weight than in any other position which is why it works so great for stretchers. 2 not so strong people could manage it easily. I can't remember how far away from me you are but i remember it being a bit to far for me to pop over and help you out for 15 min. I would totally do it but i feel like i'd spend far more time driving then helping ... lol. You don't happen to live near (5-6 miles) woodcraft/rockler do you? I need some GF outdoor oil and could bundle the trip.

[Mark J]

Drew's stretcher idea is a good one, particularly in this weight range.  The thing with the ICS is that it is a much heavier saw.  The top was about 100 pounds if I recall, and the remaining case motor and trunion were still over 400 pounds.  The center of gravity of the saw without the top wasn't on the bottom of the saw, but it was low enough that the dolly had to be tipped farther than the stairs would allow to find the balance point of the load.  

[Coop]

Steve, could you do something with the saw as you did with the jointer? Maybe something as simple as bolting the base to a sheet of ply and controlling the slide with a rope ? 

Eh, maybe not? 

[Minnesota Steve]

Well I was able to get the table saw downstairs.   The top came off fairly easily, just the 4 outer bolts the instruction manual tells you to loosen to adjust it.   Then I also had to back off the fine adjustment screws on the rear and it came right off.

After that I strapped it to my handtruck, laid it down on it's back and removed much of the mobile base from the underside.   Then just brought it down the stairs.

Now I just have to reassemble everything and go back through all the alignment and such.

 

 

[Minnesota Steve]

I finally got around this weekend to reassembling my tablesaw and adjusting the alignment.   And started cleaning up so I can rearrange stuff.   Took two tubs of cherry and maple cutoffs and burned them.

I need to work on the jointer next and adjust the alignment.   But one struggle is the space is kind of tight to push the jointer around on it's mobile base.   Because of the length and the swivel being in the center, it's like a 58 point turn to push it up against the wall.   I really want a mobile base with 4 swivel wheels.

I looked at the Bora PM-3550, and I'd have to modify it by cutting down some of the brackets and it's like $200.  So I checked Grizzly.   Never ordered from them before but while they don't have a base with 4 swivel wheels, they do have a rather inexpensive base which has the right sizing.   So I bought two and am going to assemble one using just the swivel wheels.   Then maybe the remaining pieces could be used as a pull out cart for something.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-The-Bear-Crawl-reg-Cub-Mobile-Base/T28922

I think this should work.

This week while I'm waiting for that, I need to find a way to store some stuff out of the way.   Think I'm going to put some shelves against the wall up high that I can push equipment in under.

[Chestnut]

I just put a board under the mobile base and shove the thing sideways to get it against the wall. Yeah it's going to wear the wheels out eventually but I've so far done it 3 times. Not sure how often you have to move yours around.

[pkinneb]

I have a couple Grizzly mobile bases in my shop, three I think, all under sanders. They seem to work fine but like @chestnut said I don't move my machines much. 

[Gary Beasley]

Would it do you any good to put the mobile base on sideways so it will roll up against the wall without a fight?

[Ronn W]

On 7/2/2019 at 7:57 AM, Chestnut said:

I'd not mess with a dolly period. I'd find someone else that could donate 2 min and carry it 2 pole stretcher style. I've moved my saw this way multiple times and imo it's the only way. Each person carries about 100 lbs. Going down stairs put the stronger person on the bottom as they will support a bit more weight due to the angle. I attached the 2x4s with construction screws and washers.

Buy a bunch of pieces of foam like gymnasts use to practice tumbling into and fill the sta well up with them.  Postion the saw at the top of the stairs and tip it onto the foam.  Then remove the foam piece by piece from the bottom of the pile and and watch the saw slowly lower itself into the basement.

[Mark J]

5 hours ago, Minnesota Steve said:

So I bought two and am going to assemble one using just the swivel wheels.   

I've often thought of doing the same thing with the smaller Bora's.  Given the price on the Grizzly, which looks identical to the Bora 3500, I  think that's a great idea.  

And thanks for sharing, I had no idea that Grizzly sold mobile bases.  

[Bankstick]

Solution- high school football linemen plus a half dozen pizzas and sodas. My shop is a walled-off one car garage. The garage door now has a wall and shelves for storage. The door to the basement is narrow...anything in the shop it there to stay. Dread the day I have to replace the TS. Everything else will go through the door.

[Minnesota Steve]

20 hours ago, Gary Beasley said:

Would it do you any good to put the mobile base on sideways so it will roll up against the wall without a fight?

I thought about that.   But to joint longer boards I need to pull it out, and then turn it and pull it lengthwise down to the center of the room.   I just have this really tight space.   The wall I have it against is only 10' long, so 90% of the time it'll just sit still, but anytime I want to joint a board longer than say 4' I'm going to have to move things around.

This has been a heck of a project.   In January I did something stupid while I was putting in some flooring, I ended up partially dislocating my thumb.   Doc sent me to PT, and the PT lady said it's real common for guys when they hit 50 not realizing the limitations of their hands.  And the thumb is the first to loose strength and stop trying to use it as a clamp.

 

[Minnesota Steve]

18 hours ago, Mark J said:

I've often thought of doing the same thing with the smaller Bora's.  Given the price on the Grizzly, which looks identical to the Bora 3500, I  think that's a great idea.  

And thanks for sharing, I had no idea that Grizzly sold mobile bases.  

As long as the quality is there on the wheels, I'm hopeful it works.   UPS tracking says it'll be here Friday.

Grizzly has all kinds of mobile bases, as they are also behind the Shop Fox brand.   These that I bought it says are a new design, so we'll see.  

 

[Belle City WW]

I have NFL Linebacker sized Sons and Son In Laws, makes short work of moving the machines in and out of the Basement.  The most difficult Machine to get down there was the Grizzly 20" Planer.  Strapped it to an appliance cart, 2 guys at the bottom to guide it, and two guys at the top to keep it from getting away.  

[Minnesota Steve]

Ok, I was trying to arrange things today and I have a DW735 with the mobile base.

The swivel foot has always bugged me....

What they don't show in the Dewalt photo is the shelf that sits in the middle such that you can't get your foot in there to engage the swivel foot.

So someone said turn it around.. and so I tried sticking it on the front but then the foot assembly sticks out and I kept tripping over it.  

So I looked at it again today, and realized if I reverse the pivot it should be perfect.

 

There's a retaining clip and several washers... just pop one side off and turn it around and stick the pin back in.

I'm not sure it lifts quite as high up, I didn't test that.   But it lifts enough where I can move it.

Honestly, I think this is the way it should come from the factory.