Best way to move a table saw?

[bullnerd]

I finally bought a Powermatic 66!

After about 30 yrs of making furniture on a craftsman from the 50s.

Problem is, the guy I am getting it from has it in his basement.

What is the best way to load this thing on a hand truck?

I was thinking upside down with the table against the back of the truck?

If your not familiar with them, they are really top heavy, and the cabinet is not very thick sheet metal.

Has anyone hand trucked a big table saw?

I'm probably over thinking it as usual.

BTW, the guy threw in 4 50" Bessey bar clamps and an old jack plane for an already good price.

 

[Stuart in MN]

How easy will it be to remove the top? I'd try to haul it out in pieces if possible, you'll want to realign everything when you get it home anyway.

 

[alinc100]

I would:
Remove the cast iron top and wings.
Make a plywood cover that is equal in size to the footprint of the saw,bolt in place of the top
Ratchet strap/block motor in place.Remove belts and have brand new replacements ready to go.
strap it on a hand truck and move it up the stairs.

My last Unisaw move, on flat ground/concrete, I dollied the saw to my tailgate and then rolled the saw against the tailgate ,flipping the cast iron table down onto the bed of the truck.

 

[exmaxima1]

How easy will it be to remove the top? I'd try to haul it out in pieces if possible, you'll want to realign everything when you get it home anyway.

+1
Remove the motor and the top. It will be far more manageable, and not that hard to reassemble. Plus, you will learn how to align the blade to the slots from the experience.

 

[rlitman]

How easy will it be to remove the top? I'd try to haul it out in pieces if possible, you'll want to realign everything when you get it home anyway.

Very easy. Two or three bolts remove each wing. Four more bolts remove the center section of the top. The base plus motor is heavy, but not that bad for two sturdy guys and a good solid hand truck to move, but if it comes down to it, you can always remove the motor.

 

[bullnerd]

OK, good tips.

The top isn't attached to the trunnion in any way?

I will pull the top if not.

Renting a real appliance hand truck since i only have a basic one.

 

[Firebrick43]

I put my delta unisaw in the basement. As said remove the extensions, they are 70 lbs plus each on these saws. Remove the four bolts that hold the top on, and remove the motor. Then two strong guys can take the base out then.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Trunions are not attached to the top, just to the cabinet. To square tthe blade you move the top and tighten the bolts in the slots when you have it square to the blade. That is the difference between a true cabinet saw and a cheap craftsman type saw with the mechanism attached to the top and just a set of legs under it.

 

[rlitman]

Trunions are not attached to the top, just to the cabinet. To square tthe blade you move the top and tighten the bolts in the slots when you have it square to the blade. That is the difference between a true cabinet saw and a cheap craftsman type saw with the mechanism attached to the top and just a set of legs under it.

+1 This exactly!

 

[Jackfre]

Nice saw! Good for you. I took my old Unisaw out of a basement as directed, with the top removed. Once you get it home you will be happy you did take the top off as you can get to know what makes it tick. You can also give it a good cleaning. Not sure if you 66 has dust collection on it, but while my saw, a '48, was apart I cut three 1/4" tempered hardboard ramps to "encourage" the sawdust to run toward the DC port. I put in the base first tipped front to back and put the side sections up the sides at about a 30+* angle. I taped it in place and it worked very well. Even if residue collected in the bottom it was a simple matter to just take off the door and push it to the DC inlet.

 

[My Old Tools]

I have moved a dozen 66's. Never took one apart. You can flip it upside down if you want, it won't hurt it, but I never do. Two guys can grab the fence rails and walk it anywhere. To load it, tip it over on the tailgate and slide it up in the bed.

 

[bullnerd]

Thanks guys.

Ross, the problem is its in his basement and no outside access. Has to go through the house.

Its too big, so something has to come off anyway.

 

[6PTsocket]

Not sure about a 66 but there may be shims under the top. Try and keep track of what came from where to speed up realignment.

Very easy. Two or three bolts remove each wing. Four more bolts remove the center section of the top. The base plus motor is heavy, but not that bad for two sturdy guys and a good solid hand truck to move, but if it comes down to it, you can always remove the motor.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[bullnerd]

Thanks 6, I didn't know that.

 

[Roberts210]

I have moved numerous Delta Unisaws. I always remove the top, wings and motor. And then I can move everything by myself. I transport the cabinet on it's side.

 

[matt_i]

I have moved a dozen 66's. Never took one apart. You can flip it upside down if you want, it won't hurt it, but I never do. Two guys can grab the fence rails and walk it anywhere. To load it, tip it over on the tailgate and slide it up in the bed.

This is how I've moved mine across country.

I use std refrigerator truck with strap.

Remove extension table and biesemeyer fence plus the extension wings as suggested.

I've never messed with the motor.

I take a ratchet strap and run one end down between the cab and the box and hook it around the frame rail being careful not to grab wire harnesses or fuel lines.

The other end is going to hook to the looped handle of my refrigerator truck when I lay it over against the tailgate. So the length has to be pre-set or you need a helper to do that part.

Once that's all stable, go to the opposite end and grab the axle and lift like an Olympian until its horizontal and then you slide it into the bed. Note this works much better with a plastic bedliner. I don't think it will work with a rhino-lined bed.

You don't need to be a beefcake to do the lifting. I'm tall and skinny.

 

[jonshonda]

Couldn't you just ask the guy how he got it down there, and reverse the process?

 

[bullnerd]

Couldn't you just ask the guy how he got it down there, and reverse the process?

He doesn't remember.

It was his friends saw, he thinks he may have moved it in without him.

 

[jonshonda]

He doesn't remember.

It was his friends saw, he thinks he may have moved it in without him.

How do you not remember moving a PM66 into your basement!! haha

 

[bubinga]

Took the top off my 1947 Unisaw this year when we moved.

 

[bullnerd]

How do you not remember moving a PM66 into your basement!! haha

LOL! That's exactly what I said.!

The guy is an airline pilot, traveled a lot obviously. He was storing the saw for his buddy, buddy moved it in, didn't come back for it for a long time, eventually bought a new one and told him to keep it.

Pilot is moving, doesn't use it ant way......so I bought it! lol!

 

[Coolabah]

How do you not remember moving a PM66 into your basement!! haha

...trust me , you get old enough you sometimes have trouble remembering how you got yourself into the basement...

 

[Coolabah]

LOL! That's exactly what I said.!

The guy is an airline pilot, traveled a lot obviously. He was storing the saw for his buddy, buddy moved it in, didn't come back for it for a long time, eventually bought a new one and told him to keep it.

Pilot is moving, doesn't use it ant way......so I bought it! lol!

... forgot to say, and the reason that I replied (LOL) is that my new powermatic saw came with the cast iron metal table in 2 or 3 parts which I assembled, and a separate extension table ( not cast iron ). The bar for the guide was also separate, not sure if I would want to risk bending this by using it as a lift hold ( if that is even possible, no idea ?)
HTH, It was pretty easy to assemble so definitely easy to dis-assemble.

 

[bullnerd]

Its home! WooHoo!

Took the wings off-still crazy heavy!
Took the top off-still super heavy!
Took the motor off-still heavy!
Took the handles off so it would fit through the door ways.
Worked great!
I think we would have gone through his staircase if we moved it one piece! It was creaking as is.

Thanks for all the tips guys. Pics to follow.

BTW, moved a Bridgeport with the HD rental trailer this morning, then went and picked up the table saw this afternoon. Worked great.

 

[ReggieR]

I have moved a dozen 66's. Never took one apart. You can flip it upside down if you want, it won't hurt it, but I never do. Two guys can grab the fence rails and walk it anywhere. To load it, tip it over on the tailgate and slide it up in the bed.

Two Texans or four normal European dudes That rig is about 345 lbs....like a sheet of 1/4 plate steel. No biggie.
Yeah. Galveston....1953. I got my end if'n you got yers boy ;-)

 

[Hytekrednek]

tilt it. put a good dolly under it, 2 guys, one on each side balance it and push to where you want it. I did just this a year ago with a similar saw, my 3 horse delta uni-saw. Do not use the fence rails as handles or levers. If you have to, it is not a bad idea to remove the fence and rails. You can lighten the saw a bit by removing the cast iron wings/extensions, fence, rails, and whatever else is attached to the exterior of it.

 

[Hytekrednek]

I moved mine using my f150. Loaded it with a forklift, rightside up. Strapped it very good. Had no issues. I got 2 strong friends to muscle it out of truck to the ground carefully. Then put a dolly under it and pushed it to the spot it would live