Advice on moving 18" bandsaw

[jlimey]

Hi,

after reading every national thread I can find on moving medium size bandsaws, I could use some advice on moving a Laguna LT 18 saw. I have read a couple of threads from this forum, but welcome comments.

The saw weighs 515 pounds intact but I would remove the table and motor and potentially the flywheels. All 3 would probably leave 350-375 pounds.

I have looked at box trucks with liftgates. The cabover design looked ideal except I didnt feel safe getting in and out with my knee problem. Other box trucks are not tall enough. That leaves a uhaul utility trailer with a ramp. I have a heavy duty appliance truck with 4 wheels so I think that my helpers can get the saw onto the trailer deck. I am thinking of building a wooden cradle to hold the saw on its spine. Probably a 2x10 with 2x6s forming a trough. Perhaps a few 2x6 or 2x8s under the trough to act as outriggers to prevent tipping to the side. Similar to what CPW did a while back.

So my biggest question is this going to be difficult to go from vertical to horizontal with the saw on loading and the opposite to unload? AI says it will be about 150-175 pounds to lift from the horizontal. That doesn't seem like too much for two guys if I can prevent the base from sliding forward.

Thoughts? If there is a chance to twist the frame I should probably pass on the saw. Transporting vertically is a little scary as the saw is in the mountains with many hilly turns.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Charles Lent]

I would remove those items too. Then build a support frame and lay the saw on it's back in this support frame. Then it would be significantly lower and not as difficult to move. A couple of furniture dollies under this support frame would let you roll it around easily. A lift gate would then let you move it in/out of the truck easier too. Strap it in well (not on the dollies) and drive carefully.

You probably could do this with a pickup truck and no liftgate if you have at least one able helper. Lifting one end of the saw while it's secured in this support frame would be relatively easy to lift the one end up onto the truck tailgate. Then lift and slide the rest into the truck and tie it down. At the delivery point, just reverse the process.

45 years ago when I was young and healthy I moved 400 lb jukeboxes, usually by myself, and I have never been all that muscular . Using good techniques makes doing things like this possible, and without getting hurt. You just have to think and plan well before attempting it.

Charley

 

[David Holzinger]

Drop bed trailers are really the way to go. Just wheel in and out with a pallet jack. The big rental companies like Sunbelt, United, ect will have them for rent.

 

[BWSmith]

ANY discussion on "rigging" is fraught with issues due to experience of the ask-ee vs the guy trying to help.

Saying;one guy's,easy as 1,2,3 can be a virtual train wreck for someone with zero experience.

A standard masonry scaffold can be used,with care... and a chain hoist. I've spent enough time on TOP of safeways(what us hillbillies call them,it's a brand of scaffolding) that I can lift say,a 30" cast iron,8' tall BS and then back a truck or trailer under it,durn near blindfolded.

Rigging "can" be extremely dangerous. Just don't know how else to put it. Good luck with your project.

 

[mkepke]

My thinking pretty much mirrors Charley’s. Tilting the saw shouldn’t be a big deal with a couple people. An inexpensive chain fall would really simplify things.

You might also want a comealong to drag the saw into/out of whatever vehicle you decide on.

Just go slow and think every move thru carefully including “how can this go sideways and what happens if it does?”

Here’s me dragging a 700# sander out of the back of a van with some ramps and a comealong. One-man job here.

-Mark

 

[Charles Lent]

ANY discussion on "rigging" is fraught with issues due to experience of the ask-ee vs the guy trying to help.

Saying;one guy's,easy as 1,2,3 can be a virtual train wreck for someone with zero experience.

A standard masonry scaffold can be used,with care... and a chain hoist. I've spent enough time on TOP of safeways(what us hillbillies call them,it's a brand of scaffolding) that I can lift say,a 30" cast iron,8' tall BS and then back a truck or trailer under it,durn near blindfolded.

Rigging "can" be extremely dangerous. Just don't know how else to put it. Good luck with your project.

People with that little experience need to hire a rigger or moving company. Most of us woodworkers have done a bunch of moving of things well before buying machines as large as this bandsaw. It's the added comments from people who have done similar that helps them do it safer than they might have otherwise. People with no experience in moving heavy things need to stay in their living room arm chairs and hire the job out.

This is a relatively simple job with two people, if a frame is built to hold the saw on it's back when lying down and keep it from tipping to either side. The frame will take the scrapes and bumps and protect the saw. The two people don't need to pick up the full weight of the saw, just about half the weight, since they will just be tipping it over on it's back and into the frame. Then pushing, winching, or whatever into the truck or trailer bed. Some secure tie downs to keep the saw from sliding or tipping sideways and it's ready for the trip. Reverse the process for unloading.

Yes, a winch and tie/winch straps would help, but sufficient strong rope capable of 4-500 lbs strength or more is all that would really be needed. This is a bulky machine, but not really that heavy when compared to most machinery. Like I said, two adult men who have moved some things before should be able to do this safely, and relatively easily. Nobody needs to have the strength needed to lift the full weight of this saw, because lifting it's full weight isn't necessary when done properly. Mark's photo above looks like he could handle this saw the same way by himself and do it safely, but having a second able person handy would make it much safer to do. With two or more, always discuss each move and come to a mutual agreement of what is going to happen before doing it. Make certain that both agree to the step before trying to do it.

Charley

 

[Darl Bundren]

I'd probably remove the blade and table. Then, rent a u-haul truck with a ramp, strap the saw on its spine to a hand truck, roll it up into the truck (one guy pulling, the other pushing, maybe a third guy pushing, too, just for laughs), strap truck and saw to the truck bed with ratchet straps, chock the handtruck wheels with blocks, and take turns and braking slow. Don't let it get away from you when you take it down the ramp. I moved a 500 pound stove this way (palletized, but same difference mostly) without issue. Whatever you decide, a) I covet your saw and b) good luck with it.

 

[cyclopentadiene]

I moved my 18” jet on a Toyota Tacoma. I removed the blade and table. I strapped the saw to a refrigerator dolly, rolled it up a HF ramp covered with plywood and laid it down on the dolly of the truck. A couple of straps over and at the ends of the dolly kept it from moving during transport. It was only my wife and I and it took minimal effort.

 

[jlimey]

I moved my 18” jet on a Toyota Tacoma. I removed the blade and table. I strapped the saw to a refrigerator dolly, rolled it up a HF ramp covered with plywood and laid it down on the dolly of the truck. A couple of straps over and at the ends of the dolly kept it from moving during transport. It was only my wife and I and it took minimal effort.

how was laying it down onto the bed of the truck and then standing it back up? I don't think that I want to leave it on the appliance truck during transport, but tilting the saw on its spine and back up to place it on the dolly would be similar, especially if I remove the motor/maybe wheels.
was this the jwbs-18 model that weights about 500 pounds?

thanks

 

[cyclopentadiene]

Yes. I felt uneasy with it standing but it would have probably been fine. Most of the weight is at the bottom.

 

[jlimey]

Yes. I felt uneasy with it standing but it would have probably been fine. Most of the weight is at the bottom.

Sorry to be a pest, but was it comfortable to lay it down and then stand it back up by yourself?

 

[cyclopentadiene]

Honestly, I do not remember. It was more than 10 years ago. I have to relocate from Elon to Raleigh in 2027 but will be using movers.

 

[cyclopentadiene]

It was not as challenging as moving my Sawstop from the truck to the shop.

 

[scsmith42]

Drop bed trailers are really the way to go. Just wheel in and out with a pallet jack. The big rental companies like Sunbelt, United, ect will have them for rent.
View attachment 244711

If I did not have the equipment and trailers that I have, renting a drop deck trailer, pallet jack and engine hoist would be my preferred method.

I’d use the engine hoist to kift the bandsaw so I could bolt it to a heavy duty pallet.

 

[zdorsch]

With 2-3 people vertical to horizontal should be straight forward. I moved my Delta 20” several months ago with two furniture Dollies after removing only the table.

You can just make out the crude cradle to hold the upper part of the band saw in the bottom right of the photo.

We then put one dolly under the bottom and another under the cradle and rolled it down a walkway and up the ramp into my trailer.

After it was at my house we gently tipped it onto the ground from the trailer. And moved it up right on the Dollie’s. I’ve since made a mobile base that makes moving the saw much easier.

 

[mgreene93]

When I bought my 18BX from Klingspor, a friend helped me move it off the truck and into the workshop with my tractor.

 

[David Holzinger]

Here's a cool video of two guys rolling a 3000 lb, 9' tall Tannewitz onto its side and back up with the help of a cradle. Your 515 lb Laguna, great saw by the way, is defiantly doable.

 

[Rocheman]

Just curious, where are you moving the bandsaw to and from? If you're fairly close to me, I could probably help. I've moved several large pieces of equipment before.

Let me know.

Jim

 

[jlimey]

Just curious, where are you moving the bandsaw to and from? If you're fairly close to me, I could probably help. I've moved several large pieces of equipment before.

Let me know.

Jim

Jim,

From Hendersonville to Graham. Not so close I am afraid.

Very kind of you to offer

 

[holcombej]

Came upon the aftermath of a refrigerator coming off a trailer or truck yesterday on I-85 in Greenville. Don’t know how it was being moved but surmise that it was upright. There was insulation all over the road and 5 cars had been hit by it or parts from it. If you’re moving something that tall, and a band saw would be similar, it becomes a sail in the wind and has to have very good tie downs. Personally, I’d use a box truck for a refrigerator but lay down a band saw in a pickup or a utility trailer.