Advice on moving 18" bandsaw

[Chaz]

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.

Having thought about it, I've concluded that what you should do is
the Egyptian approach to moving something like this. That is, remove as much excess weight as possible and get as many warm bodies as you can to do all the lifting, lowering, pulling and pushing. Many hands make light work.

Include small après move party, fueled mainly by decent beer, but including munchies, music and maybe some alternate intoxicants (if you are so inclined)

 

[JRedding]

I’ve moved a few 18” bandsaws and each time have gotten it near the bed of my pickup vertically with the spine toward the truck. Remove the table. Then tilt it back into the truck, with the edge of the bed acting as a fulcrum. In a couple instances I just laid it on the bed with no cradle and then tied it down so I had tension to both sides, front and back, and it didn’t move. I always include a ratchet tie around the base since it’s longer than my bed and have to leave the gate down (I have an older Ford Ranger, so it’s short). I’ve also built a small support to go up the spine for a couple, which makes it even less likely to want to fall to one side or the other, but I wouldn’t call it “necessary.”

I did have the help of 1 person each time tilting it in and out. The saws ranged in weight from 350 - 550 lbs.

 

[ErinJ]

I think your cradle idea is the right move. Those Laguna frames are pretty tough, so I’d be more concerned about controlling the saw while tipping it than twisting the frame. I’d pull the table and motor, leave the wheels on, and transport it on its spine strapped down well. Honestly, that sounds safer than hauling it upright through mountain turns.

 

[jlimey]

I think your cradle idea is the right move. Those Laguna frames are pretty tough, so I’d be more concerned about controlling the saw while tipping it than twisting the frame. I’d pull the table and motor, leave the wheels on, and transport it on its spine strapped down well. Honestly, that sounds safer than hauling it upright through mountain turns.

Well, the deed is done! This was the final approach, with the cradle lying on the bed of a U-Haul trailer with ramp. Laguna had recommended removing the table and motor to prevent damage and the wheels to lessen weight. I removed the items subject to damage, table to protect the trunnions and motor to protect the mounts.

I had purchased a heavy duty appliance truck with four wheels. This helped move it from the shop to the trailer as there was limited room to back the trailer close. This appliance truck didn’t work so well going up the ramp as the extra set of wheels place the handles above the ideal height. It took 4 guys (well we used what we had) to go up the ramp, remove the hand truck and set the saw on its spine. A couple of layers of 1/2” foam insulation protected the paint and wedged the saw into the cradle. There was one scary second when someone lifted without warning and the saw started to tip sideways.

Once on the trailer l covered the saw with plastic sheeting and off we went. The motor and table traveled in the bed of the pickup tied against the cab which would have been fine but some rain managed to seep into the contractor plastic bag and rusted part of the top. Need to see how much effort I want to put into that. I had it for 4 hours and it no longer looks new! . That will be the next thread.

Saw showed no tendency to tip going through the mountains. Got home very late and my son and son in law were able to slide the saw in its cradle down the osb covered ramp and stand it up. We removed the cradle, reattached the mobile base wheels and rolled into my shop. This part went as well as I could have hoped.

Need to reattach the motor, table and should be good to go. Wiring the motor back up is the tough part as that is not in my wheel house.

Pics of saw and cradle attached.

Thanks to all for their advice. A cab over box truck or a drop deck trailer are good suggestions but they were not available near me.

Next time I would tip the saw back while in the cradle to load.

Big thanks to Kurt for putting up with fabricating the cradle on site with some of his tools while providing snacks, and dry sweatshirt and food for the trip home! A most excellent guy and family.
Jeff