How to move a large bandsaw into garage?

[cbehnke]

I have a large bandsaw being delivered soon (78.5 inch height).  The garage ceiling is more than enough to handle it, but the height getting through the garage door is a limiting factor, it's about 78 inches.  And when I take into account the height of pallet the BS will be on, I won't be able to use a pallet jack to scoot the machine through the garage door.

I can tip the machine, but it weighs 550 pounds and I'd want some type of bracing or mechanical help in that situation.

How have you guys moved tall, heavy machines through low openings.

Ideas, suggestions welcomed.

 

[Frank Pellow]

Is it not possible to tip the pallet on it's side onto a dolly, move it into the garage, then tip the pallet up again?  That's what I did with a large heavy gas fridge that would not fit upright through the doors in my cabin.

 

[RonMiller]

I just did this exact same thing last week (Grizzly 19", you too?) with the same dimensions. I solved it by buying one of their movable base carts that is less than an inch off the ground and then slightly tipped it going through the door. Was a pain to move the thing off the pallet and onto the base but it worked.

Hope that helps.

 

[cbehnke]

I just did this exact same thing last week (Grizzly 19", you too?)

I looked at the Grizzly line (great price/value combo), but went with a Felder.

 

[JayStPeter]

When I put my 17" Grizzly into the basement I removed the motor, wheels, and table.  That made it light enough that myself and a couple friends could fairly easily carry it down and through normal sized doors.  By removing the Fence, top, and motor, a Unisaw becomes a one man job.  The 8" jointer was the tough one, came close to ending badly on the stairs.

 

[cbehnke]

The 8" jointer was the tough one, came close to ending badly on the stairs.

reminds me of when my parents bought an old surplus military massive steel safe, had to be over 2,000 lbs, and we had to use a Caterpillar backhoe to hoist it and move it into a basement.  Halfway down some straps started to give way and  the sucker slid down the last few stairs and nearly pinned me to the back wall of the basement.

I always hated that safe.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Halfway down some straps started to give way and  the sucker slid down the last few stairs and nearly pinned me to the back wall of the basement.

I always hated that safe.

That brings up the importance of punctuation: Stay, safe!.....Stay safe.  [tongue] [tongue]

As for the bandsaw, 500 pounds really isn't that bad to handle. Especially if you only have to support the one end to tip it. Most of the weight is in the base, so one person can handle tipping it. I've tipped mine with one hand while I slid a mobile base under it with the other. Obviously in your case you would be tipping it more than that, but it is the first few degrees that is the most critical. The tricky part is standing it back up without slamming it down too hard. A second person would be good, but they wouldn't even need to be very strong.

When I moved my bandsaw into the basement shop, and had to pick it all the way up and carry it down a steep hill, 2 people carried the bottom end and 1 person carried the top.

 

[JayStPeter]

As for the bandsaw, 500 pounds really isn't that bad to handle. Especially if you only have to support the one end to tip it. Most of the weight is in the base, so one person can handle tipping it. I've tipped mine with one hand while I slid a mobile base under it with the other.

Now that you mention it, mine was a little wobbly on the mobile base.  So I tipped it all the way down onto it's back, bolted the mobile base to it and tilted it back up.  Mines a little lighter, but wouldn't take much help.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Now that you mention it, mine was a little wobbly on the mobile base.  So I tipped it all the way down onto it's back, bolted the mobile base to it and tilted it back up.  Mines a little lighter, but wouldn't take much help.

Back when I tiled the floor of my workshop, I needed a way to move all of my heavy tools, and many of them were over 1000 pounds. Even though I normally don't need my tools to be mobile, I decided to go ahead and put a few of them on permanent mobile bases. One of those was the bandsaw, so I could keep it in a corner for most of the work it does, but still be able to pull it out to resaw long stock. The other big-ticket item one was my 6-foot lathe that is so heavy you can barely move it, even just one end at a time.

However, at the same time, I wanted these tools resting firmly on the floor when they were stationary, especially the lathe. So after doing a lot of research into mobile bases, I decided on getting the Vega Machine Mover mobile bases. When they are not being moved, the metal frame underneath the tool is resting completely on the floor, and the wheels are not touching the ground. The bases are rock solid when stationary, and you use a separate tiller wheel to tilt the base and allow the wheels to touch the ground.

Vega Machinery even custom made an extra long Machine Mover specifically for my lathe. 

[attachimg=#1]

Because the bases are modular, all I have to do to assemble a base under a machine is tilt the machine just enough to get the 1/8" thick corner bracket under each corner of the tool. I can also mix-and-match the connecting beams. That is what permitted me to use just the 3 machine mover sizes I bought to relocate all of my tools. The heaviest tool is the wide belt sander, and I can't even drag that across concrete, let alone move it across tile without damaging the tile. So I temporarily installed a mobile base under the sander so I could move it solely for laying tile underneath it.

[attachimg=#2]

 

[RONWEN]

When I was in the military I worked part-time for an appliance & furniture store moving very large items into impossible places.  As Rick mentioned it's amazing what one person can safely handle with the proper equipment.  A heavy duty furniture dolly would probably do the trick.

When I got my band saw it was shorter than the garage door so it was just a matter of rolling it into place.

[attachthumb=#]

 

[farms100]

A heavy duty hand truck, and some friends that know how to move things.

my 80 year old dad and I moved a 500+pound jointer that was laying on its side in my suabaru forester into the garage, then up a step into my shop.  Its was hard, but not outrageously so.

 

[bullieblue]

I have moved plenty of heavy equipment by my self, As Ron said its amazing how a person can safely moved heavy items if they have the proper tools. If I were in your position I would go down to the local equipment rental shop and rent a safe dolly such as the picture shown below. It will allow you to tilt it back and it has the outrigger wheels on it to hold the weight vice you having to.

 

[JayStPeter]

Now that you mention it, mine was a little wobbly on the mobile base.  So I tipped it all the way down onto it's back, bolted the mobile base to it and tilted it back up.  Mines a little lighter, but wouldn't take much help.

Back when I tiled the floor of my workshop, I needed a way to move all of my heavy tools, and many of them were over 1000 pounds. Even though I normally don't need my tools to be mobile, I decided to go ahead and put a few of them on permanent mobile bases. One of those was the bandsaw, so I could keep it in a corner for most of the work it does, but still be able to pull it out to resaw long stock. The other big-ticket item one was my 6-foot lathe that is so heavy you can barely move it, even just one end at a time.

However, at the same time, I wanted these tools resting firmly on the floor when they were stationary, especially the lathe. So after doing a lot of research into mobile bases, I decided on getting the Vega Machine Mover mobile bases. When they are not being moved, the metal frame underneath the tool is resting completely on the floor, and the wheels are not touching the ground. The bases are rock solid when stationary, and you use a separate tiller wheel to tilt the base and allow the wheels to touch the ground.

Vega Machinery even custom made an extra long Machine Mover specifically for my lathe.   

Because the bases are modular, all I have to do to assemble a base under a machine is tilt the machine just enough to get the 1/8" thick corner bracket under each corner of the tool. I can also mix-and-match the connecting beams. That is what permitted me to use just the 3 machine mover sizes I bought to relocate all of my tools. The heaviest tool is the wide belt sander, and I can't even drag that across concrete, let alone move it across tile without damaging the tile. So I temporarily installed a mobile base under the sander so I could move it solely for laying tile underneath it.

Rick,

The Vega is one of the only mobile bases I haven't tried.  :

But, in this case, the mobile base itself was not the problem.  I'm 6'3", so I raise all my equipment to fit me.  I had hastily put some 2x material between the saw and base.  Just didn't get it all good first try.  Bolting a more thoughtfully made wood insert to the both saw and the base made it good.  

I can see how the Vega design works well for a big heavy machine like your lathe though.  

Jay

 

[howwe]

If you have an overhead garage door, it usually is lower than the framed opening. By using some sort of prop the door can be held up higher than it normally is, there by giving you a few more precious inches of height.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Pull the top wheel and cover, it will go right in. Although 550 pounds is pretty easy for one person to man handle.

It was tough getting my 36" oliver in my shop, I had to pull the upper wheel and anything else that bolted on the top and I had about 1/4" to spare.

Just the frame weighs 2100 pounds and it was a tight squeeze.

 

[jacko9]

30 years ago, my 12 year son and I went to San Francisco and purchased a used 20" Powermatic Model 81 Bandsaw from a shop in a second story loft.  We used Kevlar parachute straps and a block and tackle to lower the unit into a borrowed pickup truck.  After driving home,  I had to enlist the help of several "big" friends to tilt and muscle the bandsaw into my garage shop where it resides today (never to be moved by me again).

Jack

 

[Old School Carpenter]

Hey Rick,
What brand is that wide belt?, It sure looks like an early version of my Extrema ES-16.

As to the op, Darcy had it right, take the top wheel and cover off and you can move it easily by yourself, or build a bigger shop with a ohd and buy a forklift. [tongue] Really I'm trying to help [smile]

Mike

 

[JayStPeter]

Pull the top wheel and cover, it will go right in. ...

As to the op, Darcy had it right, take the top wheel and cover off and you can move it easily by yourself, ...

Mike

Don't think that works with this style bandsaw.  You can remove the door, but the rest is welded.  Sort of a unibody vs. body over frame.

 

[cbehnke]

When people are saying remove the top wheel, i think they are indicating it will make the machine much lighter, not less tall (although the older style machines it would make them less tall).  Taking off the top wheel and not having all that weight up high would make it much easier to tilt down and back up.