I am looking at auctions and classifieds for a used cabinet saw. My question is, can the saw be dismantled to allow moving without a forklift. I sure most weight is in table, but is the trunnion, motor and cabinet easily taken apart for moving by two people. I would hate to make a purchase and then have to rent equipment to move.
Robert
Replies
Most cabinet saws break down as follows:
Remove the wing extensions then remove the top from the tank. You should be able to handle it from there with an appliance dolly. It's pretty easy to realign the mitre gauge slots to the blade.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
I've taken the whole top off...wings, fence, etc and broken it down to two units and moved it with a hand truck with no problems.
Removing the wings and then the top are a good start, after that the motor is usually the simplest remaining item to take off if you still want to reduce the weight further. Don't worry about throwing the top out of alignment by removing it, it will be out of line anyway by the time you get done trucking the machine to its new home.
Be sure to bring tools with you if you have to move the saw as soon as you buy it, which is often the case at an on site auction. Don't forget Allen wrenches, Vise Grips, screwdrivers, wire cutters, a pry bar, and a box or two for the smaller parts you remove from the machine. Several one and two foot long pieces of 2 x 4 are useful for placing the larger removed parts on as you work.
Always remove the crank handles, the electrical switch and anything else that sticks out from the base cabinet. If you leave them on, one or more of them will be sure to get bent or broken in the moving process.
If possible, use a hand truck with large air filled tires and be sure to have them at full pressure. Be very careful if you have to move over gravel or dirt, it is easy for one wheel to sink in or snag and drop the tool on its side. Wrap the cabinet in a moving blanket and secure it to the hand truck with a ratcheting nylon cargo strap.
To move the saw onto a trailer or pick up truck, you'll need a couple of ten or twelve foot long planks to make a ramp. Planks this long will sag too much under the weight of both a person and the machine, so you'll also need a sawhorse about half the height of the truck bed to support the planks at their midspan. Bring lots of blankets and cardboard boxes for padding and bracing the parts of the machine once it is loaded on the truck. Most woodworking machines are top heavy, so be sure to tie it down well.
John W.
Rholl
When I bought my used cabinet saw, I took the rails off to fit thru the Minivan door.
Put the whole thing on a movers dolly and two of us moved it into and out of my van.
Jeff
Robert,
To add to John W.'s recommendation of bringing a full set of tools - be sure that your ratchet set has a set of metric sockets. I'd also recommend you bring a set of standard and metric box wrenches.
When you get your new/used machine to your shop, don't assume that it's in perfect working order - even if the previous owner states that it is. Even the best cared for machines will wear out / break down over time. This would be a perfect opportunity to give the machine a thorough tune up inside and out, especially since you'll have most of it apart already.
If you have any questions about setting up or tuning the machine, please feel free to ask!
Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
Edited 9/3/2003 12:10:35 AM ET by Jackie Chan
Just a suggestion Robert. Begin by removing the wings, handles and fence rails. Next, remove the motor. You may find it light enough to move at this point. If not, then remove the top and trunion assemblies. No sense removing anything that doesn't need to be taken off.
(I recently moved one and the two of us had no problem once the motor was removed. However, at six foot two and six foot four and about 450 lbs between us, we are both a bit larger than average sized men.)
Jeff
Jeff and Others,
I'd take the top off to save weight before I'd remove the motor, it is much simpler to remove, just three or four bolts accessible from outside of the cabinet. These bolts will need to be loosened and the top shifted into alignment after the saw is moved into place anyway, so no additional work is involved.
In addition, with the top removed, the saw is very easy to inspect and service. I regularly remove saw tables when working on cabinet saws, it is almost the only way to thoroughly clean and lube a cabinet saw.
Removing the motor can involve considerably more work, including disconnecting the wiring. Removing the trunnions should only be done if the situation gets desperate.
John W.
Thanks for your reply, and the reply of others. Good info. to prepare when I find a saw. My present shop is too small, but am moving into a 630 sq. ft. shop in a few months, new shop is not wired so I can wire for 240V. A few years back the high schools in my area phased out their industrial arts programs, and auctioned off all of the shop equipment. Unfortunately, at the time I could not accommodate a cabinet saw, and had to pass up some good deals. The saws and large planer were going for $400 - $600. Hopefully I'll be posting soon on the saw I find. Thanks.
Robert
I have had a Powermatic 66 with 52" Bisemeyer fence for about twenty years now. It's about as heavy as any 10" cabinet saw around, and I have moved it way too many times.
I am about 5' 8", and 170 lbs, in my late 50's, and have no trouble moving the saw by myself, as long as I don't have to go up or down stairs. I just take off the fence and rails. The saw rides best upside down, so I just put the saw on a 4-wheel dolly, wheel it to the van, and roll or tip it on its back into the van so that it's resting on its top. When I take it out, I just slide the thing down a couple of 2x10's and roll it back upright when it gets to the ground.
The Unisaws I have moved have been a lot lighter. With the rails off, one person can pick the saw up to put it on a dolly.
Two people should make moving a snap. I don't recommend any disassembly other than removing the fence and rails. Just don't try to pick it up by the wings, and watch out for the adjusting wheels.
I've never had to adjust anything but the fence after moving, but I'd go through any new equipment from top to bottom, anyway. You can find all sorts of things like loose or missing fasteners, frayed wires, worn or cracked castings......
Michael R.
Edited 9/3/2003 3:51:40 PM ET by Woodwiz
Hey Robert, I just moved in my new used cabinet saw. A 50" Jet. Big, heavy and beautiful, but my two brothers and I were able to lift it into a pickup without any damage. It had a mobile base for some reason which provided good handholds. Four guys would make it easy. No dissasembly either. Cost me $15 bucks for diner. Good luck with your search!
Steve
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