Securing Jointer to trailer

[Craig D Peltier]

Hi, im asking for opinions. Tommorow I am getting a 12" grizzly jointer used. I dont want to take it off of its base. It will be forklift onto my trailer. I plan on setting it upright on a piece of plywood ( so I can slide it to end of trailer when unloading). The deck right now is metal grate type. No sides on trailer.Just flat bed.

Do you think that just several ratchet straps across the top of the table down to sides of trailer will be enough to keep it upright?
Also think the best postion would be right over the axle? Trailer capacity is something like 1600lbs an jointer weighs close to 800 I guess.
Im going about 25 miles with it. 10 freeway miles. I will drive like im not trying to spill a full glass of water around corners.

Thanks

[Myk Rian]

I would place it forward of the axle. Less bouncing the farther forward you go. Good heavy straps should hold it.

[Dennis Ford]

If your trailer bed is stiff enough that it won't flex too much, the ratchet straps should work. Use the 2" wide straps, they are very strong. I had a bad experience with some of the cheap 1" wide straps and will not use them on anything that I can not lift by hand. Might be a good idea to use some screws or lag bolts to attach the base to plywood for extra insurance.

[RON F. ANDERSON]

The more straps the better... also some 2x4 boards just in case you need to brace them in the bed of the trailor. good luck!!

[Robert foster]

Craig:

Place your planer forward of center of gravity so that the weight on the tongue of the trailer is about 10 - 15% of the total weight. This will make it more stable. Use plenty of straps, drive carefully.

Bob

[glenn bradley]

Tie off some of the straps on the tool and pull opposite directions (think motorcycle). Don't rely on just over the top and tightened (no matter how tight) to do it. DHMHIKT.

[Craig D Peltier]

Tie off some of the straps on the tool and pull opposite directions (think motorcycle). Don't rely on just over the top and tightened (no matter how tight) to do it. DHMHIKT.

Thanks , The MC strapping idea is good.

Thanks from everyone else for the advice.

[Bob Luciano]

I used chains and belts I think mine weighs a bit more than the one you are moving
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Bobluciano/oliver017.jpg

[John Keeton]

Some good comments here. I would add the suggestion that you devise a method to "slide" the plywood before loading. With the jointer being top heavy, it may be difficult to slide the plywood without being able to take hold of it on the leading edge. Perhaps a couple holes large enough to secure a rope/cable so as to be able to pull it toward the rear of the trailer - maybe use a come-a-long.

And, have that shop crane ready along with a couple friends!!

[Brian Backner]

I agree that you should use as many straps to keep it upright as possible. This approach is vulnerable to another type of catastrophe, however.

Perhaps I missed it in the above posts, but also make sure to fix the base of this beast to the trailer deck. You might think that its weight and the friction thereby generated would hold it in place, but a hard stop, even from 20 mph, would have it shift significantly forward. 2x4 or 4x4 blocking nailed or bolted against the four sides of the base/pallet will be adequate to keep it centered and in place as long as the straps are tight enough to keep the base of the machine from bouncing high enough to clear them. If you cannot fix them to the deck, cut lengths of 2x4's and wedge them between the machine's base at the corners and the trailer side walls (2 at each corner for a total of 8), then nail two 2x4's on each side to the jammed in 2x4's - one up against the jointer and another against the wall of the trailer. Also make sure to use 2 or 3 staggered nails for each lap joint - you don't want the 2x4 rectangle to collapse like a parallelogram with hinge joints. If you have a steel deck with perforated holes in it, use those holes to tie the 2x4's down.

Basically, anything you can do to stabilize and hold the beast in place is worth the time and effort in terms of safety.

Brian

[Craig D Peltier]

Since my trailer has mesh steel decking. Im thinking a sheet of mdf with some 2x4s screwed down into it with say 3 inch screws , lots of them. On all 4 sides of machine will hold it from sliding if coming to a stop. Then the straps over the table will hold the plywood down to a non slippery deck already and the weight of the machine.
If I were to sandwich 2x4s over the deck and under and bolt them through I would need some serious long bolts due to the 2x4 steel framing on the underside qhich arent just straight so I can block in between.
Thanks for all the ideas. I will go take look at it in 20 minutes and see what I can do. It should be back here by 3pm eastern. I'll let you know how it worked an take a pic of method (s) I used.

Thanks

[Bob Luciano]

Might be cheaper and way faster to rent a trailer for the short trip

[John Thompson]

Agree with Brian. If you are keeping it on a mobile base (I assume mobile... you best have some way to chalk the base. I put together a 12" jointer at IWF and they are very heavy.. I would use 3" aircraft grade nylon straps with heavy ratchets... and several of them.

Sarge..

[Steve Rozmiarek]

i used chains and belts i think mine weighs a bit more than the one you are moving
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/bobluciano/oliver017.jpg


drool! :d

[Frank Drew]

drool! :d

Put me down ditto to what he said.

[Bob Luciano]

Yep that was what I had been doing watching it on CL for about a month or 2. Then I talked the guy down to half of what he was asking and the drowling subsided.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Yep that was what I had been doing watching it on CL for about a month or 2. Then I talked the guy down to half of what he was asking and the drowling subsided.

Bob you have more disipline then me... The first sleepless night thinking that someone else may give that beauty a new home, and I'd have been going without coffee to subsidize the purchase!

[Craig D Peltier]

I have a trailer, no need to rent.
Well I ended up putting it on a small piece of oak 3.4 ply. With enough showing that I could screw 2x4s around it like trim. Then I did the motorcyle type tie down system and then one more on each end just over the bed. Then 2 going around the front real low and 2 going around the back real low. So 10 straps. Held fine, I was nervous a strap was going to bust.
Then I put a small piece of melamine down on trailer bed and pulled it across that. Used 3 2x10s cut at 45 degrees for a ramp that were braced on under side and screwed into tail of trailer. Also braced the rear end of trailer so it didnt bend.
Slid off smooth, back aches a bit. I can only lift it maybe 3 inches off ground on one end. It tips back pretty easy with two guys to get forklift skids under it.

Thanks for all the help. Jointer runs smooth.

[Mike Wellner]

Put jointer on plywood, screw in a 2x6 at the end of plywood after you get the rear of the jointer lined up, then strap that end and hook it up to a come along attached to the front of the trailer. That way you can get it to the front easier.

[Bob Luciano]

He wanted $3K I could sleep not having it just fine at that price

[Aaron Berk]

I used chains and belts I think mine weighs a bit more than the one you are moving
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u111/Bobluciano/oliver017.jpg


OMG!!!:eek: thats a huge toy. I want one