How do I get a new assmbled bandsaw home safely? [Archive]

Joshua Dinerstein

10-13-2009, 5:19 PM

I bought a Rikon 14" Deluxe bandsaw a few months ago. Well the store I bought it from would really like me to take it home. I would really like to take it home.

I am curious now as to what to do and how to get it home safely. It comes out of the box and pre-assembled as it was the floor model at Woodcraft. I don't want to destroy it on the way home. I have read horror stories about tool flopping out of trucks at the first real corner and smashing into pieces often taking the truck side panel with them.

So do I move it standing up? Do I move it laying down? How do I keep my new saw looking and operating new post the 2-3 mile drive home?

As background information I don't own a truck and I never have. So I am rarely called upon to move such things...

Thanks,
Joshua

Jerome Hanby

10-13-2009, 5:33 PM

I leave it up to someone else to post how to pack it onto the truck. I'm more of an expert on flopping one out of the truck. But, you can rent a truck pretty cheap from Home Depot. I think the rental time is like 75 minutes. I'm sure they intend you to carry stuff home from their store, but what they don't know...

Tony Bilello

10-13-2009, 5:34 PM

I would try to disassemble as much as reasonably possible. At least see if you can separate the saw from the stand. Then lay the saw down so it cant roll. Having not really taken a good look at it, I am only guessing. Can you get an asembly manual online or do you already have one?

Jamie Buxton

10-13-2009, 5:35 PM

There's lots of ways to move machines. The question is what equipment you have. You don't have a truck, but what do you have, or what can you get hold of? Do you have a car? An SUV? A hatchback? Is your move really only two miles? Is it flat enough that a hand truck is possible?

Wes Grass

10-13-2009, 5:47 PM

2-3 miles? Sheesh, put it on a furniture dolly and walk home with it ;-)

But seriously, pull the table and motor, and lay it down on a piece of cardboard. Drive slow. Assemble in reverse order. Worked for me with a Laguna HD16. Still not sure how I managed to stand it back up by myself ...

Myk Rian

10-13-2009, 6:00 PM

I brought a 14" Delta home in a trailer, laying on its back.
Don't leave it standing as the result of doing that can be attested to by at least one member here.

Carroll Courtney

10-13-2009, 6:07 PM

Conrad Fiore

10-13-2009, 6:07 PM

As was mentioned, remove the table, very easy. Then if you unbolt the saw from the base, you will have three very easily manageable pieces to move around and lay down on some cardboard or padding in the bed of a truck.

Stephen Edwards

10-13-2009, 6:13 PM

If you have some old sofa or chair cushions laying around put them in the truck bed/trailer to lay the saw on.

Maurice Ungaro

10-13-2009, 8:04 PM

Short of taking the upper part of of the base, I've always thought that the best way is to lay it on it's back, and strap it in good from 6 different points.

Michael Flores

10-13-2009, 8:19 PM

I bought my agazzani from the wood working show pre-assembled.it was the 18 inch model. its not that big of deal to move it. It took two guys and ford ranger. The only thing that had to be removed was the doors. We laid it down on its back spine since it was completely flat, that way there was no pressure on the table or the switch. Just use those ratcheting tie down straps the truckers use and your golden. we drove home 40 miles on the freeway like this with the tail gate down cause it would not close due to the length of the bandsaw. Not one scratch.

John Coloccia

10-13-2009, 8:35 PM

Why ya'll making it so hard? Rent a truck with a liftgate. Strap into truck. Drive home. I believe Penske or Budget still rent trucks with lift gates.

Is it still on a pallet, BTW? Even better! Ask Woodcraft if they'll let you borrow their pallet truck for 20 minutes or buy one on Craigslist for $50 (that's what I did).

John Coloccia

10-13-2009, 8:40 PM

Several oppositions,rent a small trailor w/a gate that will lay down for loading,like the ones that mowing crews use.At the local HD,you can rent a truck w/lift gate for 20.00 I think,purchase some wood and get it home then run down to WC and pick it up.While your at the local HD purchase some of those ratchet type tie down straps,that way the straps won't scratch the new paint like a rope will and you can tighten the heck out of the straps.Or ask a friend to give you a hand and to use his truck,than lay the saw down.Like the other posters said,remove the table.Now this saw here was a beast to get home,all 2000lbs of it.I remove the table,motor,bracket,doors first.
There better be pics of your new saw when you get it home,SMC is watching:eek:---Carroll

Great idea. I rent the trucks and vans from Home Depot and Lowes all the time. I don't think you even have to buy anything there. I never do, and they never seem to care.

re: ratcheting tie downs
Harbor Freight usually has those cheap cheap cheap. Every now and then they go on sale for $1.99 a pair, or something ridiculous like that, and I snatch up a bunch. They're my favorites, too. The WAY more expensive ones I buy elsewhere for $20, $30 and more always seem to jam up and not release properly. The HF ones just always seem to work, and I have enough of them at such a good price that I frequently give them away to friends that need to borrow a few... "Just keep 'em".

glenn bradley

10-13-2009, 9:00 PM

I did it like this (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=71502&d=1189281474). I built the wooden fixture to support the motor. I made sure no straps or braces put pressure on anything other than the frame. Avoid the table and trunnions ;-) The rental was way cheaper than a bent saw.

Russ Kay

10-13-2009, 9:18 PM

I picked up a Rikon bandsaw from a Rikon scratch-and-dent sale two years ago. We manhandled it into the bed of a friend's pickup truck (don't rightly recall if we laid it down on its side or not; I think so) and drove it 50 miles with no problems.

Matt Meiser

10-13-2009, 9:49 PM

Lay it down. You might remove the table too since the trunions are the most fragile part. I transported mine in our old minivan on its backside no problem.

Pete Bradley

10-13-2009, 9:56 PM

+1 for Wes' advice. I've moved a much bigger machine this way. Get your hands on a vehicle with a back large enough for the machine, lay down cardboard where the saw will go, and a board tilted against the entry so you don't tear it up. Tilt saw (with table and motor removed) aganst board, then heave it in (may need a friend). Use blocks of 2X4 as necessary so it stays steady. Drive home, unload is the reverse.

Pete

george wilson

10-13-2009, 10:45 PM

Be a bit careful about"tightening the heck out of the straps". You don't want to bend the column of the saw.

Back in 1964,I bought a 14" Delta bandsaw,which I still have,in North Carolina. I had to carry it back up to Va.,hundreds of miles. I just took the table off,and the stand,laying everything in the trunk of my car. Taken into pieces,the saw isn't very heavy to lift back out,if you are young.

Will Rowland

10-13-2009, 10:47 PM

I moved a Rikon 14" Deluxe several months ago. We removed the table and then "pivoted" the saw up into the bed of a pickup truck (transporting the saw laid flat). It was easy. 3 of us put it in the truck, but 2 of us got it out without any issues.

Mort Stevens

10-14-2009, 12:12 AM

Why are you guys making this mole hill into a mountain? Having Woodcraft deliver it would seem to be the simplest and straight forward solution.

Tim Wagner

10-14-2009, 1:38 AM

Please click one of the Quick Reply icons in the posts above to activate Quick Reply.

Curt Harms

10-14-2009, 2:14 AM

David Freed

10-14-2009, 4:38 AM

Why are you guys making this mole hill into a mountain? Having Woodcraft deliver it would seem to be the simplest and straight forward solution.

Why ya'll making it so hard? Rent a truck with a liftgate. Strap into truck. Drive home. I believe Penske or Budget still rent trucks with lift gates.

I agree with either of these ideas. I understand that moving topheavy machinery may be a little intimidating if you haven't done it, but there really isn't that much to worry about if you use common sense. I have hauled anything that will go on a flatbed even if it doesn't fit (oversize) for fifteen years. I moved my 19" bandsaw 8 miles a couple weeks ago in my pickup. I set it on the bed standing up completely assembled and put 2 straps over the top and 1 over the base.

mickey cassiba

10-14-2009, 5:52 AM

Dodge Intrepid, two helpers, twelve pack of budweiser, Delta cabinet base (28-206 style).
1. remove saw from base. place base in trunk.
2. all three guys sweat, huff and puff, and gently lay saw spine down on back seat. strap in with seatbelts and wifes couch cushions.
3. drive to destination.
4. reverse order for removal and assembly.
5. enjoy bud, and wave goodbye to helpers who swear they will "never again'...
Mickey

Denny Rice

10-14-2009, 6:31 AM

+1 for David's post.

Mike Wilkins

10-14-2009, 9:08 AM

2 things you need to move that bandsaw. A truck and a friend with a good back. A truck with a lift gate would be even better. I unloaded a Laguna LT18 by myself in 90 degree August heat. Sure could have used some help that day.

Joshua Dinerstein

10-14-2009, 1:42 PM

Why are you guys making this mole hill into a mountain? Having Woodcraft deliver it would seem to be the simplest and straight forward solution.

I asked about that right before I posted this question. It is 3 older guys that work there. Older meaning they all appear to be in their early to mid-60s. They have no company truck just their own personal trucks.

The statement was "Sure, buy me some gas and I will throw it in the back of the truck and run it over".

I then asked if he had good straps etc... Their reply: "Straps? No. Why?"

Scared me enough that I posted here and started looking for help getting it. :)

Joshua

Joshua Dinerstein

10-14-2009, 1:46 PM

Take the Table off-4 screws
Take the motor off if you are so inclined-4 bolts
Take it off the stand-4 bolts.
If you want to lighten it further, you could take the wheels off. There's no tricky alignment issues that I know of.
At that point, I doubt the frame would weigh 100 lbs.

To get my saw on its base, I was able to use a come-along tied to a steel beam in the basement to support the saw frame then moved the base under it. Easy-peasy.
Good to know. I think I will just do that. Just take it apart a bit and get it home.

While I would like to not scratch the paint. I love it when things look new when I start to use them. Possibly weird I know but that is me.

But WAY beyond that I just didn't want to wreck it trying to get it home. Bent/twisted/broken etc... would all pretty much ruin my week!

If there are any other suggestions please feel free to chime in. I am going to see what I can find out about bolt/nut sizes to get it taken apart a bit...

Thanks,
Joshua

Ian Parish

10-14-2009, 4:31 PM

Dude,

I'll just toss it my truck, take it to my place and you can come over and use it whenever you need to.

See nothing to worry about, move along, nothing to see here.

8-)

Frank Drew

10-14-2009, 5:25 PM

I guess I'm in the this-ain't-rocket-science camp with John and David: The older guy who bought my 18" Oliver showed up with two day laborers, a rental box truck that had a ramp, and a refrigerator hand truck (the kind with a strap). I was a bit concerned since it was a heavy machine (ca. 600 lb.), but the stronger of the two movers got it onto the hand truck, strapped it securely, then the three of us humped it up the ramp into the truck. Strapped it to the truck wall and off they went. No reason you couldn't do the same with a stake-side truck and straps or rope (lift gate would be nice).

Don't drive like a teenager, of course.

Frank Drew

10-14-2009, 5:35 PM

Dodge Intrepid, two helpers, twelve pack of budweiser, Delta cabinet base (28-206 style).
1. remove saw from base. place base in trunk.
2. all three guys sweat, huff and puff, and gently lay saw spine down on back seat. strap in with seatbelts and wife's couch cushions :eek:.
3. drive to destination.
4. reverse order for removal and assembly.
5. enjoy bud, and wave goodbye to helpers who swear they will "never again'...

6. Replace couch cushions because that's where you'll be sleeping tonight!

daniel lane

10-14-2009, 5:35 PM

I own a Rikon 14" deluxe - bought it NIB from WC a couple of years ago. I moved it myself using a rented HD truck (~$25 for 75 minutes). We were lucky that it was in the box, but I don't think it would be that difficult were it floor model.

There are 4 bolts that hold the saw on the base unit. If you aren't comfortable standing the saw up in the HD truck (get one with the sides and securely tie/strap it in), remove the 4 bolts to remove the lightweight base and strap/tie the saw in place.

At least, that would be my advise.

daniel

David Freed

10-14-2009, 6:32 PM

The statement was "Sure, buy me some gas and I will throw it in the back of the truck and run it over".

I then asked if he had good straps etc... Their reply: "Straps? No. Why?"

Why would you need straps when you have a little bit of twine?
http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Workshop/Lumber-Car-A.jpg

See the story behind this picture here. - http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Workshop/Lumber-Car-A.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Workshop/Overload.htm&h=337&w=606&sz=38&tbnid=25tF1bkOaIxOzM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpicture%2Bof%2Bcar%2Boverloaded%2Bwit h%2Blumber&usg=__SXpNUoLw51zAP8p6aMhVqpiXDL8=&ei=kU7WSvmnDcXHlAeelamdCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=2&ct=image&ved=0CA4Q9QEwAQ

Joshua Dinerstein

10-16-2009, 12:18 AM

Alright. Well we got the bandsaw home. Ian came with his truck and a friend form work who just thought we were going to lunch got snookered into helping. :)

As far as I can tell it survived the ride. I need to do some tuning up and some checking on the Rikon band saw but so far it all looks to have make the trip just fine. Can't wait to give it a whirl!

I was going to take some pictures of the "ordeal", which in the end was really amazingly painless, but my wife broke the camera the other day and I didn't think to pull out my cell phone and use that one. Ah well. At least I have the saw... ;)

Thanks for all the suggestions and the help. And the horrifying photo of a smashed car. That was, while different, kind of what I was afraid of. ;)

Joshua

David Freed

10-16-2009, 5:51 AM

And the horrifying photo of a smashed car. That was, while different, kind of what I was afraid of. ;)

Joshua

There isn't really anything horrifying about it. I thought it was funny that someone was actually dumb enough to try to haul that on top of a car. It also shows what kind of people they hire at the borgs. They should not have loaded it whether he signed a waiver or not.

mickey cassiba

10-16-2009, 7:22 AM

6. Replace couch cushions because that's where you'll be sleeping tonight!
Actually it was her suggestion...guess that's why I'll never be cured of my tool addiction. I have an enabler.
Mickey

Curt Harms

10-16-2009, 7:40 AM

Actually it was her suggestion...guess that's why I'll never be cured of my tool addiction. I have an enabler.
Mickey

Perhaps. You also have a keeper:D.

John Keeton

10-16-2009, 8:01 AM

It is 3 older guys that work there. Older meaning they all appear to be in their early to mid-60s.Whoa there Joshua - thin ice you are on!!:D Everything is relative, I guess - 40 years ago, that seemed "older" to me, too!

Even if you didn't post pics of the "ordeal", pics of the tuned bandsaw are a requisite! Hope it is everything you had hoped.