Moving a jointer

[Michael O'Sullivan]

I have a Grizzly 0490 (8" Jointer) that I would like to get into a basement shop. The problem is that the access stairs are pretty narrow.

Is it a terrible idea to sit the jointer bed nose-down on an appliance dolly? Would it damage the ways or risk bending anything important?

[Michael Peet]

I ponder this as well, as I will need to deal with this exact situation at some point. I suspect putting that kind of load on the beds might be a bad idea, but I await the collective wisdom of SMC..

Mike

[Callan Campbell]

2 options come to mind. Easiest one first. Make a cardboard model or flat templet of the main body of the jointer. Cut the cardboard to match your jointer table width and length. See how much space that takes up going down your stairs, and add the height of the base to it when checking your amount of room on your stairs. [moving the jointer lengthwise down the stairs]
If it looks iffy or not possible, you'll probably have to disassemble the jointer tables from the main body, or at least one of them to shorten the amount of needed room going down the stairs. I'd take the infeed table off only, if possible. Then, you probably have enough room to put the remaining portion of assembled jointer/machine on a 2 wheel dolly, with the outfeed table pointing away from you and sneak it down the stairs that way. I COULD see someone taking the whole machine off its base, then putting the jointer on the dolly vertical[still fully assembled], but I wouldn't do it that way.:eek:
Could be worse, you could have bought a really old 12 to 16" jointer and are wondering if the stairs can even hold the weight.;)

[Glen Butler]

It's tough to say whether you will bend something or not, but that is a lot of weight where weight wasn't intended. A small nylon rope can tow a care if you ease into it, but you will snap that rope really quickly if you start out with a jerk. Same thing goes for your machine. You may be able to rest it on the nose. But increase the G forces on it as you bounce down the steps, you may not be so lucky. I wouldn't risk it. You surely will have to reset the machine. I never pick mine up by the tables. I also never set stuff on the tables except the piece I am jointing. I would make a ramp down the stairs and make sure plenty of people are available to slide it down the ramps. Use ropes in strategic locations to keep the top from tipping as it is tilted on the ramps.

[Jim German]

I've been thinking about this too, I'm going to be getting a Grizzly 490X in the near future and wondering how I'll get it into the basement. Does it come disassembled in light enough pieces that I could carry it down by myself?

[Myk Rian]

I brought mine home in 2 pieces. Took the main body off the base.
Only 3 bolts held it together.

[Brian Tymchak]

I would not put the full weight of the jointer on the nose of one of it's tables.

I moved my jointer down my stairs before I removed it from its manufacturer packaging. (I actually slid the box slowly down the stairs. Much easier than standing above and moving one stair at a time with it strapped to a dolly.) If your jointer is still in its OEM packaging maybe that's an option.

Another point that bit of story brings up is that in the styrofoam packaging the full weight of the jointer was distributed across a much larger area. Don't know how your Grizzly jointer is packaged, but I could (and did) stand my jointer on its end in the package at the bottom of the stairs until I put the dolly under it to move it across the shop.

So, building on that idea, if you do not have the OEM packaging, how about building a "sled" of sorts with blocking that supports the lower body of the jointer as well as the nose of the table? When tipped up, it essentially takes the bulk of the weight off the nose and puts it into the blocking which, in turn, is transferred to the dolly. hope those words convey the idea ...this would be a good place to add a drawing, but I'm quite challenged in that regard...:(

Hope this helps, and is not confusing..
Brian

[Kent A Bathurst]

I brought mine home in 2 pieces. Took the main body off the base.
Only 3 bolts held it together.

Me too - then I bolted a couple of 2x4 on edge to the mounting holes. 2x4 were longer than the bed, so 2 big friends could carry it like a litter down stairs and into the shop where the beer cooler was waiting.

[Michael O'Sullivan]

Thanks for the responses thus far.

A couple of points that I omitted -

1) The jointer is still in its packaging -- i.e. the bed is not attached to the stand. However, the packaging containing the jointer bed says not to stand it on end -- I was not sure if this is because the bed cannot stand on end, or that the packing crate was not constructed to be handled in that manner.

2) There are only about 5 steps to the basement, and they are concrete. However, there is a 90 deg. turn toward the door, so there is no way to fit the jointer lengthwise -- it would have to go in vertically, if at all.

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Michael.

I bought my 8" jointer from Sunhill Machinery in Seattle WA. When delivered it was in at least 3 containers. Fortunately for me, I could put the parts on a furniture rollers and roll them into my shop.

Based upon my experience I would do the following:
Break the machine down into manageable pieces.
Do not install the input/output wings.
Remove the jointer from the base cabinet.
Remove the motor from the base cabinet.
Remove anything else that is of noticeable weight.
Move all the removed parts to your basement.
Get a couple buddies to help
Get some STRONG ROPE AND GLOVES.
Tie the jointer to the appliance dolly
(Consider laying 3/4 CDX plywood on the steps as a slide.)
Ease it down the steps.
Assemble the machine.
You need at least one person to help you move the jointer off and onto the base cabinet.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Thanks for the responses thus far.

A couple of points that I omitted -

1) The jointer is still in its packaging -- i.e. the bed is not attached to the stand. However, the packaging containing the jointer bed says not to stand it on end -- I was not sure if this is because the bed cannot stand on end, or that the packing crate was not constructed to be handled in that manner.

2) There are only about 5 steps to the basement, and they are concrete. However, there is a 90 deg. turn toward the door, so there is no way to fit the jointer lengthwise -- it would have to go in vertically, if at all.

I bet your are just fine. That warning is for the shippers, I'd think, because they don't want it bouncing up and down on end for 1,000 miles and three cross-dock operations en route.

I'd open the crate - see how the crate is constructed. If the jointer is securely bolted to a solid wood "pallet", then you would have no problem standing it on end on a fridge cart, and going down those 5 steps (but get a large, brave friend on the downhill side so it moves slowly down each step :)). If it isn't on a solid wood frame, then make one - but I'd bet it is because the factory doesn't move those critters by hand, they move them by forklift, and they have to have very solid packaging for shipping.

[Bill White]

Beer and Tylenol......;)
Bill

[Matt Kestenbaum]

I moved my G0490 into the basement last month. The top half (the iron half) is actually quite narrow. My staircase (through bilco doors) is only 29in at its narrowest and had no problem. It is really heavy and I actually paid a local moving company for 2 hours of time to get the jointer, a new sawstop PCS, used delta drill press and some other small pieces into the basement. Best not to stand it on end...at ~450lbs. the crate its in will barely hold together when lifted. If on end the entire weight of iron will be on the eccentric bushings that balance each table. You don't want to damage those (this was your initial fear).

If you break the steel banding to inspect it upon arrival then I would use a heavy nylon ratchet strap to help hold it all together again before moving. Also, it is helpful to keep it in the crate when moving it--too much cosmoline and also risk of scratching it to unpack and then move. When you get it down the step put it on some blocks (rather than the floor), because when you start unpacking to assemble it there are two bolts holding it to bottom of the crate and they are hard to get at.

You have a fun couple of days ahead of you!

Matt

[michael case]

I have not read through these posts so if this advice has already been tendered then forgive me. I would absolutely keep it packaged if it will fit. Construct some kind of ramp even if its some 2x8" and adequate support. Get enough help and carefully slide it down the ramp. It may be possible to use a dolly it its a true professional quality one with a rated weight limit. But either way you will want a ramp. This is how I got my G0490 into my shop.

[Michael O'Sullivan]

I moved my G0490 into the basement last month. The top half (the iron half) is actually quite narrow. My staircase (through bilco doors) is only 29in at its narrowest and had no problem. It is really heavy and I actually paid a local moving company for 2 hours of time to get the jointer, a new sawstop PCS, used delta drill press and some other small pieces into the basement. Best not to stand it on end...at ~450lbs. the crate its in will barely hold together when lifted. If on end the entire weight of iron will be on the eccentric bushings that balance each table. You don't want to damage those (this was your initial fear).

If you break the steel banding to inspect it upon arrival then I would use a heavy nylon ratchet strap to help hold it all together again before moving. Also, it is helpful to keep it in the crate when moving it--too much cosmoline and also risk of scratching it to unpack and then move. When you get it down the step put it on some blocks (rather than the floor), because when you start unpacking to assemble it there are two bolts holding it to bottom of the crate and they are hard to get at.

You have a fun couple of days ahead of you!

Matt

Thanks for the detail. How much do you estimate the jointer top weighsall by itself? I was going to take everything else out of the crate if I was going to use the crate to assist with the move.

It is funny - my neighbor and I got a Unisaw down to the basement with very little effort just using the appliance dolly -- the hardest part of that was getting the saw off the dolly and onto the mobile base. But the jointer is a lot more awkward.

My other option (besides leaving the jointer in the garage) is to use the internal stairs. They have more clearance, but are wooden, and I don't relish the possibility of taking an express trip to the basement in a vertical direction.

[Matt Kestenbaum]

If I recall correctly, the total flat crate weight was about 450 lbs. -- the fence, fence carriage, some bits of hardware, plastic push blocks, and the cutter guard are included in that crate...and of course the weight of the crate itself. I am guessing about 300-325 lbs is the big piece.

The issue that I would see with taking everything (else) out of the crate, is that the top is oriented inside the crate to one side...the fence, carriage and other stuff is along side it. So, even if you could get the crate back together (after i opened it to check condition before signing the bill of lading and letting the freight driver leave, mine seemed to virtually explode), it would be unbalanced. One issue that I had, that you may not have to deal with, is that I had no good place to stage it -- unpack, degrease and perhaps wrap in a movers blanket -- close to the steps. I had the driver unload it into my garage a 100 yds away from the house...so the movers dollied the crate to the patio and then carried it down the steps. If I had an attached garage or a enclosed porch next to the steps I might have considered carrying it uncrated. But, like I mentioned, in addition to being very heavy it is also very oily and has plenty of sharp edges.

Your are absolutely dead on with the relative ease of getting the saw into the basement on a standard appliance dolly...actually much easier than a small fridge. One thing I also recommend (that I was quite proud of myself for doing) is save the styrofoam panels that the stand comes packed in...they are great for kneeling on when your are crawling around during set-up.

BTW - There are several threads about assembling and tuning this specific jointer...I started a bunch! There has been volumes written here on SMC about adjusting the tables so that they are co-planer. I also had some trouble getting the motor and cutter head pulleys co-planer. You can easily find them with the search button.

[Terry Brogan]

Go to the rental place and get a stair walker, the kind with a little motor on it. Outdoor stores use those to move solid cast iron gun safes down finished stairs all the time into basements. You'd be amazed how effective they are even with a massive load. I've seen one guy do it with no problem.