What device for lowering tool into basement shop?

[Ken Platt]

Folks -

I just placed an order for a new jointer and planer (Grizzly) and I'm planning how to get them into the shop, which is in my basement. I do have a hatchway for access, have looked through the threads here, am making a ramp. I am planning to put the tools on the top of the ramp with my tractor pallet forks, and would like then to have something to hook onto the tractor to control the descent down the ramp.

What would you use for this? I'm going to HF to buy a shop crane, so I can get whatever while I'm there. Perhaps a chain hoist? http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-chain-hoist-996.html

Or a come along? http://http://www.harborfreight.com/4000-lb-capacity-cable-winch-puller-30329.html

I'm also thinking of just securing the tool at the top of the ramp somehow, backing up the tractor, then using a chain from the tractor to the tool, and driving forward slowly. But that way seems to give me less control, and I may not have much in the way of helpers. Having something ready to just pay out as the tool slides down seems like a better idea....

Thoughts? Thanks -

Ken

[Mike Hollis]

What about renting a appliance dolly (the kind with the wheels that pop out the back), hook a strap to that and the other end to your tractor, and slowly lower it down the ramp?

[HANK METZ]

You might do a search of metalworking newsgroups, those guys deal with this stuff every day and it seems like at least half only have shop basements, yet they manage to squeeze in Bridgeport mills and South Bend lathes into them with little specialized rigging.

A late thought- they also favor using pipe sections as rollers to move the equipment around and finally squeeze it into place.

- Beachside Hank
Improvise, adapt, overcome; the essence of true craftsmanship.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

The HF chain hoist works great. Get a couple of their nylon load straps and you should be able to completely control the descent. Don't plan on a comealong. The pull great, but going the other direction is usually painful. Might not need the engine crane with the chain hoist. I have it attached to a pipe between two support columns and regularly use it to lift heavy equipment onto cabinets or wheel sets.

[Matt Day]

What size jointer and planer?

[Karl Card]

i bought an 8 inch joiner/planer and had to get it into my basement. Luckily the item was still int he crate. I screwed a piece of plywood down to the steps going into the basement. Then I used a come a long to lower the unit into my basement. Then I setup the base and used very strong ratcheting tie downs to lift the bed of the joiner and the set the base under it and gently lowered it onto the base... worked like a charm. I have also thought of getting an electric winch to lower large items into my basement, then I could control the slide down the steps, on top of the plywood of course.

[Rich Riddle]

I use a chain hoist and trolley system to move large tools in the garage. If you go that route, choose the large chain hoist just in case you might try to pick up a very heavy object once.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-chain-hoist-631.html

Just out of curiosity, if it's this much trouble to get tools in your shops how do you get sheets of plywood down there, not to mention long boards. Better yet, how does one get large completed projects out? It's like Gibbs on NCIS building a boat in his basement.

[george newbury]

snip>
What would you use for this? I'm going to HF to buy a shop crane, so I can get whatever while I'm there. Perhaps a chain hoist? http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-chain-hoist-996.html

<snip>
Go for broke get the 2 ton hoist.

Also buy some of their web slings.

I'm facing a similar problem, I'm trying to buy a 20" planer off CL (plus a lot of other equipment) so I'm planning on buying a crane http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-ton-capacity-pickup-truck-crane-with-cable-winch-37555.html for loading, perhaps a small electric winch, and their 1500 lb ramp.

I've one of their 2 ton chain hoists and it comes in handy and seems well built. However their come-alongs are "throw-away" I've broken two over the past couple of years.

[Ken Platt]

Hi Rich, thanks for the reply. About your question, I really don't use plywood much. And, if I need to just drop it, I'm not out that much, just a ding on the corner usually. Sometimes I'll cut them down in the garage. Long boards are awkward, but not that heavy mostly. Also, they're not very damagable, especially the big ones. As for completed projects, they too are not usually that heavy. Worst yet was the 8 foot long maple table top. My wife helped me with that one, and even so we just barely got it up the steps. Anything that big again, well, that's why I'm increasing my collection of materials handling tools. I just can't muscle stuff around the way I used to. I'm guessing I'm not alone in that....

[Ken Platt]

Thanks all for the replies. I guess I'll try one of the chain hoists to lower the crates down the ramp.

The crane seems like it'll be useful for other things....the second my wife saw me looking at it, she wanted me to get it. That might be her way of telling me she's not all that wild about helping me haul stuff around...

I do have a hand truck, but with stuff this heavy it is hard for me to control it. It's sort of like momentum tends to take over the situation, and usually not in the way I want.

The planer is the 0490X and the planer is the 453PX.

Ken

[Jim Andrew]

When I built my house 30 years ago, I put a stair in from the garage to the basement. Was a waste of about 40 square feet, but handy otherwise. I still use it to take firewood to the basement and ashes out. Took a new woodstove down a couple years ago, it was a Vermont Castings Defiant, and was as heavy as your planer. Got my son and one of his buddies, and we tied a rope around the stove and the buddy hung onto the rope to keep it from sliding too fast, and my son was in front of the stove as I slid it down as slow as possible. We had the stove on an appliance dolly, and when we got it to the basement, just rolled it into position. The buddy was very nervous, had 911 programmed on his phone just in case, but it all went fine.

[Peter Quinn]

I've moved a few heavy things in using my van for leverage. I strapped machines to an appliance dolly with wheels on the bottom and back, so it could be laid down, I made tracks that go down the stairs, a ramp with a landing that gets me over the head but gives a place to rest just before the decent. It took three people, one at the wheel, two on the hand truck, no injuries to man nor machine. I'd figure a tractor is an even easier method. I have used heavy cable, I have enough room to pull the truck forward then back up slowly for the decent. It goes smoother than chains

[Richard Coers]

Both those machines are going to be way top heavy. Keep them in the crate for sure, but those crates aren't as strong as they used to be. How much overhead height do you have? Can you sling it off the tractor loader and lower it almost to the bottom? If it's close, rig a come-a-long from a post, lower the crates, then ratchet them over to the floor as you lower it more. Sliding those down the stairs is asking for trouble without sending those crates down on their backs.

[Jason Roehl]

What device? Beer.

[Doug Richardson]

Had to get a new Grizzly cabinet saw from my cargo van into the basement last summer. I acquired the services of myself and two young bucks (twenty-some year olds). The three of us lowered it gently (or was that quickly) out of the van, removed the top and sides of the crate, and hand trucked it to the top of the stairs. There are about a dozen concrete steps to the basement landing, and then a left turn into the basement. Originally, we were going to use a come-a-long, but the three of us were able to lay 2 x 8's on to the steps, wrap several nylon straps around the body, looped through another nylon strap, and two of us slowly lowered it down the boards while the third guided the saw, so that it would not scrape on the block walls on the way down. We did not use the come-a-long, due to the fact that there was nothing convenient to attach it to that was in line with the stairwell.250641

[Jim Riseborough]

Folks -

I just placed an order for a new jointer and planer (Grizzly) and I'm planning how to get them into the shop, which is in my basement. I do have a hatchway for access, have looked through the threads here, am making a ramp. I am planning to put the tools on the top of the ramp with my tractor pallet forks, and would like then to have something to hook onto the tractor to control the descent down the ramp.

What would you use for this? I'm going to HF to buy a shop crane, so I can get whatever while I'm there. Perhaps a chain hoist? http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-chain-hoist-996.html

Or a come along? http://http://www.harborfreight.com/4000-lb-capacity-cable-winch-puller-30329.html

I'm also thinking of just securing the tool at the top of the ramp somehow, backing up the tractor, then using a chain from the tractor to the tool, and driving forward slowly. But that way seems to give me less control, and I may not have much in the way of helpers. Having something ready to just pay out as the tool slides down seems like a better idea....

Thoughts? Thanks -

Ken

If your doing this on your own, I would rig some ropes and pullys, then you can control it from wherever you want, near the tool, behind (dont go in front, case the ropes break) or a winch with remote control, so you can move around too.

Somewhere on here I think I have pics of me doing a planer down my back yard with ropes. tricky, but worked.

[Greg Portland]

I'd use a come-along fastened to the hitch of your truck & slide the items down on a cheap plywood or OSB ramp.

With the jointer, 2 strong people should be able to carry the top and then the bottom if it's an 8" model or smaller. You can definitely carry the bottom by itself (1 less thing to winch down). NOTE: a jointer is VERY top heavy!

[Jim Foster]

You could use a come-a-long, that's what I've used for things like this.

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/4-ton-come-along-p-10936.aspx?gclid=CO2t1pjL3rQCFQLd4AodzD0APQ

[Dan Rude]

I saw this on a thread awhile back http://www.powermate.info/powermate.htm I have found them for rent around me. If I ever get a cabinet saw this will be the solution I'm going to try.
Dan