Time to get a pallet jack?

[Victor Robinson]

I'll be taking delivery of a G0453 planer very shortly. Up to this point, I've managed to wrangle all the machinery I have into my garage, but the 650+lbs of this machine might be a bit too much. The sidewalk is only 15-20ft from the garage, up a moderately inclined driveway. Though I know many drivers help get the delivery inside, I know I can't count on it, and in case the planer is left at the curb after the lift gate service, I'll need a way to get it inside.

I know many here like the Northern Tools mini pallet jack. I'm also looking at the HF pallet jack. Any comments on these? Thanks!

[Joe Hillmann]

One thing about getting a pallet jack. If you have a smallish work area it always seems to be in the way. If you won't be needing it a lot could you rent one? That way you save money and don't have it in your way. Or you could look at a wheeled pry bar. It is amazing what you can do with one of them. Of course if you think you have lots of uses for a pallet jack then my suggestions don't apply to your situation.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Victor, I agree with Joe, after you use the pallet jack you'll be tripping over it.

Pay the driver $20 to bring it up the driveway.

Failing that put it on pipe rollers, or in this weather maybe skis or a toboggan>>>>>>>>>LOL..........Rod.

[Joe Hillmann]

A come along jack or winch would be another way to get it to the garage. Both are cheap, don't take up much room and have many other uses as well.

[Gary Kman]

If you want really cheap - pipe rollers, neighbor's four wheeler winch or rope (tied off) or a boat winch. Three crippled old retirees easily moved a 4,000 + lb mill with this.

cheap - one time - check with your tool rental place.

cheep with something handy left over - 1,000 lb moving dolly, nice mountain climbing rope, come along or block and tackle.

Really cheap and great story to tell - garden hose - ice down driveway and push.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I use my pallet jack a lot, so I really don't mind tripping on it occasionally. I use it to move stuff around in and on trailers that the forklift can't reach, move equipment, and most lately, to lug around the pallets of construction stuff I'm storing/using in the new woodshop. To store one, stick it under something. The handle will only stick up then, but it's not that big. They don't cost that much, and if you decide you don't want it, I bet you could get every penny back if you sold it. Mine is a Jet brand btw, and it has worked fine.

[Rick Potter]

A couple days ago, two guys picked up my Felder slider. It was heavier than they thought, and they rented a pallet jack at HD. It did the job with ease, even though we had to pull it by hand about 80 feet. I was thinking of buying one, but decided to rent when I need it.

Rick Potter

[Rich Engelhardt]

What about one of those one ton shop cranes from HF?
IIRC, they fold up flat for storage.

[Loren Woirhaye]

I have a pallet jack and I use it a lot and in the weight class of machinery I handle and move I would not want to be without it. However, if this is the only machine in this weight class you plan on acquiring in the near future, I recommend the Oasis Machinery MB800, which is a robust and affordable adjustable mobile base. You can install this type of mobile base one corner at a time, assembling it under the machine. I would wrestle the machine off the pallet in the driveway, install the base and go from there.

[John Coloccia]

Forget the shop cranes. The legs never fit around what you need them to fit around. I had one and got rid of it. I also had a pallet jack and got rid of it. It's always in the way. Just rent one or ask the driver to bring it in.

[Joe Hillmann]

If you are getting lift gate service that means the driver will have a pallet jack in the truck to get the pallet on to the lift gate and then to get the pallet from the gate onto the driveway/sidewalk. I am sure he would wheel it up to your garage as part of the delivery.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

We used a piano dolly to move my power tools-10" jet cabinet saw, MM16 bandsaw, 8" jointer and Jet 15" planer. We even pushed them up the ramp into the back of a 26' u-haul truck with no issues. The "we" is me and my 5'2" 110 lb wife. I tilted each tool enough to slide a 2X4 under it, then tilted it up on the first 2X4 and did the same thing to the other side. It took 5 2X4s on each side to raise the bottom of the tool above the top of the dolly. Then we just muscled them over onto it with no problem.

[Bill Orbine]

Tip the driver!

[Michael Mahan]

I got a near new Pallet Jack on C/L for $100.oo , I move my 20" BS , 16" Jointer/planer , massive work bench , drum sander All around a 2 car garage with ease Getting a SawStop TS as well soon will build a custom wood pallet for that as well .
the pallet jack is either under something at the time or in my side yard with a tarp over it to keep the rain off ,
$100.oo is way cheaper than buying mobile kits for each & every machine .
another point about using a pallet jack is if you have large cracks &/or voids , dips in the floor the pallet jack will move across them with ease where the tiny wheels of most machine mobility kits will hang up . If the pallet jack does hang up in a crack you just simply drop the machine move the jack over the crack by an inch & the pick the machine up again .

[Andy Pratt]

I bought a pallet jack for a move, it was pretty handy for that one thing and then I spent the next year working around it in my shop or driveway and trying to find somewhere to keep it. I bought it used and was able to finally sell it for the same price I paid, and at that point I was so annoyed by it that I would have sold it for next to nothing. Unless you have a perfect spot you know you can keep it where it is tucked under something I wouldn't buy one.

[Jason Roehl]

I agree with the "tip the driver" approach. A lift-gate truck should have a pallet jack on it. Ask the driver if he'll wheel it into the garage for you. If he balks, then offer some grease, say $10. If he doesn't balk, but does it willingly, give him $20.

[CPeter James]

Did I understand there was some "ground" to move it over? How do pallet jacks go on rough ground? I have a two wheel dolly rated a 1,000 lbs and I use a ratchet strap to secure old shaped things to it and then off we go. I have moved some pretty big things with it.

CPeter

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Did I understand there was some "ground" to move it over? How do pallet jacks go on rough ground? I have a two wheel dolly rated a 1,000 lbs and I use a ratchet strap to secure old shaped things to it and then off we go. I have moved some pretty big things with it.

CPeter

They will tolerate hard packed dirt, but any rocks or anything are going to cause problems.

Edit to add, a easy work around if you have to cross something other than concrete, just put some ply or osb down. Stagger the seams so you fall off the overlap rather than climbing a bump. Works for most stuff.

[Victor Robinson]

Thanks everyone...I think I'll go with the tip the driver approach and hope for the best.

It's kind of a worst-case scenario I was planning for - having the crate sitting on my driveway on a very busy street after a surly driver refused to help out, with nobody around to help, lol.

I think a pallet jack may be useful in the near future and something I might get, but perhaps after a bit more thought about how it'd live in my shop.

Thanks again for all the advice.

[Ruhi Arslan]

If and when something crate delivered, I request the driver give me a call when he heads out for my delivery. I ask what kind of truck he is driving, if he knows the area, offer him advice on which route would be best if he needs it, etc. By the time they arrive, we are friends already. You could ask to check if he has the pallet jack to make sure (most likely he would) but it will give you time to rent one just in case (worst case scenario).

[george newbury]

Pallet jacks are handy.

I store mine, except for the handle in the pallet.

However if it's a one-off problem get a couple of HF's furniture dollies.
http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_20471.jpg

[Jim Becker]

I rented a pallet jack when I took delivery of my sliding table saw. A decent one isn't cheap and I have no place to store one, either.

[keith micinski]

If you really get in a bind you can loosen the belt take it off and undo the top from the cabinet. The wings, top,and base cabinet are then actually pretty easy to move and it only takes a second to undue the 4 bolts to split it.

[Ken Platt]

I bought that same planer about a year ago. Once I had it downstairs in the basement I was able to put it on a couple of those HF furniture dollies that have already been mentioned and roll it across the basement. I have 3 or 4 of those now, and have used them to move pretty heavy machines a number of times. For my money they are one of the HF "gems", useful for lots of home stuff, and easy to store, surprisingly durable.

I also have the 1 ton HF crane, which was handy for lifting the planer - there was a step in set up that required lifting it by these two bars that Grizzly put in for that purpose. I've used the crane a number of times also, but as previously mentioned it can be hard to maneuver the legs around the thing you want to pick up. But, if you can lift the machine, then you can roll it around. It compacts for storage, but not anywhere near flat, needs maybe 2 foot square area to store.

You also can't beat the usefulness for the price of some pieces of iron pipe. Lever one side of the machine up with a bar, place pipe pieces, roll slowly and keep the pipe pieces coming. Moved my 12" jointer that way.

Ken

[jim gossage]

I suspect you've taken delivery already but it does have a very functional mobile base. Couldn't you just take the box off, install the foot pedal, and roll it where you need it? The base will roll over small bumps (1/2") but won't go over steps or threshholds.