Hammer K3 has arrived...

[Steve Wurster]

My Hammer K3 Winner 79x48 arrived yesterday. The 890 pound crate arrived with no problems, although it was a little harrowing watching it being lowered down on the lift gate. Rolling it up my driveway and into the garage took some muscle, but we got it. Everything appears to have made the trip without taking any damage; just like with my A3-31, they really know how to pack these things.

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I removed some of the wrapping last night and carried all of the "loose" pieces down into my shop. One piece is left inside the main saw cabinet; I believe that's the smaller miter fence, as I didn't notice that in the stuff I already carried. I will dig that out today.

Because this unit has the outrigger support already installed (facing camera in picture, just above paper with numbers on it), the saw cabinet itself is wider than my basement entry door (which is at the bottom of a set of steep bilco stairs). That means I'm going to be looking at removing that door temporarily. Even without the outrigger support it would be really tight, so that door would probably have been coming off anyway. The pallet itself is also way too wide, so I either need to cut that down smaller or transfer the cabinet to another pallet or piece of plywood.

My dad is going to be coming over today to take a look, and we're going to come up with a plan for sliding this down the stairs on a ramp, as well as looking into removing the door. With the steepness of the ramp and the need to flatten out at the bottom, I am a little worried that the ends of the sliding table might contact the ramp. But I should be able to figure out the risk of that using a little trigonometry.

Anyway, I'm excited and can't wait to get this thing into my shop, which should hopefully happen in just over a week given availability of people that will be involved.

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations, Steve! I'm looking forward to seeing that excellent machine in your shop! Bummer about the door, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do! ;)

[Greg Parrish]

Can’t wait to see it in place. Congrats!!!

[Jim Becker]

This delivery must have been why I saw such a bright light over Steve's neighborhood. LOL :D

[Sebastien La Madeleine]

Because this unit has the outrigger support already installed (facing camera in picture, just above paper with numbers on it), the saw cabinet itself is wider than my basement entry door (which is at the bottom of a set of steep bilco stairs). That means I'm going to be looking at removing that door temporarily. Even without the outrigger support it would be really tight, so that door would probably have been coming off anyway.


I had to take mine down a basement stair and through 4 doors, I know your pain.

First thing, if you plan on removing the carriage, make sure you loctite the nuts underneath the carriage, closest to the machine, sharpie all around the nuts on the cabinet and inside the cabinet, and then only remove the nuts inside the cabinet. That way, you will preserve the alignment of the carriage height wise and length wise. You can remove the sharpie with a little rubbing alcohol when done.

For the outrigger, same principle. You only want to remove the nuts inside the cabinet, that way you don't need to realign the boom when done. I also sharpied the nuts and shoulders inside and around the disks at the top and bottom outside but somehow if felt less critical, they naturally came back right where they were.

As for the ramps, I took four 2x8 that I glued together and cut like a stair stringer and it sits right on the stairs (like a mirror of the stringer really), worked like a charm and helps spread the weight over a longer span. I then used moving dollies like those below and rolled the machine downstairs on the 2x8.

https://www.amazon.com/Strongway-Furniture-Crate-Mover-Set/dp/B073VQZVTQ (https://www.amazon.com/Strongway-Furniture-Crate-Mover-Set/dp/B073VQZVTQ/ref=pd_sbs_328_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B073VQZVTQ&pd_rd_r=e43639e0-b87a-11e8-8a49-4dd240b1bebd&pd_rd_w=utHQ3&pd_rd_wg=tcQia&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=0bb14103-7f67-4c21-9b0b-31f42dc047e7&pf_rd_r=M01ZCAQ7QY4QDXAZKSBA&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=M01ZCAQ7QY4QDXAZKSBA)

I had it secured to the wall upstairs and was letting some chain go, bit by bit.

That way, I was able to get it through a narrow door and even with steep steps, nothing hit the floor.

Hope this helps!

[Dan Friedrichs]

My Hammer K3 Winner 79x48 arrived yesterday. The 890 pound crate arrived with no problems, although it was a little harrowing watching it being lowered down on the lift gate.

When they delivered my C3, the pallet JUST fit the footprint of the liftgate. The driver devised this plan (without telling me): he got it on the pallet jack, got the machine+pallet jack moving as quickly as he could out the back of the truck, then jumped out of the way as the wheels of the pallet jack fell off the end of the lift gate (and the pallet "plopped" squarely on the lift gate). He thought this was ingenious and funny. I did not think it was funny :)

[Greg Parrish]

When they delivered my C3, the pallet JUST fit the footprint of the liftgate. The driver devised this plan (without telling me): he got it on the pallet jack, got the machine+pallet jack moving as quickly as he could out the back of the truck, then jumped out of the way as the wheels of the pallet jack fell off the end of the lift gate (and the pallet "plopped" squarely on the lift gate). He thought this was ingenious and funny. I did not think it was funny :)


Sounds like the way way they always do my stuff. Let it roll right to the edge and either drop the pallet jack or let wheels fall off the lift. Scares the heck out of me every time as I watch the whole lift gate, pallet and contents sway back and forth on the way to the ground. Just hope I don’t have to test the insurance of any of these folks one day. Ugh.

[Steve Wurster]

This delivery must have been why I saw such a bright light over Steve's neighborhood. LOL :D

That was me... standing in my bilco stairs with a flashlight trying to figure out how I'm going to remove this door!

[Steve Wurster]

I had to take mine down a basement stair and through 4 doors, I know your pain.

First thing, if you plan on removing the carriage, make sure you loctite the nuts underneath the carriage, closest to the machine, sharpie all around the nuts on the cabinet and inside the cabinet, and then only remove the nuts inside the cabinet. That way, you will preserve the alignment of the carriage height wise and length wise. You can remove the sharpie with a little rubbing alcohol when done.

For the outrigger, same principle. You only want to remove the nuts inside the cabinet, that way you don't need to realign the boom when done. I also sharpied the nuts and shoulders inside and around the disks at the top and bottom outside but somehow if felt less critical, they naturally came back right where they were.

As for the ramps, I took four 2x8 that I glued together and cut like a stair stringer and it sits right on the stairs (like a mirror of the stringer really), worked like a charm and helps spread the weight over a longer span. I then used moving dollies like those below and rolled the machine downstairs on the 2x8.

https://www.amazon.com/Strongway-Furniture-Crate-Mover-Set/dp/B073VQZVTQ (https://www.amazon.com/Strongway-Furniture-Crate-Mover-Set/dp/B073VQZVTQ/ref=pd_sbs_328_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B073VQZVTQ&pd_rd_r=e43639e0-b87a-11e8-8a49-4dd240b1bebd&pd_rd_w=utHQ3&pd_rd_wg=tcQia&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=0bb14103-7f67-4c21-9b0b-31f42dc047e7&pf_rd_r=M01ZCAQ7QY4QDXAZKSBA&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=M01ZCAQ7QY4QDXAZKSBA)

I had it secured to the wall upstairs and was letting some chain go, bit by bit.

That way, I was able to get it through a narrow door and even with steep steps, nothing hit the floor.

Hope this helps!


I do not plan on removing the sliding table. There's really no benefit to me doing that, since it doesn't stick out on the left side at all, and the track it rides on sticks out on the front and back far enough that you don't save much by removing the table.

I might consider removing the outrigger support if I cannot get the door opening wide enough, but I'd rather remove an entire door structure than mess with an already calibrated tool.

For ramps I plan on building a ladder-type structure out of plywood that will lay flat on the stairs, with side walls that will keep the cabinet lined up. Those movers look interesting... I'm going to stop by some tool rental places this week to see what options are available.

Thanks.

[Jacob Mac]

That saw, or a Minimax equivalent, is my dream saw. I would love to hear your thoughts on it after you get some hours on it.

[Mike Kreinhop]

When I moved my equipment to the basement, I made a set of three spacers that would create a plane that spanned four of the stair treads at a time. I used a sheet of 18mm plywood, about 1 x 1.5 meters, over the spacers to create a large platform for resting the equipment while the chain hoist was repositioned for the next move. I confirmed with the stair company that each tread was designed for a 450kG load, but didn't take any chances and put T-braces under each tread on the basement run. Since I planned on having three others help me move the Minimax SC2 only partially disassembled, the combined load on the bottom stairs would be high. When the time came to move the SC2, some of my help wasn't available, so I had to disassemble it even more so two people could move each section.

Here is an image of the three spacers in place on one section of the basement steps. These were made from construction timber I bought at the local hardware store. I used pocket screws and glue to hold everything together. The bottom of each spacer has non-slip foam I bought from Harbor Freight on one of my trips back to the States.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1860/44664333622_3596ac4ae2_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2b3QoiC)
Stairs-1 (https://flic.kr/p/2b3QoiC) by Mike66GE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/42211292@N04/), on Flickr


Here is a close-up showing the internal braces I used to lock the three sections together to minimize racking. The braces are attached to each spacer with a hinge to make it easy to align with the brace from the next spacer. I used a clamp to hold two strips toghter. When I started moving the equipment, I realized I didn't need these connecting braces, as the width of each spacer was wide enough to make it stable.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1865/42903645320_d73bd2872a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/28nfp1L)
Stairs-2 (https://flic.kr/p/28nfp1L) by Mike66GE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/42211292@N04/), on Flickr


Here is an image showing a piece of 18mm plywood covering the spacers and stair tread. This is a piece from the actual sheet used during the move, and I've been whittling away at it for other projects. The original size easily covered the three spacers and one tread. The sheet extended beyond the tread and last spacer and provided plenty of room for the SC2 and me to stand on while repositioning the chain hoist.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1867/43995662754_30ab24dd45_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2a2KgKy)
Stairs-3 (https://flic.kr/p/2a2KgKy) by Mike66GE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/42211292@N04/), on Flickr


The stair section going from the ground floor to the upper floor is identical, and I was able to use it for the chain hoist to lift and move the equipment to the next set of steps. I used this block, also with non-slip material on the base, to increase the radius for the strap that held the chain hoist.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1895/42903645130_c7a5b3ccc7_z.jpg
(https://flic.kr/p/28nfoXu)Stairs-4 (https://flic.kr/p/28nfoXu) by Mike66GE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/42211292@N04/), on Flickr


We were able to move two treads at a time, and it took about five minutes to reposition the chain hoist, lift the load, reposition the spacers and plywood, and lower the load to the next level. The heaviest part of the SC2 was the cast iron section with the motor and cart. The concrete counterweight was the next heaviest, and we didn't use the the spacers or chain hoist for the chassis.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4444/37301169340_3dd8a7c7e5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YQbf6j)
MM-SC2-1 (https://flic.kr/p/YQbf6j) by Mike66GE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/42211292@N04/), on Flickr


Here's a video of Marius Hornberger and his K3. His stairs are similar (if not identical) to mine and the move down the stairs starts at about 1:19.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8c9-BGJLeM

[Erik Loza]

Mike, those blocks for getting it down the stairs are awesome.

Erik

[Steve Wurster]

Mike, those blocks are really cool. Unfortunately for me my stairs have nothing above them, as they are exit stairs that exist completely on the outside of my house. No place to put a chain hoist!

[Mike Wilkins]

I agree that Hammer/Felder really know how to package a machine for transport. I saved all the 2 X 4 lumber from the crate of the A3-41 I just received; impressive thought went into protecting the unit.

[Steve Wurster]

FYI: This is what the opening now looks like at the bottom of my bilco stairs. That door came out pretty easily, and I should be able to put it back without much difficulty. That opening is 34", which should just *barely* be enough for the saw to slide through. Next step is building the ramp, which I will get to later this week.

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[Rod Sheridan]

I agree that Hammer/Felder really know how to package a machine for transport. I saved all the 2 X 4 lumber from the crate of the A3-41 I just received; impressive thought went into protecting the unit.

My take Mike is that the guys in shipping at Felder are paid by the number of screws and staples they use. :D

[Jim Becker]

My take Mike is that the guys in shipping at Felder are paid by the number of screws and staples they use. :D
I have a "bucketful" of screws from disassembling the crate my CNC came in plus enough lumber to nearly do the renovations I want to do upstairs of my shop. :) :D

[Steve Wurster]

Update for those following this thread: We moved the K3 into the basement today, sliding it down the ramp I built on the very steep stairs. It was a little hair-raising, but actually went pretty smoothly. Tomorrow I will begin setting it up; so far all I've done is install a blade! But here it is in my currently very disorganized and messy shop!

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[Jim Becker]

That looks great in your shop, Steve! And it's going to be even better once you're using it. :) 'Glad the "big slide" went well, too...I didn't hear any loud screaming or crying echoing over the fields, so that's a good thing. LOL

[Steve Wurster]

That looks great in your shop, Steve! And it's going to be even better once you're using it. :) 'Glad the "big slide" went well, too...I didn't hear any loud screaming or crying echoing over the fields, so that's a good thing. LOL

Nope, no loud screaming or crying! A few shouts of "woah!" from me to have my Dad stop his truck in order to prevent the machine from sliding any further, but all-in-all it went really well. I can't wait to start setting up the machine!

[Jim Becker]

Steve, I think you're really going to enjoy working with a slider in your shop. Since I made the switch years ago, I'm happy to commiserate at any time, here or there. It's like a whole three mile commute. LOL