freight delivery happens, then what?

[Floyd Harper]

I am in the process of choosing a cabinet saw. The heavier one has a shipping weight of about 1000 lbs.
How do I get it off the truck and around to the shop in the back.
I don't have a driveway except in the front so it will need to be moved over the grass. My gate is about 10ft. There is a 1 foot step into the shop(6' double door luckily)

I have been thinking of renting a forklift or something, but I'm not sure that I trust myself driving it with my new saw on the front. I also don't know if the rental is available.

I don't think I have enough friends that I could talk into helping carry it. I don't even know if it would be feasible to carry if I did.

Has anybody had a similar situation?
How can I deal with it?

[Al Killian]

Have them bring a truck with a lift gate to unload it. Then place it on a sheet of 3/4 ply with a rope attached to one end of it. Then you can drag it with a truck, tractor or maybe a lawnmower. When you get it to the shop you can uncrate it to make moveing it in easeir or build a ramp and use a come-along to whinch it in.

[Mike Heidrick]

This is how I take care of my issues.

http://mysite.verizon.net/resoh894/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/3320.jpg

[Michael Schwartz]

showoff :D

[Scott Lingle]

When I got my powermatic...wait, let me clarify, when my wife got my powermatic to surprise me, she rented a skid-steer (my father-in-law works at a rental place) with forks on it. It kind of ruined the surprise when I started asking why there was a skid-steer in the driveway. :) Since then, have acquired a kubota 3130 to do those jobs.

The skid-steer, for a one-day rental, was surprisingly inexpensive. Delivery costs might get you though. And do yourself a favor if you go that route - buy some heavy duty straps and strap it to the fork lift, that'll minimize the dangers of it slipping off the forks.

The other option (with the liftgate I saw mentioned in this post already) is some of those heavy duty furniture movers with casters and some inexpensive plywood (at least 2 pieces). I would imagine, if it's like mine, the cabinet and top are crated by themselves. Just the cab. and the top (with extensions taken off) weigh around 800 and I use one of those furniture movers to move the saw around my shop when needed. You could simply lay two sheets of ply and when you get it moved onto the second sheet, move the first one around front and continue on. The only problem that way might be the step.

Call your friends, bribe the neighbor's kids, etc.

Good luck, let us know how it works out.

Scott

[Randy Klein]

Just get 3 of these (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93527) and some strong friends...:D

[Steven Wilson]

cheap plywood to lay on the grass and then use pipe as rollers, as it moves just move the plywood pieces and pipe forward. You can move very heavy pieces that way.

[John Shuk]

Most likely the saw won't be one single 1000lb. crate. My Unisaw which has a shipping weight of 566lbs. was pretty easy to move with a handtruck with pnuematic tires for getting accross the grass. While it sounds like the saw you are interested in is a bit heavier I feel my buddy and I could have easily handled quite a bit more weight with no trouble. Mine involved placement in my basement. A good portion of that shipping weight is probably taken up by the fence, rails, extension wings, and side/outfeed tables. Perhaps a call to the vendor or even the company who makes your saw can provide a little insight into the crating of the saw.
Good luck with the purchase and don't forget WE WANT TO SEE PICTURES.

[joe greiner]

At minimum, specify delivery on the ground. Many carriers assume a loading dock, which you don't have. I "delivered" a lathe from retail, all in one box loaded by store personnel. The tool was not yet assembled, so I opened the box in my truck and moved individual pieces. Your saw may be all in one piece, and the carrier will be reluctant to allow time for disassembly and movement of separate pieces, which would be purgatory for you anyway.

With some doubled sheets of plywood and one or two come-alongs, you can move almost anything, even without assistance. Contrary-wise, you can move an artillery piece by hand if you can get enough people around it.

Joe

[Paul Canaris]

I would rent a forklift. I was a bit intimidated as well, until I rented my first one. They are very easy to maneuver. Just make sure the one you get is meant for grass and dirt surfaces (tire type) and that you attempt to use it if ground is soaked after a rain. :D

[Floyd Harper]

I moved a storage building using the pipe method that was mentioned. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

Thanks for all the responses.
I'm very close to deciding which saw. Then I just have to wait on shipping.

[Michael Weber]

If you have a pickup truck or can get one, just pick the saw up at the truck terminal. They will load it on the truck bed and you can just drive across your yard right up to the shop door. Thats what I would do.
Mike

[Jim Heffner]

Floyd, why not contact a local equipment rental center in your area and see if they can rent you a skid steer(Bobcat) type of machine with a forklift attachment for an hour or two rental? This would be a lot easier on you and less chance of damaging your yard or your new saw. It should not be too expensive.

[Joe Mioux]

If I had a choice between a skid steer and a fork lift going across grass, I would choose the skid steer. Fork lifts, even with the tread tires, can and will slip in grass.

If your local rental co doesn't offer these products, contact a landscaper with a skid steer with forks. They would do it and maybe cheaper than the rental co.

Using plywood and rollers work very well.

Also, plywood with a pallet jack can work. Just don't let the pallet get in the grass while it is under load.

Joe