New bandsaw unpacking advice sought

[George Oak]

My new G0514X2 bandsaw is arriving tomorrow, and I am trying to prep mybasement shop to receive this 19" saw. I am concerned about how much wrangling it will take to get the beast into my workshop (double door walkout basement door).

Has anybody set up one of these saws (or any Grizzly 17" - 20" bandsaw) recently? What is the packing / crating like? I have a tractor with a loader to transport the saw to the basement, but will I be able to handle the unpacking and setup by myself (with some extra help by my wife)? I have a 1-ton shop crane that should help move things around once the bandsaw is inside.

Thanks for any info.

[David Axmann]

I seem to remember reading a Grizzly manual that showed an eye bolt secured to the top of the machine to use in lifting it off the pallet. That's how I plan to move my G0514X2 from pallet to mobile base, via shop crane, when I receive mine.

I'd love to see pics of delivery and setup of your saw. I had planned on receiving mine around the end of January, not sure what the hold up is.

[John Keeton]

Just received my G0513X2 17" bandsaw today! Met the delivery truck, got liftgate service, slid it into the back of my truck. Got home and backed up to the double doors on my metal shop building. Got out the shopcrane, and suddenly realized that while it was in an upright position, I had no real way to get a hold on it to get it out of the truck . With great difficulty, I laid it down, strapped it and lifted it with the shop crane. Drove the truck out from under it, and lowered it on a furniture dolly and rolled it on into the shop. Had to get my wife to help me upright the saw. I uncrated it from the very light weight pine crating, and quit for the night. The saw arrived in great shape, but by the time I wrestled it around a few times, the crating was pretty busted up. The saw is still sitting on the pallet, but I think I will be able to lift if off with the crane. The problem is in lifting it straight up. The 513 does not have an eyebolt - that would be a big help as long as one can get enough extension on the crane. Getting it out of the truck bed was the challenge. The tractor would have to help. I didn't think about that - tractor was in the barn. But, I don't have a front loader attachment. One more toy I need!! Good luck with yours!! I got my 1023 table saw in a couple weeks ago and it was much easier to handle, even though it was a bit heavier.

[John Keeton]

Should have looked up!! There is already an eyebolt installed in the top of the machine, so lifting with the crane to remove the pallet and position the machine will be a breeze. Still would not have helped get the darn thing out of the truck. I should have had help for that and am lucky I didn't damage the machine. The bandsaw is very hard to handle because of the weight distribution - heavy on the bottom, but only on the motor side. It wants to turn and twist when you try to move it.

[Dave Novak]

Should have looked up!! There is already an eyebolt installed in the top of the machine, so lifting with the crane to remove the pallet and position the machine will be a breeze. Still would not have helped get the darn thing out of the truck. I should have had help for that and am lucky I didn't damage the machine. The bandsaw is very hard to handle because of the weight distribution - heavy on the bottom, but only on the motor side. It wants to turn and twist when you try to move it.

I'd be careful about using that eye hook in the top. My Laguna had one too, and if i'm not mistaken, there were clear instructions NOT to use it to lift the machine. It was there to stabilize it in the packing crate, but was not to be used to support the weight of the entire machine.

[Bob Willcox]

I'd be careful about using that eye hook in the top. My Laguna had one too, and if i'm not mistaken, there were clear instructions NOT to use it to lift the machine. It was there to stabilize it in the packing crate, but was not to be used to support the weight of the entire machine.
The owner's manual for my G0636X has instructions to lift the bandsaw from its eyebolts (it has two of them) on the top. I've done that with mine w/o trouble. Problem is, the bandsaw is sufficiently tall in my garage (shop) that I can't really lift it more than a few inches before I run out of lift room.

[John Bush]

I drove to the Bellingham showroom pulling my 5X10 trailer to pick up my 531 21" BS and a 609X jointer, and maybe even toss on a compressor. The forklift driver came out to take a look and just laughed. The machine was too heavy to lay on it's spine and the forks were too short to position in the center of the trailer. I wasn't interested in cruising down I-5 with a 700#, 7' tall hunk of metal in my rear veiw mirror. So $178 later it was in my shop via Oak Harbour freight.( It's interesting how it cost the same to ship 2 hours as it does to ship two days!) It has two threaded spots on the top for eyebolts that are for lifting. They are small diameter so my chain, etc. didn't fit. I had to wrap hoisting straps thru the eyebolts and had a bit of difficulty getting it level as I lifted it. There is a post a few days ago that showed Great Lakes Castors fitting into the mounting holes in the base. I built a base using the same castors, but the straight mounting sure looks easier.

I'm not sure I answered your ??:
-The machine will be crated and bolted to a pallet. Simple to unpack. I used my cordless circular saw to section the crate, unbolted the pallet and lifted with a chainhoist. You should look for that earlier post and order some leveling castors.

- I was able to handle unpacking solo, but it is always fun to show your wife how strong and manly you are lugging big hunks of steel around. Good luck.

[Bob Willcox]

...

There is a post a few days ago that showed Great Lakes Castors fitting into the mounting holes in the base. I built a base using the same castors, but the straight mounting sure looks easier.

...
Does anyone remember what thread that post was in? I have a set of the casters and would like to use them on my G0636X bandsaw but it looks like if I simply mount them inside of the base (in the holes that are there) I'll not be able to adjust the leveling pads down to the floor when I don't want it to roll. The adjustment to raise/lower the pad is accessed from the sides of the casters and I can't see how I would get to it with the sides of the BS base in the way.

[David Axmann]

Bob, I remember a post, possibly on another board, where someone placed 2x4's in the hollow base and mounted the casters through them and the hole in the bandsaw base. I will see if I can find the thread in question.

[Bret Leishman]

Bob, check out posts in my name. You will see I just set up my G0636X with Great Lakes casters and am very pleased. Adjustment nut is easy to access. Private message me if you need any specifics. You do this by clicking on my name at the top of this post and then choosing "Find all posts...."

[Peter Quadarella]

From looking at the pictures in the catalog, the bases on the 636 and 513 do look slightly different. I am planning on purchasing the G0513X2 and have already ordered my great lakes casters so am interested in if there is any trick to mounting them.

[Chris Barnett]

Had a real tough time with my 514X2. Finally bought a 2 ton engine hoist and then it was duck soup! Yes, the eyebolt is there for lifting, as proven by use; the guys at Griz said so too!
If you put it on a mobile base, be aware that the doors will not open due to an interference between the door panel and various bolt heads. Solved by installing a double plywood sub-floor in the base, after gloing down the learning curve a way :D.
Enjoy your saw; it will do a nice job cutting thin slices, like veneer, and also a good job cutting 12-inch thick bowl blanks too, and using the tilt feature makes this really nice.
You might have a bit of a time with the rather flimsy red metal blade shield but its only a shield. I have not been able to accurately align the table to the blade yet since insufficient adjustment is provided in the table carriage bolt holes. Hope you post your findings.

[Joe Close]

John, you mentioned "shopcrane". What exactly are you talking about? I'm considering getting the same saw, but am concerned about offloading and moving the saw around.

[Jim Barstow]

I'd also like to find out what people use for moving heavy machines. I've seen 2 ton engine lifts for about $150 but it looks like the base may get in the way when moving a woodworking machine.

[michael osadchuk]

I'd also like to find out what people use for moving heavy machines. I've seen 2 ton engine lifts for about $150 but it looks like the base may get in the way when moving a woodworking machine.


.... if what you need to do is raise/lower a machine (eg. onto mobile bases) rather than move a machine around the shop, and you have access to the ceiling joists, then eyehooks screwed into the joists and 2 (or four) ratcheting web clamps threaded thru the eyehooks and around the machinery, with do the lifting safely and cheaply. Each 1" wide web has a 700 lb. strength and the ratcheting arm has enough leverage to raise each side (or corner) of a 3hp cabinet saw or more with ease

good luck

michael

[Joe Close]

How much weight can safely be supported from those rafters though? Rafters are generally made from 2x4's, and structurally, they are not ment to be pulled on from the bottom...:confused:

[Pete Bradley]

I've moved my 20" bandsaw (6'6, 700#) around using a heavy duty hand cart. The cart is rated at 1000 lbs and it moves the saw just fine. I use a strap to make sure that the cart and the saw don't go their separate ways during the move.

Pete

[Jim Barstow]

My new shop has a cathedral ceiling and the ceiling rafters are I-Joists. There is also a finished sheetrock ceiling. I'd rather not go hacking into it to build a makesift hoist. I was thinking of something like this:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200305213_200305213

[John Keeton]

Jim

I used a shop crane and a $15 flat furniture dolly (1000 lb cap) both from HF to unload my tools from my truck and move them around to get them in the shop. The legs do have to extend under the load, but in most cases one can straddle the tool. You will not be able to get enough height on the crane to lift the bandsaw upright, but can get it started enough to push it on up. Having a helper would sure make it easier! My lightest tool was about 500 lbs.

[John Browne]

I'm wondering if the holes in the saw base will support its weight if you use them to mount casters--they might just be there to bolt the saw down to the pallet its shipped on. Those are some heavy saws, boy, I'd want to spread that weight around a bit with some sort of frame.

[Dale Smythe]

I know that this is a late posting on this thread, but I ran across it in my search for guidance on how to unpack a Grizzly G0513 and put it on a Shop Fox mobile base. I thought that my experience might be of value to others facing this same problem. I managed to mount it on the mobile base without any help - so one person can do this.

I paid for the lift gate service at curbside. The UPS Freight driver was agreeable to come up my paved driveway (about 150') so that I did not have to use my hand truck to take it up the hill. In addition, he agreed to take it through my garage to my workshop in back (everything was on the same level). I have him a $10 tip for his trouble and that saved me a lot of trouble. I used a pry bar to remove all of the packing material from the pallet. I did not put the table on the band saw prior to putting it on the mobile base because I was trying to keep the weight down.

The first step was to take some excess 3/4" particle board that I had and cut it to the dimension of the band saw base. I cut two additional strips the same width as the base, but 4 1/2" wide to put at each end. They were glued and nailed to the larger piece. The reason for the particle board (or plywood) base is that I elected to mount the casters to the side of the mobile base instead of to the front and back to give the band saw greater stability. With the casters mounted in this position, they impeded the opening of the lower door. Raising it 1 1/2" removes that restriction.
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I drilled 1/4" holes in the corners of the particle board roughly in the center of the plates on the mobile base that support the band saw. Then I drilled 3/8" holes in the plates so that there would be some slack to allow aligning of the particle board with the mobile base. This slack also let me mount the particle board in the base loosely so that it was slightly larger than what was necessary to accommodate the band saw. I thought that if I made it exactly the size, i might have some problems fitting it in since the band saw would be dropping in at an angle (and the welds at the corners also took up some room). I cut about 1 1/2" off of each end of the front and back channels so that the base would fit the band saw tightly. The mobile base was put together with the bolts just finger tight on one end of each support channel and the 1/4" bolts with fender washers I put in from the bottom of the mobile base to hold the particle board in place were also not tight. I used T-nuts at the corners since I would not be able to hold a nut with the band saw over them.
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Next, I used a strap to hold the mobile base next to the pallet. I decided that the best way to get it off of the pallet and onto the mobile base was to move it to the front. That way, I believed that I would have the best stability and the majority of the weight would continue to be on the pallet until I had it well off of the pallet. That worked out well.
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Sorry about the sideways picture, but that is the way this site uploads the picture. I got the band saw almost all of the way on to the mobile base when it just hung up. I repositioned the strap but it would only go a short distance. I finally realized that it was hung up in the back on the channel bolts in the mobile base. I used a pry bar to lift it up and the tension on the strap was enough to move it on top of the bolts. Then a shove moved it into place.
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Next I used a bar clamp to tighten up the mobile base frame as tight as it would go and tightened up the bolts. Tightening up the bolts that hold the particle board to the frame proved to be a little difficult in that I could not hold up the end of the open end wrench to the bolts in the tight space. I took some cardboard and placed it under the mobile base to support the wrench, and then it was fairly easy.
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Lastly, I used some lag bolts to hold the band saw to the base. I am very pleased with the results.
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