How to Get the New Tools Downstairs

[Barb Mrazek]

OK, I finally bit the bullet, new Saw Stop, Jointer, Planer, Router and Mitre Saw hitting my garage floor on Monday. My problem is now, I can not find anyone willing to move them down my stairs and into my basement. Have called a million machine moving companies and they all said no, don't do stairs. The only thing I found was a piano moving company willing to do it for the outrageous sum of $875.00 (small heart attack there).

So, question for those in the Toronto area, any suggestions on how to hire someone to get my saw, jointer, and planer into my basement?

Many thanks

Barb

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'll bet there are some Creekers nearby that will volunteer to help Barb. Wish I was closer. I'd help.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Interior basement access or exterior/bulkhead access?

[Terry Browne]

I doubt you need a tool mover - a regular moving company would probably do the job for you. They have the manpower and the equipment for the job. I'd call a local mover if you haven't already tried one.

[Scott Loven]

I used an appliance dolley to get my jointer down the stairs, no problems for two of us. We have a landing half way down so had to turn a corner. Left everything in the box. Rented the dolly at the rental place for 4 hrs for $11.

[Barb Mrazek]

Ah, thanks Ken. With the quotes I'm getting, might be cheaper to fly you in for the day :-) Regular moving companies all say no, the only company I found willing is a Piano Mover company, that wants 275.00 per tool.

Basement is interior, no way to get it in but down the hallway, turn, and down the stairs. I realize I can rent the dolley, straps, etc, but still need the manpower :-)

Thanks

Barb

[Steve Campbell]

Barb wish I were closer. I work for chocolate chip cookies.

Steve

[Anthony Whitesell]

I doubt that the router is a problem. The miter saw and planer should go down nicely on a handtruck equipped for stairs. The table saw will probably need to be disassembled to make the corners and then toted down one piece at a time on the same handtruck. Not sure how a jointer is assemebled to know if it can be disassembled far enough to make a hand truck work.

I bought a hand truck years back and use it to move anything I'm not in the mood to carry. Some of the best $$$ I've spent.

[Eddie Darby]

I was able to get my cabinet saw, 6" planer, and 14" bandsaw down the stairs on my own by breaking them down.

Motors are where there is a lot of weight, so once they are out it doesn't take much to lighten the load after that. Removing the wings on the table saw was a big saving. The jointer infeed and outfeed tables come off easily.

Just keep track of where all the small parts go so you don't spend more time looking for them.

[Jerome Hanby]

I'd be tempted to make a run by wherever your local building contractors get their day laborers and hire several. Or possibly you guys have a rescue mission that hires out men. My parents rented a truck and went that route when they had to move my grandfather.

[Troy Donson]

Ok here is my take...

Make sure your homeowner's insurance would cover any injuries arising from this first...

Go to the local high school and ask the football or wrestling coach for a referal to ask his 2-3 biggest guys to come help you. Offer the boys $75 cash each and a basket of cookies...

My dad tried this when recovering from surgery and it worked like a charm... No injuries, fast work, happy kids. Everybody won.

my $.02 worth

[Michael Aldridge]

Barb, you have to find some starving college kids. A couple of football players would be nice. Start talking to your neighbors and network out from there. If you can find just one, he has friends who will work for a fraction of what you are being quoted. Teenagers must be good for something... :)

[John Celebre]

I had Grizzly drop a table saw, jointer and planer in my garage and then hired a local mover to get them in the basement. The movers were a small local company and they charged $200. Perhaps you could search for such a company there in Toronto. Best money I ever spent. Planer was a G0453 weighing over 650 lbs. They got in down there without a scratch. Good Luck.

[David DeCristoforo]

I know this is going to sound "wussy" but I would "bit the bullet" on this one. This is a "medium to high risk" operation and you have to think about what would happen if one of your friends (or a "casual laborer") were to slip or fall down the stairs with your new TS on top of them. Would your insurance cover this? The movers are going to know how to do this safely without getting injured or damaging your new machines. They will be bonded and insured. As several others have said, any number of "creekers" would pop over and help with this but even then, the risk is yours if someone gets hurt. You can only get so many people in a stairwell and it would be better if they knew what they were doing. Having said all that, If it were me, I would think about getting some stout rope and a "come-along" anchored to whatever I could find that would carry the load (steel i-beam across the doorway? out the window and tied to a tree?) and lower the heavy pieces down the stairs. At that point, the movers might not look like such a bad deal!

YM

[Vince Shriver]

Barb,

I hope there's a dust collection unit in that inventory of yours. You'll surely need it ensconced in your basement lair. This advocation with woodworking is not easy, els' we'd be collecting stamps or running model trains around a plywood board. Best of luck with getting set up.

[Barb Mrazek]

:-) Dust Collection is next on my list, promise not to turn any machines on without one :-)

Thanks for everyone's advice, as usual, lots to think about. I'll try some more moving companies to see if I can get one to take the bait!

Barb

[Kevin McIntyre]

Barb take a look on Craigs List Toronto or Kijiji Toronto list there was a couple of guys willing to do this with references.I am in Chatham just a bit to far for me or I would offer

[J. Z. Guest]

How about the neighborhood guys?

Make a sign on your word processor and tape it on your doorway:

"Neighborhood lady needs a few good men to help move some woodworking machines to her basement. Free beer, pizza, and small project when I get my shop going. Should take about an hour. Thank you for your consideration!
<insert name & address>"

It is true that if you just move the heavy assemblies one at a time, it is much easier. For instance, on a table saw, two guys would make one trip for the top. Another trip with one guy for the motor. Another trip or two for the stand/cabinet & hardware. The 400 lb. saw is now moved, no dollies necessary.

[Michael Handrinos]

Hi Barb.

If it were me, I'd pay the piano movers. 875.oo would seem like small potaoes if you did the job yourself or had inexperienced people and they/you damaged your machines. Or worse...someone was injured.

The piece of mind that comes from the job done right would be worth the price. Do what I do and consider it the price of addmission. It might sting now, but I think in retrospect you'll be glad you went with professionals.

Just my 2 cents.

By the way, did you attend Rob Cosmans class last year in Calagary?

Mike

[David DeCristoforo]

There is one other option that no one has mentioned yet... drive your car into the basement and use that garage you spoke of for the shop....

:)
YM

[Richard McComas]

Why couldn't you attach a coupe planks to the stairs effectively turning the stairs into a ramp, then slide the tools down using a couple of guys with ropes?

I have done that many times getting heavy items from a pick up bed to the gounod or shop floor.

[Mike Heidrick]

Toronto CL has a section for labor/moving. Post there.

http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/lbs/

[glenn bradley]

The only thing I found was a piano moving company willing to do it for the outrageous sum of $875.00 (small heart attack there).

Bummer. Piano movers are almost always my suggestion but that fee seems way out of line for a one floor to another move. Was this for all items? Could they quote you just for those things that you couldn't do another way (SawStop only)?

[Rob Russell]

Barb,

I've got some experience moving large machinery down into a basement. For reference, look at this SMC thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=22927&page=2&pp=1), plus the SMC thread I link to in that thread. There are 2 different sets of pictures showinghow I moved the machinery.

The quotes I got to move the 2 machines were in the $3000 - $4000 range. That's why I did it myself.

Your machines are a lot smaller - but - for under $1000? I'd spend it and let the riggers move the stuff. That way, if they damage your house - their insurance covers the damage.

Rob

[Art Mulder]

Saw Stop, Jointer, Planer, Router and Mitre Saw hitting my garage floor on Monday. My problem is now, I can not find anyone willing to move them down my stairs and into my basement.

Barb,
you might try asking this on the canadianwoodworking.com forum. Lots of folks from the GTA on that forum.

I also have a basement shop with interior stairs, and all my stuff went down with the help of neighbours and friends. The jointer (Delta 6" x5) comes in two boxes, and the top box is the heavy one. We slid it down the stairs -- just slowing it down with our hands -- and then hoisted it into position. The TS was partly disassembled - motor, wings, and other bits carried down myself, and then got a neighbour to help me carry the top section down the stairs.

Someone suggested college students or football players. On the one hand I applaud the idea. But on the other, I worry about guys who are strong, but still really don't know anything about moving heaving equipment...

I am a bit surprised that local moving companies turned you down. They deal with stairs all the time!!

best wishes,
...art

[Barb Mrazek]

Hi Mike,
No, wasn't me :-) And stop making me think so logically, you're going to cost me 875.00 :-) All very good points Mike, thanks.

[Barb Mrazek]

thought of that, Garage isn't big enough, nor is my basement window to fit my car :-)

[David DeCristoforo]

"...isn't big enough, nor is my basement window to fit my car"

Easy... use the car to "enlarge" the window.
:D
YM

[Rich Konopka]

:-) Dust Collection is next on my list, promise not to turn any machines on without one :-)

Thanks for everyone's advice, as usual, lots to think about. I'll try some more moving companies to see if I can get one to take the bait!

Barb


Barb,

Check with the moving companies to do this mid week and/or mid month. This is usually a slower time for moving companies. Also, check with the smaller local moving companies.

[Dick Strauss]

Barb,
I'd be there in a minute if I lived within an hours drive!

As Rich suggested, try looking for a smaller moving firm. You may want to find out who the local appliance retailers (Sears, Best Buy, Lowes, Home Depot, etc) use for appliance deliveries. Those guys are usually plenty strong and are used to moving things up and down stairs. Often they'll be willing to help you on the weekend for a few extra $$$ if their week is booked. Hopefully they will come with appliance dollies, carrying straps, and other equipment necessary for the job.

I wouldn't advertise via a sign asking for help as someone suggested. You don't want to advertise the new tools only to become a target of theft in the next few weeks.


Good luck,
Dick

[Jon Grider]

One thing to consider is the condition of your stair stringers and steps.I had help of a buddy and my two brothers to help me move equipment into my basement shop.There was roughly 900 lbs. of beef plus the weight of each machine on the steps at one time,resulting in in a cracked stringer,but luckily no damage to humans or machines.We didn't have any dollies to help us, just 2 2X12's laid flat over the stairs that we slid the machines down on.

[Mike Gott]

This might not be the best solution for your problem but to get my Powermatic 66 in my basement when we upgraded to a sliding table saw in the shop I took the fence and wings off, then put the saw on a moving handtruck w/ stair creepers, then backed my F-250 up to the basement stairs. With the help of a few friends and a come-a-long we wrenched it down off the hitch on my truck as an ancor. This works even better when you have to get toe saw out of the basement when you move, call me crazy but I'll never move again.

Good luck,
Mike

[Barb Mrazek]

Thanks Mike, but don't think the truck would fit through my front door to get to the stairs!! :-)

I hired the Piano movers, at the end of the day I didn't think the risk to my freinds backs was worth it. Tools come next Friday, can't wait!!!!

Thanks again for everyone's input!

Barb

[Shawn Honeychurch]

Just a thought, but a plate of home baked chocolate chip cookies and glasses of cold milk once everything is down and in place might serve to lower the final bill a bit. :D

Shawn

[Gary Lange]

Strap that 700lb Saw to a box frame with slides. The build a 4" X 4" frame wider then the doorway with two 4' uprights, two about 4' long along the floor and two at a 45 degree angle to the top of the uprights. Lag bolt it all together and with the help of a warn wench for and ATV you lower the saw down the stairs. If you have some Creekers Close by that are willing to help it may not be to bad a job. Lot cheaper then the piano man.

[Wade Lippman]

Hi Barb.

If it were me, I'd pay the piano movers. 875.oo would seem like small potaoes if you did the job yourself or had inexperienced people and they/you damaged your machines. Or worse...someone was injured.

Mike

Finally the right answer!
You do not want football players moving 700 pound saws down your stairs. $875 is a bargain.

I toyed with buying a Sawstop, but decided there was no way I getting anything that big in my basement. Grizzly went in pretty easy.

[David DeCristoforo]

"I hired the Piano movers..."

Well that's going to be a lot easier on your car too.....

YM (DD)

[Chris Parks]

A lot of people get carried away with weight on a slide and how to control it. All you need is a rope and something to wrap it around once. I have lowered a 1 ton car down a steep driveway on my own using a single wrap of rope around a steel post, the friction and braking are huge. You can use a towball on a car as an anchor if one is not available. Winches are overkill for this sort of thing.

[Mark Visconti]

If it makes you feel any better, I paid 700 for a sawstop and 16" minimax fs41 (in the crates) for a piano company to do this for me.
They also made two stops to pick them up about 30 miles away from loading docks, but it was only two pieces. They decrated and helped a bit with getting everything into their bases.

Everyone lived and the tools made it home and into the basement in one piece.