Proud new papa to a used new 66 - how to transport

[Brad Ridgway]

I just won what appears to be a 1999 model PM66 (1660791K) on ebay...

I struggled up until the very last minute with the decision to bid or not as i own a gen int contractor and am pretty happy with it, but i figured the chance of getting a US made 66 was too goog to pass up.

I am headed to pick up tonight, but am struggling with how to transport...
I have a flatbed and a smaller closed in trailer i can use. The seller was thinking flatbed and loading it on via his tractor, but i'd have to deal with getting it home where i have no such luxury and at a time of night where i won't have much help.

Being in florida , i like the enclosed option, but would certainly need to partially disassemble. I think i could disassemble the rails and extension wings and then use my father in law hand truck (massive - uses for HVAC equipment) to load the base, hoping two could handle the iron.

Questions for you all:

1) Any thoughts/objections to my thinking ?
2) Anyone know the wrench sizes i would need for both tasks

Even if i try to strap it down well on a flatbed, i think it's risky for a 160mile drive... I also am a tad worried banging it around on the tractor front end could be a bad idea (either for alignment or worse case, damage)

thx
-brad

[David Eppler]

I just brought home a similiar aged PM66 last month. 1300 miles along with the rest of my dad's shop.

When I got it home I had to unload it by myself off the rental truck (mom & dad had hired some movers to load the truck). I took the extension and rails off before loading. The top had one of the alighment bolts snapped off (before the move) so I was going to have to do a realignment anyway so I just took the entire top off. There are just 3 bolts holding the top to the base. I am a big guy so I kept the cast iron wings on but they certainly could have come off had that been needed. I then pushed a 4-wheel furniture mover under the saw and rolled it down the ramp. The top was brought down on a hand truck. Having the 2 apart made it much easier to get the saw on it's modile base. Make sure to "lift with the knees" when lifting the top:).

Sorry I can't remember the bolt head sizes but I would just grab a socket set and some wrenches as you will need multiple sizes for the different parts. I think there were even some phillips head screws holding some of the wooden extension table.

I have not done the realignment yet but the woodwhisperer has a few videos on setting up / tuning up a tablesaw.

[Les Zielinski]

Brad,
I purchased PM66 1985 vintage about a year ago. In order to transport it in my van, I removed Bies fence, complete top and electric motor. That will call for some alignment later. Top (including the wings) is held by four machine bolts only. Powermatic did not recomend to lift the saw by the table. Motor can be easily removed on it's bracket. You will have to remove the motor cover and also unbolt the on/off switch in order to separate the motor from the base. Each one of those three main components can be handled by two people.
Hope this helps.
Les

[Chris Rosenberger]

You got a great saw. The enclosed trailer would be best. He should still be able to load the saw with the tractor. The extensions & motor are easy to remove. Tie it down well in the trailer. Good luck on your trip.

[Les Zielinski]

Where in Florida are you? I live near Sarasota and have a 2 ton shop crane. It was very handy during unloading and moving into the shop.
Les

[Brad Ridgway]

thx everyone for confirming i'm on the right track...

In deland, but headed up towards georgia so sarasota wouldn't be an option, though i sincerely appreciate the offer!!!!

[Steve Kohn]

I took the rails, extensions and top off to move my PM 66. Two of us were able to load and unload from a trailer.

[Brian Smith3]

Here's what I did with my PM66. I took off the rails etc. The front rail bolts were all 7/16 and the rear bolts were 1/2 on mine anyway, and I used a powered driver. This left only the cabinet and the top. Then the company loaded it with a forklift to my pickup with a plastic bed liner. The saw didn't really want to move around but of course I used tie downs.

To get it off the truck I used a moving dolly and an aluminum ramp that I rented from Home Depot and a winch system and pulleys to very slowly lower it down the ramp. I have to say that with a ramp the height from the ground to the bed of the truck is not your friend, lower is better.

To get the saw on the moving dolly I tilted it up on one edge and stuck an adjustable sawhorse under the cast table, then took the other adjustable sawhorse and put a bottle jack and a piece of heavy duty angle iron under the table and lifted the saw off the bed. Rolled the dolly underneath, lowered the jack side and then slightly lifted the other side of the table and pushed out the adjustable sawhorse. Hope this helped.

[Shawn Walker]

I just went and bought a Cherry Picker/Shop Crane for $169.00 from my local dealer. Grizzly sells the same one.
Just used it to unload, and assemble some new Iron.

It sure made things easier.
I've got more on the way, so it's going to see some use.

The legs fold out up, for storage, so it doesn't take a large footprint.

[Eric Larsen]

Hey, same year as mine...

I removed the fence, got a few guys to help me heft it onto a mobile base and rented a truck with a lift gate.