I (along with the help of my patient and awesome wife) moved this ~1300 # (?) Tannewitz Model U table saw this afternoon from the back of the trailer about 16” off the ground into my basement shop with a wide walkout door. Just thought I’d share my process for anyone else out there who may find themselves in a similar situation. I’ve moved some heavy machines before, but usually try and arrange some type of hydraulic assistant (forklift/skid steer/etc) for stuff this big, but I thought I’d try a more low tech approach and not bother my neighbor for his equipment.
It’s a pretty flat and straight shot, but I could only get so close to the house and had about 30-40 feet of yard to cover. I thought I’d have a pallet jack for this task, but that didn’t pan out so I had to go old school with a couple of large pry bars and (3) 40” long 3/4 black pipe. It took a little while to build the temporary ramps and I actually had to make a U turn with the machine in the yard prior to entering the shop because I loaded it backwards from what I should have. I had this machine stored at a large professional woodshop where I worked for several years and have access to a forklift there, but no such luxury once I get it on to my property.
Leapfrogging the last pipe up to the front works pretty well if you have a second set of hands and take it slow. I did basically the same thing with full sheets of 5/8 ply laid in the yard. The ramps were cobbled together with whatever I had around and are shored up from underneath with thick timber drops so it’s actually pretty solid without much sag.
Of course it was the mid afternoon and quite sunny so I was sweating like a pig the entire time, but whatever it takes right?
I acquired this machine about 6-7 months ago and have been working towards purchasing and wiring a rotary phase converter, which just materialized in the last week or two. I used to have my PM66 with a large side table and outfeed table that took up a footprint of about 80” wide x 72” deep and while it was really nice to have all the flat horizontal surface, it pretty much took over my tiny basement shop. I realized that I ever wanted to work this Tannewitz and a larger planer into the mix in this shop, I would have to give that arrangement up and reconfigure. I built up a plywood floor on sleepers on top of the concrete for both table saws that is perfectly level and allows me to have them 90* to each other and rip full length sheets of plywood on the 66 and rip up to 12’ long material on the Tannewitz.
The shop is currently a wreck and it took some Tetris and several long nights over the past few weeks, but I now have the 66 moved, the 10 HP rotary phase converter wired and running, and the Tannewitz in the shop in position. Next up is a new old planer. I’ve got a couple 20-24” options that will run off the new phase converter.
It’s amazing / crazy how much iron you can squeeze into a walkout basement that is 650 sq ft (essentially just under 400 sq ft of shop space.) There is obviously overhead ductwork, lower ceiling, washer/dryer, HVAC, water heater and stairs to contend with but it’s the (free) shop I’ve got for now and am trying to make the best of it.
Do you guys think I’m crazy or what? Who has more stuff shoved into less space?
Don’t know why it’s uploading my photos out of order and rotated...I wish I knew how to fix that.
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Originally Posted by Bill Dufour
