Standing up a bandsaw

[Cliff Polubinsky]

I'm picking up a Rikon 10-347 on Wednesday. I'll be assembling it alone and I'm considering wrapping a lift strap around the spine and using a chain hoist or a shop crane to stand it up. It's 7' tall and 500 lbs.

Does this sound safe? Any better methods to consider?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Cliff

[Jim Dwight]

Cliff,

I got a Jet jwbs14sfx in September. It was over 300 lbs shipping weight and over 270 lbs without the packaging. I borrowed my son's engine hoist but I did not use it. I put the base on mine with the saw still in the bed of my pickup. Then I slid it partially out and tilted it upright. I then walked it 20 feet or so to where I wanted it.

Congratulations on your big Rikon. It's nearly twice as heavy as my 14 inch Jet. I think it is still possible to do what I did but standing it up and then walking it around would be harder and possibly not possible. Your size would matter. I am 6'2" and about 185lbs. I would certainly have a backup plan, like an engine hoist. My son's would lift 500 lbs at maximum extension. I tried just man handling it because I wasn't totally sure how to rig it. Could probably use ratcheting straps.

[Josh Robinson]

I had the same concerns with a Rikon 324 at only 270 pounds but it stood up so easily that I’d be tempted to try yours unless you have a really convenient way to use the hoist....

[David Publicover]

I set up my Laguna 18bx last month. It’s around 400lbs. I had my son (6’2” 200lbs) give me a hand and I was glad I had the help and it didn’t weigh a lot more. Mine was on the garage floor on its pallet rather than in the back of a pickup so sliding it out on a ramp was not an option.
A shop crane/engine hoist rental is about $40/day around here and was the way I planned to go before he arrived to help.
Good luck and enjoy. They seem like awesome machines.

[Paul F Franklin]

I have a small electric winch (similar to winch in a bag) that I use for this sort of thing and it does the job easily. I just make sure nothing or no one is under it while lifting. I use the same winch, with one end secured to my truck hitch, to slide things down or pull them up the exterior steps that go down to my shop.

[glenn bradley]

In the picture it appears to have a lift ring like my 17" Grizzly. I used this to get mine on and off the mobile base.

[Richard Coers]

Often there is a tapped boss on top for a lifting eye. Not sure if that model has one or not.

[Patrick Kane]

I stood up my LT20 in my basement on my own. I set up blocking against the opposite wall so it didn’t slide away from me mid-lift. Keep in mind, the majority of the weight is midpoint down.

[Brian Holcombe]

I stood mine up with a case of beer. Worked great.

[Malcolm McLeod]

I stood mine up with a case of beer. Worked great.

I KNEW I should have spent more time on the sales pitch for the house next to me...

You know you don't need a snow shovel here, right!?

And we're closer to the equator! You'll be taller and your spouse more beautiful!

[Zac wingert]

I too, got concerned that the machine was too much for me to maneuver. And, I too, drank a case of beer and then it was not a big problem.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I was able to stand up my Jet 18" saw when I got it, and to roll it on a hand truck by myself. I think I took off the table so I could fit it through the door more easily. I also took it off the lousy homemade mobile base it was on and walked it up onto a 10" high wooden foot, made from two hardwood 8x8 offcuts and two hardwood 2x4 pieces, to get it up to a more comfortable working height for me. That saw is supposed to be around 500 from what I have found online, and it was not hard to handle. You get lots of leverage to tip it because it's so much taller than it is wide.

[Jim Dwight]

I also unloaded my sawstop pcs by myself (in addition to my Jet bandsaw). It is close to 500 lbs. I brought it home on a trailer and tilted it out of the trailer onto a home made mobile base. I walked it over to the pallet it came on and then back to the base several times to get the base how I wanted it. I was not moving it far but it wasn't bad. I had forgotten this experience when I commented on my much more recent experience with the Jet. This makes me more confident you can unload this big Rikon bandsaw yourself. But a helper and/or backup plan is still a good idea.

[Jim Becker]

I stood mine up with a case of beer. Worked great.

ROFLOL!!! I've know a few folks who use that method...it works very nicely.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

The saw does have a support bolt on the top but I'd been told by a salesman at the local woodworking store (they sell Laguna but not Rikon) that he'd heard you shouldn't use it to lift the saw. That's why I was asking. But after thinking a bit I couldn't think of what else it could be used for. So I sent an email to tech support last night and they responded this morning that yes, you can use the support bolt to upright the saw.

Thanks for all the input.

Cliff