Validate my 8" Jointer Moving Plan

[Craig Meaney]

I don't often move heavy machinery, so I'm looking for thoughts on this plan for transporting a Delta DJ-20 (~400#) into my walkout basement on Saturday. I watched Jonathan Katz-Moses video on moving machinery (https://youtu.be/LqmZzTh7Kp8?t=404), and the genie lift seemed like a good fit for a jointer as you don't need to wrap lifting straps under the cast tables with it. I have an F150 and the machine is 45 minutes away. I've never towed a trailer before and sunbelt wants $85 to rent a lift-deck trailer for 24 hours, so I'm inclined to find a way to get it in and out of the truck bed instead.

Here's what I'm thinking:

- Rent genie lift from Home Depot, rated @450 lbs. ($57)
- Place 2 sheets plywood in truck bed, cut to full length of bed so it doesn't shift when tailgate is closed.
- Using hand truck, lift edge of jointer onto genie lift, move whole machine onto forks, then wheel to truck bed and lift into truck bed on top of plywood.
- Move into place with helper (center). Add blocking into plywood to prevent jointer from shifting side-to-side and front to back.
- Put 2x6 over jointer tables to distribute weight of ratchet straps and avoid contacting with ratchet straps / prevent shearing.
- Wrap strap around table and 2x6 and secure in each corner of truck. Ratchet until secure, but not too tight to avoid breaking casting.
- Strap around base of the cabinet as well.
- Tarp the tool and bungie the tarp (it's supposed to rain)

Unloading
- with genie lift lowered onto tailgate, move jointer onto lift.
- wheel back, lower jointer onto mobile base. (Would a dolly be better in terms of it bottoming out over terrain?)
- Use plywood from truck bed to wheel jointer over grass, around house to basement door.
- Need some kind of ramp to get it up two steps and into shop. I have some 5/4 pine slabs that are 20" wide that might do the trick.. TBD.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Craig, your plan sounds good except for the destination. I am thinking this is supposed to go in my garage.

I might consider breaking the machine down to Motor, Base, fence, jointer. Perhaps even smaller. It is time consuming but can be done by one person and should not require a lift or trailer. I recently acquired a 6 inch long bed and brought it home in the Prius. I was also able to inspect, clean, and lubricate everything during reassembly. Mine was used. Congratulations on your machine!

Oogling over some images of the Delta DJ-20. That disassembly will be a much bigger job than I was imagining. The gun safe company in our town use a kneeling, drop bed trailer. It is slick and the big heavy cargo stays very low the whole time.

[John Lanciani]

Assuming two able- bodied adults and a 2-wheeled dolly you don't need to rent or buy anything to move an 8" jointer. Steps as follows;

1. Remove the fence and blade guard
2. Separate the jointer from the base (3 or 4 bolts)
3. Stand jointer on end on 2 wheel dolly and move to truck
4. Place jointer upside down on cardboard or moving blanket in back of truck
5. Use dolly to move base to truck
6. Load base
7. Collect and load fence, guard, and tools into truck
8. Cover and secure load

Don't over think it. An 8" jointer isn't large or heavy in the grand scheme of things.

ETA; for a point of refererence, in the past 6 weeks I've dismantled and moved a 1940's unisaw, a 1930's 14" bandsaw, and a 1950's Delta radial arm saw by myself in a Subaru Forester so I'm not must posing a hypothetical. Also, the Genie lift you're thinking of renting isnt any much lighter than the stripped down jointer and you'll need to load and unload it with your plan.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Having a crew of able bodied hard workers at my disposal all the time, I guess have a different perspective than most. Your plan will work, but there are more ways, including what I would do, two or three duys with lifting straps and just carry it. 400# isn't that much if a couple guys can get a good hold on it, then get it on wheels to cover the distances. Ever seen that video of the Amish walking a barn to a new location? Big benefit of just manhandling it is the time savings. Most of us have a crew of young people that would benefit from a few $ and an understanding of what they are capable of.

[Matt Day]

I agree with John, take it part. An 8” jointer is tiny compared to some. 4 people can move the top easily.

[Eric Arnsdorff]

I bought a used DJ20 a couple of years back and moved it with my utility trailer. It's a very well made machine and you'd have to mistreat it in order to damage it. My biggest concern was to make sure the friend I had come with me was strong enough to help me get it up the trailer ramp. Strapping it to the trailer frame kept is solidly in place and is now a very precisely setup jointer which I use often in my basement workshop.

450 lbs really isn't a great deal of weight and the machine is built well to take handling it during the move. If you choose moving it in truck bed then you would likely need some type of lift unless you disassemble it. I wouldn't be afraid of disassembling it. However, I still think a trailer would be much easier. Home Depot has very nice trailers for rent. You don't need a lift with a trailer. Some movers with wheels will help you get it up the ramp if you have some help.

You'll be happy with the jointer I'm sure no matter how you move it. I am sure moving it won't be a difficult task. Enjoy!

[Wes Grass]

I built a pallet for my 16" Felder and somehow managed to wrestle it onto a lift gate with a crowbar. Bigger mystery is how I managed to not be killed in the process.

At the other end, bigger truck, it came out using a tractor with chains over the bucket, and some sizable pieces of Bubinga under the pallet.

Plus 1 for a Prius. I hauled uncountable tons of wood pellets for heating my house in mine. And a friend literally fills his with cases of wine. I don't recall the weight, but 8 or 10 40lb bags of pellets was chicken feed by comparison.

[Bill Dufour]

U haul little trailer is $24 for 24 hours. Do not get one with a ramp. They are expanded steel mesh and bowed into pockets. Make one of 2x4 and plywood. Much stronger and flater.
Bill D

[Maurice Mcmurry]

How about a small trailer? I was given a small 4x8 folding trailer called a 6 wheel wonder I think it was from Montgomery Ward or K-Mart. I thought it was a dumb goofy thing but it has turned out to be very handy. It is very low and light I can move it around the yard and job site by hand. I can pick up lumber with a small car then hook it to a riding lawnmower and bring loads through the yard.

[Marc Fenneuff]

I would not recommend tipping a parallelogram jointer like the DJ-20 onto a hand truck. Honestly I wouldn't do it with a dovetail jointer either. Disassembly of this jointer in the field would be problematic. OP your initial plan is the safest. Renting a U-Haul trailer will help but I think you still should use the genie lift. Only thing I would do differently is probably put it onto a pallet.

[Jack Frederick]

When I picked up my 8” Grizzly from the previous owner we lifted it complete onto the Tacoma with his “orange power tool.” I close the tailgate and strapped it from the trailer hitch cover the closed tailgate and around the body of the machine. I brought sufficient 2x material to secure block it into position including diagonal bracing. A couple straps over the bed and I made the hour plus drive smoothly and carefully. I checked the load a couple times on the way. The only fly in my ointment was taht upon arrival I grabbed one ot the straps over the bed and it fell apart, so use softeners and a heavy bodied strap. I built a ramp to slide the load down supporting the ramp with strong sawhorses. I handled the weight with my old climbing rope and a few carabiners. Don’t get below the load. The internal rollers on the jointer made the rest easy.

[John Lanciani]

I would not recommend tipping a parallelogram jointer like the DJ-20 onto a hand truck. Honestly I wouldn't do it with a dovetail jointer either. Disassembly of this jointer in the field would be problematic. OP your initial plan is the safest. Renting a U-Haul trailer will help but I think you still should use the genie lift. Only thing I would do differently is probably put it onto a pallet.

I buy and sell a bunch of machinery and I've done it more times than I can even remember. My personal opinion is that transporting a jointer (epecially a dovetailed way jointer) sitting on it's stand with the table ends unsupported is significantly riskier than my method. Putting it upside down and flat in a truck eliminates both the tipping hazard of a high centered machine and it eliminates the danger of stressing or breaking the castings or parallelogram linkage if something like an unavoidable pothole is hit.

[Craig Meaney]

Craig, your plan sounds good except for the destination. I am thinking this is supposed to go in my garage.

I might consider breaking the machine down to Motor, Base, fence, jointer. Perhaps even smaller. It is time consuming but can be done by one person and should not require a lift or trailer. I recently acquired a 6 inch long bed and brought it home in the Prius. I was also able to inspect, clean, and lubricate everything during reassembly. Mine was used. Congratulations on your machine!

Oogling over some images of the Delta DJ-20. That disassembly will be a much bigger job than I was imagining. The gun safe company in our town use a kneeling, drop bed trailer. It is slick and the big heavy cargo stays very low the whole time.

Thanks Maurice! Very funny. Not a done deal yet I still need to inspect the unit. I am considering taking the tables off, though I don’t want to throw anything out of alignment if I can avoid it. We’ll see. I looked at the manual and some videos, and it seems a fairly simple ordeal to disassemble and reassemble, unless you start messing with the cams.

[Craig Meaney]

I bought a used DJ20 a couple of years back and moved it with my utility trailer. It's a very well made machine and you'd have to mistreat it in order to damage it. My biggest concern was to make sure the friend I had come with me was strong enough to help me get it up the trailer ramp. Strapping it to the trailer frame kept is solidly in place and is now a very precisely setup jointer which I use often in my basement workshop.

450 lbs really isn't a great deal of weight and the machine is built well to take handling it during the move. If you choose moving it in truck bed then you would likely need some type of lift unless you disassemble it. I wouldn't be afraid of disassembling it. However, I still think a trailer would be much easier. Home Depot has very nice trailers for rent. You don't need a lift with a trailer. Some movers with wheels will help you get it up the ramp if you have some help.

You'll be happy with the jointer I'm sure no matter how you move it. I am sure moving it won't be a difficult task. Enjoy!

Thanks for the reply Eric. Did you strap it down from the tables? Did you add any blocking? My uncle is coming with me and he has some back/neck issues, so trying to limit the heavy lifting as much as possible. The gentleman who is selling the unit has it on wheels right now, so there’s another reason a trailer might be the right choice. In fact, a neighbor recently offered to give me an old trailer. Maybe I’ll circle back with him.

[joe maday]

I purchased a DJ-20 from a VT, basement shop....Took the fence off, four bolts between base and jointer, took off motor, disconnecting the wiring.
Three trips to pickup truck......1)Two people carried the base, 2)each carried the fence, motor, then 3) lastly carried the jointer (to avoid lifting by tables we bolted the jointer body to two 8' 2x4s with 1x4 cross pieces where the bolts for the base were...carried it like a stretcher. up out of the basement Out side entrance) and slid into the truck bed.
Drove 300+ miles and put into my home basement shop. The fence, motor and base when down the house stairs (no outside entrance) then we slid the jointer through the basement window! even with the window well! slid half way one of us went downstairs, then pulled through window enough for the second person to go around, down stairs and lift /pull it out the rest of the way....Once all was in the basement shop....it was easy to clean/oil reassemble, adjust the belt etc.......