Moving a 320Kg bandsaw?

[Deadeye]

I've been looking to upgrade my bandsaw...and have found a Startrite I like the look of, and will fit under the ceiling (!) of my garage.
But it's 320Kg!

Now, I can hire a van ok, but getting it in/out and across the floor when I arrive?

Any tips? It's over three times my current saw weight and that's difficult enough!

Sadly the ceiling joists are the zig-zig sort, and over quite a long span, so not really ok to hoist on.

Advice much appreciated, or should I stick with what I have?!

 

[Sideways]

Lie it down before it falls down. Maybe on the back (spine). Get a wheeled dolly under each end like a piano mover would use. Those can take a huge load and easy enough to make yourself with doubled up 18mm ply and big garage type castors from machine mart or ebay.
You'll need blocks, clamps and ratchet straps to secure the dollys to the machine.

Or.
Keep it upright, screw it to a board and feed rollers in one after the other as you push it along. Even a few wooden broomsticks should be sufficient.

If you lie it down, then getting it back up is a job for levers and props. Ratchet straps to stop it going sideways. Or borrow an engine hoist. It's amazing what two blokes, a lever and some blocks can do. A trestle helps too.

Remember that when righting it, you're only lifting half it's weight but you must pay 100% attention, go slow and talk to each other constantly before doing anything. Surprises are the tricky bit - someone pulls or pushes when the other isn't expecting it. You watch where it could fall and never get underneath it.

You'll almost certainly need to hire a luton box van with a 1/2 ton tail lift BTW and you will need help.

I find it satisfying when you've moved something heavy (even a couple of tons, but with more gear than you will have). A 1.4m prybar is one of my favorite tools. One bloke can get 3 tons up on blocks with that but someone else needs to slide blocks in as you inch it upwards side by side.

 

[Deadeye]

I'd be interested to know where all the weight is coming form - it's not *that* much bigger than my current but 320Kg vs 100Kg.
If I took the wheels out and table off...?

 

[Sideways]

And there could be 20kg in the motor.
Doors often lift off or unscrew as well.
Wheels and table must account for a great deal of it but a higher performance bandsaw will have thicker steel and more of it in the frame to allow it to tension wider blades properly.

 

[Deadeye]

And there could be 20kg in the motor.
Doors often lift off or unscrew as well.
Wheels and table must account for a great deal of it but a higher performance bandsaw will have thicker steel and more of it in the frame to allow it to tension wider blades properly.

I guess that must be it - a sturdy frame. The motor is only 900W

 

[dickm]

320kg does sound a heck of a lot! Have never weighed my Startrite 352, but can move that around fairly easily. Out of interest, how did you get that weight - it's a bit beyond your usual bathroom scales!

 

[Deadeye]

320kg does sound a heck of a lot! Have never weighed my Startrite 352, but can move that around fairly easily. Out of interest, how did you get that weight - it's a bit beyond your usual bathroom scales!

It's quoted on p.5 of the manual here: https://sharkbandsawblades.co.uk/do...d_saws_handbooks/S1 and S5 Handbook 4E WM.pdf

I must say it does sound extraordinarily high.
I wonder if it was 318lbs and someone has taken that as Kg and then re-converted to 700lbs

 

[Fitzroy]

It's quoted on p.5 of the manual here: https://sharkbandsawblades.co.uk/downloads/woodworking_vertical_band_saws_handbooks/S1 and S5 Handbook 4E WM.pdf

I must say it does sound extraordinarily high.
I wonder if it was 318lbs and someone has taken that as Kg and then re-converted to 700lbs

The 14-T is very similar but with a slower motor it is quoted as 570lb, the 700lbs is also a gross weight which if these were shipped in a wooden crate (back in the day) then it could have 100lbs of packaging.

The construction of the machine has a much more substantial frame and is advertised as deflection proof so quite likely it's just extra steel adding the weight. Which if that's the case removing table, motor, wheels may be of limited benefit.

 

[Jacob]

Big boggers! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375490588801
Removing table and blade would make manhandling a lot easier.
Looks like a pallet trolly and scaffold board job, plus two blokes and van with high enough roof (or open pick-up) and a tailgate lift.
Easier if it's on a pallet to start with but not essential. Pallet trolley needs three scaffold boards as it's a three wheeler. Or 6 so you can run off 3 on to the next 3.
If it's a much lighter 352 then one chap, a sack trolley, an ordinary estate car.

 

[Orraloon]

It is actually best to remove the table from any heavy bandsaw for moving as the trunnions can easily get broken. No need to know why I know this.
Regards
John

 

[Sideways]

It's quoted on p.5 of the manual here: https://sharkbandsawblades.co.uk/downloads/woodworking_vertical_band_saws_handbooks/S1 and S5 Handbook 4E WM.pdf

I must say it does sound extraordinarily high.

Note that those are a 3 wheel machine with deep throat for working on metal and other sheet materials rather than deep cut for timber resawing.
They can cut wood too, but they aren't "just" a woodcutting bandsaw.
This is the reason for the massive build and the weight.
I think they feature an extended speed range as the normal woodcut saw is too fast for metal.
They have the strength in the frame because metal cutting blades will be high speed or spring steel capable of taking high tension for a straight cut through metal.

Reputation is v good but an overkill unless you need that deep throat and speed range.
The focus on cutting big sheets of thinner material will be why it's underpowered compared to a wood saw of similar bulk.

 

[Deadeye]

Note that those are a 3 wheel machine with deep throat for working on metal and other sheet materials rather than deep cut for timber resawing.
They can cut wood too, but they aren't "just" a woodcutting bandsaw.
This is the reason for the massive build and the weight.
I think they feature an extended speed range as the normal woodcut saw is too fast for metal.
They have the strength in the frame because metal cutting blades will be high speed or spring steel capable of taking high tension for a straight cut through metal.

Reputation is v good but an overkill unless you need that deep throat and speed range.
The focus on cutting big sheets of thinner material will be why it's underpowered compared to a wood saw of similar bulk.

The 14 is a 2 wheel machine.

 

[Sideways]

Ahh OK.
Cheers

 

[Fitzroy]

The 14 is a 2 wheel machine.

I'd not really looked in to this bandsaw before so it was interesting to see in the literature the machine had a 3 wheel and 2 wheel version. The design with the three wheels is needed to give a deep throat on the machine for handling large workpieces, this the requires a much stiffer frame as the lever length is longer. However, for two wheels and a narrower throat the frame design is likely overkill but you're not going to redesign for just one model in the range and you end up with a small form machine that weighs a ton. It'll be lovely from a vibration and noise perspective though.

 

[Tarnturnings]

I did excatly what other respondees have stated when I moved my big axminster. Remove the motor, table, and wheels. I then made a wheeled stand for it to sit on, then with cut down scaffolding tubes as rollers moved it horizontally to where I wanted it. Then with a cumalong and a hand pully system from screzfis or toolstn used the rafters to haul upright off the ground, set down on trolley and hey presto. Better done with 2 people and lots of safety ropes tied onto it. Good luck

 

[Deadeye]

Thanks everyone...I think, rather than collapsing the roof for metal cutting facility that I don't really need, I shall look for a 352 instead!

 

[johnnyb]

I like 352s and 301s are a great hobby bandsaw. I even like the guides.. .

 

[johnnyb]

Mines a dark green marked record power but still a uk start rite from Kent. These are later before the imported machines came up. Maybe those Italian bandsaws discussed on the forum would be suitable as well.

 

[simisworkshop]

That’s a pretty heavy saw! I moved a big tool into my garage not long ago, and the best move I made was using a couple of furniture dollies and a hand truck. It helped a lot to have a couple of friends around to help lift and move it, especially when getting it into place. If your garage floor is smooth, those dollies should glide pretty easily. Just take your time, use straps to keep it steady, and avoid putting too much stress on those zig-zag ceiling joists. It’ll definitely be worth it once you get that saw set up!