Well I bought the saw from the widow, now I have to get it into my F-150 and move it to TN.
This is a 3hp. right tilt saw with tubular rails and the “basic” fence circa. 1985. Two 10″ wings, no DC. no motor cover and no mobile base, but it is very clean. It has a Uni guard that mounts on the rear fence rail, and a Uni Fence that I found in the shop attic but no rectangular rail to mount it on-yet ? ( I will buy a rail if it makes sense to do so- I am thinkin that I will)
I am assuming that the best move it to drop the rails, wings, top, motor and just move the cabinet in one piece? Here I look for advice-is there any advantage to knock it down more? How about(less) remove the blade, tilt in the motor and use more hands to get it in and out of the truck? I have the hands or the time – what makes the best sense?
Is the Uni fence worth while -such as as a sliding short fence to rip with- or use as a flat or tall fence as needed or should I just order a Bies fence and be done with it? I also have a heavy cast wings 1 1/2 hp contractors saw that serves me very well.
Folks, your advice is as always appreciated. Pat
BTW- I have all the Delta paper on the saw and the Uni Guard but nothing on the Uni-Fence, all contributions accepted. I have a sick PC and can see most formats but NOT PDF’S. thanks.pfh
Edited 11/2/2006 11:02 pm ET by PADDYDAHAT
Replies
No way!!! You aren't really going to take it apart just to move it are you? It only weighs about 425 pounds!
I used to move a unisaw from job site to job site on a regular basis, all by myself.
You don't actually lift the saw. Just take out the insert, remove the splitter/guard, take off the fence (leave the rails), and lower the blade. Then put the back rail on the edge of your tailgate and tip the saw onto its top, in the back of the truck, onto the piece of 1/2" plywood you have there. It will ride home happy as can be upside down. Be really careful that you have it securely on the tailgate and it will tip right in. I bet you don't actually have to lift over about 90 pounds.
Hal
http://www.rivercitywoodworks.com
Put down the crack pipe Hal and back away from the saw!
While it is a tough beast, the holes in the cast iron top and wings were not meant to take that kind of load. Neither were the rails.
It's not that hard to do it right and he says he has the hands available.
From his posting history I suspect this saw will be a treasured piece of precision equipment in his shop, not a jobsite beater to be treated carelessly.
While I commend you for using a Unisaw for a jobsite tool, I think you missed the mark on this one.
I do enjoy your posts and looking at the fine work on your website, I have found most of your advice to be well thought out.
Did one of your apprentices get ahold of your computer tonight? :)------------------------------------
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer (1891)
Hal,shame on ya makin fun of us old guys-I don't dance so fast any more, I will have the AARP pickiting your place soon. Seriously I like the idea as I can generate enough sympathy at both ends of the move to get the hands but I have to see if I can up end the base with with the A.R.E cap on or slide it in on it's side on a 4x8 of ply then pin it with a bunch of spreader bars. Thanks, Pat
I'm not all that young anymore either, but I still get out there and wiggle around if the music is good!
Hal
If you have the hands, pull the rails and wings and leave everything else as is. They are shipped from the factory with the motor and top in place and are not hard to manage. I've loaded a bunch of them into pickups including my own 5 horse. It's not that bad. Four people is a good number, one in the back of the truck lifting and guiding and three on the ground lifting. Even three is not too bad if the guy in the truck is pretty beefy.
------------------------------------
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
-- Herbert Spencer (1891)
DG, very much thanks, I will take this path. My big problem is getting past two large lathes, one that weighs about 900 lbs. I think my dolly will make it. I think that I will have to ride 800+ miles with it on it's side -I don't think that I have the vertical clearance under the cap to turn it top down. Not to worry, I will pull all that sticks out ie. hand wheels etc. and block it with movers blankets and spreader bars. No problem on the TN side as I have a GOOD neighbors with a lot of kin. All the best, Pat
Paddy, since you have extra hands I would merely unbolt the table extensions, which will make it stable when you load and tie it into the truck-even two guys can handle one of those like that WITHOUT using the fence rail as a handle!If I had no help then I would also unbolt the top-after that it is as light as a flea.
And since it is to travel I would tie up/support the motor to the table so that the worms and gears* are not being "bounced".
* or whatever you want to call them.
Good advice on supporting the motor, the factory does it with chunks of styrofoam.------------------------------------
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer (1891)
Hey Phillip,
Unbolting the top is a big pain. The bolts are hard to get to, and realignment is difficult.
Why go through all of that? Just move the saw.
Hal
Unbolting the top is a big pain. The bolts are hard to get to, and realignment is difficult. Why go through all of that? Just move the saw.
I agree. If I was moving mine, I'd just disassemble it to the state it was in when it was in when it was shipped to me: take off the table board and rails; leave the top and wings. It's not very heavy, as mentioned.
Get a U-haul trailer; they are low to the ground and alot easier to load than an F-150.
I'm with HalJ on this one. Tip in onto the back of your truck and drive it home. They are built to take a lot more abuse than that some of you guys are just nutz and over the top about tools and their expected presicion.I'm saying this with a smile,Besides, if he's like a lot of guys around here he'll get it home and calp the dickens out of it and tweak and tweak and tweak, moan about .003 here or there, put off making stuff, tweak it again and again, finally and in disgust use the bloody thing and discover that .003 or .005 really doesn't matter.Now then, I'll stand back and keep my head covered.Lee
Lee, it's done if you read the threads, but now I have to get an 1800's secretary in the truck bed behind the unisaw from the second floor of the house by Fri. Not as heavy but very fussy. She's not 5' 10" and blond - 8' 7" and walnut. HAH . but I am workin on it. Pat
Dang, I come in here trying to stir the pot only to find the meal's already been served.*sigh*Lee
Hal, don't be a typical woodworker (not too handy with the engineering stuff) (,)- the top is in three pieces which together are heavy and make up a lot of the weight. The bolts are bolts-they unscrew.
And as Ray Mahogan, er Pine has said, Paddy will be wanting to check alignment . With the top off he can also see ,check, clean the rest of it.It is his new baby.
And some members of this august body of woodworms are no longer spring chickens.Philip Marcou
Edited 11/3/2006 3:54 pm by philip
Philip,
The beauty of my tip-it-over technique is that the top, which is heavy, never gets lifted. That is why it is so easy!
Hal
As far as I am concerned, the uni-fence is far superior to any fence out there. If you need to cut formica just flip the fence over, need to cut alot of cross cuts safely? Just take the fence and move it behind your blade and you can safely crosscut with out jammin the stock between the blade and fence.
mark
Paddy me lad,
If I had to move the thing with no help, I'd split the difference. Take the top off, with rails extensions, etc attached. Move it and the base as two separate pieces. After wrestling the whole thing in one piece onto the truck, and the vibration of the ride, you'd want/need to realign the top to the blade anyhow, right? Might as well take the top off before the trip, as you'll probably have to loosen it to twiddle with it after you get there.
Ray
What a bunch of wimps. I'm an AARP member and move Unisaws myself all the time. I've owned about 13 or 14, rebuilt over 20 of them. The mid '80s machines are by for the lightest weight saws ever built. Have the same type saw you refer to, a light weight compaired to a '40s or '50s Unisaw. Take off the fence tubes and move it as Hal says. Upside down on its top is the best and safest. TS are top heavy and can tip over in transport. I know from experience.
DJK
Thanks for the support on this. The one I moved was one of the old ones too.
I have seen a lot of guys like you others trying to move unisaws the wrong way, and it is always a foolhardy adventure. Does it really make sense to try picking up a 425 lb saw? I don't care how many men are involved, it is still a pain.
Maybe you should also know that the guy that showed me how to move it this way (tipping it onto it's top into the back of a truck) was 68 years old at the time!
I also should tell you that the saw I moved is not a jobsite beater. I still use it as my main saw in my shop. It still cuts perfectly, and it still looks like a new saw (it has never been left in a damp garage).
There is no issue with the top being vibrated out of alignment as one post stated. The top is bolted on!
Hal
Edited 11/3/2006 11:50 am ET by Hal J
Hal,
Paddy said that he'd have to transport the saw on its side, as the headroom in his topper wouldn't allow him to flip it onto the truck as you suggested. Although I know the top is bolted on, (I have a unisaw), I'd still want to check alignment after hauling it hundreds of miles, resting on one side of its top. Your mileage, of couse, may vary.
Regards,
Ray Pine
RAY ET AL. I did some proper homework today and found that the cap on my 8' bed is 36+" clear and the saw is floor to table top edge 35" , also that black base moulding on the saw is really an old very heavy HTC mobile base(hooray) this was not apparent till we cleared up the floor and tried to move it. I pulled the very sharp freund triple chip teflon blade to my blade case and realized that after unlocking the hand wheels I needed three men and a small boy to move the trunions. It has sat covered since late '04 and probably was not cleaned or greased for a while prior to that.
Pulling the top/wings is now a moot point as I will have to in order to surgicaly clean, adjust and lube her up, build a baffel and cut a dust port, buy or make a motor case, mount a new rail for the unifence and then dig out my machinist tools(dial indicator/engineer's square/straight edge and blocks) and bench mark her once. I plan to head to Pa. on 11/18, VA 19 and 20 if necessary and TN on 20/21. I will let y'all know how it turns out. thanks to all for the info, Pat
helicopter
Just kiddin
Kix, will it take me to Maui for a few weeks? I am killing myself trying to empty this old house in NY for sale by myself. So far I went to TN and put in 300 sq ft of oak floor as it was smarter to do before showing up with a moving van of furniture and then installing a floor. This is, I think my last trip, prior to sale. The only big tools left are the two jointers, the RAS, THE OLD 80GAL. COMPRESSOR, the lathe and the 6' red tool chest. The moovers will not be happy. Pat
So where you at, anyways? I was born in Hudson, lived in Germantown when I was a kid.
The uhaul trailer idea is a good one, just keep in mind that you would have a lot of weight back there, no such thing as a lighteight jointer, and you got two of them!
Moovers? I've herd they're like Cattlemen. We got those out here in Colorado. I dont get it, are you hiring movers to load for you into your truck? Or are they loading driving and unloading?
So if you are packing up all your tools and heading out, are you coming back to sign papers and what not, or do you have the place closed out already...? I would want to buy a trailer for myself if I had the space in my life. Cost prolly less than moving van, and you get to keep it. I'm no mystic, but I'm not seeing two jointers, a RAS, an 80gal compressor, a lathe and a tool chest fitting in the back of a truck.
Then again, maybe I am a mystic.
Kix, this trip is a short one to move some hand tools, the Unisaw and an 8' secretary from the 1800's. The joiners, old router table, RAS and compressor, several lite benches, lathe and 6' red machinist's rolling chests will be done by movers, along with a little furniture, two appliances and household items.
I am in Suffolk county NY but I bunk up on my trips at my daughters place in Ambler PA, mid VA on rt81 then it's 4 hrs. to Bristol TN and 75 min. to the house on 11w. The truck was my retiremen gift to me. It's about as heavy as you can get a F-150 (over 8,000 lbs. GVW.) a door and a half cab(xlt) with 163" wheel base, 8' bed with a full cap and a class 4 hitch.
The outside work is done-new roof, paint job, fences repaired and stained . I will be back to gut the interior into a dumpster and sell early next year as the market returns. All the best, Pat
Ray and all those that helped with info. The beast is secured in the bed of the F-150. A young friend and I removed the rails, guard bracket, switch(mounted to a boss under the table on pipe) and then the top. The top was removed as the saw badly needs a super cleaning, lube, new belts and a DC set up to be installed. We knocked down the top and 8" wings, stacked them verticaly against the cab end between two sheets of ply with a few of my old navy ditty bags full of rags. I laid 1/2" ply the legnth of the bed and moved the truck so that the rear wheels just hit the road, leaving the tail gate about 12" lower as the driveway rises sharply. We then spied the neighbors son(a stone mason) who is 6'2" and no light passes by him when he goes through a 3'-0 doorway- he was happy to help. They picked up the cabinete off the HTC frame and sat it on the ply on the tailgate(it cleared the cap,aka topper, by 1 1/2"). We duck walked it to the front of the bed and secured it with nylon shipping straps and a load bar. DONE.
On the Tn end I can back the truck right into one of the shop's two garage doors and with the help of my good neighbor and his brothers put it any place in the shop. I watched two of these guys pick up a chest freezer go 50' and toss it into an open pickup bed like a sack of taters. Thanks again for the help, leaving on the 18th, see y'all mid Dec. Pat
I am with Hal on this. Don't try to make it harder than it is. My 84 year-old uncle can move anything by himself with a piano dolly and a little thinkin' I moved my 66 with very little help and just a dolly and a ramp.
I purchased one recently, and had to move it.
This one had a 30" fence.
We removed the fence.
Using a dolly we (four) picked it up, put it on the dolly, and hauled it out of garage and then picked it up and lifted it into a pu truck. Pick up was at the four corners of the top, not the table, LOL.
I tied it onto the bed (that's one thing I'm good at - those who can, tie knots, those who can't, tie lots).
Once on the home front, we (three) used a two wheeler and a ramp. One on top, one providing a little resistance on the side while coming down the ramp, and one (me) the sacrificial lamb ensuring the ramp stayed in place during the operation. Used two wheeler over the grass to the back door. At that point some disassembly was required to get it in the back door of the basement.
Piece of cake. Good luck!
TO ALL, thanks for all the tips, I am now well armed enough not to get suprised while doing this move. Paddy
Paddy
My old 1987 Unisaw had a place with the motor cranked about half way up where you could put a bolt through the mounting bracket to secure it, so that it doesn't bounce. 800 miles of bouncing would not be good for the arbor.
Jeff
Jeff, you are correct-I had forgotten that. Mine is much older, and has that hole for the purpose you mention.Philip Marcou
Some of the responces crack me up, can't stop laughing. I hope he remembers to wear new white cotton gloves, don't want fingerprints on it.How is this bouncing going to effect the arbor?
DJK
Edited 11/3/2006 4:27 pm ET by DJK
No kidding, DJK.
I personally use my saw for woodworking, not for working on my saw.
But, to each his own. This is a tough machine. I'm betting it can take it. (I didn't get the arbor part either)
How could it be that the saw will not stand upright (or upside down) in his Ford F150? Is it an El Camino (okay, Ranchero)?
Hal
Can you say canopy?------------------------------------
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer (1891)
My old Chevy, well actually it was a new one then, also had a canopy, a regular sized one. (Now there you go, Chevys are better than Fords! But when everyone jumps in on this, I'm staying out of it!)
The saw is only 34 1/4" tall. I know, it's taller on the diagonal. It always worked so well that I can't imagine doing it any other way.
Or maybe I just made this all up...now where did that funny pipe go?
Hal
Edited 11/3/2006 5:48 pm ET by Hal J
I'll take some of the heat, Chevys are better than Fords. Better hand me that pipe when you're done with it, discussing these two car companys is about as useful as re arranging the deck funiture on the Titanic!------------------------------------
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer (1891)
Is it possible to rent some type of van with a lift-gate and wheel it inside? Then you could strap it up against the wall and drive it home in one piece.
Just a theory, of course.
TF
Dear Paddy,
Forgive me if this has already been suggested, but I have moved my equipment with an engine hoist. I rent one for about $35.00 and then using a heavy strap, I have lifted my PM66 rails and all. I just wrap the strap under the table and away we go. Getting the saw balanced takes a bit of adjusting, but once it is balanced it is a safe, easy way to go.
Once in the truck, take great care in making sure that it stays put. No bungee cords, ratcheting straps only. Usually the greatest risk is when you brake, so strap it down good.
Best,
John
John, thanks for the info. I have no lack of younger hands to get into and out of the truck and I have decided to knock down and remove the top as it needs a major alignment and clean and lube effort. It will go in the nose of the 8' bed with ratchet straps and spreader bars. Pat
Sounds good!John
I did the same thing with my pm 2000. The engine hoist worked perfectly.
It looks like you have enough advice already, but here was my experience. I bought a 3 HP model with 50" fence already dissembled, from a guy n the same town. I don't remember how I got it to my 2 car garage from his 2 car garage, but it came witha 3 HP dust collector. I then made a homemade mobile base, which I was able to install myself, although at the time, I was a 130 pound weakling. Then I installed the 50 inch extension table . After that, had to move it to another home, and got a landscaper to load my entire shop, incl. a big jointer, bandsaw and drill press and portable planer on to his landscape trailer. This was excellent because of the low height and gradual ramp. We just horsed it on and tied it down. Didn't take anything apart. I wasn't smart enough to do that, but it was only going about 8 miles. After that, two years later, I got rid of the mobile base, and it only took two guys to lift, and a third one to pull out the mobile base. Never had to realign or readjust anything. Wiith the Woodworker II blade, it works great with the Unifence. I'm afraid to mess with it. Alan
Alan, thanks for the response, I know the pain. this saw was used by a "master" turner mostly to cut his big blocks and badly needs cleaning-thus the disassembly. after a cleaning, lube and the dc install I think it will be a premium saw after it's benchmarked. Pat
My generall method for getting machinery into a truck is to use 10 foot long 2x8's or 10's or what ever. I set the boards up as a ramp then I (we) put the machine on the boards and slide it about 3/4 way up then lift the low ends and slide the boards into the bed machine and all. The hard part is it is hard to ballance the load when lifting the boards. It isn't hard really, but you have to be carefull.
Pardon my spelling,
Mike
Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.
Mike this load in is done but your idea sounds like a capital one for the 5hp shaper, if I decide to take it or for the guy that buys it. thanks. Pat
It still isn't a 1 man job. But it prevents you from having to lift the whole thing into the truck.Pardon my spelling,
Mike
Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.
I know you posted a while back...so if you haven't done anything yet, take this for what its worth. I moved my 5 HP Unisaw by myself in the back of my Sienna Minivan a few months back. However, I did take the rails and wings off. I moved it side-to-side to the back bumper and lifted and angled it in. At the other end of my trip, pretty much reversed the process. I didn't think could I could do it alone but I was on a deadline and hey, it worked fine. Its a bit of a drag taking apart the thing but I didn't want to ruin anything. But as always, if you can find a few friends, that'll work better. But I would still take the parts off.
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