Lifting table saw?

[Martin S.]

OK, I have a tablesaw that had a roller base that came with it.  The wheels have disintegrated (not happy about that) and I need to move the saw.

I bought a new base, and the instructions say something like, "get 4 strong men to lift the saw while a fifth person slides the base under it".

So...

I don't have 4 strong men, only one 50+ fat guy.

I have been considering an engine hoist, but the ones I have looked at have a base that has to slide under the motor, er, saw, in this case, so I can't see how that will work.

I am open to suggestions as to how to lift a tablesaw in order to get a new base underneath it without hurting myself.

I am sure I am not the first person presented with this problem, and I appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks,

Martin

[KC]

OK, I have a tablesaw that had a roller base that came with it.  The wheels have disintegrated (not happy about that) and I need to move the saw.

I bought a new base, and the instructions say something like, "get 4 strong men to lift the saw while a fifth person slides the base under it".

So...

I don't have 4 strong men, only one 50+ fat guy.

I have been considering an engine hoist, but the ones I have looked at have a base that has to slide under the motor, er, saw, in this case, so I can't see how that will work.

I am open to suggestions as to how to lift a tablesaw in order to get a new base underneath it without hurting myself.

I am sure I am not the first person presented with this problem, and I appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks,

Martin

You can pick up one side enough to slide a something underneath (2x4), then lift the other side and kick the slide under. Can't remember how I did it, but I was alone.  And also 50+ and fat.  

[stav]

Leverage is your friend here. As the previous poster said, lever it up a little on one side, then lever it up a little on the other till you can put something under it to hold it up so you can get the new base in there. You can also remove the top if you are concerned about weight.

[WaterlooMarc]

Yep raise one side at a time on some 2x4’s sitting on blocks and then slide the base underneath (between the blocks) then remove the 2x4’s one side at a time until it’s on the base.

[barryvabeach]

Agree with the above, just adding that if the wings overhang the cabinet, and you have a car jack or bottle jack,  you can use some cribbing and a 2x4 cut to the right length to start to lift one side, then support it with blocks, then go to the other side, and repeat,  so you don't have to do any manual lifting.

[Stwood_]

You can pick up one side enough to slide a something underneath (2x4), then lift the other side and kick the slide under. Can't remember how I did it, but I was alone.  And also 50+ and fat.  

+1

[JohnnyEgo]

If you were close, I'd lend you my Johnson bar, which is like a giant crowbar on wheels. My nine year old hanging on the end of it was enough to lift a thousand pound pallet high enough to get moving dollies under it. They run about $100 and while perhaps not as broadly useful as an engine hoist, nor as cheap as a 2x4, they take up less space than the former and have more lifting capacity than the later.

[daddo]

The engine hoist may still work. Extend the lifts arm all the way outward so that the base for the saw is at the more open end of the horizontal legs.

The 2nd option is to build a temporary wooden gantry and use a pulley hoist.

The 3rd option is to suspend a hoist mounted at the ceilings 2x6's. A more complicated choice in order for it to be safe.

 I have the lift stashed away, but I can measure between the legs when I get a chance.


 Maybe this pic would give you an idea.

[Del Hilburn]

OK, I have a tablesaw that had a roller base that came with it.  The wheels have disintegrated (not happy about that) and I need to move the saw.

I bought a new base, and the instructions say something like, "get 4 strong men to lift the saw while a fifth person slides the base under it".

So...

I don't have 4 strong men, only one 50+ fat guy.

I have been considering an engine hoist, but the ones I have looked at have a base that has to slide under the motor, er, saw, in this case, so I can't see how that will work.

I am open to suggestions as to how to lift a tablesaw in order to get a new base underneath it without hurting myself.

I am sure I am not the first person presented with this problem, and I appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks,

Martin

I have dual garage doors in my house so I used a hoist (harbor freight) suspended from the garage door tracks and lifted my saw that way
My saw weighs in just over 600Lb and I had on problems lifting it that way 

[TDKPE]

The 2nd option is to build a temporary wooden gantry and use a pulley hoist.

The 3rd option is to suspend a hoist mounted at the ceilings 2x6's. A more complicated choice in order for it to be safe.

As a woodworker, a wooden gantry is simple to build and can be perfectly safe.  But the ceiling is already a gantry, and if the joists/trusses are too light for the span, just brace it with 2x4's flanking the load.