Re: breaking down the table saw package - weight

[Leon]

I watched 2 teenagers unload my Jet cabinet saw off their delivery truck. Granted it was a controlled fall, although it was a very slow fall....It was not dropped at all. It just was not going to go back up with their strength... Something to think about... Perhaps you and the delivery guy can set 270 pounds down by yourselves without a lift gate. That said, packaging can weigh a lot also. So, breaking the saw down into individual parts minus the weight of the pallet that it may be sitting on may make it quite manageable with perhaps a two wheel dolly going up the stairs. Slow... but probably manageable.

I am ordering a mid-level DeWalt 746 TS. Shipping weight is around 260 > lbs. Once it gets here, from my alley I have to get it up 1 story of > stairs into my basement. (City living.) If I break down the box, what is > likely to be the weight of the heaviest part? > > In the middle of the day, it is tough to get help to muscle the thing off > the truck w/o a liftgate. If I pay for a liftgate, does that "generally" > mean that the delivery guys will get the thing off the truck to the ground, > at least.? Maybe I'll just have to bite the bullet and get rent-a-muscle.

[Charlie Self]

Igor asks:

I won't guarantee this, but I think those unitized saws come with motor affixed, and the fence dismounted. That's it. Open the box, set the fence aside, and discard the box (at least temporarily), if you wish. You're probably looking at 200+ pounds in the lightest part. I'd leave it in the box for easier handling and do as below:

See if you can't find a local high school football player: they're starting to get in shape now. Then rent a hand truck with either tracks or wheels on the back, slip the main part of the unit on the truck, lay it down at the first stair and wiggle and push/pull it up the stairs.

A liftgate does mean the delivery guys set it on the ground. Some will do more, some won't. Most truck drivers in small towns (in which I include Parkersburg) and rural areas will help, assuming they don't have truck driver's disease--a screwed up back.

Charlie Self

"If our democracy is to flourish, it must have criticism; if our government is to function it must have dissent." Henry Commager

[WALT K]

couple of differant ideas come to mind here one go the DeWalts web site you should be able to download a PDF of the owner instructions that will show you how the saw is assembled study that and make a game plan for when the saw arrives how how your going to break it down

thought number two contact temp labor place and get two guys for two hours or so local rate around here is 7.50 per man hour rates variy maybe cheaper if you provide transpertation from the office to your "job site"

thought number three contact local church and see if they know of any body who needs a day job

I would sugjest contacting the local "Church of Latter Day Staints" the "mormons " you want to contact the local bishop for your area the bishop of a Mormon church is equilivant to the local pastor or minster They have a mandate to help our the people in there nebhorhood

just make sure you have some lemonadie or crisytal lite drink in place of offering them a cold soda

get >I am ordering a mid-level DeWalt 746 TS. Shipping weight is around 260

[Silvan]

I don't get paid to do anything more than push the freight to the back of my truck. If I get hurt outside my trailer, I have to try to get the consignee's insurance to pay any injury claims, which pretty much means I'm screwed.

As far as whether I'd help you take it further than the ground, it depends on a variety of factors. Pretty women are more likely to get free help than greasy fat guys or snooty rich people. Nice people are more likely to get help than people who want to give me attitude.

Money doesn't hurt either. Hint, hint. ;)

Do *not* offer the driver a beer.

Finally, as far as lugging the thing up the stairs, the best thing I can come up with is to buy/rent/borrow a heavy duty four-wheeled hand-truck with balloon tires on one end. Buy some ratcheting straps and secure the thing, so it doesn't fall off and get away from you. Now, if you have a metal handrail at the top of that staircase, tie a rope to the hand truck, wrap it around the handrail, and use it to keep the thing from sliding backwards. Push, take up slack, push, take up slack. Better if you have a helper, but the helper doesn't have to be very strong (eg SWMBO). You'll never get it up the stairs with the rope, but it can save you from experiencing life as Sysiphus as you shove it up one step at a time.

[Silvan]

Forget that one. Blown tire, wreck, extra traffic, funeral procession, stormy weather, derailed train, Grandma... There are hundreds of reasons why delivery times are only vague guesstimates. You don't want to pay your temps to sit around and twiddle their thumbs while you wait for the truck.

I've been on the "you're late and I've had to pay these people to do nothing all day" end of that lots of times. It doesn't make anyone happy. No matter how firm the office person says the time will be, take it with a grain of salt.

[WALT K]

I have mostly worked line haul but I have done some LTL and home delevery for home base I have got a few war stories I could tell you and I sure you have a few also

gettign the owners book in a PDF form ahead of time and figgering out how to take it apart in smaller peices is probley the best idea but I will bet that there is still one MF'ing heavy peice at least if you can get a satersay delvery you have a better chance of beign able to get a couple strong buddies to help you but you have to pay /bribe them with pizza and beer at least thats My price or a lunch or lettign your helpers use the saw once in a while if they need it or make them something with it

there is always several ways to get it done

[George]

Call the ambulance. Hate to tell you how many "dead weight" items of greater than 260 I've handled.

Of course, the larger the patient, the smaller your partner. And the tighter the quarters.

Seriously, a couple of friends, as long as one is named "Dolly" should be adequate. Check your local rent-all for an appliance dolly.

[Weldon Wilson]

Mine came in two boxes - fence & rails in one box and the assembled saw in the other. The only weight you'll save by removing the box is the weight of the cardboard, styrofoam, and the stamped steel wings, maybe 15 pounds. Just leave it in the box till you can get it up the stairs. Like others have already suggested, get a good dolly & a friend to help.

You might have to change the belt to a link belt when you get it. It depends on how long it has been in the box. The weight of the motor will distort the factory belt, at least it did on mine. It will give a little vibration. Also, if you have 230 volts available in your basement, rewire the motor to run on 230 volts. It will run much better. I also changed out the factory power cord on mine to a heavier gauge cord.

Check your fence for square carefully. Mine has a slight twist to it when all three mounting/adjusting screws are tightened. Fixed mine by loosening the screw closest to the locking handle a little.

By the way, Dewalt has service videos and parts diagrams online.

You have to register but it is free.

Weldon

[Kevin P. Fleming]

It will only run better on 230 than 115 if you were using undersized (or overlength) wiring on 115. In that situation, switching to 230 will reduce the voltage drop when the motor gets pushed near its limits, and it will have more electrical power available to do its job.

If the original wiring used at 115 volts was adequate for the job, switching to 230 will not make any difference at all in the operation of the motor or tool.

[Steve]

Exactly how does something run better on 230 than 115?

[Kevin P. Fleming]

Oops, sorry to steal your thunder there... Move along, there's nothing to see here.

[Steve]

Shhhhhhhh! I was hoping for the "It has twice the voltage so it will have twice the power answer".

[Weldon Wilson]

3-5 second start-up on 115 volts; less than 1 second to full rpms at 230 volts. Nameplate says 15 amps at 115 volts -- that means you will need a 120 volt 20 amp circuit dedicated to just the saw. It pulls 7.5 amps at 230 volts, so a 230 volt, 15 amp circuit will work. If your shop is a long ways from your electrical panel, then the voltage drop on a 20 amp circuit is more of a problem on 115 volts then it is 230 volt.

Kevin stated "If the original wiring used at 115 volts was adequate for the job". I haven't seen very many houses with 20 amp circuits, especially older houses. The norm seems to be 15 amp. So, the odds are that Igor probably has a 15 amp circuit in his basement. The circuit is most likely running the lights and the receptacles. Odds are that he will need another circuit for the basement for the saw.

And, the motor does seem to develop slightly more power at 230 volts.

Weldon

[Silvan]

We don't do home/residental stuff, except this one time. Gigantic load of $$$$ furniture, with a bunch of king size latex matresses (the 200-pound snot bed that everyone loves so much these days). Delivered to an enormous Victorian house. 150' sidewalk closely lined with crepe myrtles and magnolia trees. Big bunch of stairs with some kind of strange looking red chandalier on the front porch. No way to get a truck up to _that_.

The helper the lady had on hand was this grizzled old geezer who couldn't lift 25 pounds without turning red in the face and wheezing, so I had to man-handle all that stuff up to the porch by myself. (Company told me to do it.)

At the end, they paid me $12,000 for the furniture.

In increments of $20 and $50.

Now I'm not saying that wasn't just a nice bed and breakfast, but red chandalier and $12,000 in small denominations. Methinks I caught that place when the working girls were all asleep. It was too fancy to be a crack house.

(Talk about being nervous. I NEVER want that much of someone else's cash in my protection again.)