Thread: How do you lift a bandsaw to get it on a mobile base?

My bandsaw is only 110Kgs and I did it by tilting it so as I could roll the mobile base under it and then tilting it back down. This gets the hard part done and then I moved it around on the base until it was centred. I did it on my own but it really is safer if someone could help you.

Could you jack it up on to bricks and then role the base under.

Would the local garage loan/hire you their mobile engine lifter for an hour or so?

John

I put mine on a mobile base by lifting it up bit by bit onto wooden blocks, assembled the base around it and lowered the saw onto the base.

There was a thread about this some ago so a search might yield more info

I got my Bandsaw onto its mobile stand with a bunch of narrow wedges. I raised one side up a little bit then slipped under a wedge then did the same to the other side. I kept repeating the process 2 more times, swapping the narrow wedges with a large piece till i had it high enough to slip the mobile base under. With a little bit of very careful maneuvering i was able to get the mobile base under the saw on my own. There were definitely some 'heart in mouth' moments thru it, if you have access to an extra pair of hands to help balance the saw that would be a major bonus. Also i kept the bandsaw close to a wall so that if it began to topple over it would only lean against the wall.
Good luck!

Shouldn't be too difficult with a couple of you. You don't need to lift the whole thing, you can just tilt the machine and slip the base under it bit by bit. It's an idea to have the base up against a wall to prevent it slipping when you try to put the machine on the base. Try to balance the BS when you tilt it, don't tilt it back too far or you will have to support the full weight of the machine. You could even tilt the machine to an angle by lowering it to an edge of your bench to support it while you put the base in place and then bring the saw back upright and onto the base. Just be careful whatever method you use. Good luck.

If you have exposed rafters in you shed, just sling it with a block and tackle or a ratchet tie down strap. Has worked for me to lift heavy objects.

Mine is 145 kg. I (took the BS table off) and tilted mine over sideways by myself onto a 50 x 100 mm piece of timber laying flat on the floor, and then bolted the base on and tilted it back up again. With the table off most of the weight is down low and it was quite easy to handle. It would be easier with two people.

my bandsaw a 24in meber / heavy. has fallen twice ,once on a ramp and other on the loader - tractor . best way is drill a hole on top of casing and put an eye bolt in ,then lift from that ! had to lift mine to put the swivel locking casters under. fitted them to some 50mm hollow section then bolted these on to the base of the saw . raised the saw about 150 mm and dont have to bend and saw moves safely . just as well as its a little bruised .and its hard to get up when its down .

Laid mine down on the spine; taped base in place; lifted from the spine side with a thin bit of wood laid on the floor to chock the wheels. Was a bit of a dance but got there.

But with 140kg getting a mate to help would be sensible.

My thanks to everyone who replied to this question. From it I got:
1. Don't do it alone - get a friend to help.
2. Make the mobile base immobile while moving the bandsaw onto it
3. Have some backup to catch the bandsaw if it goes over too far while I'm tilting it, e.g. a bench.
4. Lifting it up by a ring on the top is the easiest way to go.
Cheers,
Paul

5. Strip all removeable parts off, such as the table, possibly the motor if its easy and also remove as many bendable bits such as the doors.

If you don't, you will likely break something as you will grab it in a hurry as you lift or twist the machine - been there, done that, even with slings & a chain hoist.

To conclude this discussion, here is what I actually did.
While the bandsaw was lying on its back in the packing crate, I dismantled all the packing crate except for the base of the crate on which the bandsaw was lying.
I then bolted a home-made mobile base onto the bottom of the bandsaw.
My brother came over and we moved the crate and bandsaw so it pointed at the concrete wall. We then jammed a 100x50 length of timber between the bandsaw bottom and the wall. This was to stop the mobile base from moving forward when we lifted the bandsaw up.
We then levered up the back of the bandsaw until it came up vertically to about 80dgrees(it could not move back because of the packing crate, nor could it move forward because of the 100x50 timber).
We then pulled out the 100x50 timber so the bandsaw could come to stand upright normally.
Definitely a 2 person job and the mobile base had to be immobilised while we did this.
Paul