Oscar 52 - Transporting

[BarnSmokeStudio]

I'm looking at some different mills and want to see if anyone has experience an Oscar 52.  I can't find any info on the dimensions and weight on their website.

Also, any advise on transporting the mill?  Wench it up on a trailer or should it be disassembled and loaded first.

Thanks

[Old Greenhorn]

I have a 328 which is similar. You'll want to disassemble the track and load that on a trailer or truck and the head/carriage should be lifted with forks because it's heavier that mine with the bigger engine. The manual is available on their website and has moving and installing info.

[fluidpowerpro]

Just call Hudson. They are very helpful.

[BarnSmokeStudio]

I spoke with a Hudson rep and he said I'd need to measure the mill, since their shipping specs are based on the pallets. 
Does anyone on the have one that they would mind taking some measurements on? 
1.  Width of tracks from side to side.
2.  Width of saw head from side to side.
3.  Height from saw head base to where the blade covers start.

Wanted to see if this will fit in my 6x12 dump trailer.

[thecfarm]

The head might be a tight fit.
How high are the sides of the trailer?

[Tom K]

I don't have the dimensions that you are looking for, but I would think it should fit in your trailer. Both Oscar and HFE series 30 & 36" saws use the same track which is 36" wide. Even with some fluff I can't see the track for the 52 being more than 60" wide, so you should be able to unbolt and set in first.

With a 221" band length and 25" wheels the out/out of the wheels should be a touch over 8', so with the guards a max of 9'. Turned sideways it should easily fit lengthwise in your 12' trailer. With a track length of 21' and a max cut of 16' the frame should be closer to 5' than 6'.

As for weight, I don't know. I would guess #3000 or less. I'm sure someone at Hud-Son knows the answers to all your questions, you probably just didn't get a hold of the right person. Honestly though their shipping dimensions should be close to what you need. At least on the smaller mills, they strap the head carriage to a pallet sideways, and the tracks are separate/loose.

[BarnSmokeStudio]

 It's a BWise low profile 6x12, the side are 22 inches. 

I think the big hurdle I would need to figure out is how to get the saw head into the trailer without a loader / forklift.   Thinking that I could strap / bolt a pallet to the saw head and try to tilt / lay it down on the trailer bed.  The tracks should not be too hard to unbolt and load by hand.

[SawyerTed]

Sometimes the best thing is to hire a tractor/skid steer/excavator/tow truck/other machine to do the lifting.  In a bind a rented pallet jack or other rented lifting device can work.

Peace of mind is worth something including the reduced chance of a mishap (See the "Did something dumb today" thread. I encourage you to delay the inevitable post there as long as possible!)

[SawyerTed]

Not too long ago, I was involved in the move of a 16,000 pound machine.  We took the seller's word that the two skid steers on site would move it.   No dice! 

We uninstalled the machine, hired a big tow truck to lift it and we backed the trailer under it.  To install the machine in the new location, we did the reverse.  We didn't know it weighed 8 tons until the second truck driver told us the reading on his scale.  The cost of the two tow trucks was $900 - $400 to load, $500 to set the machine on its foundation.

A sawmill head, easy. 

[jpassardi]

To Ted's point above: Do you or someone you know have a skid steer you can bring on your trailer to load with then come back after to get the skid steer after?
Maybe rent one. Moving an assembled saw head by hand is asking a lot.

[fluidpowerpro]

Since the Oscar is built with a square boxed structure, you could possibly slide some beams through the upper side of the frame. The beams longer than the width of your trailer.
Jack up each side so the bottom of the mill is high enough to back the trailer underneath.
This definitely isn't the safest most efficient way to do it, but maybe an option.