How long of a run will you guys do for a piece of equipment?

I am looking at a run of 330 miles each way.
I can get a truck to run it to my shop for twice what I will spend on sandwiches and gas but like the ideal of picking up myself to avoid damage to machine.
Thoughts?

4 am leave and drive from DC to CT, load and run back down coast- maybe do the whole deal in a 16 hour day..
You guys have a will not drive further than rule?... LOL

Small fussy mill.. the seller will band to pallet so I have to trust the trucker to strap the top heavy widget so he doesn't roll it over or manage to not knock off any wheels or bend up the screws...

Totally depends on the machine. Add in $60/hour for my time + gas + lodging, and if it's still worth it, I'll go near anywhere. The bigger trick is knowing the machine is good before I go pick it up. Showing up at a seller's shop after a 300 mile drive, with an empty trailer, before you've agreed on a sale, puts you in a soft bargaining position.

Also if it's some sturdy workaday machine, I'm more trusting of arbitrary riggers, than if it's a fussy delicate thing.

Regards.

Mike

I almost got burned once back in the early days of eBay when a Bridgeport showed up that seemed to look great and was in my budget. Well the seller really knew how to dress up a pig, when turned on the whole thing sounded like a cement mixer. It threw a bunch of crap in my eyes. I had only driven 1.5hrs away so it wasn't too bad but one of the first lessons there was I don't go for one sight unseen. So I certainly understand you driving all this way to check it out in person. With that being said what is the machine is it something unique or special? If it was just a Bridgeport I would have to ask if you have any that don't require that long of a commute for sale back in your area. Perhaps even if a little higher, after gas, tools, and everything else you would do ok?

I've done 1000 miles roundtrip fairly casually, but that was with 1.00/gallon gas, don;t think I'd do it nowadays. I once managed to add the pickup of a machine tool to a scheduled trip so can claim partial credit on a 3000 miles roundtrip for a pickup.

If you haul it, then you have an opportunity to take a good hard look at it before it follows you home. I NEVER buy sight unseen, and the last time I did my own hauling, I figured that It took me as long as it would have taken a rigging crew (dealer's crane loaded my trailer, and my crane did the unloading). It was a very nice summer day, good for a drive, and a friend rode along. We both wanted to tunnel through the dealer's tooling collection as well. Loading took 15 minutes, then an hour prowling for goodies, then the drive back. We spent about half a day, at a cost of gas, breakfast, and a few brews to celebrate completion--- total cost was less than $ 100. The rigger would have cost me about $ 1500 - 2000 for the same time (2 men + a truck).

Plus, I got to verify that what I had bought was still there, and that nothing had been lost along the way.

More to it than just distance...

Depends on several factors:

How much the trip will actually cost you meaning are you leaving the shop vacant instead of making money? Sometimes the machine is cheaper to pay 2x shipping costs while you are back home cranking out parts.

Is this a hobby? Might be worth it to pick up the machine and make a vacation out of it along the way.

The size of the machine is also another huge factor. Not much hassle transporting a Bridgeport yourself, but a 12,000 lb lathe will take extra work.

Personal inspection of machines is helpful, but there is only so much you can really check in person--especially on an unplugged machine. Last minute plane tickets are sometimes real cheap. This lets you go check out the machine without dragging your truck + trailer, hotel costs, etc to find out the machine is a POS and then have to drive home mad and empty handed.

The seller is selling the machine for a reason. Sometimes people tell the truth and sometimes you end up buying a pig with lipstick.

OK- thanks.
I think if I could trust the trucker to not screw it up I'd just pay to have it shipped.
I have a quote back from USHIP for $300 & it will cost me a buck fifty plus sandwiches to run up there and pick it up myself.
I have used them before but the machine was fully crated. This one is shrink wrap and banded to pallet.
A little German mill- I hate to think of getting parts for it if banged up in route.. & 1400lbs so just at what I can strap down in my Tacoma PU.
Don't know why but it is seeming like the best thing is to drive up- go figure.
The thing is paid for- so unless its a mock up out of plaster paris it's jumping in my truck

Does anyone know if how the fuel situation if running up I95 above New York city?
I heard they had set in with rationing to get folks through this crisis.
Maybe that is just out on the coast.. I don't know.

There are a few cats on uShip who cant tie anything more difficult than a car or 3 cylinder diesel tractor to their trailer. I found one. Somehow they didn't damage or lose anything but argued for over an hour with a guy who has moved probably 25x more machine tool stuff in his life than I ever will, guessing because they had a superiority complex with that brand new F450 they were driving. I would rely on feedback, eventually this stuff will get sorted out thru logical channels

Another lesson-learned from winter trips is I left a drill press uncovered on my trailer once because the weather was really nice and predicted so along the entire trip. I got into a flash snow squall in Northern TN/Southern KY in the hills and they unleashed a barrage of (guessing) calcium chloride on the road to keep it open. Someday there will be hours and hours of work ahead of me with scotchbrite to get all the flash rust removed. Luckily, had my 10EE tarped riding beside it with no ill effects. Would recommend putting the tarp on if *any* chance of snow in higher elevations.

Other tips and tricks from more trucking trips than I can remember. If you have tools and rigging, I am loathe to leave them in the truck overnight. I packed stuff in blue plastic organizer totes, took along a Magliner 2-wheel hand truck. Stack up the totes, easily roll them into your hotel room, sleep with peace of mind.

Always plan for unexpected (as you can). I take spare tires for truck and trailer and a jack rated to elevate the fully loaded trailer. Have socket(s) and ratchets sized to remove the lugnuts. Can get expensive to have a truck AND trailer to be removed from the highway (etc) if the tow vehicle goes down.

Plan for trip to take longer than you calculate. Near 100% of my machine gathering trips have exceeded the "estimated time" in my experience. Slow and steady while loaded is best in my book, like 65mph tops if I have anything more serious than an empty toolbox going down the road. Again, the cost of making a mistake will easily outstrip any sweetheart deal you got on whatever you are transporting.

I'm sure there's more. I like to "visualize" steps of the move if its anything that has to be self-rigged (instead of set on your trailer by helpful forklift/seller). Good to have some optional rigging if the most desirable plan doesn't work out. Tape measure is invaluable in ascertaining clearances. Camera so you can make the rest of us on PM drool

Good luck!

I've done more than my share of 1,500 mile round trips but the higher gas goes the less willing I am to do it. Flip of the coin on how you feel about the seller and what machine you are picking up. Your gut usually doesn't lie, give it a listen. Good luck either way.

Not machine tool related, but my teamate, and I made a 750ish mile round trip to pick up a much needed motor for our race bike last winter in a snow storm for most of the way. If there was a way to get it to us, for the same amount of money, and in the same amount of time it took us we would have done it. The trip ironically despite the weather worked out great. The motor lasted 1.25 races though gotta love endurance racing.

I've gone almost to Iowa from upstate NY for a couple machines that matched an interest and are not "common". Helped rig and transport a 250lb hammer from Brooklyn to southern VA & then back home. Gone to southern VA & back here for a $50 vo-tech 10 x 30 surface grinder. Boston a couple times from here for less than common machines. Also transported my shop one machine at a time in the back of a chevy PU from MD to here when we moved 20 yrs ago. (had to make the trips anyway for business or family reasons so might as well come back loaded) Beyond that, most common machines are better bought within about 250 miles/500 round trip or the costs can outweigh the benefits unless there is need for a road trip just partly for the fun and sightseeing. I've gone on 800 - 1,000 mile round trips on a couple occasions for a specific lumber partly as an excuse to take the family on a mini-vacation. (Also flew some nice trips to inspect lumber to be shipped, back when I still had an airplane.)

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules for distance, some of us just need a road trip from time to time. OTOH, sometimes it is just a nuisance or the cost benefit does not support going yourself, or the equipment is better hired for a given move. As noted, my wife actually likes to go if she is not working so that can be a fun trip if the logisitcs and schedule are not too tight.

NY has a salt industry to support and they do it by spreading it liberally on the roads until it piles up in windrows. Our cars rust out in about 7 years up here. Spray your machine down with LPS #2 (gets in all the cracks, crannies, ways, and sliding surfaces) & top off with #3 if rain is forecast, then tarp if there is any sign of dampness along the way for a day or 2 ahead and after the trip.

smt

PS, here is the report of a road trip in Nov '09 that was only around 400 miles or so where quite a bit went wrong. Sorry all the picture links are broken. The gist of the story is a good friend (and neighbor of yours from Annapolis), pulling the loaded 10K lb rental trailer, going downhill through the Lehigh Tunnel with one wheel that had sheared every lug bolt off. (we discovered after the fact, and only because from the chase vehicle I called to tell him a safety chain was dragging so we pulled over to inspect). It was quite a trek around town just to find a suitable rime. Then we repaired it by running all over the next town sorting through the lug bolt bins at several auto parts jobbers. Then had a blowout later that night after most businesses were closed....but lucked into a friendly female dispatcher who knew who to call for a spare....

http://owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=65379&hilit=christmas+on+halloween

Stephen, If they did not salt the roads thru the Winter, you would be bitching about that. You CANNOT GO anywhere, because the State will not salt the roads. Goddamned if they Do, and goddamned if they don't.

George

Not me , George. I'm in favor of an amendment that when it snows we all stay home, relate to the family and work in the shop. Put chains on if you need 'em. We generally keep at least one 4wd vehicle for getting around if necessary. I think it is a crime kids can no longer sled in the streets because the salt turns it to slush. You are the one who would deny them. And don't lie about how you were a good kid and never took a sled down main street or threw snowballs at the cars.

smt

I recently did a ~650 mile round trip to pick up a lathe. It was a good enough deal (with all the tooling) to be worth it. I'm a cheap bastid and almost always inclined to do things myself when possible rather than pay a high rate fir a service.

Getting hands on the machine prior to purchase is nice. On the flipside, as another said, you are in a soft bargaining position if you just showed up with a flatbed after a 5-hr drive!

The lathe I got was around 4500-5000 lbs. Not a monster but heavy enough... the seller's forklift was a balky jerky old beast and that added more drama than I'd have liked.

I was able to detect that the compound had issues at the point of inspection. However, I was also able to determine that the machine in general was tight and appeared to have been well oiled over it's use so far. With the tooling (several valuable chucks, a bunch of Aloris TH's, etc) I decided to proceed. That illusion of control beats just waiting to see what shows up!

Weather sure factors in, as does time of day. Towing a trailer with 5k lbs on it the rain at night SUCKS. I can say that from experience.

Here she is before rigging and tarping:



And ready to roll:



Machine is a Webb (Whacheon) Mori Seiki copy of Korean manufacture.

Personally I would not go more than 3-4 hr drive, unless a screaming deal then maybe 6. I recently got an old 5300lb monarch lathe that was 35miles from home. I probably could have got one cheaper but this was in good shape with plenty of tooling and CLOSE. Easy to trailer it home.

Stephan Thomas' story reminds me of a jeep trip we took when younger, Jeeps were towed on trailers about 5 hrs to trailhead. We thought we would be smart and bring 2 spare for the trailer. That was great until the third flat in the first 90 min. Turned out the trailer had been in a grass fire, didnt even scorch the paint but the tires....
I have also learned that if you think loading will take 1 hr better schedule 4 by the time time you talk to the guy, see what else he may sell, what good ideas in his shop you can use....
Rob

OK- I think a drive is in the cards.
A night of sleep and I see what is kicking around in my brain;
This machine is from a dealer- I beat him up on price and he beat back to the place where I paid just what the thing is worth- no more, no less.
I think I want to lay eyes on it now to make sure it's even a pig in a poke- who knows, there could be a lama shoved in that sack..
(why in the world in this day and age does anyone post low res photos of things they are trying to sell?! oh shoot- don't tell me..)


A couple of ideals from you folk stand out among all these good ones.. bring a tape measure! As a wood butcher you would think that would be a given, I never would have thought to..
Spray the machine down with some sort of goop- great ideal to keep the road wash from seeping into every damn nook and cranny on the gear.

I've just done a few of these- most were dragging the damn things out of residential basements. A WT 16" BS had to come to pieces to get out and loading was a carry the parts to the truck deal.. A Hardinge lathe was like pushing a reluctant mule through mud and we had to drag the thing up ramps onto the trailer. A Gorton had to be dragged through the refuse of a old machine shop with 100 tons of machinery and debris in the way..

This should be a breeze- big open warehouse- fork lift onto truck, strap it down and go.

No worries...



Edit- there is a Acu-Rite 3 axis DRO on the mill.
My instinct would be to pull the box and put in the cab of truck. Do these things have quick pull plugs or?
The gear is the older 'III' series.

Stephen...I remember the PU you brought to Damascus years ago. I thought you were very resourceful in finding enough metal in the bed to transport that anvil...And both ways!
Ahhh the wonders of corrosive chemicals.
Joe

My maximum haul (so far...) is from Chicago back to Minneapolis, about 450 miles. My trailer is built like a brick phone booth - press-bent 1/4" steel for the frame & sides, 2x2x1/4 angle for the top edge, heavy tie downs, wood deck (so machines don't slide like a steel deck, plus stop blocks can be screwed down) - you get the idea. It has one axle, but the axle started life under a mobile home, and has a 10,000 Lb rating - I cut it down to a more usable trailer width. I carry a spare, jack, and the right lug wrench.

Good tie-down straps are always along - if I'm in doubt about any of my straps, they don't get used - they are cheap enough so there's no reason to have junk straps. I also bring chains and binders, but I prefer straps. I also have a few ratchet chain hoists as well, just in case.

I also bring a few tarps along as well, both plastic, and military surplus canvas. Canvas holds in place much better than plastic - in freezing weather, it will freeze in place quickly, and stay where you put it. If there's a chance of rain for the return trip, I'll either spray LPS-3 on the machine, or use cosmolene (I once moved an entire machine shop in the winter and used a 5 gallon bucket of cosmolene and a weed sprayer - no rust) and stretch wrap.

I also carry a tool box so parts can be removed if needed. Don't forget a cell phone, digital camera, cooler, and snacks.

Treat the trip like a break from everyday, and just enjoy the drive. Don't rush - stay in the right lane on the freeway. Watch the speed limit - some states (like Illinois) have a lower speed limit for trailers. The other advantage to following the limit is that your haul vehicle will get better mileage.

Granted, I used to do a lot of rigging, but if you have the right equipment, hauling most of the machinery we use is straightforward. Some of it does require a rigger to handle and the right truck to move - know when to call for help.

Pick it up yourself while you've still got the vigor and eyesight to make the trip. There may come a day when a lack of either will relegate such outings to the status of memories.

Enjoy the ride...

~TW~

thermite said:

.. full stop. For one thing, a tarped and bungeed-against-wind-flap amorphous shape attracts fewer eager-beaver patrolmen who figure an oddly-shaped and mysterious machine-tool just HAS to be violating some reg or another (as it may be..). Better they think it is a bookcase or sofa.

For another, fewer rubber-neckers who might endanger your journey as they try to get close enough to figure out wot it is..

Bill

Click to expand...

Shortly after I got my F 350 flatbed, which is just a couple of inches narrower than the legal limit, I learned an almost harsh lesson. To add a lane on Hwy 44, MO DOT narrowed each one and encroached a couple of feet into the paved shoulder. I had previously driven smaller vehicles, so that didn't bother me until I got the F 350. Around Macklind Ave. in St. Louis, there several curves that limit sight distance and I got intrigued by a semi flatbed full of strange machinery and stayed along side looking at it. When I looked back at the road, there was a St. Louis highway dept. truck parked half on the shoulder and half in my lane. Far worse, the driver was standing beside it. With only a couple of seconds before impact, the only thing to do was swing over as close to the semi as I could get and hope. I didn't hear a thump and in the mirror I could see the driver spread eagled against the truck and his hat 20' in the air. I'll bet he said a couple of extra Hail Marys that night. Now I NEVER run along side another full width vehicle.

Bill