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Shipping a lathe in a container - what reasonable precautions?

motion guru

Diamond
Joined
Dec 8, 2003
Location
Yacolt, WA
We have a 10,500lb Whacheon CNC lathe headed out in a container on Friday. We sold the unit a while back to a broker who paid immediately but just now is shipping it out of the country.

How best to get it into the container?

Its 12 feet long by 6 feet wide by 7 feet tall all in . . . we have a 10,000 lb capacity forklift with 8ft forks and skates. The container will be at a loading dock with a dock plate (diamond plate).

I am thinking we could support the end going into the container on skates and the other end with the forklift and push it in. Will the floor of a container (mahogany?) support skates carrying 2500lbs or more each?

How do I fasten it down in the container or does the shipping company take care of that? :confused:

Should we put some kind of dry-pak descant in the electrical cabinets?

Drain the hydraulic fluid or just leave everything intact / connected?

Seems like a responsible thing would be to also drain the coolant . . . this is a first for me - I have only ever bought used machines. Kinda odd that I am selling a used machine. Turning over a new leaf in 2017 :D
 
If the container is in good shape then the floor will be able to take the load from the skates. I would put it in the container the same way that you stated. You would have to secure the lathe in the container. There are tie down points in the container and you should screw blocks down to the floor to keep the lathe from sliding, figure that the container can tip 30 degrees. I imagine the shipping company would want the fluids drained. It would be a good idea to put desiccant in the control panel.
 
When enginebill mentions 30 degrees believe it! I received a container with forgings that were in the shape of doughnuts about five feet in diameter. They were stacked horizontally but managed to push one wall out approximately a foot. I wondered if the driver was not lucky he was not stopped for being overwidth.
The forgings came from Switzerland of all places.
 
I would ask the broker. It's his baby now. Get specific instructions for blocking and fluids. It can indeed roll that much and worse. Picture it on the stop of the stack on a ship rolling 30 degrees. That may be an arc 50 or more feet long and reversing direction every 90 seconds or so.I would do all I could to shift any liability to the owner/broker. It is customary for the owner to insure his cargo or portion there of against damage. That insurer might try to come to you for damages. The carrier will state that it wasn't loaded appropriately for marine transportation. CYA
 
I helped pack a coffee roaster into a sea container that went from Buffalo MN to Seoul South Korea. After consulting a few experts over the phone on the matter we learned a few things. One is that if the container actually seals you are totally fine doing nothing to protect against water/corrosion but if it leaks you are pretty boned no matter what you do. Also account for 30 degree tilt, but know that it could be dropped or destroyed beyond anything you can plan for. So pack it reasonably but don't bother bullet proofing it because if it gets wrecked bad, it gets wrecked bad. Good fortune shined on us and we were paid and the roaster made it to Korea in perfect condition.

Last thing, no wood pallets into some countries, we used metal to build pallets because Korea is STRINGENT on that.
 
Good point on the wood pallets, pest management is critical when shipping significant distances. A heavy duty plastic pallet will work too.

One thing you might look into is heat-sealing the lathe into a plastic bag, with desiccant. Done right, and packed to prevent tearing of the bag it will help against a non-watertight container.
 
There's know way I'd take responsibility for securing a 10,000lb lathe in a container. I have never seen a container with tie downs stout enough to secure much of anything.

Just so you know where I'm coming from I have held a class A liscence for almost 30 years. I was taught to drive trucks by my grandfather who started driving big trucks in the 1930's. Much of my experience is flatbed and low beds including 9 axles moving big iron. Every time a thread like this starts I cringe a little.

Stop off at your local DMV and pick up a commercial drivers book. It covers the basics of legally and safely securing a load.
 
I sent a list of questions to the broker to get some clarity from them.

Once I hear from them, I'll also contact the shipping company and see what they say. We will drain the coolant . . . hope to not have to also drain the hydraulic fluid but we will if they want us to.

I came up with a fairly simple bracket that will be made of 1/2"x4" flat bar with a heavy wall 3x3 angle iron with one shortened leg welded to it 4 inches wide - drill a couple of 1-3/4" holes in it and we can install into the mounting pad and use the adjuster bolt to hold it in place. The machine has 6 pads and we can use 6 of these brackets to lag it to the floor.

PadBracket.JPG

"Not to scale" ;)
 
To clarify a little. Securing a load inside a container is no different than on an open flat bed. The problem is the container isn't set up to with hold downs stout enough for that kind of weight.

The load in question needs a minimum of 3 chains and binders. Also straps to secure the carriage and tail stock. 2x4 blocks nailed to the deck are also a good idea. Having been into a couple of ports I'd be more afraid of the forklift drivers than anything that might happen on the boat.
 
Sorry... 2x4 nailed to the deck? More like bolted, or at least lag screwed (if wood deck). But I don't think nails will do it.

You can help hold it down by installing diagonal braces from the top inside corners of the container down to 'wherever is good' -- top of the feet, webs in the casting (thru the door), etc. Also, floor-mounted braces into the corners will help control shifting.

Chip
 
Blocks on the deck are only to stop movement from starting to happen. Whoever owns the container won't appreciate 3/8 holes in the deck from lag bolts. You are fine using 16d nails. Every flatbed running in the US and Canada carries 16d nails for blocks. Nails have a higher shear strength than deck screws. Your chains or straps are what really matter. The rated breaking strength of your tie downs needs to be minimum 50% of the weight of the load. Also you must have a minimum of one tie down per 4' length.

With a sheet metal enclosure you can't run tie downs over the top which is best. So you need to use 4 from opposing corners.

Like I said a container is no different than an open deck. Unfortunately many shippers and drivers think everything fine once the doors are closed. But if 10,000lbs moves while the truck is taking a corner bad things are going to happen.
 
I sent a list of questions to the broker to get some clarity from them.

Once I hear from them, I'll also contact the shipping company and see what they say. We will drain the coolant . . . hope to not have to also drain the hydraulic fluid but we will if they want us to.

I came up with a fairly simple bracket that will be made of 1/2"x4" flat bar with a heavy wall 3x3 angle iron with one shortened leg welded to it 4 inches wide - drill a couple of 1-3/4" holes in it and we can install into the mounting pad and use the adjuster bolt to hold it in place. The machine has 6 pads and we can use 6 of these brackets to lag it to the floor.

View attachment 187671

"Not to scale" ;)

My only criticism is if your brackets are up against the leveling bolts and the lathe shifts around those threads will get beat up. I'd be a bit grumpy if I took delivery of a machine and during setup found the leveling bolts all had to come out and have their threads chased.
 
Will the floor of a container (mahogany?) support skates carrying 2500lbs or more each?

The floors are made from plywood. They sometimes have a plastic/textured surface finish or similar, but it is plywood underneath. According to a Google search, the plywood is 28mm thick.

I lift and roll 2 ton loads in a container with a pallet trolley (2 x IBC's i,e. one on top of the other) and the floor can be marginal. If it is an old container, the floor visibly flexes, splinters and shows marks from the wheels. If the floor is new and plastic-covered it is ok. However, I would say this loading is on the limit.

In the past when loading machinery (not machine tools), we had trouble with rollers (solid steel 100mm diameter, 150mm wide, on solid shafts) breaking through the floor. Nowadays we make welded full-length runners/skids from RHS steel (deformed ends so it doesn't dig in), fix the machinery to the skid frames and then shove the whole lot in with a big forklift. Another forklift pushing the first (back to back) if necessary. We make our frames so they just clear the sides, so no packing needed (beware, container sides are sometimes dented).

The above refers to loads which fill the whole container (length and height) in one push, so nothing can move during shipping. For the lathe, I think you would need do do more than fix it to the floor to be safe during tipping. Welded steel frames are good in my opinion

BTW, I am sure you know your machine height (7') is fairly tight on the door height (7' 5 1/2" ?), bearing in mind the height of any skids, skates etc. Doable but needs consideration.
 
Nowadays we make welded full-length runners/skids from RHS steel (deformed ends so it doesn't dig in), fix the machinery to the skid frames and then shove the whole lot in with a big forklift. Another forklift pushing the first (back to back) if necessary. We make our frames so they just clear the sides, so no packing needed (beware, container sides are sometimes dented).

The above refers to loads which fill the whole container (length and height) in one push, so nothing can move during shipping. For the lathe, I think you would need do do more than fix it to the floor to be safe during tipping. Welded steel frames are good in my opinion

BTW, I am sure you know your machine height (7') is fairly tight on the door height (7' 5 1/2" ?), bearing in mind the height of any skids, skates etc. Doable but needs consideration.

I like this idea. Get some 3x6 heavy wall rectangular tube and build a frame that's the ID of the container. Add a couple cross braces, bolt the lathe to the cross braces, then slide the whole thing into the container.
 
I like this idea. Get some 3x6 heavy wall rectangular tube and build a frame that's the ID of the container. Add a couple cross braces, bolt the lathe to the cross braces, then slide the whole thing into the container.

This leads into the hidden costs of selling stuff - how much unpaid effort goes into prepping and materials? If MG's not getting reimbursed for this, it's a drag on sending equipment out the door.
 
I have never seen a container with tie downs stout enough to secure much of anything.
To clarify a little. Securing a load inside a container is no different than on an open flat bed. The problem isthe container isn't set up to with hold downs stout enough for that kind of weight.
The load in question needs a minimum of 3 chains and binders.
Your all over the shop. As long as they don't have a lashing above 1 ton. Not sure what you are going to do with chains and binders unless they are 3.5mm. The tie downs in a a standard container are rated at Specifically 10.4kN in an ISO container. Bit over a long ton for you

One minute it doesn't have hold downs stout enough, next minute it has 3 sets of chains and binders. Which is which? Your only going to rip out the anchors in a the container if you go rip roar and bust with chains and binders.

The secret of securing machines into a container, is like shovelling shit from a sick cow. Little and often. Lash points would be barely better than a 3/8" rod, welded across a corrugated piece of sheet metal. Near the floor. Imagine that as a 3/8" shackle when your cranking off chains and binders, They are rated at best 10.4kN

Chock it side to side and end to end, with timber, If you do that right you will almost have trouble shutting the doors.
You have to use multiples of the tie downs, going to multiple tie down points up until you exceed that 10,5000 pounds. But not exceeding the lashing capacity of the points within the box.

50mm Nylon lashing straps are rated L.C 2,500 kg's down here, They are as cheap as chips. I can get them for $14.50 each, in a box of 10. Only problem is the hooks don't fit in the container lugs. If I'm stuck I'll put a rated shackle in, Or you can buy them with a container lug J hook. http://secureaload.com/Brochure/SecureALoadAustraliaBrochure.pdf

I'd put 5 of those on it. Three around the head stock, every which way to Sunday picking up 3 sets of container tie downs, and two around the tailstock. That would just about use them all up. The are in the corners also. My quota of a good packing job, is when you can pick up the box, turn it over, shake it, and the machine doesn't fall out. That will pass the sea freight test.
 
Legal point, motion..

Make sure your shipping paperwork sez "FOB <your location>" AND NOT "FOB <next or final destination>", nor even "SAS" (Safe Along Side) - AKA unloaded from the ship and placed onto the quay.

FOB <your location> makes it the other guys headache 'at once'.

If the broker has any sense, he'll have 'someone' inspect it before they even attach lifting gear to the container.

OTOH, if there are issues, you'll be able to correct them right were you are rather than risk eating them.

We now return you to the pool of 'physical' expertise...

.. among which, ISTR Phil prepped and shipped a rather largish grinder by sea within the last year or so, prep was virtuous, all went well.

I'd be inclined to listen to him...

Bill
 
Don`t get overexcited Its just a 5 ton machine
I would use a couple of 5 ton rachet straps AND PUT SOME RUBBER BETWEEN MACHINE AND FLOOR
The point is where to connect those straps Its no use to put straps over the sheetmetal cabinet
Perhaps drill and tap some holes in the casting and bolt on a tie point Eyebolts perhaps Or a piece of 6mm sheetmetal with a hole and a slot for the strap so it is dubble holding up to 10 ton a strap
The latching points in a container are heavy enough for those straps in my experience
Then some blokking wood between the walls of the container and the machine on all 4 sides

About the fluids I would pump the coolant in a drum and tie that drum in a corner Check the hydraulic tank if it leaks somewhere Some plastic over the filling cap Some sealant on the lid That kind of things


About the paperwork
Ask the buyer what he needs Perhaps a certifcate of origin Send a draft invoice and bill of lading to the customer to agree
Most commen is to send it CIF port of destination Make sure to use the proper incoterms nothing more nothing less
Peter
 








 
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