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Mike Kelsey
12-04-2010, 9:26 PM
Lift gate service from FedEx Freight (all my large stuff has been last-mile'd by them) about $25. Every driver has gladly helped me get the machine into the shop and refused any sort of a tip for their efforts.


A question about Fed Ex delivery. I live in the woods across an unmarked bridge, gravel road with turn-outs. My first big purchase was a Jet Deluxe Xacta, which I bought through Rockler (about 1 1/2 hours away) because I was unsure about delivery. It took me a lot of thinking how to get the saw home. Ended up buying bucket forks for my tractor & built a tie-down frame for my compact truck.

I have had concrete trucks & lumber trucks make deliveries. My question is are the Fed Ex deliveries you guys have had large truck & trailer (16-wheelers) affairs or do they use smaller rigs which might accommodate my road conditions? Grizzly told me deliveries in my area would be from Fed Ex...
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/attach/jpg.gifhttp://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/attach/jpg.gif (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=169272&stc=1&d=1291515241)

Van Huskey
12-04-2010, 9:32 PM
The best thing to do is call the local office for Fed Ex Freight and find out what size trucks they have and what they can do to accomodate you. Anytime I deal with a machine delivery I contact the freight company and work out my street/gate etc issues ahead of time and haven't had issues but a 28' trailer fits fine on my street and I have yet to find one of the freight companies that delivered to me without one, though some people have mentioned their delivery company only had 53' trailers which makes a LOT of residential deliveries a difficult task.

Don Bullock
12-04-2010, 9:38 PM
The price of shipping from Grizzly only covers delivery to the street address. If you pay extra for liftgate service that just covers lowering the crate(s) to the curb or edge of the street. FedEx Freight delivered my Grizzly jointer in a tractor trailer not a box van. If you are concerned call your local FedEx Freight office to see what they use and how close to the shop they can get.

Fred Belknap
12-04-2010, 9:44 PM
Mike I like you live out in the country. What I do is contact the delivery company and arrange to meet at a local business that has a fork lift.
They have been good to help load the equipment in my truck. It saves the driver from about 12 miles of crooked one lane road. BTW I like the counterweight on your tractor. Sometimes I put a blade on mine if I'm going to handle something that is pretty heavy.

Gary Curtis
12-05-2010, 2:33 AM
FedEx delivered my 700lb tablesaw to a rural location. It came in a 16ft truck. My machine dealer specified one with a lift gate and pallet jack.

I worked for FedEx and their heavy trucking division was formerly known as Viking Freightlines. My driver moved that machine around like a plate of pancakes at an IHOP restaurant. I was impressed so I asked him how often he manages loads like mine. He said several times a week.

They match the truck to the load.

Mike Heidrick
12-05-2010, 2:44 AM
Compact utility tractors and pallet forks are a godsend to us woodworkers with them. Had mine unloading ductwork this week and lifting it to my second story porch for storage until I can get some more. I use a 3320 deere and the deere quick attach 42" forks and about 800lbs of rear ballast.

Fedex freight here also used a smaller semi setup with a litgate.

Jim O'Dell
12-05-2010, 9:56 AM
My TS came on UPS Freight. After watching a tractor with a 52' trailer deliver our dishwasher the year before, I talked to UPS about our area (one lane, one way in and out over a creek with 30 degree turns on either side of the bridge) and that they needed to use a box truck with a lift. They assured me they had one. What they didn't say is that it was always in use on the other side of the county and not available for delivery of my saw!! They came in a tractor and 40' trailer which was manageable. Driver used the pallet jack he got the saw off the trailer with to roll it right into the shop. Slick as could be. Jim.

Scott T Smith
12-06-2010, 7:43 PM
All of the FedEx Freight deliveries to my farm have been via a tractor trailer. This includes some deliveries from Grizzly.