Transport

[Mark Bolton]

Thanks everyone. I guess the size of my machine will depend on how I finally choose to get it to the door and the help I can get. Thing is I would pay any one, any reasonable amount to do it. I just can't find a lot of takers. Got some quotes from rigging companies ranging from 1200-2000 just to get it the last few miles. Now, I have that kind of money but I didn't get it by spending it that way. You've heard the saying "a fool and his money." There are some small machines from Camaster and ShopSabre that can be delivered to my door, but it just seems like a shame to spend that kind of money, even for the smaller machines, when just a little more can get you a bigger platform. Thanks again everyone.

I personally would never go the rigging company option unless it was a monster (super heavy/large format) and super expensive, not that any large'ish format machine isnt expensive. There are a lot of factors at play with any option. All can work, all can fail. The local landscape crew can drop your machine and walk away unscathed leaving you with a pile of headache on the ground. Or you may not have access to one. Or in your area roll-backs may command $180/hr not the 85 we pay, etc..

With regards to the fork truck rental, yes, they will rent. As with anything, if your not comfortable with the option than its not the best option for you.

With that, As long as you can get a machine that has long enough forks, and with the capacity of your machine (even a small lift is capable of far more weight than most large non industrial machines), level ground, its not really an issue.

Our machine (60"x100" 10HP spindle), like I said, crated, I would guess somewhere over 2K lbs was gravy and we even had to fork it off on the long axis (y) with 7' forks and it was in the shop wired and making moves in 4 hours. Not bragging but its not that big a deal.

Would I move a big Biesse/Weeke/Ondsrud etc? No. But at that level I would be budgeting for rigging and a factory tech to set the machine up entirely. The machines in this conversation so far are honestly less setup than a table saw because they are so rigid.

[Vic Sinai]

Words to live by. Thanks

[Keith Outten]

A lot of good advice in this thread. In the end it all gets down to your set of conditions, your capability and your financial situation. Safety is the last but not the least consideration, make the best choice you can that fits your needs.

I now have a tractor with a set of forks that will lift 1400 pounds but it has to have a suitable counterweight on the rear of the tractor to lift more then 800 pounds safely. Seems to me that even when I purchase a machine or tool to do a particular job there is always a secondary decision to make

[Mark Bolton]

I now have a tractor with a set of forks that will lift 1400 pounds but it has to have a suitable counterweight on the rear of the tractor to lift more then 800 pounds safely

Same here with about the same capacity but even with the backhoe on the machine I am always cautious pushing all that weight on the front end. They are spendy to fix when you go a bit too far. I unloaded a 12x36 metal lathe a bit back and had to pick it from the top (lifting strap over the forks slung around the bed). It was a hair raiser to say the least. Was not at all in the fun column.

[Vic Sinai]

Once again, Thank you all.