Moving equipment long distances

[Jacob Mac]

I'm looking into buying a sliding table saw that seems like a good situation for me. The only problem is the saw is in Wisconsin and I'm in Kansas. I have a small pickup, but I don't think it is up to towing the saw that distance.

Anyone have any experience moving equipment? Did you hire someone? Fly up and rent a box truck? Is this just generally a bad idea?

[Jeff Monson]

I've done both. First off how heavy and what size of a saw are we talking? If you are looking at a large frame slider then you have a couple things to consider. You need a way to get it on the trailer for the shipper, which is either a rigger or someone with a forklift but option 2 can be sketchy if they dont know the proper lift points for the saw. I had a jointer planer and a large frame slider shipped to me but I hired a rigger both times, considering the cost of the machine I didnt want to leave it in the hands of someone that could easily mess it up. If you want to do it on the cheap, then go rent a drop deck trailer and if the saw has a mobility kit installed, it will roll right on. I moved my slider and my planer when we moved, they had to go to storage till my shop was done so I ended up renting twice. Shrink wrap and good strapping, they were fairly easy to move, getting them on the drop deck was a piece of cake. You have to consider what your time is worth and also get a couple shipping quotes then weigh the odds. Getting quotes is super easy now days. Let us know what machine you are considering and that will help alot.

[Erik Loza]

My opinion: You are better off picking it up yourself in an open (low) trailer. Or directly hiring a person who can hotshot it to you. The pandemic has made it a real struggle to find LTL carriers who can safely transport industrial machinery or riggers who are willing to handle small loads like a single slider. You could fly up and rent a truck + trailer, then bring it home. Just my thoughts and good luck with it.

Erik

[Jacob Mac]

Thanks guys. It is about 1900 lbs, give or take. And it is a slider. The size and distance make me nervous.

It is a Minimax SI 315

[Erik Loza]

...It is a Minimax SI 315

You could dismount the slider, which would make moving the whole thing a lot easier.

Erik

[Jay Kepley]

You might consider renting a truck with a lift gate.

[Patrick Kane]

What machine? What condition? What is the seller like?

Ive purchased multiple larger machines, and for the most part my experience consisted of a seller that had zero interest in crating a machine, was selling the machine at a below market value price, and usually had a forklift on site. Most of the large freight companies in america wont take freight that isnt on a pallet and shrink wrapped. That is the minimum, and as you can imagine, shrink wrap doesnt protect your machine much from getting dinged up. If the seller will get it on a pallet and crate it, then you can go through freight brokers and move it as LTL freight. In my previous situations, that was never an option, and i was mostly forced to use Uship. The good news is they typically pick up your machine and deliver it that day or the next day. This limits the exposure of it it being moved on and off a truck multiple times at a freight terminal. The more times those folks touch it, the higher the likelihood that something gets broke.

[Erik Loza]

You might consider renting a truck with a lift gate.

Unfortunately, long-chassis sliding table saws are too large to fit on liftgate trucks. Whenever we deliver a machine that size, we either leave it a local freight terminal for the customer to pick up with a trailer of their own, or the customer must have a forklift, telehandler, etc. It will be some work to get this thing from Point A to Point B.

Erik

[Jeff Monson]

AIR-TOW+DROP-DECK+&+DUMP+TRAILER+03.jpg
FYI This is what I used. Its on the heavy side, but I'd assume a 1/2 ton truck would handle it nicely, my 3/4 ton didnt know it was back there.

[andrew whicker]

I have shipped something fairly minor in comparison with LTL that was too big for a drop gate. It's kind of a PITA, to be honest. I rented a construction style forklift (telescoping, etc) for the day it arrived (they were off by one day too). They are really bad at communicating when it will arrive unless you pay a few hundred more. I was constantly calling them and they weren't that helpful.

Also, shipping cost depends on density. Probably not a big issue for a dense table saw, but just for future reference. Shipping ping pong balls are super expensive (Fragile + low density).

As has been pointed at above, the LTL shippers transfer loads from truck to truck a few times before it gets to you. Be sure it's packaged well.

[Jim Becker]

Thanks guys. It is about 1900 lbs, give or take. And it is a slider. The size and distance make me nervous.

It is a Minimax SI 315

We loaded my S315WS on a low flatbed trailer when Jeff Bartley picked it up a couple of months ago using dollies and a pallet jack and a hand-crank winch. It was just the two of us, too. We had to reinforce the steel ramps he brought with blocking so they could support the weight, but we got it done in about an hour and a half. My aluminum ramps were there, too, so there was more width to walk while jockeying things. He unloaded it the same way at the other end of the trip. The wagon was immobilised with heavy mending plates at both ends as well as straps around it through the understructure. The fence, tables, etc., were all removed to keep things as compact as possible.

IMG_E9422.jpg

[Jeff Bartley]

We loaded my S315WS on a low flatbed trailer when Jeff Bartley picked it up a couple of months ago using dollies and a pallet jack and a hand-crank winch. It was just the two of us, too. We had to reinforce the steel ramps he brought with blocking so they could support the weight, but we got it done in about an hour and a half. My aluminum ramps were there, too, so there was more width to walk while jockeying things. He unloaded it the same way at the other end of the trip. The wagon was immobilised with heavy mending plates at both ends as well as straps around it through the understructure. The fence, tables, etc., were all removed to keep things as compact as possible.

IMG_E9422.jpg

I actually unloaded at my end by myself. I used the wench with a come-along as a safety. Most of the time was spent setting up the ramps. Once in the shop I used a combination of dollies and a pallet jack.

In the future I’d probably rent a trailer like Jeff M shows above…..then you could practically just push it onto the trailer.

I just wouldn’t trust shippers with something like a slider. And who doesn’t love a road trip?

Edit: thanks again Jim, the saw is awesome!

[Joe Calhoon]

I’ve moved a lot of machines and anymore if it’s a one day drive I will go after it myself. Anything longer I use a one way truck that is air ride. These require forklift at both ends and you are depending on the seller to put I on a pallet and get it loaded. I would never ship common carrier. The one way truck does not require crating, only secured to a pallet and wrapped. They will usually have other items on the truck getting delivered to other locations but your load never moves from where it is placed on the truck. Costs more than common carrier but the savings from no crating is a factor.
That said, moving it yourself with the proper equipment gives total control over the whole process

[Patrick Kane]

Thats kind of what i was alluding to. If the machine is expensive to you, then its best not to risk it with cutrate shippers--like i typically have--for fear that something happens to it. It is no longer a precision machine if some driving a forklift clips the sliding table with another crate or their forks. I think of sliders as larger footprints and somewhat delicate machines. I would feel 10x better about shipping a planer. Even if its another $1,500, its probably worth it to have it moved with insurance and as protected as possible. I dont know where it is in Michigan, but that looks like 8+ hours one way for you. I probably wouldnt do that move by myself, because it would be cost prohibitive. Your cheapest option will probably be $500-600. Doing it yourself would probably be half of that for gas, tolls, and hotel, plus the miles on your truck, and whatever 16 hours through boring country are worth to you. To me, thats worth about $1,500+ to not do that. Im guessing Joe's option is $1,500-2,000. Just a guess though.

Congrats on the new tool. Let us know what route you go, because it wont be too long that i am shipping a more valuable slider than an old Martin T75, and i will want the experience.

[Erik Loza]

LTL service is the cheapest but as others have pointed out, I wouldn't trust it unless the piece of machinery is REALLY well crated on the shipper's end. If I have to hotshot (dedicated load, small truck) a piece of equipment from our Dallas office to, say,. Houston/Austin/SA, the cost is generally around $1,000-$1,300. A dedicated truck from DE or CA to TX has been $4K-$5K lately. The thing to understand is that there is a huge shortage of commercial truck drivers right now and costs are ridiculous. No dog in this fight but with all this in mind, I agree with Joe Calhoon: No matter the awesome deal on the piece of equipment, unless you are set up to tow trailers like Jeff is and unless it was within a reasonable driving distance, I would really weigh the time and cost involved and see if you truly are saving as much as you think in the long run. Again, just my 2-cents.

Erik