Moving shop - time to buy a forklift?

[Philip Glover]

When I needed to move my 3,500 lb lathe this is the truck and forklift that was used. It was very easy to the point that it was a drama-less event.
Do not bother with a lift gate truck.

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Regards,

Phil

[Michael Zerance]

Looks like you figured out a good solution. The forklift and flatbed trucks should make it quick and easy. I helped move a friend's shop with a liftgate and it was slow and cumbersome.

We just recently moved my shop and my equipment list is similar to yours. We loaded everything with a pallet jack into an enclosed trailer that has a rear ramp door. A flatbed would've been nice but my dad had the trailer so, to save money, that's what we used. I used a forklift to palletize all the equipment first and then used a forklift on the receiving end to take everything off the pallets and set the equipment in place.

I'm surprised at the amount of people recommending not buying a forklift. After owning a forklift for the last 8 years, there is no way I will ever not own one. There were some operations that I can't even fathom how we would've got it done without a forklift, at least without risking damage or injury. They are invaluable for moving and setting up the shop but, really, it's the convenience of everyday use around the shop that makes them worth the investment. It is just effortless to unload and move supplies and materials around the shop. In addition, the ability to load lumber and plywood onto pallet racking or cantilever racking is not only immensely convenient but it also offers a ton of space savings.

As for cost, I paid $2300 for the bigger forklift I have at my old shop and $3800 for the smaller one I have at the new shop. There are tons of deals out there if you're patient.

[Tom Bender]

So you are borrowing a fork lift and moving it to both locations. Sounds like a good plan. A couple of suggestions;

Offer to pay for a little maintenance and get it done before the move. oil change, carb overhaul, new seat, clean up the battery terminals, tires...

Fork lift operator skills vary more than dogs. Unfortunately, sight unseen it's hard to separate the Pugs from the Goldens. You can get this done with a Pug but an ace will make it go so so much better. Best of luck.

[William Hodge]

Figure in lumber deliveries. Being able to take a package of lumber off a lumber truck, bring it to the rack, and sort the wood as you slide it in, is a great time and back saver.

I worked in a shop where we used a fork lift as a freight elevator to get stuff up and down from the second floor. We had my door shop up there. One thing we didn't have was qualified people running the forklifts. One clown would would lift a cart load of lumber up, then bounce it on the forks. He called it "The Cart Stress Test". Good times.

[Dan Howell]

When I had my shop a few years ago, I bought a used Nissan 4000lb propane forklift from a local forklift shop for $4000. They offered a one year guarantee and would also also come out to my shop once a year to do routine maintenance (inspection, oil, grease) for $225. I never had any problems with that lift. When I sold it after closing my shop, I sold it for the same $4000. I would definetly check with some local forklift shops to see what they have as the take trade-ins all the time.