moving big iron across country - worth it?

[HowardH]

We live in Dallas and the wife is from ABQ so sometime in the next few years we plan on retiring there.  I have a some big iron to go along with all my Festool like a table saw, PM 1500 band saw, a Jet J/P, and a dust collector.  I'd definitely take my Festool but was wondering if it is worth it to pay for moving the big things or just sell them and replace when we get there.  Has anyone else faced this issue and what did you do?  I know the movers base the price on weight so the PM 1500 doesn't take up much room but it's really heavy, just like the jet j/p. 

 

[DeformedTree]

Do you have an urge to change models/etc (the tools, not the wife).  If you are just going to buy the same thing again, then just move them, but if you are looking to get different models, then this is a great time for that.

 

[HowardH]

ha!  Who would want to sell something just to get the same thing?  [scared] [big grin] That's the excuse I'm going with. The reality is when we move, I'm going to have a 1200-1400 sqft shop built instead of using 1.5 car garage in use currently so I will have loads of room for more full sized tools i.e. separate jointer and planer, etc.  The only thing I really, really like is the PM1500 band saw. It's a beast. I can replace what I currently have for probably about $10,000 I think unless I go all Hammer/Felder and then it would be double. 

 

[Cheese]

I'd be very tempted to keep the PM1500, it's basically just a smaller version of the PM1800. The mag switch is nice as is the electrically integrated bandsaw tensioner. That's a lot of saw in a 15" package  [big grin]...unless you need more cut capacity.

The other stuff you can always replace with "New & Improved".

 

[HowardH]

I'd be very tempted to keep the PM1500, it's basically just a smaller version of the PM1800. The mag switch is nice as is the electrically integrated bandsaw tensioner. That's a lot of saw in a 15" package  [big grin]...unless you need more cut capacity.

The other stuff you can always replace with "New & Improved".

My thoughts exactly. 

 

[Peter_C]

We moved three times in the last 4 years, in which two of the moves were done with a hired 27' semi truck trailer, loading and unloading ourselves. ALL my equipment came with us, except I left behind my scuba compressor and bank bottles for my friend to care for. Cherry picker can lift the heavy stuff onto a cart, but some of the stuff required 4-6 strong folks to carry up and down the moving trailer ramp. Drill press etc are pretty lite and a dolly grabs them easily. Some equipment had to be partially disassembled to lighten it enough to be able to pick them up with hands. Each tool box takes an hour to move as all drawers get removed, then drawers get put back in once set in location.

So, "No equipment left behind".

To the OP the question is are you going to move everything with friends help, or hire a moving service? They seemed to quote by the pound as they told me $16,000 for ONE move! I paid $2,945 for the moving truck out, but unfortunately Old Dominion quite their home moving service to Cali, so I was forced to pay U-Pack $4,200. On top of that U-Pack didn't have the nice L-Track and drop down decking that Old Dominion offers. Even if you don't want to do the heavy lifting it might still be a huge cost savings to rent a truck trailer, hire a crew, and strap everything in yourself. Then reverse on the other end.

 

[HowardH]

To the OP the question is are you going to move everything with friends help, or hire a moving service? They seemed to quote by the pound as they told me $16,000 for ONE move! I paid $2,945 for the moving truck out, but unfortunately Old Dominion quite their home moving service to Cali, so I was forced to pay U-Pack $4,200. On top of that U-Pack didn't have the nice L-Track and drop down decking that Old Dominion offers. Even if you don't want to do the heavy lifting it might still be a huge cost savings to rent a truck trailer, hire a crew, and strap everything in yourself. Then reverse on the other end.

We will definitely have to hire this out.  35 years of collecting/accumulating.  We will mostly fill up a big moving company trailer. 3 bedrooms and 3 living areas worth of stuff plus my garage.  oofta. 

 

[DeformedTree]

Do these tools "bring you joy"  [tongue]

I suscribe to moves being a great time to purge stuff out. And try to tell yourself there is a move in the future to prevent acquiring un-needed stuff.

 

[Bob D.]

Maybe just rent a trailer or small box truck one way (or local if you need to make two trips) and move the heavy items yourself. Let the movers do the bulk of the move.

But the TS might be one to leave behind and get a SawStop if you want one at the new place.

 

[CeeJay]

Well I guess are you moving your furniture too? If you are moving beds, couches etc then you’ll need a big truck and probably some guys to help you - so I’d say pack it all in.

I bought most of my ‘big iron’ from a guy who was moving overseas. I had to move it about 20km across town.

The biggest heaviest piece without castors was the 8” jointer, about 270kg so maybe 600lb? I wasn’t sure how they would move it without damaging it or putting the alignment out of whack. Anyway 2 huge islander guys showed up    They grabbed it by the carry bars and dead lifted it onto a flat trolley and in it went!

Cost about $750 all up for truck and 3 guys, 4 hrs work.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RustE]

Hmm. I opened this thread expecting to read about someone fleeing California for Florida. Going from Albuquerque to Dallas is about a day driving. You can get crews to help on either end with the loading.

I’d go with the comment about ‘if you want to upgrade’.  Otherwise, probably better economics to move stuff versus selling and buying.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Just take them with you. Selling them off and getting new ones is also a big hussle which will cost you extra money and extra time. 

 

[Hotwheels]

I recently moved from Northern California to Northern Wisconsin, including taking a table saw, jointer, planer, and a variety of hand and Festools.  I considered the same issue, move or sell and re-buy, but the time and hassle of selling plus the cost of rebuying equipment favored just moving the equipment.  I'm happy with that decision.  I calculated the cost per pound to move the saw, jointer, and planer and in my case in made sense to move things.  The only thing I sold was a very old Delta dust collector that I am in the process of replacing.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I suppose I have some sort of mental defect. The thought of selling off my stationary machinery seems akin to amputating a toe. I don't own any equipment that I think I can economically replace with better. I have a (possibly unhealthy) emotional attachment to just about every tool I own. For instance, I have an Elu Flip Saw that I bought in 1981 when I was the ripe old age of 24. I probably haven't used it in 5 years, but I've moved it 6 or 7 times since I bought it and wouldn't dream of parting with it.

 

[Cheese]

Another thing to consider Howard is in our present environment, if you were to sell and repurchase new, how long would it take to refill the pipeline? Some Festool products are already out 7 months. If you were to reload with Hammer/Felder, I'd give them a call first and ask about product availability.

An article I read the other day said that part of the problem is that specifically, the Chinese have run out of shipping containers. It seems like the containers are all in various ports around the world but at different levels of being unloaded. It takes people to perform the unloading function.  [eek]

 

[Bob D.]

I suppose I have some sort of mental defect. The thought of selling off my stationary machinery seems akin to amputating a toe. I don't own any equipment that I think I can economically replace with better. I have a (possibly unhealthy) emotional attachment to just about every tool I own. For instance, I have an Elu Flip Saw that I bought in 1981 when I was the ripe old age of 24. I probably haven't used it in 5 years, but I've moved it 6 or 7 times since I bought it and wouldn't dream of parting with it.

I think we all have a twinge of that affliction, I know I do. Hard to part with tools. I find it easier to hand them down to my two son-in-laws than sell. They and my two grandsons will inherit all my tools when I'm gone.

 

[sancho57]

[member=396]HowardH[/member] ,

Congrats on the coming move. When I moved to the UK, I literaly got rid of my stationary tools. Upon my move back to the USA I have not felt the need to replace all of them. The only stationary tool I have is my jointer.

However, If I had to do it all over I would of kept my table saw and would like to have a bandsaw.

Jointer eh yes and no.

I do have the TS 75 module for my CMS. 

Do I think I need a full size table saw?

No.

I could be just fine with a job site saw.

I was looking at the saw stop job site saw.

So With all that being said, its personal preference.

Yea you can do just fine without out all that big iron or most of it.

As a bit of caution be careful with those moving companies. When I moved from Calif to Az, We had to do a double move, our stuff went into storage for about a week and half.

They lost some of our stuff and we got some stuff that didnt belong to us.

BECAREFUL OF THE CONTRACT!!!!!!!!

Ours went by volume. We got quoted one price then after they loaded the truck up claimed we exceeded the volume and increased the price. Which put them up to the more costly quotes we got.

In your case they quoted weight, they can do the same thing about weight . Make sure you get everyting in writing including if you exceed the weight quoted. Read the fine print of the contract it should say what happens if you exceed the weight and ow much more it will cost you.

My butt still hurts from the move.....

OH BTW, I borrowed a trailer and moved my tools myself I have almost all festools so it wasnt that big of a deal.

Dont trust the moving companies with your tools!!!!!!

Inventory take photos of any valuables find out what the companies insurance covers and how much and what you have to do to make a claim meaning proof of the replacement cost and that they actually moved it and broke/lost it!!!!!

Yes they do a inventory but trust me it may not be accurate and they lose sheets and make sure they are legible. You can read the item nearly.

Rent a one way truck with a lift to load your tools in. Some (most) rental companies have people who will help you load the truck and unload at your destination.

Hope that helps.

 

[JeremyH.]

Good luck finding everything in stock or shipping within a reasonable amount of time these days if you plan to re-buy.

 

[nclemmons]

I moved from Chicago to Northwest AR last spring.  Used PODS and just hired a crew at both locations through them.  Worked great, particularly for my workshop.  No damage at all and they will store in a climate controlled facility if you need to delay a move-in as I did due to new construction.

 

[Bob D.]

I moved from Chicago to Northwest AR last spring.  Used PODS and just hired a crew at both locations through them.  Worked great, particularly for my workshop.  No damage at all and they will store in a climate controlled facility if you need to delay a move-in as I did due to new construction.

With PODS do you lock it and hold the key?

We've just started looking into moving to a more retirement friendly state. Leaning toward FL right now, but might end up elsewhere. I have been thinking since I will most likely sell all my equipment I might as well get started on that and sell my tractors and all the 3pt equipment and my two trailers this year. We are planning to have both homes for a year or two, so I am thinking of buying a small box van or maybe a 16 foot enclosed trailer and use the to haul everything down over time then sell the trailer or truck when I'm done.

Since we would have both homes for a spell not much furniture would go to the new place, just sell it when we sell this house and get mostly new for the second home. Saves the cost of moving it and we get new furniture that will outlast us.

Or get a high top van use it to move what we want to keep then convert it to a RV when the move is over that we can use to do some traveling. Still a lot of National Parks we haven't visited yet.