I just took delivery of a PM1236 myself. I finally got it last Saturday, after a serious of events that sound similar to experiences on this thread.
It was supposed to be delivered last Thursday, so I called in the morning to get an ETA so I could schedule my lunch break accordingly. I was told it didn't make it on the only lift gate truck that morning. Dang! So we arranged for the next day. I called in the afternoon the next day (Friday) and the guy told me they didn't HAVE a lift gate. What?! He said it had been in the shop for over a week, and he didn't know when it would be out, they were waiting for a part. That was irritating to hear because the day before the guy apparently lied to me. Now it was too late on Friday to switch to another carrier and get it before the weekend.
So I went into scramble and adapt mode, and I drove home because my wife told me they were clearing a lot across the street with a bulldozer. I waived those guys down, and asked if they had forks for their machine. They did at home, and had to work tomorrow morning (Saturday). I called the trucking company and the guy who was taking all my calls very graciously agreed to deliver it on Saturday even though they were closed. (These issues were not his fault, and he was great.)
Saturday morning comes, and my lathe shows up on the guy's personal pick up truck. The dozen operator picks it out clean as a whistle. I give him the $45 lift gate fee since he was the lift gate, and then go look at my lathe.
Uh oh, fork holes in almost every side of the crate, right next to the signs that say, "Don't push crate with forks!" Sheesh. The damage isn't too bad. Chip pan is bent badly, and a few spindle speed knobs are bent. The rest looks fine.
Unfortunately it's still on the floor of my garage while I wait for the new chip pan.
Can't wait to get her running!
In other news, Matt and Nichole have been great at getting me squared away with the damaged pieces.
Tyler