Relocating my shop - advice wanted

The biggest work in moving is packing and loading. You are in Michigan and going to move 150 miles. I would suggest moving ten times farther to a place where rust is uncommon and frozen water doesn't fall out of the sky. Once your stuff is packed, the extra drive isn't too much to deal with. Sell your snow blower in Michigan or keep it and your new neighbors will marvel at such an odd device.
 
I had a house fire a few years back. I hired a moving company that catered to pianos etc., and they were great. A couple of big Samoan guys.

Piano movers are careful.

I worked in a medium sized job shop at a time where we moved. We contracted with a specialty machinery moving company. They were great with the HBMs and Planer etc, but a bit cavalier with the lathes. I watched them break the built in coolant pump off of a sweet Lodge and Shipley engine lathe. Sad...

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Guys - thanks for all the great comments! Lots of good ideas - I'm taking careful notes.
 
I might be moving in the next 5 years so will view this thread with much interest.
 
Consider yourself lucky. I moved a 6,500lb VMC into a home I've been renting for almost 4 years now and had OK from landlord but not home owner and I am now being forced to move out when my lease ends next month. Worst part is I am on fixed income(was trying to remedy that with machine) due to being disabled. I haven't figured out how I'm going to pay for the move or where it's going.
 
Lathes are top heavy too. if you can prep the lathe to be moved by the movers, create out riggers on the bottom. Attach 2x4 or 2x6 bolted securely to avoid tipping. Also in case of tip, mount 2x4s or 2x6s to under the bed sticking out to protect the crossslide handles and gear handles. That way if it does tip, hopefully your solution protects it. Even if it breaks off for some reason, it will slow the fall, and perhaps save a full crash, and instead bend something, rather than breaking castings.
 
On my first move I "lost" a lot of stuff. I learned that everything (toolboxes, toolchests,...) need to be locked or securely taped shut and all the boxes need to be numbered and inventoried. And movers break things and shrug it off. They have no clue what's a valuable piece of measurement equipment in a wooden box versus a toilet plunger, it's all just stuff to them. "Shiny" things will distract them mightily.

Aside from that. I rearranged my shop a few years after my last move and discovered that making a simple scale model of the shop was excellent in planning the new layout. Using paper rectangles allowing for major tool dimensions was surprisingly accurate. Still have a problem with the space shrinking slowly. Every place I've lived seems to have that problem. :)
 
dlane said:
Moving vertical mill , rotate head 180 , put wood on table raise table to motor top with some pressure,
Block knee up with wood tight , saves elevation screw and nut.
Click to expand...


There is nothing like a good echo. Please heed this one. Disaster strikes at any time. Vertical Mills ARE TOP HEAVY.

"Billy G"
 
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