Machinery Transportation

[flanajb]

Hi,

I’m looking for a company to transport a combination machine (780kg) from East Anglia to Wiltshire and was wondering what I’d be looking at paying. I don’t have a way of getting the machine off the truck, but the driveway is flat and can push it into the garage.

Thanks

 

[Cabinetman]

There are a few companies that do this sort of thing, the one I have used a few times is Palletline, they have tail lift trucks which call at your address, all you have to do is obtain a good pallet and strap it down securely, the pallet then might change trucks a couple of times to get it to where it’s going. Usually next day, couple of years since I did it but it was less than £60.
Some people have had things damaged. But I suspect it’s how you protect your item.
They don’t load anything on top of yours btw. I think it’s a brilliant service.
Ian
Edit if the machine is larger than the pallet you will need to talk to the truck co, maybe unbolt a part?

 

[guineafowl21]

I’ve had a couple of machines damaged on pallets, but only because of cretinous packing.

One (spindle moulder) was strapped on but with the fences sticking well out, so one got broken, the other was a cast iron radial arm saw, which the pillock didn’t even secure to the pallet, so it fell off.

Bolt it down, if possible, and put a ratchet strap or two over, then wrap with machinery wrap. Keep all of it within the footprint of the pallet. Take pics (before wrapping) to prove secure packing in the event of a claim.

Last machine was a TS light vertical mill, which Speedshift took from Southampton to Inverness for about £120. All went well.

 

[Sideways]

All the above.

A standard pallet charge covers the footprint of a pallet and upto a ton for probably less than £100.
You can pay for an oversize pallet if necessary and subject to the carrier offering this.
Discuss unloading requirements when booking. The carrier may be able to put a pallet jack on the truck to move the pallet a short distance from the truck as long as the route is flat and even.
Manhandling a ton up even a gentle gradient is a job for you and a few mates !

 

[Cabinetman]

All the above.

A standard pallet charge covers the footprint of a pallet and upto a ton for probably less than £100.
You can pay for an oversize pallet if necessary and subject to the carrier offering this.
Discuss unloading requirements when booking. The carrier may be able to put a pallet jack on the truck to move the pallet a short distance from the truck as long as the route is flat and even.
Manhandling a ton up even a gentle gradient is a job for you and a few mates !

They definitely have pallet trucks on board, for loading and unloading. If it’s not too far they are very obliging usually.

 

[Jacob]

Just paid £160 for delivery and 2 day hire of pallet truck (2 ton rated) and shifted 430kg machine in and out of a van. Went quite well with 3 scaffold boards (pallet truck has centre front wheels and triangle footprint hence 3 boards) with two stacks of timber to help support the 3 boards.
Your weight might need 6 scaffold boards, two strong blokes and a 3rd person with rope and pulley block inside the van to give a bit more control. Some bits and bobs of 18mm shuttering ply helped too.
Once in the van you lower the truck on to some timber to stop it moving about. very solid.
Van needs highish roof and doors so you can move about easily and strong bulkhead in case load moves forwards
Worked very well, which was a relief, having been worrying about it for weeks! Difficult access for a van with tail lift.
PS with 6 scaffold boards you can work them 3 at a time to move the thing over uneven/soft ground and small gradients.

 

[Blackswanwood]

There is an outfit called Landylift who specialise in this sort of move. They are based in West Yorkshire but work nationwide.

 

[Keith 66]

Shipping machines on pallets can be a real risk. Many machines are top heavy. Bolt it to a pallet might look fine but machines have sticky out bits, Handles, handwheels & tables. Do they overhang the pallet? Will it be top heavy? Are they going to strap it down? Probably not! What happens when the truck goes round a roundabout...
Shrink wrap on a roll isnt going to protect anything. If it flips over its fubared.
A few years back I sold a Bridgeport mill to a bloke in Ireland, Pallet was the only option, So Double sized pallet lower the knee right down, crank the head right over so it was as low as possible Took off the handwheels, strapped carpet rolls & tyres over the ends of the table & Knee, strapped some old seat cushions over those before the shrink wrap. It got there ok.

 

[Jacob]

Shipping machines on pallets can be a real risk. Many machines are top heavy. Bolt it to a pallet might look fine but machines have sticky out bits, Handles, handwheels & tables. Do they overhang the pallet? Will it be top heavy? Are they going to strap it down? Probably not! What happens when the truck goes round a roundabout...
Shrink wrap on a roll isnt going to protect anything. If it flips over its fubared.
A few years back I sold a Bridgeport mill to a bloke in Ireland, Pallet was the only option, So Double sized pallet lower the knee right down, crank the head right over so it was as low as possible Took off the handwheels, strapped carpet rolls & tyres over the ends of the table & Knee, strapped some old seat cushions over those before the shrink wrap. It got there ok.

Did ours without a pallet with the pallet truck between the feet so it couldn't slip off sideways and had lower C of G. Could still slip lengthways, metal on metal, so a bit of ply could help, or strap the machine to the pallet truck upstanding parts. Once in the van it's easy to crank the truck up enough to then lower it on to some battens which stop it from moving.
For a longer journey you could brace these battens against the van sides, and/or brace the machine itself. No place for bubble wrap!