Moving my workshop 200 miles.

[SammyQ]

Hello, fellow lignin-sculpting addicts.

I am moving from Belfast to the east coast of Northumbria in about 6-8 weeks. I have the usual hand tools (read one supermarket delivery lorry 'cage') and a 6' bench that weighs about 0.25 tonne, as it has two commercial weaving loom frame-ends as legs(!). In addition, I have a Wadkin 10" AGS I am loth to part with, a 14" Crescent-clone bandsaw, 6' high and about 2' square, that weighs more than I do - as it's cast iron - a floor-standing drill press, an Elecktra Beckum 260C P/T, an APTC two-bag blower, a green/yella Record dustbin/hoover and a 5'-high cheap Halford's clone of a Snap-on toolbox, say, 2' square? Router table is more Bullar than Norm and includes a vacuum pump in its base. Then, there is the metal lathe...7'x4'x3' and it's SOLID - as in maybe a tonne. Wood pile? about same size as half/three-quarters of a Smart car. I wept as the rest went to recycle.

Push bikes? Four. Garden stuff? Yup, mower and one black compost conical bin, stuffed with handled tools etc.

Query: Does anyone have EXPERIENCE, not pub gossip, nor family/neighbour's related tales, EXPERIENCE of moving anything like this lot? Costs, glitches, recommended blokes, yada, yada???

I am tempted to sell at least the lathe here, possibly the AGS and bandsaw too, but I don't really want to hunt again for an AGS, given the hours of work I put into it and a new, shiny, shaky, Bosch starts at £500, damn-near.

Cast your polymerised gluten mass upon the crystallised steam surface*, do, please!!

Sam - in danger of divorce, or worse.

*"Cast your bread upon the waters"??

 

[MusicMan]

You cannot possibly give up the AGS! (I collected mine in the back of an estate car and got it to the end of the garden by myself). There are specialist machinery movers (do a search), as well as regular movers who will handle machinery. These guys are STRONG!

I do advise getting a small hydraulic hoist to help move things out and in. I got a used wheelchair-patient's lift which manages 300 lb, which is less than most bits of machinery when dismantled, or you could go for an engine hoist. Together with home-made trolleys, you can move a lot. I'm sure it would cost you less money, time and effort than setting it all up again.

 

[Steliz]

I'm about to do something similar but over a much greater distance. I'm moving 1300 miles to Hungary in about a month.
The contents of my workshop are similar to yours but my lathe is only(!) 110kg. I will be employing a 'man with a 3.5 tonne van' who I found by advertising my requirements on a website called either Anyvan or Loadup, I can't remember which one I went with. They were recommended to me by people who had done the same thing.

Good luck with your move.

Steve

 

[SteveF]

not sure about costs but would it be worth getting a shipping container on hire?
you could load it up and pack it tight
have it put on a lorry and taken to new location
and according to hire cost you could unload it at your convenience
maybe even consider buying it and selling on at a later date
get a decent size and you may get half your house in it as well
Steve

 

[pcb1962]

Personally I would not attempt to move my workshop at the same time as moving the domestic stuff. My plan, when I move in a couple of years after the last of the children have finished school, is to put all of my tools and machinery into a self-store place a few weeks before moving house, then retrieve it once established in the new house and the new workshop space is fitted out how I want it.

 

[SammyQ]

Thanks Gents; I have been tending toward a small container I must say, might solve a few timing conflicts.

pcb1962?

" ..a few weeks before moving house, then retrieve it ..."

, Yup, gotcha Buddy, just the small matter of St. George's Channel and ferry fees about £300 per trip for a wee car, never mind an aston bodied van or bigger.

Plan B mind you, might be six-and-a-half tonner hire...done it before, for a place I used to work for. God, I HATE limiters!

Onwards! Sam

 

[SammyQ]

I agree Music man! Just for reference, here is mine at T plus 10 seconds into our acquaintance:

No bother getting THAT into a car! Unfortunately, I have now permanently assembled it as one carcase, using silicone and paint...400lb washing machine? Even with side extensions off?

Sam

 

[Marineboy]

You will LOVE living on the Northumberland coast. I’ve been here 30 years and still cannot believe how deserted the beaches are.

 

[MusicMan]

Sammy, you have to be able to get the top off - or else you have no means of realigning it with the blade if you need to?

Anyway, two hefty removal guys could lift it!

 

[stuartpaul]

When I moved a couple of years ago I used a commercial firm and I made sure they knew exactly what my requirements were and they quoted accordingly (I have some heavy stuff as well). Yes it cost me but it was done in a oner and they did a superb job (and on their insurance!).

If you’re going to do it yourself there are many options but only you can work out the cost versus time versus hassle involved in those against using a commercial provider.

Good luck!

 

[SammyQ]

Agreed Musicman (Keith?); I meant I had fastened the two cabinet halves together, but let the top alone. I have it off presently while I mess about with a new dust removal idea.

Sam

 

[SammyQ]

Thanks stuartpaul; given my circumstances (which include moving a 93year-old with a freshly replaced hip) I'm very tempted to trust a professional - in a perfect world, I'd find someone who has ploughed this furrow before me and could recommend one particular operator.

Sam

 

[mikefab]

Hi,

There is a guy called Mark of Contract Machinery Services, based in Washington who I have used to move machinery locally in Northumberland. His main line of business is servicing and supply of woodwork machinery. (I once bought an AGS off him but no longer have it). He has a small truck with a hiab on the back of it for unloading. I doubt he would be the solution to moving your kit up here but may be of use if you need to get a wagon unloaded or something. I can send you contact details if you need.

Where are you moving to? Happy to help out with contacts for timber, sharpening etc up here.

Hope this may help
Mike

 

[SammyQ]

Mike, that is music to my ears. I will be in Alnwick, will PM you contact details. D (or M) Day will probably be mid September.

Sam

 

[Noel]

Quitter...... : )

Talk to Montgomery in Mallusk or Woodside in Ballyclare. Have used them both but only for pallet (not many about at the moment....) mounted machinery but as mentioned get them to delivery a 20' container (or smaller) and load yourself. HIAB/etc equipped flatbed will come and lift it and take it across. Will even store it until you're ready to set up shop.
I've found it always cheaper to use outfits from here who are in GB every day rather than somebody who is GB based.

 

[Mrs C]

We moved my friend’s workshop last year, it doesn’t really matter if you are moving 2 miles or several hundred it’s still the same amount of grief.

All the machinery was put on pallets, we then got a haulier company with an open sided lorry and a forklift. Smaller bits were put in boxes, we were fortunate enough to be able to borrow some big apple crates - the cardboard boxes went in the crates and the crates forklifted onto the lorry. The moving day wasn’t too bad, but everything had been pre packed and strapped down.

Moving a couple of extra bits isn’t that much more work in the scale of things so I would hang on to stuff and decide when you get to the other end. We moved 8 machines, it’s less work to prepare these than packing all the boxes!

Don’t overfill boxes - it’s not worth the back injury. Don’t move rubbish, throw it away (easier said). Be prepared for the heap of bits left at the end of packing which you are not entirely sure what to do with.

If you can get the electrics prepped in advance and have a decent plan of how you will layout your new shop. This way your machines can go vaguely in the right place.

Finding everything at the other end was the challenge - be meticulous about labelling boxes.

Hope this helps!

P.S. Good luck!

 

[mikefab]

Cheers Sam,

PM replies to. You won't regret your move to Northumberland!

 

[MusicMan]

Agreed Musicman (Keith?); I meant I had fastened the two cabinet halves together, but let the top alone. I have it off presently while I mess about with a new dust removal idea.

Sam

Right ... I did my AGS move with just the top off. Not sure my cabinet would come apart either!

Let us know about your dust removal idea when it is ready!

Keith

 

[SammyQ]

Thanks again Folks, particularly to Noel for the local recomendation. "Nornirn" (Northern Ireland) is now in that odd day of flux called 'The Twelfth of July'...holiday??... where we go into stasis while bowler hats, orange sashes and massed bands predominate. Hope to request English quotes today and N.I. ones when things are quieter on Monday. Mind you, just called a local firm to leave a message, got an automated answering service, saying "closed for the July fortnight"..Duh!!

Sam, up to his knees in bubble wrap and cardboard.

 

[Noel]

And a month later we're into the Apprentice Boys...

How you getting on Sammy?