Moving a Buddy

[cubicdissection]

Hi Fellas,

Well, looks like I'll be heading up to Ohio to pick up a slightly used Buddy 48. I plan on driving my truck up and renting a trailor to move it back. I'll bring a winch and hopefully just roll it up on the trailor.

Couple things I'm worried about. Never really hauled anything on a trailor, but this time of year I have to figure I'll hit some precipitation during the 9 hour drive home. Not sure if I trust a tarp to protect it. Any other ideas on how to wrap it up?

Also, what do I need to disconnect / protect for the trip? Completel newb here, never owned a CNC machine, so please if someone could break it down to the dummy level on what to unplug / wrap up / secure to avoid damage on the bumpy ride home I'd greatly apreciate it.

TYIA,

Eric

[myxpykalix]

You probably can find this at a big box store but go get a roll of "saran wrap" type of very thin plastic wrap. I call it "shrink wrap" and take and wrap the major components or the whole thing and take a hair dryer or heat gun and heat up the wrap till it shrinks around the parts and seals them up.

I have not seen a buddy, so i don't know deminsions but check out this uncrating video and get the seller to maybe cut a pallet or go get one and bolt it up similar to the way shopbot delivers them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DApElWZ7XTw

Also If it was me I think i would mount it on a pallet and load it into the pickup instead of taking a trailer.
Go to someplace like BigLots and you can buy a set of 4 of those ratchet type tie downs for like $15.00. Also get some moving blankets to cover it and on top of that a tarp or heavy plastic.
Also when you place the bot in the back turn the bot so the side is facing the front of the truck so that it looks like the top of the bot is like a shark fin as opposed to it being placed face forward where the bot would be like an airfoil and catch the wind. If the bot is topheavy you don't want the wind to push it over.

[erik_f]

Make sure you put the weight toward the ball of the trailer. You can disconnect the control box easily via the wago connectors...so put that in the cab with you. I would buy some good ratcheting straps for holding the Buddy in place and use more than less of them...so if one fails you're still ok. To protect the steppers I would wrap each on in plastic and then packing tape them. I don't really know what other options you have besides a tarp unless you are renting a covered trailer. If you decide to go the tarp way...bring extra card board and packing tape to cover what ever sharp corners might rip through the tarp. Also...you will want to bring some scraps of plywood and smaller claps to clap the x table and y car in place for the trip. Hopefully the buddy you are buying has the wheels on it. I would also bring a couple sheets of 4x8 1/4" ply...this made it very easy for me to move my buddy from the back of my trailer over the stone driveway and some spots of grass. If you need to go farther than 16' you can move the buddy on to one sheet and move the sheet from behind to the front, so on and so on until you get where you need to go. And buy a couple extra tarps because on a 9 hour trip they are bound to turn into a shredded mess.

[erik_f]

Jack, its going to be a lot easier to get the buddy on the back of a gated trailer than up 4 feet into the back of a pick up. At least my trailer the gate creates a nice ramp into the back of the trailer...granted I only had to go about 15 miles with mine...but it was very easy to role down the ramp into the garage. I have bought cheap straps in the past and have almost lost some pretty heavy stuff. No reason to step over a dollar to pick up a nickel. Either way will work though!

[jamesgilliam]

Eric, I have seen the machine size you are getting and a trailer is the way to go. I moved my PRT96 to the new shop about 18 months ago. You have the advantage with the Buddy having wheels to start with. I moved mine without disconnecting the control box, but mine was a short trip. For your length of trip removing it would be the best. Pad the machine and a couple tarps to cover, then use the stretch wrap to "seal" the tarps to the machine. I chose a day with no chance of rain to move mine so I didn't use a tarp. Placement on the trailer will be important. One axle trailer go with about 60% of the weight forward of the wheels, two axle trailer put it over the axles, otherwise the 9 hour drive will feel more like a 24 hour drive. Like Erik said, bring plywood to aid in moving and loading, and secure it to the trailer with good straps. When you think you have enough on it, add a couple more. Much better to be overly secured than to drop it off the trailer. Here are a couple of pictures of mine on moving day.

3567

3568

3569

[cubicdissection]

Thanks for the replies fellas....solid advice.

Uhaul is the only company that rents trailers one way, and they want $391 for the trip. Highway robbery if you ask me. Thinking about just buying one at Harbor Freght in Ohio and driving it down. Think either of these is up to a 900 mile trip at 55 mph?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92174

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93747

[myxpykalix]

I'm not sure i would trust either of those flimsy pieces of junk with that. For that kind of money you should get a covered enclosed trailer from uhaul. Check with any buddies to see if they might rent you a trailer for say $200.00.
Sometimes its cheaper to go to uhaul and rent a trailer local for a couple days, take it with you, bring it back, as opposed to renting one there and driving it home because you are paying a fee for it to be returned eventually in the price of rental.

[blackhawk]

Eric - I rented a Uhaul 6x12 enclosed trailer to pick up my PRT48x96. It was a 6 hour trip each way for me. I just rented it as a "local" use, meaning that I had to return it to the same place that I picked it up from in my town. Doing this, it was really cheap. I think about $40 per day. I was able to pick it up late in the evening, spent the night near my destination, picked up the bot, and returned it within 24 hours. Even if you need 2 days, $80 bucks is not bad and I pulled that trailer at 70 MPH with no problems. I also didn't have to worry about the weather. Gas at that time was about $3 a gallon, so now with prices around $2, it is pretty favorable.

[cubicdissection]

Awesome Brad. I was thinking about just buying a trailer from craigslist up there and bringing it down, but I like your idea better.

[jerry_stanek]

Remember if you get a trailer up here in Ohio you will need trailer plates. Ohio trailer plates are $25.00 plus the county of registration fee and the OBMV is only open days. Today we got lots of snow in tge Cleveland Akron area.

[harryball]

You only register the trailer in your home state and county. You'll need a bill of sale and in most states you get 30 days to register your trailer. You would not have to purchase two tags, only the one when you get home according to your state laws.

/RB

[cubicdissection]

Brad; I *really* like the idea of an enclosed trailer. However, the shopbot site lists the buddy as being 67" tall, and the trailer door opening according to Uhaul is only 4'10" (58").

Is the buddy easily brought down to clear that height?

[erik_f]

The e-chain on top accounts for some of that height...I was going to measure for you but I didn't have time this morning...I would get in touch with someone at shopbot. Don't be afraid to bug them until you get a good answer.

[cubicdissection]

Thanks for all the solid advice guys. Have the truck loaded up and will depart Friday morning. Doing the "local" rental as it was about $275 cheaper than one way!!!