Shipping questions 96x48 alpha

[Slant]

Hi,

I will need to ship a 96"x48" bot from Tulsa, OK to Tahoe City, CA.
What steps do I need to take to ship it?

It has a regeneration motor and a dust collector too. Can I just secure everything on the table and plastic wrap everything and call it good?
Do you need to place the bot on a crate or will 4 trailer jacks be enough?

How have you shipped your bot and about how much was your shipping costs?

Thank you in advance!

Josh

[myxpykalix]

It may depend on the shipper. Is someone you know driving it? Who will be shipping it? Most guys leave it as assembled as possible (the table) and take the carriage off the rails and place it on the table so it can't move.
I would go down to big lots and buy some cheap tie down straps ($10.00) and cinch everything down that could move.

If you have a shipper who requires a crate or palette, i'd go check craigslist for a free palette. I see 8' long palettes all the time, but that would require you to break it down further.
I would also ask Shopbot if they would share their crate cutting files that they use when they ship out their bots. Maybe they will share that.
I would definitely plastic wrap everything and use a heat gun to shrink it tight if you are letting someone else ship it, because it may go on the back of an open truck and you don't want weather to get to it. Then cover it with tarps.
Try https://www.uship.com/

[Slant]

I'm weighing my options. I was thinking of using a freight shipping company. I'm also thinking about driving my truck and trailer the 1700 miles each way to Tulsa. Also thought about flying in to either inspect the machine and help ship it or drive it back in a Uhaul truck.
Do most freight companies require a pallet or is 6 stable Shopbot legs enough?
With something this important I'm starting to think about driving to get it even though I am pretty busy right now.

[myxpykalix]

At 1700 miles each way you're talking 30+ hours driving each way. Since it is such a long distance i'd let the seller cut on the bot a shipping container sides attached to a pallet then disassemble the bot and pack and ship.
Leaving it basically assembled and trying to crate and ship will cost a fortune since they charge by weight and cubic dimensions. Did you check out that shipping website? When my bot was boxed up i think it was 8'longX4' wideX3'high, no idea on the weight. But you could start with those sizes and guess maybe 300 pounds?

[barrowj]

I sold a PRT in 2006 and I disassembled the base, left the carriage intact and strapped all of the loose metal together.. Shipping from GA to CA was $800+, got there with no issues and the guy was happy. I bought a 2005 Alpha last year from CA and had it shipped to TN, cost about the same and the rails were all strapped and attached to an 8' pallet, the entire Y gantry was left intact and put in a custom built crate along with all of the loose pieces, the shipper was a display cabinet company. All in all it went fine both times.

Joe

[Slant]

Still waiting on ship quotes from the web address above. I've got quotes from other sites anywhere from $1000 to $1800 to $3000.
The guy that I'm buying the ShopBot from doesn't know anything about it. I don't think he will be much or any help shipping it. I'll have to do or pay to have done all the work myself. I want to inspect it before I hand over the final wad of cash too. Basically I'm buying it as it is in a warehouse in Tulsa. It's less than a year old.
I would have to fly in with tools to disassemble and crate, then ship and fly home. Or drive with a friend 24 hours each way with trailer. At least then I can keep it more assembled and not worry about shippers mishandling it. It will also be less expensive for me this 'route.'
What would you do?

[Brady Watson]

Do NOT put the blower or anything besides the gantry on TOP of the table unless you want sadness. It isn't made for that much weight up top & it will be top heavy, which is no good for transport.

Put trailer tongue jacks with wheels on all 4 corners, pull the gantry and clock it 90 deg and lay it down on the bed. You'll have to remove the X motors with mounts and zip tie them to the gantry. Then strap it all to the bed. The router must be removed. If you have spindle, remove the lower spring perch and stop bolt and lift the whole t-rail out of the Z. Lay it aside. Label a baggie and put hardware inside. Zip tie it to the area where it goes.

Roll the whole thing into a trailer and set it down on the legs. That is the easiest and safest way. There are threads here describing the moving process in greater detail.

-B

[myxpykalix]

Maybe there is another shopbotter in Tulsa that could help you? Ask here or call Shopbot.
I would ship it if you could get it done for $1000. but would go get it if it was going to cost $3000.
Have you asked if the bot is currently running? Again having a botter in Tulsa to help get it running to check it out or to cut your shipping crate would be a benefit.
As for tools to disassemble you could go buy a cheap set of Kobalt tool for $25.00 to get you what you would need when you get there. Hiring another Shopbotter with some tools for say half a day for a couple hundred would be money well spent.

Anytime you have to depend on someone else to ship who does not have a clue about how to take it apart or will not be as careful in the packing as you.

[pkirby]

The first shopbot I bought was 900 miles away; I hauled it on an open trailer and loaded it and unloaded it with an engine crane. I was a little nervous sleeping in a hotel while the machine was setting in the parking lot for everyone to see. The second shopbot I bought was 700 miles away and I flew to it's location and brought it back in a Budget Rental Truck. We were able to load and unload this with a forklift. As Brady mentioned, it's best to remove the gantry and strap it to the table. If you're too lazy like I was, I used clamps and straps to lock the gantry in position so that it wouldn't move around. Make sure to do this for the Z carriage (that slides on the Y axis) as well.

When I went to move my shop across town, I had to load both my machines at once with my forklift because I had to use a tow truck to transport the forklift so that I could unload them at the new shop. Turns out that you can actually fit a 4x8 Shopbot in the back of a Long Bed Pickup with the tailgate down :cool:

2667326674

[Justin G]

Would one of those pods moving box things work? Has anyone ever used one? I think they might have to tilt those things to load them though. Maybe some good tie downs would mitigate that? Just spit balling here, no experience whatsoever using them.

[curtiss]

Mr. Kirby, Pretty impressive photo moving two bots at one time.

My question would be... has even Brady W done that ???

[myxpykalix]

Would one of those pods moving box things work? Has anyone ever used one? I think they might have to tilt those things to load them though. Maybe some good tie downs would mitigate that? Just spit balling here, no experience whatsoever using them.

I believe the way they work is they have 4 cprner jacks that lift your load straight up then the truck backs under the load and they lower it onto truck. No idea of cost though.

[rb99]

If it was me I would look at the "fly in, U-Haul back" option. Buying site unseen plus non invested shipping prep would motivate me to go there.

[Brady Watson]

Mr. Kirby, Pretty impressive photo moving two bots at one time.

Yes it is...across town ≠ across the country.


My question would be... has even Brady W done that ???

No. These are the problems one faces when they have a large tool. It just won't fit in the back of the truck.

-B

[MogulTx]

I have moved a 5 x 10 across country (NC to TX), including regen blower. What Brady has recommended above is the right approach. Load it onto a trailer, with the gantry turned and laid onto the bed. Put the regen under neath, on the bed of the trailer, NOT on the machine. Buy straps and tarps from HD or other reliable source and strap and tarp the heck out of it. Buy some rope too. You will wind up wanting it. Maybe for tarps. But more tarps than you think and heavy duty- so they will last to the end of the trip! (Yes, mine flapped and got kind of torn up- but luckily we had little weather to contend with) It will go much more easily than you might think. You WILL want about 4 of the biggest guys you can find to help you with lifting, if you do not have ramps and jacks. We hand-lifted the 5 x 10 in place with no MAJOR problems. My 14' trailer carried it easily. I have moved a 4x4 PRT this way (about 60 miles) 4 x 8 PRS about 150 miles, the 5 x 10 PRS Alpha, w regen and some other stuff (guessing about 1400 miles) and a 4 x 8 PRS about 1000 miles... Still have one of the 4 x 8's and the 5 x 10....

Take along a good travel companion who will help you with the driving. And if the unit is well tarped, and parked in front of your room at the motel, you will be able to watch it and feel confident. - But the chances are exceedingly minor that anyone would bother it. After all, most of the stuff is FAR too heavy from a single lazy butt slacker to walk off with- and the computer would be in your cab or something... well hidden. Plan on 2 overnights on the way back. Fifteen hour driving days are TOO long when going that far. Even with a buddy to drive with you. (I do long days, but that would be a stretch on the second day, when you are feeling that tug of getting home to your own bed and everything!) Be safe. Enjoy the machine.

[John Harless]

I live in Tulsa, if you would like for me to look at the machine I could try to make time.
I will try to check back tomorrow, I dont check this site every day.
Thanks
John

[genek]

Call Shop bot and talk to them. They can tell you the safest way to ship it.

[coryatjohn]

It's amazing how small of a crate the thing comes in from ShopBot. I have a 96x60 and I would have nightmares trying to figure out how to move that without professional help (both physical and psychological). I think I'd just take the entire thing apart and ditch the bed. That would shrink it down quite a bit.