Moving from CA to CO

[terrydowning]

I'm finally preparing my escape from CA.

I will have a mover NOT moving myself.

Questions on moving the SS
should I leave it all assembled and let the movers take care of it?

Should I disassemble for the movers to handle the individual pieces?

Additional comments and insights are appreciated as well.

[thunderbirdbat]

I would talk to the moving company. They will have had to move one or more in the past and may have a set procedure for them. While I was on active duty, this was one of the items that they wanted declared when setting up movers. There were rumors of special packaging material just for a SS but I only had a local move (ten blocks for housing refurbishment) after I got my SS before I retired and did a self move. Since they hired local moving companies to pack and ship all items if this is true, they may have them.

[dickg1]

During my military career I made six moves (NJ to MA to NB to AL to VA to NJ and one more in NJ)with my Goldie ShopSmith. All I did was insure that all locks were secure. Ether I was simply lucky or ignorant of potential hazards but the moves (and subsequent storage at a couple of the destinations) did not affect it. When I was ready to use it, I simply checked the alignment and got to work. Still using it after 55 years. All the moves including the last one here in NJ were by professional moving companies. YMMV.
Dick

[reible]

I worked for Mayflower moving part time back in the late 1960 so this may no longer be true. At the time they had a packing crew that decided how to move things and then I was on the actual grunt part of the move, no packing. The driver decided what would load first etc and where it ended up in the truck.

Things like washers and dryers that were being just moved were blanket items, if storage was involved then they were boxed. We never moved a shopsmith so I can not say how that was done.

I guess what I'm saying is let the experts tell you. If they wreck it then they will fix or replace it. The only thing I saw that had major damage was a classic mustang that was trailer-ed but a strap came loose and that was about it for the car cosmetically wise. They actually suspended the car with straps and then tied it down, well for the most part.

Ed

[db5]

From personal experience I would disassemble it before moving. Here's why. It is heavy. They hire local people locally and at the destination to load and unload. They are not necessarily experienced nor are they careful. They dropped mine on the last move causing major damage and they will never tell you if they break or damage anything. You have to discover it before the driver leaves your property. The driver just wants to get on to his next destination so he will put the pressure on you to sign off on everything even if you haven't been able to verify that everything was unloaded. Try checking off everything as it is unloaded and he will go ballistic because that adds about 2 hours on your property when he wants to go down the road.

It is not hard to disassemble and it also will require realignment when you set it up again which can be a good thing.

[Dansmith]

Congratulations on your "escape". I "escaped" from ca. about 17 years ago, and never looked back. In any event, my Shopsmith (all my woodworking equipment) was moved by a moving company, and I did not disassemble my Shopsmith. I may have been lucky; but, it came through fine.

[everettdavis]

I would leave it assembled, and if you are uncomfortable letting them move it, supervise it being loaded, and unloaded.

I would after locking the headstock and carriage wrap the headstock assembly with a moving blanket, and tie it securely. I would package all the other pieces in boxes that you pack and seal yourself. Take off the quill handle and secure the power cord.

They can secure it with a strap in the truck, and load it close to the front of the truck to keep it secure, packing the remainder of the truck to isolate it. Make sure casters are retracted when it's in place.

You will likely love Colorado. Very little rusts in Colorado in the higher elevations.

Everett

[dusty]

I see this as a very difficult question to answer. I am getting ready to move "just across town" (maybe 25 miles) and I am undecided on how to move my shop. When I do move, the shop will be a dedicated move (shop equipment only). I already have about fifteen (maybe twenty) boxes of "stuff" to relocate and done of the shop equipment has been dismantled.

Headstocks and main tables WILL BE removed from the tubes.

[charlese]

Seems like you have the Shopsmith taken care of. Now to the boxes [ [
When we moved the shop from TX to CA there were many boxes. All boxes were labeled on top and two sides. All shop boxes were lableled with a big letter S. This way the mover could take both the house boxes and shop boxes.

I crated the Mark V - The movers named it "Grandma's coffin" - about 200 lbs.

[terrydowning]

Oh, I'm no stranger to the moving process. Active Duty Air Force for 15 years. The longest I was ever lived in one place was in England. 18 Months on the economy, 22 Months Base Housing at RAF Lakenheath. So I know all about box labeling and not releasing an agent of the company until we have unpacked and inspected everything of value. I learned to keep a separate "High-Value" inventory sheet and made sure the numbered boxes and items on that list were unpacked inspected before the movers were released.

True story, We have "keepsake" boxes that have not been unpacked for more than 25 years. We know what's in them just sentimental stuff that can't be replaced anyways.

I never had the SS (or any stationary power tools) while serving in the AF. I did use the base hobby shops though! The SS was at my folks house here in CA. I have done some local moves but those were easy.