Moving cross country - need advice

[Matt Day]

All,

My fiance (wife in less than 2 weeks!) and I will be moving to Salt Lake City at the end of June and we're trying to nail down our moving plans. We're moving for her Fellowship, and I don't have a job nailed down yet to help cover expenses so we're trying to keep the cost down. I'll probably regret saying this, but I think I'd like to do most of the packing and moving myself to protect my stuff.

My shop is a big factor here. I have all the "Standard" hobby shop stuff:
Cabinet TS
14" BS
DP
8" jointer
Jet 1442 lathe
1.5 HP DC
and most all the portable power tools (circ saw, jigsaw, kreg jig, biscuit joiner, etc)

I figure it weighs in at about 3,000 pounds or so.

We don't have much furniture as we're renting in a shared house right now, but I do have a number of pieces I've built as well as 5 expensive bicycles and those tools (nothing compared to the ww'ing!).

I don't have a truck to pull a trailer, so I've explored the 2 major options of renting a truck (a Penske 24" was the best deal) for $2050 (including gas and a flatbed trailer to tow a car), and PODS for $2800 (8'x8'x16').

I can't for the life of me find a one-way, residential, truck rental with a liftgate, so if anyone has a recommendation I'm all ears. I'd have to use the ramp for all my tools if I can't find one with a lift.

I'm confident the truck would work size-wise, but not so sure about the POD. It would be nice to drive a car rather than a big truck across the country, and the POD is much lower to the ground.

I don't think I'd want to buy a shipping container, for one because I wouldn't have room for it at our destination and 2 I don't want have to deal with selling it.

Any other suggestions for moving? I think the rental truck is cheapest, and maybe I just need some confirmation that it's the right move for me (no pun intended).

[Aaron Berk]

When I moved cross country from CA to GA I kept calling the truck rental places one after the other and then back and forth again. They price matched like CRAZY!!! you can get a better deal, just keep them both on conference call and bounce prices.


And yeah, my vote is to move it all your self

[Victor Robinson]

Wow, I don't envy the task at hand. I'll be following your experience closely as I too may be moving in about a year, year and a half. The thought of moving my shop even a half hour away keeps me up at night!

If you've not seen this video by TWW, there might be some helpful tips...
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/a-moving-experience/

[Van Huskey]

Loading most of those tools wouldn't be too bad with an extra set of hands and some dollies and an appliance truck, but one thing to keep in mind is the Uhaul truck decks are MUCH lower to the ground than the Penske trucks (at least the ones I have seen).

[Lee Ludden]

This may or may not be practical.

You can rent a truck with a lift for a day, use it to load your tools, then put it back to back with the moving truck and shuttle the stuff between them using the lift as an elevator.

I recently bought a unisaw, floor mounted planer, 8" jointer, and 20" drill press and was able to get it all loaded on a trailer with just me and my neighbor. I am not certain I would have wanted to try loading it into the back of a truck, however.

[Brendan Plavis]

Might I be the one to perhaps recommend a cheap winch and pulley system? Or even perhaps just a winch... That would help you get the larger equipment up the incline, without you having to push it up... Then all you need to do, is boost it up over the lip...

you can get a cheapo harbour freight manual ratcheting one for about $15 for a 4000lb(probably rated closer to 1000lbs...) one... All you would need to do, is A) find something to attache one end to(preferably an eye bolt... not ancoured just into sheet metal!!!) and then B) a saddel for your machines(simple nylon rope, about triple wound should get even the heaviest of machines safely up...or for your piece of mind, you could use wire rope... but it might(and highly probably) take the paint off where you wind it....)

Just my .02

[Don Newman]

I have used the hand el-cheapo HF wench to pull my table saw up into my pickup numerous times. I built the ramps out of 2x10' with 2x4's on edge to provide more strength. I did this for several year with LOML turning the wench as I guided the saw up the ramps. A little dicey at times, but very doable.

If you use this approach I would recommend using the thing-a-ma-jigs that attach to the end of the ramps to transition to the truck bed. I can't remember where I got them, but they made a big difference moving the saw off the ramp onto the truck bed without the ramps bouncing out of control

[Jerome Stanek]

what about a engine cherry picker. You can get one that knocks down. Lift your equitment up and back the truck under it or push it into the truck. When you get there you can then use it to unload. Remember there is not much open on Sundays in Salt Lake City. Also be careful they drive crazy out there.

[David Nelson1]

HF hydraulic lift table. You will still require an extra person but it relieves some of the strain on the back. I think it lifts to 34 inches or so. I have used one for several years moving stuff by myself has never been easier. It also has good brakes. They are a bit hard to get off but they hold!!

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...art-93116.html

[Mike Archambeau]

Have you considered renting a box trailer towed by a rental truck? Uhaul will do this and in my area they are much less expensive than Penske. Some of the trailers have lower floor heights than box trucks, making loading and unloading heavy objects much easier. You could also use ramps to load tools, similar to the way people load ATVs into pickup trucks. Keep your tools if you can. You will be glad you did.

btw.....you can get some day laborers to help you load. And then to help you unload. In my area $10 an hour per person is the going rate for day laborers. And these guys work hard for their money.

[tyler mckenzie]

every piece i own has been moved with a portable engine hoist. I've got a few machines weighing in at 1400lbs. I usually dismantle, then go from the main casting. What's your heaviest machine?

[Glen Butler]

Have you at all looked into ABF? You load they freight. Service to all 50 states. I will be moving soon too and don't quite know where to begin.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

+1 for ABF
We moved from mass. To NM 7 years ago and used ABF-- worked great! I'm no muscleman but we didn't have any trouble getting heavy power tools up a ramp into a truck trailer which they sealed and delivered to our new house. Way cheaper than uhaul, etc.

[Dan Friedrichs]

You don't seem to have anything "special" on your list of tools (ie - you own relatively common pieces, not crazy-rare euro tools). Have you considered just selling the tools, then using the proceeds to buy new tools once you arrive at your new location?

[Troy Turner]

Go with the Penske. Uncle Sam has allowed us to move every 3 - 5 yrs. Uhauls are good for local moves, but the Penskes are so much nicer and smoother. Some friends and beverages, and we had the tools loaded up in no time. If you choose Penske, get a AAA membership. The discount on the truck and hotel stay paid for it plus some. Furniture dolly will do you better than a standard dolly because the wheels are solid and won't flatten out when you load the heavy tools. Plus, you can use it if you have heavier furniture. Good luck with all that though...been there, done that, way too many times.