# Best way to haul a major score - revisited



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

A while back I posted a thread asking for advice on moving a large amount of lumber and equipment from NC to MN, and I now have some more details. My family friend is getting out of woodworking and offered to donate to me most of his lumber and a few major tools. The lumber is mostly live edge slabs (maple, walnut, cherry, etc.) and the equipment includes, among other things, a 28" auto-feed planer (estimated $4,000 new), a jointer, and a DC system - all (according to my friend) in good working condition. He estimated that in all, the haul would fill a 14' truck.

Other than the planer (which probably would require a hydraulic lift), everything can be rolled or carried into a truck by hand. And my friend is willing to load everything into a truck at his end, because (as he explained) he'd have to do that anyway if he were to move all of his stuff into storage.

My question is: what's the best and most cost-effective way to arrange for this shipment, in view of the handling issues (i.e., all of the lumber and tools are loose so they'd need to be properly tied down)? I really don't want to pass this opportunity up, but I have no idea how to coordinate something like this at a reasonable cost and with adequate insurance or other protections.

I'd GREATLY appreciate thoughts or advice from fellow Jocks that have dealt with similar shipping situations. Thanks!


----------



## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

There might be a single word worth looking up

PODS


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

I called PODS - they quoted me $3,000 (including a 15% off coupon). Unfortunately, I can't swing that - I'm hoping for a solution more in the $1,000 to $1,500 price range. Is that even reasonable?


----------



## TheJBitt (Jan 14, 2013)

Try to get in contact with a moving or shipping company that operates in the area. They often have room in the back of trucks. If you can find a company that has a truck headed your direction, they will usually make a detour in order to fill that empty space with a little bit of extra income. I've shipped a couch this way. You can usually negotiate a price that is significantly better than just paying for a freight shipment.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

That's not a bad idea. I'll see if I can find movers in the Asheville, NC area.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

Does anyone know if there is a website where you can post moving jobs or movers post availability for one-off/extra space situations?


----------



## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Can't you stick it all on the train, or share a container, on a truck, or get a truck or trailer on hire for a few days . we always hire a truck when moving things, but we are not talking about American distances. I sincerely wish you well It would be great for you to have this stuff. Alistair. Alistair and Alistair


----------



## vetwoodworker (Sep 23, 2013)

freightquote.com does space available


----------



## generic (Jan 9, 2014)

Have you looked into renting a u-haul truck, or if your family friend will load it, U-haul has U-Boxes that you could use. They seem like a neat idea. they drop off containers, pick them up and ship them.


----------



## UpstateNYdude (Dec 20, 2012)

Try ABF moving or you can always rent a Uhual and take a couple days off lol.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

U-Haul solution won't work, unfortunately - I don't have the time to move it myself. I got a quote of $2,300 from PackRat (a PODS competitor) for making the delivery with a half trailer. I also put some REALLY rough figures into FreightQuote and got bids in the $700-$1500 range, but the problem is none of the lumber or equipment is crated or palleted. and I don't really know how to estimate the load amount in terms that FreightQuote accepts. That site doesn't really seem well equipped for inputs like "half a truck of lumber and a few pieces of heavy machinery, all tied down." I suppose I can give them a call to see if an agent can help guide me.


----------



## brtech (May 26, 2010)

You can look into UPack, which is the same basic idea as PODs, but cheaper, and more flexible. They drop off a 28' trailer, you load it, then they haul it to where you are going, drop it off and you unload it. Then they pick up the trailer. They charge you a fixed amount for the first 6' of linear space in the trailer, and then you pay a per foot charge for more. It's cheaper, but not half the cost. If that doesn't work out, then the only thing that would be cheaper is UHaul, and you drive it.

You can hire moving labor on either side to help loading and tie-down.

I've used UPack for a household move across the country (LA to Western PA). It worked great.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

I did get a UPack quote of about $2,300 - so, similar to PackRat.

Can anyone shed some light on what I'd need to do in order to ship a load of hardwood slabs and a few big tools via a carrier found on FreightQuote? Those rates are well within reason, but I'm not sure what I'd need to arrange in order to comply with their policies/applicable freighting regulations.

I really appreciate everyone's advice!


----------



## generic (Jan 9, 2014)

have you looked at the site that they talk about on shipping wars? I think it is U-Ship or something like that.


----------



## brtech (May 26, 2010)

First, what I found with PODS and PackRat was that it was hard to estimate the size container needed, and of course you had to get one that was at least as big as you needed (or more than one). Comparing ABF (UPack's parent) cost for the trailer option vs the container option favored the trailer version, and it is exactly the size you need if you pack efficiently. Still, it's not going to be $1500.

Usually, a freight company requires a shipment be on pallets or in boxes. The pallets usually have to be stackable to some reasonable height. They can sometimes deal with odd freight but it's usually expensive and there is often a lot of damage.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

Spoke with FreightQuote. The rep actually called me to follow up on my online quote, and when I explained my situation he said that they don't really have a solution for this type of move. He pointed me to a company called Small Move Solutions; I'll follow up with them, but at this point I'm not getting my hopes up.

Worst case scenario, my parents are visiting our friend this summer and at least offered to bring back as much lumber as they can cram in the car.


----------



## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

When I "escaped" NY to come back to Wisconsin I bit the bullet on a $4,000 trailer that survived 2 round trips (probably 1,100 miles each way) and is still worth about half that. But all in, having to lock-out the over-drive on the truck in the hills of NY/PA I80 and dealing with maybe 8mpg, not so sure it was worth it. Driving on the interstate around here I see big trucks "dead-heading" in both directions. I recall a few outfits trying to take advantage of that (win-win for both the hauler and the shipper) but I guess the trucking industry will never change. Really a shame that you can shop on-line all you want but that is simply a tease…once they have your stuff, you can throw your agreement away. Kinda a shame I think.


----------



## MrStyle (Aug 30, 2013)

Are there any exotic wood dealers in your area ? perhaps you could work a deal with them and split the shipping costs of getting the material to your area and they get some of the slabs that arrive…just a thought..


----------



## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

Lookie. You are getting a great deal. Ship it all, sell what you need to in order to recoup the cost. Prollem solved.


----------



## fge (Sep 8, 2008)

Not sure I would give up hope at all. I had a large shipment come from CA to San Antonio TX last year. The fella charged me 1,200.00 and he basically gave me a floor space of 12' wide by 20' long and like 10' high. I don't even recall exactly what I bought, but I filled the floor space with a large auction I did online out in CA. I made out like a bandit, thought LE was going to have me on their radar after landing some very sweet deals.

Not sure if the fella I spoke with in CA can help you any, but if you can get someone to sell you some floor space, you should do well.

There will be the issue with the lumber since it would have to be secured somehow, which would require likely getting it on a pallet or two pallets and strapped down securely.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

Well, I actually got the go-ahead from my wife to go with the PackRat solution provided I cover the cost of the move by selling part of the haul. And on that note, it turns out I have absolutely no room for a gigantic planer in my tiny workshop - any LJers in MN interested in putting dibs on it ? I'll also be selling some slabs and possibly other tools.

I'll call the friend tomorrow and ask him if he can send me pictures of the wood and equipment, and also estimate how much he can fit in a 12 ft. Pack-Rat container.


----------



## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

I did something similar years ago when I worked for Exxon as they were shutting down / converting their old Full Serve stations / mechanic shops to the convenience store format we are too familiar with these days… They rented a Penske moving truck with a tommy lift.

You *could* use a truck with a ramp, some levers, and some heavy duty moving dollies to get that gear up into that truck if there is no lift gate. So just about any rental box truck should to the job…

I would NOT recommend renting Uhaul trucks though. They typically are not well maintained and I have serious doubt as to their safety on a long haul road trip.

If you have a pickup truck, or large SUV with some decent towing capacity, it would be cheaper, and much lower load height to just rent a cargo trailer for the job…


----------



## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I'd check prices on a 26' box truck: Penske, Uhaul and Ryder. My dad priced all three when moving ~600 miles south, one way and Penske came in the cheapest at about $950, another $180 (13.5mpg, 600 miles, $4.00/gallon diesel) for fuel, your cost would be more, but you'd be in the ballpark. The big advantage to the larger trucks is they all have them so the price can sometimes be more competitive and you're less likely to come close to the maximum payload as the stuff you're talking about isn't exactly light weight.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

I don't have anyone to transport, so I think a PODS-type solution is the way to go. (It turns out U-Pack actually is what I need to use; Pack-Rat can't bring a unit to Asheville, so I'd have to use a truck with no lift gate.)


----------



## DiggerJ (Mar 12, 2014)

try uship.com. We use them to ship vending machines. hard to beat the deals when people bid to haul your stuff.


----------



## dirtycurty (Jan 29, 2014)

Like generic said, try U-ship.com. That's the company on the TV show "Shipping Wars". They supposedly bid on shipments and if they have a partial load that is coming the same general direction they will pick it up to make a full load.


----------



## DiggerJ (Mar 12, 2014)

We have asked some pretty stringent requests on shipping, and they have done very well for us.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

Thanks for the U-Ship tips. Once again, I've had a new development. It looks like my parents are taking a trip to visit NC and two of their friends are coming with them - one of whom drives a truck as part of his job. He's agreed to drive a big U-Haul back from NC (with me paying for the truck and for incidentals). I estimate total cost to be something like $1,500 for the truck and gas plus $200 for incidentals.

Now the only question is, is it possible to move a 500+ pound planer up a ramp into a U-Haul? How many people do you think would be needed to do that, and how can it be done safely? Also, the estimate is that everything would fit in a 14' truck but I'm planning on getting a 17' truck with a roughly 3-ton weight limit.

Edit: interestingly, according to U-Haul's site the 14' truck has a higher weight limit than the 17' truck - so maybe I'll go with that.


----------



## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Stop in at Harbour Freight, and pick up a few of their "Furniture Dollies" they have. Just a frame with four casters under it. Couple of them under that big planer, add a few ropes to pull the load up the ramp, and strap it down tight. Use the same system to unload it, just won't do for the planer to "free wheel" down the ramp, you know. Load it first, then add the rest of your items.


----------



## JerrodMcCrary (Jan 1, 2014)

The safest way would be to rent a uHaul with a lift gate, I don't know if that would cost a lot more. I know the people loading and unloading it would be very happy.


----------



## JerrodMcCrary (Jan 1, 2014)

I just thought about Penske truck rental. They have one in NC and Minnesota. Worth to get a quote. I checked and they offer one with a 1000 lb lift.


----------



## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

You could use a Come-Along to pull the planer up the ramp. It can also be used to control running it down the ramp. I have seen others that have a longer cable so it wouldn't need to be done in stages. FWIW


----------



## fuigb (Apr 21, 2010)

I was a part of a debacle involving the move of a five-foot high commercial estimated by the pros at about 1k. Went right up the ramp but we had six guys and none were drinking beer.

This thread is entertaining and all but I agree with Bucket: this windfall is found money so do what it takes to get the load home and then sell what you must. This stuff will change your life so knuckle under and do it! Aside: the two hundred for incidentals sounds like diners at Shoney's and a few bags of Doritos. Treat that man right or you'll go down as King Cheapskate.


----------



## bowedcurly (Aug 31, 2013)

if it's coming from rural NC you can find A farmer with a tractor& loader somewhere around out of town and it will pick that planer up very easy, but I live on a farm and that's my way of thinking, but comealongs electric wench ect will work.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

Thanks Jerrod - I may look into the cost for a Penske with a lift gate. I fear it may be cost-prohibitive, in which case I'll ask the family friend if he has any friends who might help load it (on my dime) or else I'll see if I can find loading assistance on Craigslist or something.

And I was just estimating $200 for incidentals based on my parents' travel tendencies (frugal). As long as it's not excessive, I'm fine reimbursing for more than that.

Unfortunately, now I have another issue. I don't know whether this planer is single-phase or three-phase. I have a 220v outlet in my workshop, but it's single-phase (it's currently powering a rewired R4512). If the planer is single-phase I can demo it to buyers; I'll have to make a long 220v extension cord, but since it would just be for a short demo I think that would be ok. But if it's three-phase I'm not sure what to do - my only other 220v circuits are for standard appliances (e.g. dryer), and I think they are also single-phase.

I wouldn't expect anyone to buy a machine without seeing it work in person, but the best I can think of is to have my family friend take a video of it in action to prove it worked when it left his house, and then let prospective buyers inspect it as much as they want before purchase and give them a return/refund window if they get it home and it doesn't work (and is in the same condition it was when it left my house).

Are there better options? I suppose I could try to find a friend with a three-phase outlet who'd be willing to hold the planer and let me demo it for sale at his place, but that's a long shot - I don't know a lot of people who are likely to have one. Any suggestions?

Thanks again to everyone for all of the ongoing and shifting advice - this has certainly turned into an interesting (and hopefully successful) project!


----------



## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

If you're planning on selling the planer once you get it, I'd say also look around for a buyer at its current location. If you can sell it there you solve the problem of moving it, and also you or your friend can demo it with its current power supply.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

That would make sense, but in all honesty I'm somewhat reluctant to let him know I have to sell it to cover the cost of the move :-(. I feel pretty bad about it, and in a perfect world I'd keep the planer and get a new circuit installed to use it. But I have a new baby coming in July and some pretty significant expenses on the horizon, and the only way I can finance the shipping is by selling some of the goods.


----------



## JerrodMcCrary (Jan 1, 2014)

I have read that some people call different pickup locations and they have different prices depending on inventory. Some say the AAA discount through Penske is pretty good.


----------



## GoldPanner (Mar 20, 2013)

I hope that I am some help here as a Truck Driver OVer the road for 35 years there's a way to move a load like you have there … what you have is called Less Than Load or in the business of trucking is called LTL now if you call any of the LTL company's they will haul your load or another group is called Hotshots where a pickup with a 30 foot trailer does the same as LTL company's but at a lower cost that way you are involved in the move only to calling to have it moved.Where in MN do you live? If in the twins then there I would think would be a few company's that are looking to load their trailers with a partial load coming home and if not they should help you with who to call. Remember to say that you have Less That Load or LTL and that should help you move your load at a fraction of the price.

Don


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

Don, I looked briefly into an LTL option but my understanding is that everything has to be palleted or crated - which we can't do. Is that not the case? With a U-Haul, everything can be loaded in loose and strapped down securely; if a LTL truck can do that too, I'd be very interested in exploring the option.

Also, do most LTL trucks have lift gates? The load would be picked up at two locations (my friend's house and a rental area that he either uses for storage or workspace), neither of which has a loading dock or forklift.


----------



## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

It has bee quite some time since you first posted this thread. I hope the "major score" is still available after all this time. This is the kind of thing one has to grab up as quickly as possible, or someone else may have plans to grab it. "He who hesitates is lost".


----------



## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Look at Budget Trucks too. I was able to rent a budget for $1000 when a U-Haul was $1500 and Penske was $1200. I can drive Budget for $500. I can't remember what tools you were getting but in my shop I would keep the planer and sell other tools. That is a tool to own. Don't know what you plan to build though.


----------



## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

Update, especially for those in MN!

My parents are taking a trip to NC to visit family and friends and offered to fly one-way and drive a U-Haul back (I'll pay for the plane fare and for the U-Haul costs). They're leaving on Monday, arriving back home the following Sunday or Monday. I'm hoping I can round up enough friends to help me unload everything, and I'll take some pictures if people want to see what came in the haul. I'll also be selling off some of the wood and/or tools to finance the cost of the haul.

New question: the planer is single phase 220v. My only 220v outlet is in my small lower-level shop, and I don't think I can get the planer in there. Would it be really, really bad if I made a long - like, 30-50 ft - 220v extension cord with some really low-gauge wire? My shop is on the same level as the garage, so I'd be running the cord from the shop, through the laundry room, and out the door to the garage.


----------



## Nugs (Apr 5, 2013)

> Update, especially for those in MN!
> 
> My parents are taking a trip to NC to visit family and friends and offered to fly one-way and drive a U-Haul back (I ll pay for the plane fare and for the U-Haul costs). They re leaving on Monday, arriving back home the following Sunday or Monday. I m hoping I can round up enough friends to help me unload everything, and I ll take some pictures if people want to see what came in the haul. I ll also be selling off some of the wood and/or tools to finance the cost of the haul.
> 
> ...


Shouldn't be a problem if it's sized correctly. The biggest problem I could see is not being able to find flexible cable in the gauge you need to compensate for the voltage drop, so you'd have to use an armored cable.

Here's a calculator, industry standard is no more than 3% voltage drop from panel to motor http://www.southwire.com/support/voltage-drop-calculator.htm


----------

