# moving my shop



## pinky (Mar 28, 2019)

I would appreciate any comments/tips/bewares for an upcoming 1400 mile move. I am moving my shop in a 20' enclosed trailer with ramp door. 7k capacity, will look for info but guessing 2400lb. trailer, leaving a 4600lb load. I feel I will hit the weight cap before filling the trailer. 1k lathe, 500lb bandsaw, etc., etc. Not going to take long to add up. Anyway, I would like suggestions on the bandsaw. Not enough height to stand up. I was thinking of screwing two U shaped 2" x 4" cradle to the trailer floor and laying the bandsaw on its' spine in a cradle. Make sense? Laguna LT18. For you Florida guys... I have had a shop here in Wi. for many years attached to my garage and haven't had to deal with any rust issues. How bad will it be there and what to use on cast surfaces that won't leave residue on wood but protect the iron.


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## Sprung (Mar 29, 2019)

I would certainly lay a bandsaw down for a move - tall; not a wide base; center of gravity higher (not necessarily high, but certainly higher than other machines) - and I would think the cradle idea you have is a good one. The times I've moved my bandsaw, I have laid it down - and that's just for a Delta 14" w/ riser block. I would also remove the table from the bandsaw to move it - I cracked a trunion on mine when I first got it because I didn't know any better.

As far as loading up the trailer, I do think you will run into capacity issues, depending on what all is in your shop and what you are planning to move. I have had to consider opportunities to move twice in the last 9 months. The thought of moving my machines, lumber, tools, etc did not play a factor in my decision either time, but I did think about both times what it would take to move my whole shop, even coming up with a rough estimate of the total weight of everything. Even my shop was going to be roughly 5,000lbs of machines, tools, workbenches, etc to move. And that was factoring in that my heaviest machine is a Unisaw. That also did not factor in the weight of my lumber and turning stock, which I would have also moved, and would have added another roughly 3,500lbs to the total weight.

I will admit that I was surprised at the total weight of everything - I never would have guessed it would had added up to roughly 5,000lbs - but that number is pretty close and did include me looking up weights of the machines I own and estimating weights of things like workbenches, outfeed table, etc, based upon what materials it took to build them, and then also giving some consideration to approximate weight of all the various other tools, toolboxes, etc.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## pinky (Mar 29, 2019)

It's not going to be pretty considering my uni is probably 5th or 6th in weight. Going to get rid of half of the wood stash... that brings a tear to the eye. Not to mention, I'm getting too old for this chit!

Reactions: Sincere 1


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## Foot Patrol (Mar 29, 2019)

@pinky Where in Florida will you be moving to? We are building a house in Pensacola and should be closing in a few weeks.


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## pinky (Mar 29, 2019)

@Foot Patrol 
Marco Island... was planning this for a few years down the road but my daughter just accepted at UCF in fall so we moved it up. In state tuition after one year and no payroll state tax on my wifes' salary, home office, made the decision for us. Plus no more Wisconsin winters... need I say more. Moving at the end of July.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Sprung (Mar 29, 2019)

Certainly would add cost to the move, and assuming you only want to make one trip to drive down yourself (instead of making a second trip back to get more), would something like a PODS container work to transport some of it? Certainly not all of it though, with the weight capacity of the units. But could get some of it there so you don't overload the trailer. Or UPack offers a 28' trailer with an over 22,000lb load capacity that they drop off, you load/pack, they drive it down. That much load capacity could also mean not having to part with any of the wood stash and you'd even have room in there to get at least some of the household stuff after the shop and wood is loaded.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## Ray D (Mar 29, 2019)

As far as rust on the cast iron tools down here in Florida.....I just put a coat of wax on my unpainted surfaces and never have a problem. Heck, some don’t even have a coat of wax on them and I have never noticed a problem.
Ray

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## pinky (Mar 29, 2019)

I was thinking a uhaul one way pulling the trailer. Not taking much furniture, the house is furnished but I will look into the pod.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Bigg081 (Mar 29, 2019)

Rust in Florida...I think it depends more on distance from the beach. I’m the beach the salt is heavy. As a crow flies I’m 20ish miles away from the water and zero problems. 



Foot Patrol said:


> @pinky Where in Florida will you be moving to? We are building a house in Pensacola and should be closing in a few weeks.


Where in Pensacola? Message me if you want.


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## rocky1 (Mar 29, 2019)

Moving to south Florida, from Wisconsin, end of July... Boy are you in for a treat!! 

Before you contemplate unloading ANYTHING. Put the biggest, baddest cooler you own, at the back of the trailer. Go directly to Wally World, pick up 12 cases of Gatorade, and 20 lbs of ice, and load that puppy up! You may have to go back and refill it before you get the trailer unloaded. 


Don't take this wrong John, but I've made a living driving light duty trucks (_1 ton to semi tractor stretched to 10 wheeler w/25 ft. flatbed, grossing 40,000+ lbs. dragging 6000 lbs of trailer and forklift_), hauling goodies up and down the highway for a lot of years. U-Hauls can be notoriously under-powered, and most are governed. From Wisconsin to south Florida, you're going over Mount Eagle in Tennessee. If my memory serves me correctly that is something like 7 miles of 14o grade downhill on the southbound side. @SENC could probably tell you how many curves there are, I used to know but I've avoided that route for years. With an overloaded trailer, behind a moderately loaded single axle light to medium-light duty truck, going up may be very slow going, and you may run a little warm. Coming down this side of the hill, slow down to about 20 mph, and control your speed! That means pump the brakes to cut your speed, DO NOT ride them. If they overheat and glaze over, YOU ARE GOING FOR A RIDE!! 

Then you're going to have traffic in Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta to contend with, with an under-powered truck, and a trailer behind you. The first two can be aggravating at rush hour, the latter can be a b!tch putting it in the most polite terms I know how, in just about anything. Mount Eagle I can deal with, Atlanta I will drive 100 miles or more out of my way to avoid. I would suggest finding Nashville about 9:30 on a Sunday morning, or 8 at night and not stopping until I was south of Macon, GA, about 5 1/2 hours later, if all goes well. Mount Eagle is in the middle!! 

I'd look into the Pod honestly! 

Sounds like you're pushing the limits on the trailer pretty hard, and behind a U-Haul, unless you make your living driving a truck and know how to work the hills, and there's some big hills in there, some of the terrain you're going to be driving can be pretty tough. If you're not governed, hills aren't too bad with a heavy trailer behind you, governed they're going to be really tough. You can't get any speed up to climb the next hill, when you hit the governor it's going to do everything possible to slow you down, and will on most. On the really big hills, it probably won't, and there you can get in trouble real easy, with that kind of load on the trailer. 

Then there is all the truck scales you will have to stop at; Agriculture inspection stations. And, the truck regulatory yo-yos you will have to deal with. And, if one of them weighs your trailer, and looks at the axles, and decides you are over-loaded, which they are known to do, you're going to pay fines, and you're going to have to figure out how to get your load right before he'll let you leave. Which is not a big problem with bees on, you just climb up on top of the load, cut the net and start throwing bee hives off; usually about the second one that hits the ground and explodes, they decide you're close enough. I don't think you want to toss your tools out side the road however, and you won't have any help to move them to the truck, and... it's just something you want to avoid. 

Last time I was coming back from ND in the 1 ton, Truck Regulatory ran me down in Mississippi, for no reason. I was abiding by the law, saw him in the median a half mile ahead, from a dead stop at a red light. Pulled me over, inspected everything on the truck, lights horn, wipers, kicked all the tires, measured tread depth, checked vehicle inspection certificate, ran my license, medical card, wanted my log book. I didn't have a log book. Told him I hadn't been on the road 2 hours, hadn't driven 4 hours the previous day, didn't know I was required log book on the truck it doesn't gross 26,600 lbs. and doesn't fall under CDL requirement. He explained that because it was commercially licensed, more than 100 miles from base of operation, log book is required. He let me slide, everything else was in order, I was polite and cooperative, didn't rattle when he questioned where I had stayed 20 minutes after my telling him. But, he could have parked me beside the road for 10 hours, simply for not having a log book, in a commercially licensed vehicle, even though it does NOT meet the criteria to require commercial drivers license. The laws on trucks are truly stupid! And, a few of the yo-yos that enforce them are too. 

You'll be passing within 20 minutes of me on I-75, just across the Florida line, shout when you get closer, bees will be in ND then, so I'll be slowed down some; if I can get away I'll run over and take a picture with you quick, buy you a burger, or something.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1 | Great Post 1


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## pinky (Mar 30, 2019)

@rocky1 
Damn Rocky, you trying to make me keep my snow shovels? Just kidding, I appreciate the comments. I have been down there in summer so I know what you're saying. I still will take that over the polar vortex and no sun for 5 months. I have made the drive many times over the last 4 years and agree with all you say. I have found leaving at 4am on a Saturday morning has been pretty smooth as far as traffic. I have driven the 24 hrs. straight through as well as spending the night in Georgia. I plan on taking my time on this drive, no hurry at all. Last year, I pulled my boat down thru the mountains and it was uneventful. However, I hadn't considered your comments about a governed vehicle or stopping at weigh stations, didn't think I would have to. You have given me plenty to consider, thanks! Just can't let the wife see your post or my mind will be made up for me.


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## rocky1 (Mar 30, 2019)

Yeah, the scales will run down u-hauls occasionally, but they're usually busy harassing people that do it for a living. The Ag Stations here run then down all the time. They'll even make you open the back, climb up, and make sure you aren't hauling any contriband. 

We bought a used international rental truck a few years back. Despised that POS!!! 65 mph down hill, then under-powered up the hill. Finally had them turn it up so I could get a little speed down hill. Cruise had its own settings so it wouldn't work, had to go back to the shop and turn it up too.

Done the straight through routine a few times, left Sioux City, IA at noon one time, was sitting in the yard down here 23 hours later.


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## Gdurfey (Mar 30, 2019)

See those U-Hauls with “Adventure in Moving”.......... I hate that phrase!!!!!

Best wishes!!


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## sprucegum (Mar 30, 2019)

rocky1 said:


> Yeah, the scales will run down u-hauls occasionally, but they're usually busy harassing people that do it for a living. The Ag Stations here run then down all the time. They'll even make you open the back, climb up, and make sure you aren't hauling any contriband.
> 
> We bought a used international rental truck a few years back. Despised that POS!!! 65 mph down hill, then under-powered up the hill. Finally had them turn it up so I could get a little speed down hill. Cruise had its own settings so it wouldn't work, had to go back to the shop and turn it up too.
> 
> Done the straight through routine a few times, left Sioux City, IA at noon one time, was sitting in the yard down here 23 hours later.



Some friends went to FL. a few years back in the winter to ride motor cycles. One of the guys had a cattle trailer so they loaded it with Harleys and headed south, they encountered a Ag Station but did not stop. Ag boys saw the cattle trailer and pulled them over but let them go since hauling hogs was fine. Everyone got a big laugh.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## sprucegum (Mar 30, 2019)

By the way I am moving my shop 2 miles and am truly dreading it.

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## rocky1 (Mar 30, 2019)

Ag guys here are pretty laid back unless you give them attitude, then they become law enforcement officers. 

Occasionally find one that's gung ho, but most of them are pretty decent guys if you stop and chat.


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## dennisp42 (Mar 30, 2019)

Interesting comments. I'm moving from Florida-- East of Tampa-- to NC. The pod sounds interesting. Here in NC now looking for a house. We will be going back in a couple weeks to put our home on the market. We've been there for 41 years. Great home in a great area but we are tired of the heat. UCF is a great school, we live about 40 minutes away--closer to USF. We're near the intersection of I-75 and I-4, a perfect location.

Never had problems with my tools and rust. I clean every once in a while with WD-40, wipe down and then a coat or two of Johnson's Paste Wax. Be sure you get a air conditioned shop, the 90 degree weather makes it miserable. I purchased a portable roll around AC. It drops the temp into the 80's and makes it tolerable.

Good Luck.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## pinky (Mar 30, 2019)

@dennisp42 
That's funny... you are escaping the hot and we're escaping the cold. Born and raised in Wisconsin. In 1989 me and my girlfriend moved to Hawaii. Been married since 91. Our first was born in Hawaii in 97 and when pregnant with #2 in '99 decided to raise them back home near family. The parents/grandparents we moved back to be near all passed on, it's time to be done with winter. Again! Nothing as nice as the Hawaii weather but that's not in the cards, want to able to travel and visit kids wherever they end up.

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## Arn213 (Mar 30, 2019)

Summer heat, humidity, rust on tools is southern part of living- then every year there is hurricane season! Hurricane season is not a joke- I rather move snow than be flooded! If you got used to real cold winters and cooler summers, wait till you experience mid summers down south and mid day sun. I know John, I am not helping, but I am up north east originally and acclimating to the summers in the south will be a task if you got used to cold seasons. The nice thing is that in late December you can be out with just a long sleeve shirt and no jacket, plus no snow!

Have a climate controlled environment in your shop, make sure your new place is double zoned for cooling/heating. Have a refrigerator in your shop filled with cold drinks and have cool brewskis available and handy 

Rocky had some really good tips and pointers!

Reactions: Like 1


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## dennisp42 (Mar 30, 2019)

dennisp42 said:


> Interesting comments. I'm moving from Florida-- East of Tampa-- to NC. The pod sounds interesting. Here in NC now looking for a house. We will be going back in a couple weeks to put our home on the market. We've been there for 41 years. Great home in a great area but we are tired of the heat. UCF is a great school, we live about 40 minutes away--closer to USF. We're near the intersection of I-75 and I-4, a perfect location.
> 
> Never had problems with my tools and rust. I clean every once in a while with WD-40, wipe down and then a coat or two of Johnson's Paste Wax. Be sure you get a air conditioned shop, the 90 degree weather makes it miserable. I purchased a portable roll around AC. It drops the temp into the 80's and makes it tolerable.
> 
> Good Luck.


Yeah, you are coming down and we're moving 1/2 way up. We've been coming here for at least 10 years and have fallen in love with the area--Hayesville/Murphy. We might go to North GA. It's all part of the same area.


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## rocky1 (Mar 30, 2019)

Know where you're coming from John. I was born and raised here in North Florida, married a gal in North Dakota and moved up there close to her family, since mine was traveling back and forth at the time. Divorced after 18 years, stayed close for the kids' sake for several years. They're all grown and gone, figured if they want to see me, they know where I live. 

Started migrating back and forth with the bees again; not having to deal with ND winters was GREAT!! Remarried down here, wife's mother and my dad are 80+, mom hits 80 in a year or so. Dad and the mother-in-law's health was not good a couple years ago, so I quit traveling and reentered Florida summers after, oh... 40+ years. There are days it wipes me out, not going to lie, but I'm busting ass in a physically demanding job, at 60 years old too. Yeah, it gets hot, just slow down and stay hydrated. 

Oh... Unload the U-Haul at night!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Sincere 1


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