17 Jan
2015
17 Jan
'15
12:09 p.m.
So, I've recently shipped an antique computer across-country (in the USA), and
for those who need to do this, I can point out the shipper (well, technically,
a broker - they work with a range of companies who actually do the work)
which/whom I used:
Shiphawk
805-335-2432
http://shiphawk.com
Having learned (with me :-) a number of lessons about the potholes and
pitfalls of shipping antique computers, they should be pretty well up to speed
if someone else needs to do some shipping of same.
Key point: shipping of largish things is much cheaper if the item is
palletized. There are two kinds of shippers: cargo/freight people (I forget
the exact term), who only deal in palletized things, and so-called 'white
glove' shippers, who will move anything (they usually do furniture, hence the
name). I know palletization's not cheap, but you'll probably save more in
shipping than you spend on the preparation.
Noel
17 Jan
17 Jan
12:18 p.m.
For palletized freight, I've used FreightQuote (a broker) a few times to ship larger
computer purchases. Since I live on a rough, unpaved rural road, I specified that I'd
pick up from the local terminal of whatever shipper I selected (based on price). I live
fairly close to Ontario, CA, which is a major shipping hub, so I get lots of competitive
quotes instead of being stuck with one trucking company with a local terminal. Very
roughly, I've generally spent around $300 to move a pallet across the country.
I haven't tried any "white glove" or "padded van" shippers yet. I
learned of their existence back when I was contemplating getting a VAX-11/780. I ended up
getting a nice, fits-on-two-pallets 11/730 system instead. :)
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <nf6x at nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/
12:45 p.m.
On 01/17/2015 11:18 AM, Mark J. Blair wrote:
For palletized freight, I've used FreightQuote (a
broker) a few times to
ship larger computer purchases. Since I live on a rough, unpaved rural
road, I specified that I'd pick up from the local terminal of whatever
shipper I selected (based on price). I live fairly close to Ontario, CA,
which is a major shipping hub, so I get lots of competitive quotes
instead of being stuck with one trucking company with a local terminal.
Very roughly, I've generally spent around $300 to move a pallet across
the country.
I haven't tried any "white glove" or "padded van" shippers yet.
I
learned of their existence back when I was contemplating getting a
VAX-11/780. I ended up getting a nice, fits-on-two-pallets 11/730 system
instead. :)
That's a big problem I've found with trying to work out how to ship the
part of my collection that's still in the UK to the US - UK shippers seem
to go extremely quiet when they find out that I live miles inland in the
middle of nowhere; they can take on getting stuff to a sea port, but that
doesn't really help when it's still more than a thousand miles from the
desired destination.
I have a nasty feeling that I'll have to go with one of the "white glove"
companies at many times the cost, just because they'll be the only ones who
will handle the full journey. The other option would be to split it,
dealing with one company for the overseas freight, another to get my stuff
somewhere vaguely-close, then to hire a van and do the last few hundred
miles myself - but even thinking about the logistics of that (such that
stuff isn't sitting around for any length of time, which probably involves
huge fines) gives me a headache!
cheers
Jules
1:07 p.m.
On 1/17/15 9:45 AM, Jules Richardson wrote:
On 01/17/2015 11:18 AM, Mark J. Blair wrote:
Having moved my entire collection this past year (by myself with help
For palletized freight, I've used
FreightQuote (a broker) a few times to
ship larger computer purchases. Since I live on a rough, unpaved rural
road, I specified that I'd pick up from the local terminal of whatever
shipper I selected (based on price). I live fairly close to Ontario, CA,
which is a major shipping hub, so I get lots of competitive quotes
instead of being stuck with one trucking company with a local terminal.
Very roughly, I've generally spent around $300 to move a pallet across
the country.
I haven't tried any "white glove" or "padded van" shippers yet.
I
learned of their existence back when I was contemplating getting a
VAX-11/780. I ended up getting a nice, fits-on-two-pallets 11/730 system
instead. :)
That's a big problem I've found with trying to work out how to ship
the part of my collection that's still in the UK to the US - UK
shippers seem to go extremely quiet when they find out that I live
miles inland in the middle of nowhere; they can take on getting stuff
to a sea port, but that doesn't really help when it's still more than
a thousand miles from the desired destination.
I have a nasty feeling that I'll have to go with one of the "white
glove" companies at many times the cost, just because they'll be the
only ones who will handle the full journey. The other option would be
to split it, dealing with one company for the overseas freight,
another to get my stuff somewhere vaguely-close, then to hire a van
and do the last few hundred miles myself - but even thinking about the
logistics of that (such that stuff isn't sitting around for any length
of time, which probably involves huge fines) gives me a headache!
from friends), I can attest to having stuff palletized
makes the job a
whole lot easier. The only things that I didn't palletize
where the big
(heavy) items that already had casters (of sorts). In the end I think I
moved 30 pallets. Here in the US they're not particularly expensive. I
found a local manufacturer of pallets and was able to get them for < $6
each. I would load 8-10 on my truck to take them to where I was
packaging everything. Along the way I had also acquired a pallet jack
so it wasn't hard to move stuff around (even with 1000-1500lbs of stuff
on a pallet). All the "small" stuff was wrapped and put into boxes and
those boxes were put on the pallet. Once a pallet was sufficiently
"full", I used shipping strapping to secure everything and then wrapped
everything in "shrink wrap". I used the plastic strapping with a manual
tool but for really heavy loads, you probably want to use steel and a
much more expensive tensioner and crimper.
Loading and unloading the truck once everything was palletized was a breeze.
The trick with palletizing heavier gear is getting it on/off the
pallet. The biggest stuff I put on a pallet were my Symbolics 3640s.
For those I used my equipment lift (sort of a hand operated fork lift).
Also all of my loose RK05, RL01/2 and Fujitsu Eagles were all loaded on
pallets this way. Here are some pictures of the stuff after I've moved
it into my new shop but still on the pallets:
http://www.shiresoft.com/new-shop/Shiresoft/Almost_moved.html. By the
time I was done, the entire downstairs of the new shop was filled with
pallets...then I started to unpack. ;-)
However, getting back to the original question. I've shipped stuff with
both "white glove" movers and just regular freight companies. I've had
reasonable success with both. It all depends upon what you're moving
and how it's packed for shipping. If you don't have it packed/packaged,
then "white glove" is the way to go especially if it's just "big
stuff". However, if you have lots of "little" stuff that you can pack
into boxes, then putting them on a pallet and just using freight is
probably cheaper.
TTFN - Guy
12:35 p.m.
On 01/17/2015 11:09 AM, Noel Chiappa wrote:
I know palletization's not cheap
What's not cheap about it? Do you mean the prep-work, or the actual shipping?
Pallets seem to be readily obtainable in the US (unlike other countries,
where companies like to re-use them rather than treat them as a waste
item), so I'm surprised that a person can't acquire one, load it up
securely*, and then call a freight company to have it moved.
* except that do guidelines for this exist? Maximum heights, type and
number of straps required etc.?
cheers
Jules
3508
days inactive
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participants (4)
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ggs＠shiresoft.com -
jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu -
jules.richardson99＠gmail.com -
nf6x＠nf6x.net