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Any Tips on packing/moving the shop?

1K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  Bluenote38 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hey Folks - about 60 days until we list and (hopefully) sell. I need to pack and move the shop. All of the Stationary tools (Table Saw Band Saw, RAS, Lathe) are on wheels so those are pretty easy. It's the host of hand tools and hardware laying about. I've packed a small fraction in a layered chest (6 layers) and have a second one I can gin up. Any other thoughts?

Wood Wood stain Floor Hardwood Flooring


By the way they are headed to a storage unit first (for 3-6 months) before finally arrive at their final destination.

Wood Shelving Rectangle Gas Tints and shades


I'm pretty sure we will be in an apartment for that duration too.

Wood Gas Rectangle Machine Engineering
 

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#2 ·
Bill,
You just described my exact situation. After 25 years in the same space, I am crating up all my tools and moving. The addition complication is that I have to finish one last project. ( A bedside table for my neighbor.) It's a little tricky since most of my tools are already packed. Rolling tool boxes contain most of my hand tools and they will be moved intact.

I am going to a storage space as well. Still trying to find the next shop but my requirements are more confining to the process than my wife's. It was her idea to move so I am digging my heels in on future shop space.

BTW your local home center has fairly cheap plastic bins for small tools and miscellaneous small stuff.
Good luck with the move.
 
#3 ·
Bill, you didn't say if you're doing the moving or if a company will be doing it. This can be vital for damage and insurance issues you may have after it all gets unpacked again. For my last move everything had to be packed by the company for the items to be insured, I had to fight with the packers because they just wanted to load my tool cases into the truck, & I insisted that they went into boxes and not be as easily "lift-able" while in transit, or when they were re-packed into the storage crates. Growing up, my father lost a large portion of his tools during a move & I guess I was a borderline A-hole wit the company, but I didn't care if any of the losses would be insured, I didn't want any BS about replacement costs etc.

Once you know the coverage requirements if you're using a moving company, I would use photo & video to fully document all of your items.

Good Luck, I hope you're moving to your dream shop…
 
#4 ·
Plastic wrap and lots of it! I got the small, heavy duty boxes and for the stuff that was going into longer term storage (6-12 months) I had desiccant packs in the boxes and wrapped them with plastic wrap for an extra layer of protection. Don't make any boxes too heavy, I had a couple of wooden boxes that I pack stuff into until they were over 300lbs. so they automatically required a hand truck or at minimum two healthy people. I moved all my bigger machinery 600 miles in the winter on an open trailer and after liberally spraying everything down with Bostik Topcote (over priced wax) I then wrapped everything with 3-4 layers of plastic wrap and everything survived the trip complete with occasional salt spray with no ill effect. The very corner of one of my bandsaws tore through the plastic wrap enroute, I caught it and hosed it down with WD-40 during a fuel stop and I got only very slight surface rust that was easily cleaned off. I thought about getting an enclosed U-haul but loading some of the heavy stuff would have been difficult alone not being able to get it close and tip it onto the open trailer.
 
#5 ·
Good points - I like the idea of just "a few" bins for the small stuff. This is a 25 Mile radius move to downsize from a 3600sqft Colonial to and 1800-2300sqft Ranch. The household will be moved by me and a few friends for general boxes and a moving company for the furniture. My tools will be moved by me and a couple of close friends that know the value of the tools. The basic plan is the shed a LOT of stuff before we move - like a 1,000 Sqft of crap and another 1,000sqft of basement crap too.

I do know what you mean though. In our move from Memphis to Detroit my jointer was broken and needed repair as was the table saw. I got my "$0.60/lb" reimbursement. Several other things were broken and scratched too.
 
#7 ·
I'd take the opportunity to purge Bill. If you're like me, you see hardware or materials or tools and think "that will be useful". But a couple of years later, I'm still tripping over it waiting for it to be useful… I'm sure you have enough stuff to haul, don't add 80 pounds of drywall screws you've been squirreling away for "just in case" ;-P
 
#8 ·
I d take the opportunity to purge Bill. If you re like me, you see hardware or materials or tools and think "that will be useful". But a couple of years later, I m still tripping over it waiting for it to be useful… I m sure you have enough stuff to haul, don t add 80 pounds of drywall screws you ve been squirreling away for "just in case" ;-P

- HokieKen
I have about 20lbs of miscelaneous fastener hardware I'll NEVER use. But the second I purge any of it, guess who needs exactly one 5/16 wing nut…
 
#9 ·
I d take the opportunity to purge Bill. If you re like me, you see hardware or materials or tools and think "that will be useful". But a couple of years later, I m still tripping over it waiting for it to be useful… I m sure you have enough stuff to haul, don t add 80 pounds of drywall screws you ve been squirreling away for "just in case" ;-P

- HokieKen

I have about 20lbs of miscelaneous fastener hardware I ll NEVER use. But the second I purge any of it, guess who needs exactly one 5/16 wing nut…

- JohnMcClure
Too funny I was just thinking along those lines as I pawed around looking for 16 #8×1-1/2" Phillips Head wood screws to finish up this Swap. I have 5-6 cans of misc screws and can never find the right one or six. SO off the the hardware store to buy more. And I do have 5# of dry wall screws that I never use/need and 30# of various nails - all rusty and bent. There are tools I need to ditch too. I must have 50 Screwdrivers none of which are worthy of saving (all from the 60's and 70's with smelly plastic handles) a Framing nailer that's dead and a case of coil nails. More I'm sure
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
Moving the shop is royal PIA! Wish you luck.
Have moved 8 times in last 20 years. Twice had to put things into interim storage, so I guess that makes 10 moves? This has resulted in my entire shop being on wheels. Can honestly PACK & LOAD everything in 2+1 bay garage shop into moving truck in < 2 hours, except for lumber and chemicals.
Tricks that make moving easier:
1) Purge.
Why?
Cost of move/store/move .vs. sell and buy new. Every time you move junk you increase ownership cost. In a professional moving scenario, costs roughly $1 lb to move stuff between homes without storage costs. It is often cheaper to sell big/heavy stuff than move it.
So:
- Dump everything that is not used monthly/quarterly, and can easily be replaced after you move.
- Sell any poorly preforming tools, and buy new/better tools for next shop.
- Limit amount of nuts, bolts, household repair bits (electrical, plumbing, etc); each to ONE manageable sized tote box with only most important stuff. Most of that old stuff will never be used if building a NEW home.
- If you own common 3-5HP power tools, and local CL often has similar tools listed; sell the big tools and save yourself hassle of moving them twice. Do suggest that you keep common accessories that can not be replaced with similar used items. Used saw blades don't return a lot money, yet can cost hundreds to replace. Same goes for custom fixtures/jigs.

2) Use bins/totes/crates for storage of seldom used tools. Can open the bins, stuff in some packing if needed, and instantly ready to move.

3) Store bins/totes on wire rack shelves with wheels. When it comes time to move, forget handling every item; wrap the wire rack with plastic shrink wrap, and roll then entire stack of stuff onto the truck. This also helps keep stacking weight from crushing your wimpy plastic tool boxes. :)

4) Unless your mobile bases have 4"+ diameter wheels, plan on using furniture dolly when moving cast iron tools. First, the standard wimpy 2" wheels will not roll over edges of ramps, corrugated metal trailer flooring, or door thresholds. Second, you will learn just how sub-par the normal mobile base casters can be. I end up breaking multiple plastic casters in every move, and stopped trying to use mobile bases for moving heavy tools in/out of moving vehicles.

This topic has been discussed on LJ several times. Search and you find more cool ideas.
http://www.lumberjocks.com/search_results?cx=017914489645407774653%3Agwwk-zif3wk&cof=FORID%3A9&safe=high&q=moving+my+shop&sa=Search&siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lumberjocks.com%2F
 
#12 ·
The wood crates you made for your hand tools look like they will provide protection, but I would be more concerned about your machines. Even if any damage would be covered by insurance, that doesn't cover an item that is irreplaceable like a vintage machine. I moved my machines 2000 miles to a new home, but I did it myself with a rented truck. I would not trust any moving company with my tools, much less any furniture. How can you replace a 1800's piece of furniture? You will always take a chance with any moving company. If it is irreplaceable, I recommend moving it yourself, but if that is not possible, then build a wood crate for it. You could also consider PODS where you load the container yourself. Unless the entire container gets destroyed in a move, it's a good chance your goods will get to it's destination in one piece.
 
#13 ·
Bill - If you want to practice, my shop needs to get packed up later this spring. Not looking forward to that. I plan to move as much of the stuff as I can since we will be moving to an apartment then to the new place in July. Fortunately, it is a local move.
 
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