Well, we're moving...

[phildcrowNOSPAM]

From the balmy shores of Lake Erie to the crisp, cool air of southern

Louisiana. In May. My wife is gonna hate this.

As for me, I'm very much looking forward to going home. I grew up outside New Orleans, and am very much looking forward to the first crawfish boil at the new house. Which, by the way, happens to have a garashop. Also, the prospect of wetting a line for specks and bull reds seems particularly appealing.

I gave away my snow shovel today :)

SWMBO will be entering her family practice residency at the local hospital, and I hope to work like a man possessed until August, at which time I will start to finish (?) my degree at LSU. If I can avoid working during that time, I can finish in 3 semesters. Student loans, Pell grants and Chapter 30 GI Bill are wonderful things.

Soooo, anybody have any suggestions on moving a shop full of gear? Boxes, schmoxes. Crates, schmates. I buy used. Stuff like, will the table saw be okay standing up in the truck, or should I take the table off and lay 'er down? Same with the jointer and bandsaw and drill press. Keep the cabinets and shelves on the walls (which are all pretty full), or just hope to rustle some up after the move? What the f**k am I gonna do with my workbench? Set it upside down and stack cabinets on top? By the way, anybody wants to help out on either end, I'm buying bratwurst (or shrimp poor boys) and beverages.

Now all I have to worry about is a job. Anybody have any leads for carpenters/pool men in Red Stick?

-Phil Crow

[Lew Hodgett]

Sounds like you are a registered coon ass.

Rent the biggest straight bed box truck you are comfortable driving, probably about 20-24 ft.

Pack the heavy tools against the forward bulkhead and tie in with nylon strap slings compete with take up reels.

(Same approach as the truckers use with either nylon straps or proof link chain and chain binders).

After the big stuff is secured in the truck, use large boxes from paper towels or equal to box up the small stuff.

Pack tight and secure with more nylon slings.

Been there, done that, have the T-Shirt.

It's a piece of cake.

Don't sweat the small stuff, enjoy the trip.

BTW, how long do you think it will take to rebuild that callus on your thumb so you can peel those crawdads in a hurry?

Lew

[George]

My condolences. Barksdale in the summer - yuk!

Everything should be standing as if it were in the shop. That's how it was engineered.

I'd haunt dumpsters at appliance-type places for cardboard to cut down on chafing, and foam to protect corners. I'd also buy a bunch of bungees to tie things together, with ratcheting tie-downs to make slide barriers inside the trailer. Remember, there's usually a lot of space underneath and inside of tools - fill it with other tools _after_ it's in the truck.

[Knothead]

Done that a few times. A short view of moving and the affects of Anheuser Busch products Contractor saw? Take the motor off.

1st move Chances are the most common tools you use are the easiest to reach for. Don't make the mistake of packing them first. Along with packing them first think about loading the truck. What are you going to need first when you unload. My first move I had the shop stuff all figgered out... I put the tools I would most likely need first in a coupla crates that were easily identified at the back of the truck. The plan was to unload the truck as quick as possible to get it back to the rental place. Then take our time unpacking. So we crack a beer and take to unloading a 24' Uhaul with a 18' trailer behind it in record time, we were damn proud. Only problem was the crates with those silly tools like prybars, screw guns etc. Came off the back of the truck first and went to the bottom of the pile in the new shop....

2nd move We're experts now... Local move so not in a hurry. SWMBO is putting boxes on the truck and filling the gaps around stuff already on the truck but not really packing tightly. Moral of the story. Don't pack the framed photos of the MIL underneath the table of the Unisaw.

3rd move I'm a pegboard fool when it comes to my shop. Bought a bunch of clear plastic storage bins (the 25 gallon ones). Put most of the pegboard items into those bins. Immediately upon arrival at the new shop I installed pegboard and unload stuff pretty much right back onto the walls in the same fashion it came down... Went very smoothly. Mama has a 1001 uses for those storage bins (and so do I) so it was $60 well spent.

Other notes on moving a shop: Beer after work not during... Including that free help that shows up on moving day. No need to disassemble anything really but remove all the bands, blades. knives etc Garbage cans hold a ton of stuff and are easily moved with a hand truck. Don't assume when you get to the new place there are tools you don't need right away. (See notes on first move) Boxes that don't get unpacked in the first month likely never will. Across town or across the country things are gunna shake loose. As advised earlier TIE EVERYTHING DOWN ( See 2nd move) If your friends on the shores of lake Erie help you load that 8ton Oliver planer who's going to be on shore of the gulf coast to unload it? Think about unloading, your back will be much fresher when you load than when you unload.

Knothead (Who has moved many many more times than noted here and care to mention)

[Highspeed]

I think you should drive your stuff to Canada and drop it on my door step. Much shorter drive! I would place it all in the truck standing up the way it is in the shop and then secure it so it won't tip over. As for the workbench, put it in a corner and then stack boxes underneath and lighter ones on the top.

Good luck with the move.

[taxpayer779]

southern

loans,

Your wife won't have time to hate it until her residency is over. Congrats on the move.

[phildcrowNOSPAM]

Hey, everybody, 'preciate the help.

Thanks.

-Phil Crow