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need help in Houston

Kevin Jenness

Kevin Jenness

Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
832
Likes
684
Location
Huntington, VT
I am considering buying a lathe in Houston and having it shipped to VT. Normally I wouldn't buy a used machine that I can't inspect in person, but this is a nice looking solid Vicmarc recently taken from service at an attractive price, not too much that can go wrong with it and parts are available. What I need is someone who could inspect it, check for any problems and arrange to palletize or crate it and deliver it to a freight depot for shipment. The lathe is on a stand and weighs in the neighborhood of 700#. I don't believe the seller has a forklift so a rollback truck, drop trailer or similar, or several strong backs, would be needed. I'm willing to pay a reasonable fee for the service. Any suggestions?
 
I hired a machinery mover and rigger when I bought a big architectural lathe in Arizona. Made that initial purchase price seem not so reasonable, but I was talking 3,000 pounds. They charged $600 just for the skids. I was not in a negotiating position.
 
I probably will have to hire such a service if I do this, but am hoping to get specific local recommendations. It's hard to know who to trust from a distance. If I were on the scene I would look for a towing company that would work with me to get it on a pallet.
 
You could look into UShip.com and get a competitive bid on shipping your machine, many of these haulers will coordinate
the loading and unloading of the equipment for you, saving you money in the long run.
 
Kevin Jenness said:
I am considering buying a lathe in Houston and having it shipped to VT. Normally I wouldn't buy a used machine that I can't inspect in person, but this is a nice looking solid Vicmarc recently taken from service at an attractive price, not too much that can go wrong with it and parts are available. What I need is someone who could inspect it, check for any problems and arrange to palletize or crate it and deliver it to a freight depot for shipment. The lathe is on a stand and weighs in the neighborhood of 700#. I don't believe the seller has a forklift so a rollback truck, drop trailer or similar, or several strong backs, would be needed. I'm willing to pay a reasonable fee for the service. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Just a thought- would it be worth flying to Texas for a few days to inspect the lathe and arrange shipping?
 
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