Thread: Moving Machinery

G'day All.
Does anyone know of a reasonably priced machine mover in Melbourne? I've finally scored the lathe I wanted after a six month hunt and now the problem of getting it home and into the workshop has arrived. It has to come from Dandenong to Belgrave (not far) and some of the prices I've heard are terrifying. It weighs about 1800kg's any suggestions?
Thanks, Steve.

Grryphon,

You are in the busy end of Australia mate!
Well there must be somebody down there that delivers the new lathes from the sellers to the buyers.

If I can get a new lathe of 550kgs from Brisbane to Mackay quoted at $220 inc.insured, then there must be a company moving them around.

If they a specialist mover, one could expect to be pay a specialist price.

How do you reckon we get on in the bloody boondocks then?

A courier with the appropriate truck and a 5 ton Hiab? Ring them up and ask. Whats the round trip take in time?

Crikey $50 or $60 per hour plus a flat fee for the truck does sound too much to handle nearly 2 ton of lathe

Cheap ,good and knowing precisely what they are doing, are not always mutually inclusive.

Grahame

G'day Gahame, If it had been 50 or 60 dollars an hour I wouln't be worrying.. But the quotes range from $500 - $2200 which I reckon is a bit stiff for a 15 km delivery I wouldn't baulk at 3 0r 4 hundred but geez!!!. I'm thinking a car trailer and winch may be the go now!

Greedy buggers aren't they?

The mate moved his big mill with a HD trailer and com along and used round bars as rollers.Big crowbars and lot of grunting and swearing were also employed.

Steve, can the lathe be loaded by forklift or gantry crane at Dandenong?

I have a 2 ton trailer and an 1 ton engine crane and with a bit of grunting and swearing should be able to help you out. Have moved some seriously heavy stuff with a bit of thinking and mucking around.

And I will probably be able to do it for $150

I have just about always used a tilt tray service for moving machinery. Last one was $70 for 40Km round trip, machine weighing approx 2T. Makes it easy for unloading too ... just slide off onto rollers and roll into place.

Steve,

I had a metal lathe moved from Adelaide to Brisbane in January. Cost was $400 for a "specialist". In the end, they just shrink-wrapped it, and stuck it on some couriers pantech.

When it arrived, the only equipment he had was a trolley jack, and no offsider to help.

As i was overseas at the time, my wife had to get 6 of of neighbours to help, and then it was almost dropped twice, not to mention the number of times it got bashed against the side of the truck.

What I'm getting at, is use someone recommended (if you can), and don't be afraid to pay a little extra for someone with the right kit to do the job.

Hope this helps,
Shane

I have found that the machinery places around here, not your neck of the woods though, dont deliver with thier own trucks. They get another contractor to do it.

Call a seller up and ask who they use and you should be ok. At the same time you will be getting someone who is used to moving this type of stuff as well.

Thanks,
Jasn

Mate,

Sometimes getting in touch with some of the machinery outlets, who move machinery all the time, might be another source...

Thus, who does Carba-tec use? Who do the Felder group use? etc. etc.

Good luck

Hey, Steve. Can't say I've got any useful equipment to help, but if worse comes to worse and you need an extra set of hands to move the bugger, I'm about fifteen minutes around the corner. Just drop me a PM.

EDIT: 1.8ton... geez, Louise, ... she sounds like a beauty..

G'day all, Sorry I didn't respond sooner I was away for a few days. Thanks for all the suggestions and offers of help. I managed to get the lathe back home and it was a bugger of a job using a trailer, winch, engine crane, crow bar and waterpipe rollers! I couldn't get it into my workshop because the driveway up to it presents a whole new set of problems so now I'm waiting on a bloke with a 4 ton crane to move it down there... hopefully, next week! I know I'll love it when it's all up and running...But!.. NEVER ABLOODYGAIN!!! I'll let you know how it ends! Cheers, Steve.