Am I crazy? Shipping a lathe from Oakland to Tampa?

[WJH]

I used to live in Oakland / San Francisco, and this lathe belongs to my friend. I've used it, I made some really nice parts with it, it's rigid as heck for a 10 or 11" swing, has most of the bells and whistles I could want(not sure about threads), and did I mention it was very rigid for its size?
And I would also be shipping a Sharp 9x42 milling machine to go along with it that my friend also has...
We haven't talked prices but I know what he bought them for, and if he is willing to let them go for what he has into them plus a tiny extra, it would be worth considering!
Only thing about the lathe is at the two highest speeds, there is a lot of knocking sounds...

The milling machine , the head needs to be put back together, and is a basket of parts... Perhaps I can get both for 2000$ + shipping. Real question is on the shipping...
With the milling machine, with the exception of the head needing to be put back together, it IS the last mill I would ever need to buy, the thing is immaculate. A fellow GGLS member used to own it, and he took the head apart because the quill had a bur on it. The mill came from a fab shop that did a lot of plastic work.

[Metalman]

Why would it be crazy? Sounds like you know the machines and what you would be getting as opposed to buying from strangers on their word.
Value of the machines? - I have no clue. Cost to ship? No Idea. What's the used market like where you are?

[spro]

The lathe is obviously a gearhead and has some interesting features for cross feeds, I suppose. I can't identify it but you must know what it is. Someone else would know about the clanking sounds. I'll go into theory mode for a minute. It looks a bit like a Clausing Colchester setup without the levers. I've seen other gearheads that use spur gears and they have a lubrication network , little pipes which ... but that's not what you're asking. While it does probably have hardened bedways the gearing at higher speeds could have worn the gear teeth. Stuff happens. The oil level vial is low which means there is an oil bath and by wash system or pump .... then again I'm wasting our time. That all can be remedied and you like that lathe. The mill is decent, if a project. A perfect mill could be a project after traveling that distance.
Don't know the current rates since it seems to hinge on the climate deity and ways to tax us to appease it.

[WJH]

The lathe as I understand it, was directly imported by the original owner back in 1982 from China, which more probably was Taiwan. I've taken the top cover off and examined the gears. The lathe has hardly been used, just by a home hobbyist like ourselves. It looks brand new, it has the little nozzles inside for spraying oil on all the gears, etc. It truly is a nice lathe and probably weighs around 800 lbs, which is no 10ee but damn beefy for its size.
The mill, I was the one putting it back together before my friends divorce started this train wreck, and subsequent downsizing of my friends possessions.
The lathe is not a cam lock spindle, but sort of. The chuck has studs out the back, you slide it on, then rotate the chuck so the studs lock into little grooves then you tighten it. Obviously, if it costs the same as buying a brand new 12x36 gun smith lathe, I'll just do that instead. The milling machine however, brand new would be around 16,000$ It would be too good to pass up.
I don't even know if I could get the mill into my garage, or if the Mill would crack the cement floor? Doesn't change the fact I still want it

[reggie_obe]

Find a reliable weight reference online for the machine(s), get a freight quote from U-ship. Your friend would have to be willing to prepare, palletize and help the shipper load the machines.

[WJH]

Find a reliable weight reference online for the machine(s), get a freight quote from U-ship. Your friend would have to be willing to prepare, palletize and help the shipper load the machines.

Thanks for the tip Reggie

[Mr Ron]

If you can afford the shipping, I would go for it. I think you have already made up your mind. I have gotten other estimates for shipping from the left coast to Tampa. They were right around $800 and that was for a giant press brake weighing around 4 tons. That was quoted by a machinery dealer in Southern California. I have heard that sometimes you can have such a load included in a moving van load for someone coming this way.

[BadDog]

Am I crazy? Shipping a lathe from Oakland to Tampa?

Short answer, YES! But then, aren't all of us here in the same category? If you want it, and can afford it, and can't easily match it (value/quality/whatever matters to you) locally, then go for it.

That wouldn't be something I would be interested in, but you should see what I paid for good used tires for my tractor. I shipped from Indiana using Fastenal LTL slow boat. The estimate was something along the lines in "probably 3 or 4 weeks", but the price was right (apparently the only thing they have that is a good value). There was NOTHING local, and I got 4 tires with wheels for a bit more than one rear tire would cost new. Now I can easily (loosely defined) switch between turf and R1 tires. They were like new, but had been setting in a barn for 10 years, so not exactly "fresh". They were a bit "hard", but no visible checkering or dry rot. Anyway, my friends in AL or other rural agricultural areas would fall off their chairs laughing that I paid what I did to ship in old tractor tires. But that's a different market, and different economy.

[silence dogood]

It sounds like that you have made up your mind to buy it and have it shipped. That's fine, what I would be concern about is the shipping crate and packing. And this you will have to research. Such as other boxes may be put on top and the crate be fork lift friendly. Well, I think that you get the idea. O, yeah, don't forget insurance and make sure that you'll be able to track it. Mark

[BadDog]

And watch the wording of the insurance. Some companies only cover "scrap value by weight" on used tooling. You'll want a declared value coverage, if you can get it. Or plan a cross country vacation? Or fly and drive a U-Haul rental one way.

Otherwise, yeah, you're going to want/need much more than just a sturdy pallet. When my daughter and SiL were posted to Fairbanks, the Army showed up with big wooden plywood sheathed crates because it is technically an over-seas posting. All stuff went inside, was internally secured, then sealed. I think I would be doing something like that. Heavy pallet bottom with plywood enclose and internal braces to keep everything located inside the box.

[Harold_V]

Brings to mind a step-up transformer I got on ebay many years ago. My Overbeck grinder requires 480 volts, and I have only 240 (three phase). I found the perfect used transformer for a reasonable price. It was shipped to me from the central part of the US, only to arrive damaged. Something VERY heavy, with a sharp edge, had fallen on the transformer and had damaged the top. I refused delivery and sent it back. I was offered a grand total of $20 as a settlement. The story ended well, as the shipper went to bat and found me another (new) transformer, which I received in good condition. Be VERY careful about the terms of any insurance that may be offered.

Harold

[WJH]

I have 2 weeks off later in the year in November. I will be traveling over there to visit friends, and help clean up his hangar and hopefully come to a deal that makes sense for me to do this. The lathe itself I could probably just put it in a van and drive it back... I am even open to getting a flat bed trailer and moving it myself. I can fly around the country for free, just need flights with open seats.