Singer 29k171 Shipping ideas

[girlscout4]

I’ve found a singer 29k171 that is an offer I can’t pass up in Connecticut where I’m visiting. I live in AZ does anyone have any ideas on how I can get this monster back home with me for the most reasonable cost? Thanks! 

[Northmount]

2 hours ago, girlscout4 said:

I’ve found a singer 29k171 that is an offer I can’t pass up in Connecticut where I’m visiting. I live in AZ does anyone have any ideas on how I can get this monster back home with me for the most reasonable cost? Thanks! 

I moved your post to leather sewing machines.  I think the guys here will have more experience shipping and transporting sewing machines safely.

 

[girlscout4]

5 minutes ago, Northmount said:

I moved your post to leather sewing machines.  I think the guys here will have more experience shipping and transporting sewing machines safely.

 

Thank you!

[Constabulary]

I have shipped a patcher from Germany to the US in a custom build crate but that was just the head w/o stand and it is A LOT OF work cause you have to do a lot of internal bracing so that the machine cannot move round in the crate. BTW shipping the DIY wooden stand makes no sense. Not worth it IMO.

Other that that look for a double or triple wall cardboard box large enough for the machine + 2" - 3" space to all sides of the machine and fill the space with cut so size Styrofoam boards and bits. Do not use bubble foil or Styrofoam chips. The machine needs to sit very tight in the box. To save on the box size (shipping size) I´d remove the arm lever (just two pins that go out from rear to front) the hand wheel, front wheel hub and wax pot. Maybe the from tension and lock screw too (better safe than sorry).

I have shipped machines with UPS to the other side of the pond and they all arrived intact but I have some experience in shipping & packing up heavy things.

Edited 2 hours ago by Constabulary

[AlZilla]

Bearing in mind that I've never shipped such a thing, I'd want to palletize it on its side, strapped and padded. The arm on top would be off and probably the hand wheel and pulley.

I'd be calling LTL carriers. I *think* FedEx has a freight division. 

Remember  if you go this way, it'll be moved around by forklift so build blocking and bracing to withstand such handling. When I received my large 441 clone, it was completely set up, standing on a pallet with wooden blocking and bracing, Styrofoam, shrink wrap and every manner of way to keep it safe. So, it's done all the time. Yellow Freight hauled mine from Texas to Maine. 

There's a type of pallet called, I believe, a CHEP pallet that's much stronger than a regular pallet. I'd be on the lookout for one. They're used regularly in grocery stores. a quick image search will turn up plenty of pictures. I would avoid a plastic pallet. They're strong but quite slippery.

I bet we'd all be interested in pictures and how this goes for you.