Breaking Up Shop

[RB211]

If you told me that you require a professional moving service, I would fully expect a reduction in asking price that matches the moving costs associated with it, otherwise I would not view you as a serious seller. And it is perfectly ok to not be a serious seller, especially if you aren't the one pushing for it.

[mickeyf]

Well,. I'm kinda surprised that no one has mentioned this yet...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M584bP_FeE

But in all seriousness, good luck with it.

[MikeHenry]

Some good suggestions here . . .

754-- Yes, I am in the Chicago area. Apologies for not making that clear in my initial post.

I like the idea of selling the equipment in situ and under power, and letting the buyer arrange for removal. I would insist, though, that the buyer use a commercial outfit. The liability exposure of having some inexperienced bozo on my property trying to move multi-hundred pound machinery makes me break out in a cold sweat.

I think my next step is to call around to some local machinery movers and find out how they like to work. Maybe my expectations are unrealistic, but the ideal situation would be if they would disassemble the machinery, move it out of the basement, reassemble and palletize it, and deliver it the buyer. I would pay handsomely for service like that.

Thanks to all who replied.

You might talk to Lost Creek Machine in Ottawa - they buy and sell used machine tools and will pick up though I'm not sure how far a radius they serve around Ottawa. Just a guess, but they will probably pay around 1/2 of what they end up getting for the equipment, maybe more for a collection of usable tools. I also have a Tormach mill in my basement and don't envy you the hassle of getting an 1100 up the basement stairs.

There is also the Facebook Tormach seller's group and an ad there might be productive.- they have several ads a week.

http://www.lostcreekmachine.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/101816237175821/

Mike

[dkaustin]

Just an update . . . The Bridgeport is out of the basement and sitting in the garage.

I wanted to do the mill first because the Bridgeport base is the heaviest piece. Everything else is a walk in the park.

The Bridgeport is up on Craigslist. So far, I've had four responses, none seriously interested in buying the mill. About what I expect from Craigslist

[sarge41]

dkaustin: Glad to hear it. Keep us posted on how everything goes. A number of us are in the same or similar circumstances. Good luck.

sarge41

[David Powell]

Possibly the saddest breaking up of a shop occurred when an elderly society member died and his widow asked that we immeditely auction as much of the " small" stuff as possible so that she would have enough money to pay for his funeral/, We auctioned the small tools at our regular meeting that Friday and the Funeral went ahead on the next Wednesday.
Certainly the happiest breaking up happened when a very elderly member who had moved to a nursing home decided, with advice from his daughter and son in law, to have an auction for members at his home. We arranged Tea coffee and nibbles and the auction moved slowly through most of a day.I think everyone bought something . The proceeds all went to the society.
Between these two extremes I was involved with many break ups and some shop moves. The only advice I dare give is simply use common sense. No two events will need the same treatment or effort.
I do not worry about my shop. wife, children and grandchildren are all interested enough to know what they want---- they can sort it all out after I am gone !
Regards to all David Powell. ( Toronto Society of Model Engineers)

[darryl]

2000 lbs, 5000 lbs, 1500 lbs, makes me feel like I should be lifting my mill up the stairs myself, by hand, with the lathe under one arm at the same time.

I did like the story of the guy who cut a hole in the kitchen floor to lower a machine through into the basement. Understanding wife. There was also the guy who knocked out part of the basement wall and dug out some of the yard to make an entranceway. As I recall there was two ways to do this- one was to just make a cove of sorts where you could push a machine out, then use a straight lift from there. The other was to make a ramp- which would take a lot more yard space, but potentially allowing you to winch something up the slope instead of needing a crane.

Of course anything like that will need to be roofed, probably require a drain. Probably two outside doors to get a large enough opening, possibly a mod to the upper floor so there's enough headroom- and then you need to satisfy the building code, and your insurance company.

[dkaustin]

Another update, if I may. The lathe is now in the garage next to the Bridgeport, and I have committed buyers for both (and at my asking price!) I think I'm going to take a break before I tackle the Tormach.

For anyone who might be interested, this is my setup for moving machinery. Over the basement stairway I fabbed a lifting beam out of some steel channel and tied it into the house structure. Then I removed some of the treads and risers and built a platform flush with the doorsill over the opening. The platform has a removable plywood floor resting on square steel tubes that can be slid in and out. I rig a chain hoist from the beam, remove the platform floor, and lift the machinery until it's high enough to clear the platform. Then I slip the platform floor back into place and put a dolly under the machine. Lower the machine onto the dolly and away I go. Might be some ideas there for anyone who needs them

[Doozer]

... I bought a Pederson Milling machine in Ontario Canada ....

Sorry for off topic... My friend recently got a Pederson horizontal mill from an estate.
I never seen one before, but they are very nice machines.

-D

[Mcgyver]

I did like the story of the guy who cut a hole in the kitchen floor to lower a machine through into the basement. Understanding wife. There was also the guy who knocked out part of the basement wall and dug out some of the yard to make an entranceway. As I recall there was two ways to do this- one was to just make a cove of sorts where you could push a machine out, then use a straight lift from there.

One of the most extremes I've seem, chap in Brampton I know, went down through the slab in the garage and tunneled into the basement. A chain hoist got machines in and out including a 10ee and a steel floor patch covered the hole. He is a good engineer/designer/craftsman and did a good job of it, but wow.

[metalmagpie]

Most auctions around Seattle are done by Murphy Auctions. They will come auction a shop onsite if it's big enough.

I had a substantial shop in a basement once. It had external stairs in a concrete stairwell. Those stairs wouldn't take the weight of a Bridgeport. I had to move that entire shop. I bought an old truck with a Hiab knuckle boom on it and lifted every machine out of that stairwell using just my wife to help with rigging. I have moved many machines by myself. All it takes is common sense and some confidence. I see guys who freak out and insist on using pro riggers. I think that's a fine idea - for them.

I have had the experience of a HSM near me dying suddenly with a 2-car garage stuffed with his shop. I bought the entire contents of his shop from his widow, sold the big machines on site and moved everything else to another location so his family could sell that house and put their lives back together. Later, I sorted through everything and had a huge estate sale. It took me about six months but I was able to help out the family of a good friend. I don't know what she would have done without help.

metalmagpie

[Gatling]

I just sold 2/3rds of my shop. Ran 1 ad on craigslist just when covis started got over 600 resposes, 400+ people bought something. I have 1/3+ left & made 4x what I would have taken for it all sold together. I had over 2 semi loads & easy to get to. Good Luck!

[A.K. Boomer]

I wish you the best - this is going to be my life not to long from now as my mills in the basement and have to take it down piece by piece (and from the garage) to get it in, solo, including assembly down there - that includes lifting the 8X36" table all by myself and stabbing it perfectly into the doves for engagement -------------------- that was over 15 years ago and I cannot see doing that even now,,,

anyways - lot's of good advise and hope it works out well for you - it's been a joy having my mill in the house so to speak - winter months all warm (enough) and toasty and summer months all cool... but I do feel your pain... or i should say pains lol