"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Is is just me, or does the metalworking industry seem deaf to hobbyists
and other home-shop customers? Put another way, what is the correct
approach to getting a machine off a truck in one piece. I am by no means
fixed on the Enco lathe, but I asked them about shipping, and have gotten
mixed signals about a lift gate. I can understand "it's too heavy for
that" but it seems strange to me that companies that sell heavy items do
such a poor job of giving consistent answers to customers.

I have an engine hoist and an F-150 that would be able to cope with safely
getting a 1000 lb lathe down my sloping driveway, but going from flat bed
to the ground is another story. Control over shipping was a big factor in
choosing Rutland for my mill-drill, though I will admit the process was
not free of surprises. It worked out well, but proved I was right to have
respect for the weight of what was arriving.

How do YOU handle a ton or so slathered on cosmoline sitting on a truck
outside your home? Do I need to buy a fork lift to be one of the guys?
There are manual stackers that have suitable capacity, but they appear to
be a lot more expensive than the 500-700 lb variety I have been
considering for general use.

I've used various options in the 700-1100 lb tool range, from transporting
disassembled tools by van to delivery by commercial truck w/ liftgate, by
flat bed with forklift (pro riggers) and delivery by pickup with offloading
by the local service station's tow truck. All of them worked with equal
success in the end, but the easiest from a worry standpoint was the flat bed
and forklift.

Mike