Hi fellas,
I've been trying for a while to start purchasing a few pieces of good used equipment to use in a small start-up weld repair and fab shop when I finish welding school. I've found several pieces that I would like to have and they were available at a very reasonable price. the problem is the shipping costs in several cases were more than the price of the equipment, and made the total acquisition cost more than I would want to pay for that particular piece of equipment. There have to be a few of you out there experienced in buying and selling and shipping equipment and know how to have purchased equipment shipped to you at a reasonable cost that doesn't "break the deal". I would really like to hear a secret or two.
Pick it up with your own truck.
If you don't own a truck, rent one for the day.
If neither is an option, then ante up the money for packing and shipping or find some machinery closer to home.
Best regards - Al
D.E. , Best place to get cheap shipping is on internet Uship.com. Doesn't cost anything to post items. Just beware of who you give your jobs to !!!!!!! #1 make sure they have a DOT # indicates safety compliance & insurance. #2 Customer feedback ( some guys commit to p/u a load but NEVER show up!!!!!) All this can be done by clicking on their profile & feedback history. From Sixburgh:" CLIMBING THE STAIRWAY TO SEVEN" Dem' Stilers'
Hello David, one other possibility is to find a trucker that can do a back-hall for you. A shot in the dark a lot of the time, but you never know. When another opportunity arises for a machinery purchase, either post on Craig's list with an inquiry or contact some of the local trucking companies and see if any back-haul opportunities exist. Good luck and best regards, Allan
I opened an account with a freight company and because I pay at time of service I get a 75% discount.
How you save depends on the size of what we're talking about.
Are we talking:
oversized/overweight box. That can be cheapest to ship using Greyhound (yeah, the bus company). They (just like the airlines) pack the extra space in their undercarriages with cargo, and can be an excellent deal.
pallet, LTL:
The biggest cost associated with this is pickup and dropoff. If you can get a seller to bring the item to the freight depot, and pick it up at one in your vicinity, you can save a bundle.
The added cost of having a lift-gate truck show up at your location, may be as much as the total freight cost. Need that at both pickup AND dropoff, and you'll get charged twice.
I agree there. I have picked up and dropped off stuff at the depot several times. The cost difference is great, it's amazing how much that word "residential" costs when your talking to freight companies.
that is a good idea and would work for me in a few cases. It's when I'm looking at a Shopmaster or BobCat that brings up the $800 - $1200 freight quotes. I'm in Iowa, and it seems like the good equipment buys are always in Texas, California, or Penn. Nothing close at a good price. I'm not cheap, (yea I am ) I just need to make what funds I have go a long way. Thanks everyone for the ideas.
Dave in Iowa
I always tell my buddy that I'm cheap, he says "your not cheap, your frugal". There's a difference and making funds go a long way is smart, especially when they are limited.
Ahh, yeah, that's more tough.
Allan's idea is a good one (searching for a trucker willing to do a backhaul on craigslist), but the odds aren't in your favor. I'm sure you'll find one at some time or another, but the chances of getting something right when you found that great deal are pretty slim. Still, it may not hurt to ask around.
You should be able to get that stuff shipped for a LOT less than $800-$1200. I too have run into the same problem, shop around and check with some owner/operators or small companies. If you go to Largecarmag.com, there is a forum on there that is used by a lot of drivers. You might be able to get some good quotes from there. Good Luck.
Chris
Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Shipping costs? gotta be a way of beating them!
