Help transporting Vandercook

It would help to have more information about the press: kind, model, size, etc.; from that weight can be estimated as well as methods of moving it. If you want it transported commercially it should be packaged correctly, at a minimum securely mounted on a fork-liftable pallet, preferably both bolted to the pallet and strapped to it with tie-down straps. Best also if the mechanism can be restrained from moving. The machinery mover should be someone who has experience moving printing presses including cylinder presses. There are not a lot of those around any more, but there are some. One or two people who understand the press, with correct equipment for raising it off the floor, placing a pallet, or some device for moving it without a pallet, under it, and if the way between where the press is now and both the vehicle to transport it and the destination are flat with hard surfaces, a pallet jack is a good device. If it has to travel stairs, that is much more difficult. The press, if it is for example a SP15 or SP20, probably weighs more than 800lbs and is quite top-heavy, meaning if it tilts much without restraint it will probably fall over and be damaged. It is best to think of all possible problems and ways to avoid them before attempting a move.

AdLib, thanks for your reply and yes I know there are a lot of variables that need to be considered. I am speaking with different sellers in different locations as well as different models of press so didn’t want to overload the post with every possible scenario. Hoping to find someone in one of these areas to hash out the specifics with. But for reference NY is a Uni III abp in a ground floor warehouse. Chicago is a Uni III p in an office space ground floor. Both have towers with tapes. The MD press is Uni I ab In a residential garage. None are prepare for shipping. The destination is a ground floor & or dock high warehouse just outside of Atlanta Georgia, or an alternative destination would be Reidsville, NC. As I have family there and can personally handle the transport the rest of the way to GA.

One route might be to see if Ed Regan, in Rensalaer Indiana, between Indianapolis and Chicago, is still moving printing machinery — he, and probably his sons, are expert at moving printing machinery, if the company still exists. He had often combined moves for different customers, making a route that picked up and dropped off equipment for different customers along the way, and as I remember it he served essentially the whole Eastern US and probably Canada as well, moving everything from Vandercook proof presses to 6-unit web offset presses.

I have emailed with Ed Regan about the Chicago press. He said it will be very expensive based on the logistics, but didn’t give a price. He also said he would try and find a load to haul for the return trip to help offset the cost but have not heard back at this point.

In all this discussion, I think 3 things should be added. If the press has a handle to operate the cylinder, remove the handle so it doesn’t get broken while being moved, and the feed board which is usually easily removed with 4 connections and makes for a much smaller press to move. And one time insurance for the value of the press. I think the worst thing I heard happen was a press being moved in a pick up truck, wasn’t secured very well, and once they got on the interstate, the acceleration of the truck caused the press to break loose and it ended up on the highway.

OK… this won’t actually help with the project at hand…. but when I first read it, I was thinking about my little Vandercook No. 0….. and I thought “well you and a friend just pick that baby up, and put it into the trunk….no big deal.”

Then in just a few seconds, I realized he meant one of the big-bad-boys. So…. nevermind.