Packing Up My Shop........

[Robert Adams]

Sell them with the house and get new ones- delivered.

 I couldn't even imagine packing all my stuff and tools and machines.  Load them on a truck- unload into storage unit- load them back on truck- unload them into new shop.


 The moving company would have to do a lot of it and store them in one of those i-pods.

           Have known several people that have done just that and every one has regretted it. In the end they didn't have as nice of equipment that they did before the move and they ended up investing way more trying to get back to where they were. 

         We are going to be moving from DFW to somewhere near charlotte in just over a year (if all goes well). I have been planning the packing for over a year now. I have a 20x40 shop that's very full and a 2 car garage with mechanics tools mower etc and more tools stored at at a friends as well as stuff stored at my parents place. It's going to be allot of work but the big issue is that for some reason it's hard to rent a truck with a lift gate one way. I may end up just borrowing borrowing a friends and driving it back. Unless I can borrow a forklift at the other end as I can get one to load with here. 
         
              Sell the furniture and other crap from the house. It's easy to replace and doesn't cost as much to replace as shop stuff.

            Have looked at a couple different pods and they are flimsy and actually quite expensive.

[ToeNailer]

I do actually think that designing a new shop is what will be 'driving' me. I really like both my hand tools and my current machinery. I do see the goal of purging though. Easier in the scrap wood and 'I'll use this for a project, at some point' pile.  

Cleaning, fixing, recording for insurance are now in the plans!

I'm keeping my desk that also houses my go to tools, my workbench and my hardware cabinet..........

Have woodworking projects from my girls strewn about the place from when they were not 15 & 18...... Mostly scraps with their markers/scribbles or pictures on them.........Wouldn't dare misplace these. 

Clean, fix, record, rust protect and get them ready for a new adventure. 

Thank you for listening.

[cputnam]

Start with the small stuff, misc. parts, scraps, etc. Just deciding whether or not to keep that stuff will take the most time. As already said, label and secure everything, multiple times.

[Bill Lyman]

Been there, done that. Make a list from the ideas expressed in this thread that you feel pertinent and use it as a check list. I caution against selling and re-buying tools you will want to keep if the items have gone up on price since you acquired them. I suggest camellia oil and wax paper or Cellophane Wrap for rust protection, a lot of bubble wrap  and  label every little thing in each box for finding it when you get to your new location.  Enjoy your new home.

[tomsteve]

emotional destresssing: visit your tools while they are in storage. they get lonely and start feeling abandoned.

[AHill]

Here's another thought. You could store all your power tools while you're overseas, then learn to use hand tools. Used and decent hand tools are plentiful in Europe and other developed nations. You'll still probably want to bring some cordless tools and maybe purchase a couple of smaller tools overseas, but you will be learning skills that will make you a more versatile woodworker. Also, keep in mind that lumber could be very expensive depending on where you go. Customs laws could prohibit you from importing your current lumber to your new location. Make sure you check on that.

[Cliff Ober]

We moved our entire house/shop from Texas to Maine 3 & 4 years ago; the two of us did it ourselves, including all the furniture, the machinery, and 4 - 900lb fire safes. We did have the luxury of multiple truckloads (Penske) over a couple of years, but it was still a major undertaking. I can echo all the tips folks have listed above, plus one other.

When you box stuff up, whether for house or shop, take the time to log *** IN DETAIL *** what's in each box.  Use a spiral notebook, assign a number for each box and mark that number on the box with a big Sharpie on two sides. For security, DON'T try to mark the outside of the box with the contents, especially if a commercial mover is being used. Yes, this seems like a PITA, and it sorta is until you get to your destination, but it saved us tremendous frustration when we got to unpacking. We had helped our kids move several times over the years, both self moves and commercial, and saw the headaches of trying to find stuff. We had over 450 boxes and that notebook was WORTH IT'S WEIGHT IN GOLD. If needed it would also have helped with insurance claims. We scanned and reprinted it multiple times and also emailed it to ourselves for security, and then just about wore it out referring to it. I just can't emphasize enough how valuable it was doing this...

As far as protecting the tools, I waxed and or oiled just about everything with good results. In retrospect I might go with Timberwolf's practice of using synthetic motor oil to coat tools; I've been having good luck with that for a while now.

Good luck with your move!

Cliff

[Dave Diaman]

I cleaned my shop up and left everything in it until we had an offer on the house. I guess it was a little different for me since my shop is how I make a living. We just made sure that anyone who looked at the house knew it would be converted back into a garage with fresh paint on the walls and floor at final inspection. As soon as we had an offer I loaded everything into a pod and had it dropped of at our new house the day after we moved in. It was probably a little over weight but they didn't say anything. I believe the weight capacity was 8,000 lbs. I have a whole lot of really heavy equipment and moving it multiple times would have been insane. One thing that has already been said is pull out a basic tool kit for your day to day repairs and the touch ups you will need to do when you are prepping the house to close.

[RedBob]

Previous packing link.

 I got a lot of great advice for our move last year, too. Stressful, but a year later I'm back to work in the new shop and loving it. 
Still not 100% set up, but pretty close. Very glad I took everything, including cabinets and benches, to the new shop. Saved me a lot of time and money. 

Best of luck with your move. 
Bob

[AHill]

More advice:

When you mark your boxes, make sure you know which room they came from. Master Bedroom, Kitchen, Living Room, Laundry Room, etc. Professional movers will mark boxes that way, and include a tag with a number on it which lists contents of the box. It is indispensable when you move into the new home to be able to sort boxes and stage them in the right room.

When you unpack, start with the most urgent items. For me, it was my master bedroom/bathroom. I had to have sheets to sleep on and towels to dry me off the next morning after I showered. Then the kitchen, etc.

If it's professional movers, they won't take flammables, which includes most woodworking finishes and solvents, as well as a lot of cleaning supplies. I boxed those up and brought them with me in the back of my pickup truck. Saved at least $500 that way. If you're moving yourself, I highly recommend packing them in a metal container that is fireproof.