Best way to haul your wide formats?

[SignsbyBrandon]

Good morning y'all. I found a deal through the marketplace from a screen print company who is selling their HP latex, graphtec plotter and laminator with rolls of vinyl for an absolute steal. I have to drive 4 hours to pick it up so I am wondering what is the best way to haul this stuff from your experience.

We are talking about a 54" printer, 54" plotter and 60" laminator.

Would a 6x12 enclosed U haul do the trick? And how did you have them arranged and secured down?

 

[ColoPrinthead]

It is an HP, you are supposed to toss them in the trash and buy a new one when you move.

 

[Melks]

My machines (printer, cutter, laminator) were delivered in an enclosed trailer and strapped down strategically. They were also disassembled to a certain degree. If I ever have to move them I would do the same.

 

[d fleming]

Covered wagon strapped with head locked.

 

[Joe House]

We deliver new, assembled printers, plotters and laminators regularly. You can leave them assembled. Lock down any moving parts with supplied brackets or tape, so they don't shift during the trip. Set the wheel brakes and strap them carefully to the trailer (we actually use a box truck for our deliveries, but we had to buy a wider ramp than comes with most trucks). I usually wrap the strap around at least one of the legs, up high on the leg, so that it can't shift. If you just go around the whole printer, it will shift back and forth as you speed up and slow down. Make sure that your straps won't crush anything fragile and assume that you'll have to slam on the brakes at some point during your trip. We also usually stick a sheet of corex between the printer and the wall to slightly cushion the printer.

Good Luck

 

[SignsbyBrandon]

I will most likely be using a enclosed 6x12' trailer. I was told to put the machines near the center of the trailer? But I am buying bubble wrap to put around some places and then going to get a lot of ratchet straps and make sure they are strapped in good.

Going to make sure i take out the cartridges and print heads and then put some bubble wrap where the carriage is at so nothing moves around.

We deliver new, assembled printers, plotters and laminators regularly. You can leave them assembled. Lock down any moving parts with supplied brackets or tape, so they don't shift during the trip. Set the wheel brakes and strap them carefully to the trailer (we actually use a box truck for our deliveries, but we had to buy a wider ramp than comes with most trucks). I usually wrap the strap around at least one of the legs, up high on the leg, so that it can't shift. If you just go around the whole printer, it will shift back and forth as you speed up and slow down. Make sure that your straps won't crush anything fragile and assume that you'll have to slam on the brakes at some point during your trip. We also usually stick a sheet of corex between the printer and the wall to slightly cushion the printer.

Good Luck

 

[SignsbyBrandon]

I believe I will take off the plotter from the stands, that should not be an issue. The latex printer is what I was mainly concerned about now!

Bring an extra man for loading. My laminator was around 500lb. Take the stand off of the laminator and the plotter. Don't think I'd bother with the printer since it's not as top heavy and is designed to shake.
I thought this was going to be about the actual printed products, in which case I'd recommend building a giant portfolio from scrap coroplast with a tape hinge.

 

[Joe House]

Going to make sure i take out the cartridges and print heads

I would leave these in. That will keep your ink system sealed up. If you take them out, likely the ink in the tubes will leak out at one end or the other.

 

[Solventinkjet]

We move used printers all the time. Joe House pretty much summed it up. Just to add, we normally put 2x4s under the stand to raise the casters up. We had far too many pop off in transit before we learned that lesson!