Moving Bridgeport mill from the UK to Germany ?

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boardbuster:
Good Morning,

my name is Rainer, 47 Yrs old, I`m from Germany and I`m riding old motorcycles ...
Because I`m getting tired of lame excuses by professional machinsts I want to get a turret-mill preferable a Bridgeport Series-1 or a TOS FNK.
So, the midlands in the UK is home to many used machinery-dealer which I want look up in September.

My problem now is to find a mover, forwarder who`s picking up such a machine and getting it over to Germany.
I contacted various movers in the UK but none replied with a rough quote.
The machinery-dealer I contacted regarding the mills don`t know any company who`s offering such a transport to Germany.
Hard to believe ...
Uuuuhhh. No sir I do not want to move 4 tractors to Germany and I don`t need a 200t mobile crane. Just a small turret-mill which doesn`t require special police escort and no I do not need a special permit form the UN because it is not a nuclear-plant it is just a second-hand mill :loco:

Basically, I`m just looking for a mover who`s got some space on a curtain truck and is offering regular transport from the UK to Germany :drool:

So, here I am.
Kicking the door inside of your place and asking straightaway an unusual question.
Do you know any company who`s able to give me a rough quote for such a trip ?

I`m sorry ... most of the time I`m a nice guy ...

Thanks in advance
Rainer

dsquire:
Rainer

Welcome to MadModder. I can see your dilemma in trying to get a machine picked up and delivered. Personally I can't help you as I am in Canada but if we can attract the attention of John Stevenson I think he may be able to point you in the right direction. If he can't do it then I don't know who can. I will send him a post asking him to look in on this thread. Please keep us informed on how the move works out.

Cheers :beer:

Don

John Stevenson:
My old man used to take loads far bigger than this to Germany every day years ago, - mind you he had a Lancaster. :lol:

Seriously though if you are coming over to look and buy why not buy one and take it back with you.
If you hire a Merc Sprinter of something the same size, transit etc, a Bridgeport will easily strip down into 5 large lumps and safely fit into a van this size.

I have moved 9 now this way and with the exception of 2 have done them all on my own.
You will need to buy or rent a 1 tonne folding engine crane and have a few slings, other than that it's not hard.

I can have one in bits and in the van in just over 1 hour.

Also be aware that the finding of one isn't without heartache. I recently went looknig for a long bed Bridgy for a customer, despite being assured by three dealers that what they had on the floor was pristine and just come out of a toolroom [ UK speak for little old lady who's only ever just driven to church ] all three were clapped out, dirty, noisy and way overpriced. That exercise in looking cost me two working days and a tank of diesel with nothing to show for it.

Finished up buying a new Warco WN40 which is better made and equipped than a Bridgy, less tax this cost £5000 and is a cracking machine.

dsquire:
John

Thanks for that. I figured if anybody could help out it would be you.

Cheers :beer:

Don

boardbuster:
Thanks for your replies !

My original idea was it to purchase a fairly cheap airline-ticket (Germany-Birmingham), hire a small compact
and visit a number of dealers and stay for a couple of nights in a B&B.
When I find a reasonable deal, then to get a trucking-company to carry the unit over here and I`m flying back to Germany again.

In case the proposed machines turns out to be less than promised I would have some enjoyable time in Birmingham and fly empty-handed back. Tough luck.

I thought of it dismantling a turret-mill and therefore contacted some Van-Rental companies however
someone isn`t allowed to take a rental-car abroad.

So, when I find an intersting machine, I`ve got 2 options I can think of:
-A professional trucking-company
-I`m driving myselves with a car and trailer over to England.

Hmmm

Thanks
rainer

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