I’m planning to move during the next year and I’m concerned about getting the right people to move my Vandercook 3 (serial no. 99-10800). I want to be well prepared in advance. The press is in the basement of my home and was moved there in parts (cabinet, bed, and cylinder carriage). I assembled it myself. It then needed fine adjustments to the roller bearings, so I had someone do that. That was fourteen years ago. I’m especially concerned about whether or not it would need to be disassembled before the move. Any advice would be appreciated. I live in Oak Park, Illinois, adjacent to Chicago.
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When I lived in Chicago I had a large etching press carried, in 2 parts, from a rental truck to a second floor studio space by a company called Eagle Movers, or perhaps Eagle Safe Movers. They were located in Chicago and specialized in moving safes, pianos, and other heavy items. It was about 10 years ago so I don’t know if they’d still be in business but they were insured and reasonably priced. And they literally carried the thing.
I would add to Paul’s comments to remove the operating handle, feed table, and with the cylinder at the end of the bed, before removing, scratch a line across the cylinder gear to the bed rack to index the cylinder for reinstallation.
I was waiting for someone else to start this off, but …. A No. 3 weighs 1000 lbs. I assume that you live in a historic or older home, so the stair structure, pitch and clearances will make it necessary to disassemble again. Since you have done this once already, I will only address the carriage. When removing the carriage you need not remove the bearings. Place the carriage on a pallet with two 4x4s resting it on the tie bars and not the bearings. Use ratchet straps to secure the carriage to the pallet. If your budget allows, hire bonded and insured professional movers. Please tell us how you end up going about it. Take photos, too. Good luck.
OK, someone else chime in.