Anyone know of a reasonable freight shipping service?

ghostcount · Jun 5, 2011

I need to have a enlarger shipped to me from West Virginia to SoCal and I've been getting quotes between $1,000 to $2,000 - I paid less than $300 for the enlarger (weighs about 400lbs).

I understand the shipping price is reasonable for an outfit to bring a large item such as this, but can anyone recommend a cheaper service? Has anyone sold or bought an enlarger and shipped it across country without breaking the bank?

TIA

Bob-D659 · Jun 5, 2011

Try Yellow freight http://www.yrc.com/

tim k · Jun 5, 2011

Road trip !!

mgb74 · Jun 5, 2011

First, are you getting "dock to dock" quotes or picked up and delivered. Can be a big cost difference.

Also, you can try this: http://www.uship.com/

ghostcount · Jun 5, 2011

Thanks Bob, looks like Yellow is the cheapest.

Tim, I was really contemplating on it but I used up my vacation hours from work (I wish I was retired or a lotto winner... sigh ).

ghostcount · Jun 5, 2011

mgb74 said:
First, are you getting "dock to dock" quotes or picked up and delivered. Can be a big cost difference.

Also, you can try this: http://www.uship.com/

Picked up and delivered - I tried uship also, no bidders so far.

I'm still trying to figure out what freight class it should be.

Gim · Jun 5, 2011

I'm still trying to figure out what freight class it should be.[/QUOTE]

This is information from an old book but if the carrier is a party to the National Motor Freight Classification...look under item 39600 CAMERA GROUP...to item 39740, Photographers Materials, NOI, in boxes Class 100. (NOI = not otherwise indexed)

ghostcount · Jun 5, 2011

Thanks Gim. From what I can tell, freight class is classifying package density in addition to the type (eg. camera equipment) and it would appear the bigger the volume the more expensive it is - make sense. I guess I'll have to get this guy to pack this enlarger in a smaller volume.

http://www.nmfta.org/Documents/CCSB/CCSB%20Guidelines%202009.pdf

wildbill · Jun 5, 2011

I've used uship.com twice to ship cars. Los angeles to michigan. About $1000 for a car. First experience good, second was a bit of a nightmare but i got my car several days early. Not uship's fault, just hit or miss companies that do the bidding.

Luseboy · Jun 5, 2011

At that price it would seem sensible to rent a U-haul truck for a weekend and go get the thing! what kind of enlarger weighs 400 lbs though?! must be a horizontal mural 8x10 enlarger, i'd guess?

Neanderman · Jun 5, 2011

You might try some moving companies. If they have a load going that way, sometimes you can get a deal.

Ed

removed account4 · Jun 5, 2011

you might look into greyhound or a trans national bus line
they will ship things in the bus' belly for not to much
and as long as the person being shipped to
lives near a busy depot / stop and can pick-up
there isn't a problem ...

good luck !
john

ghostcount · Jun 6, 2011

Hey Austin, It's a Durst G139, a version of the L184 with a 138S head.

Thanks Vinny, Ed and John for the suggestions. I'm really on the fence whether I should bite the bullet and pay the freight cost - after all it is a Durst G139. Though, spending all that money on item I have not seen and potentially paying more for whatever accessories that are not included makes me cringe.

Dave in Kansas · Jun 6, 2011

You might try several other less-than-truckload freight cariers in addition to YRC. You could try Con-Way and ABF. UPS Freight is the former Overnite Transportation, and FedEx Freight owns the former American Freightways. Those are all nationwide carriers. There are many regional carriers that could do it as well, but they would be interlining with another carrier. All freight carriers have over inflated rates, and all will offer some sort of discount off those rates, so be sure to inquire.

Dave

Curt · Jun 6, 2011

Randy, I ran into that situation when I was looking for a NuArc unit. There were some very reasonable ones out there but they were about a thousand dollars away. I finally got one from the City of Industry there in CA. It was a compromise on price and shipping. They did some searching for me and finally settled on UPS Freight and waved the crating along with wrapping it up for transport.

Think of it this way, your enlarger is $1000.00 and shipping is $300.00. That's one heck of a buy for a Durst, I've got one and they are something to behold. You won't be sorry, see what the list is on that model, that's an eye opener.

Best,
Curt

ghostcount · Jun 6, 2011

Thanks Curt. I suppose that's one way of looking at it - I like the way you think.
It was a "stealth acquisition" so the missus has no clue 'til it arrives, same with my NuArc. Maybe she'll buy the idea that the shipping was $300 and the enlarger is $1,000.

Dave, thanks for the other options - I will inquire with all the recommended outfits tomorrow, I definitely look into all of them. The seller will put it on a palette wrapped in plastic.

Thanks everyone.

frobozz · Jun 6, 2011

Another hobby of mine is pinball machines, and those have a similar weight-to-value problem when shipping long distances. Two frequent cost-effective shippers used in that world are Forward Air (has to be dropped off and picked up at a FA terminal, which is usually near an airport) and North American Van Lines (who will pick up and drop off.) Might give each of them a call. A lot of it is going to depend on how much effort your seller is willing to put forth in terms of boxing/wrapping, hauling to a shipper, etc.

Duncan

ghostcount · Jun 6, 2011

Thank you Duncan. I'll put North American Van Lines on the list.

Anyone know of a reasonable freight shipping service?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency