Thread: Ideas for moving the works

I have a saw mill. I pack things with sawdust. A couple of shovel fulls over each layer, a bit of a shake to settle it and then on with the next layer.
Bulker bags rather than boxes. Move easy on fork tines. Suck the sawdust out with a vacuum and pick out your tools as you go. Chuck the empty bags in one of their mates, fill a couple more with the vacuumed sawdust and your ready for the next load.

I like it, but a bit industrial level for me... I welcome all other comments and ideas!

Old socks make good tool protectors.
Maybe try a second hand clothing store as they may have an odds and sods collection.

You don't even need a sock for every tool. I've carted some of my home made tools around in plastic tubs to show family members and folks at work, Once you have about 1/2 of the tools in socks you can safely pack other tool in with these. Old footy socks are good for longer items. Kids socks are good for small items.

I had far fewer tools than I do now when I moved but newspaper worked for me. Just kept the junk 'local' publications that were stuffed in the mail box and used several sheets per delicate tool then into a plastic tub. I think I only had two medium sized tubs of hand tools, so it wasn't an arduous process. If you have a shed full, it may be a slightly different experience. What about packing foam - the kind that comes on a roll? Packaging supply stores have large rolls that work out pretty cheap per metre. Bit of masking tape over the sharp edges and they won't slice through paper or foam.

Fruit boxes.

The kinds you get from the markets. They are thick and heavy duty.

Our local dude keeps them out the front for people to take as it save him compaction/recycling fees. He will also give me all the "socks" that fruit like pawpaw, nashi and giant apples are put into.

The fruit boxes are big enough to be useful without being Crazy Goddam Heavy. They are also bloody strong.



As for the move, hire a Kennards cabin truck. Super cheap and they have a taillift for heavy stuff

I like your idea of making boxes and then repurposing them.
In my new shed, instead of having a lower shelf under my bench I have boxes on wheels. Much easier to wheel out a box and look into it than try and get stuff from a bottom shelf.
I made mine out of the 2400 x 600 sheets of non structural black film coated ply at Bunnings. They were $40 per sheet. Castors are also so cheap these days at Bunnings.

Yeah making boxes is the go.

I went thorough a stage of buying old tool boxes when I saw a cheap one at auction or ebay, before I knew I was moving . The 19th C cabinet maker or carpenter type with sliding boxes for moulding planes sometimes . Sometimes just bare inside . They came in handy for my big move . But I didn't have enough . ? 7 I think .

So when I ran out I made the same . 3 of them . Just out of 250 x 19 Radiata Pine and skew nailed/ glued together. A basic version. A plain box with no mouldings and all that . The bottom was screwed and glued on across the short width. Wooden cleat handles . And like good old tool boxes the top screwed down . About 10 bugle screws each . The old boys not only had locks, two sometimes, but they also screwed a top down in a number of spots as well for the voyage out to Australia in the 19th C.
Like them I didn't want anyone peeking in when the move happened and I wasn't looking.

Another thing I used was those empty Black drums that come into the country holding pickled vegetables . There almost 150 to 200 liter I think . With a screw on lid and rubber seal . $15 ea at the time possibly . I didn't do tools in them but books and clothes and office stuff . They could go in one of our newly acquired leaky sheds and I didn't have to worry about the water . They were good .

When I saw the title of this thread I immediately thought of senna pods.

Many moons ago I made a heap of these for an adventure camping place.

They were strong as all hell and people bought many. I was told many clients came back for more.

The edges were done with a simple router jig and the base was fully rebated into the sides plus a reinforcing strip added to the bottom along the insides. They were glued all round. The lid pressed-fit in.

They were utterly indestructible and I know some were terribly brutalised by those 4wd offroad nutters. None came back and there were zero complaints - only compliments.
Although they were MRMDF, they were drowned, kicked around, bashed, loaded with iron pots, waterproof (one idiot doubled it up as an icebox and esky.. !) and some people simply painted them.

The MDMDF was 9mm and sold by Timberwood. I think each "cost" me about $9 each to make. The rope was from El Bunninks.

They had hardwood skids on the bottom to assist slipping into storage and sitting atop each other.

For moving boxes, 6mm MDF is enough.

They were very easy to make.

camping box ropes.jpg chest camping.jpg camping box handle.jpg camping box underside.jpg camping chest reinforcing.jpgcamping chest with lid.jpg

Thanks mate - that's some good info... Hadn't considered MDF, but it'll shave the cost compared to ply... Given time, purpose etc, I think I'll look at some sort of rebated and pinned corners for speed and simplicity, but had already thought about runners/base reinforcement that will become draw runners if repurposing occurs... Starting to see a route forwards, thanks to all for the suggestions. I will post some pics as and when.

"They were glued all round"

wP,

Just glued? Screws?

Thanks,

Brian

Make boxes for them, repurpose into drawers,or simply boxes in pigeonholes. Hire a pantech truck from wherever, it will be well worth it, trailers are for one off single moves. Get rid of anything you haven’t used in 10 years.

Originally Posted by homey

"They were glued all round"

Just glued? Screws?

No screws, only TB3.

I did many tests for strength. The glue was on all sides where any two pieces of MDF joined.

They were absolutely unbreakable.

Really good advise, especially from WP. I would like to add a couple of supplementary suggestions:

1. Beer cartons and wine boxes are the size they are for some very good reasons. Use that as a guide.
2. Size your panels so that there is zero wastage from a full sheet of MDF.
3. 9mm MDF is only $4 per sheet dearer than 6mm (@Bunnings) and the extra durability will be useful if you reuse them.
4. When gluing MDF always wet both surfaces otherwise you risk dry joints. MDF is very absorbant.
5. Make them stackable. WP's lid handles are sub-optimal.