Packing up the shop any tips?

[Dennis Toth]

We are getting ready to move to the Asheville, NC area near our daughter. I am trying to get a jump on the packing so am starting in my shop. Since you can't pack fuel or paints I thought I would pack them for loading in the car. Next, I'm boxing all the wood and covering materials so I will know where they are, then the kits and plans. Then there are all the props. I have separated them by engine size and put them in separate boxes. Engines will go in separate marked boxes, will put afterrun oil in each and put in a ziplock bag too, then put them in one big box. The hardware in a separate box. All good so far but then there is the partially built kits, wings and various parts tails, rudders etc. I was thinking something like a wardrobe box might be big enough. The ships will just be bubble wrapped and shipped with the rest of the stuff.

After the basic stuff is packed, I next have to clear the room and get the shop bench ready, but this should not be too bad once the tools are packed. Then get all the stuff off the wall, wire shelfs, photos. trophies and tool board.

Besides finding that long lost part or screw you dropped long ago and looked for hours and didn't find, there was the memories of all the ships built. The thing I didn't realize was how much mental and emotional work this would be.

Anyone out there who has done this and has any tips for getting through it please post you tips.

Best,   DennisT

[wwwarbird]

 Don't ship anything you don't want broken.

[Dave_Trible]

I moved into a new(er) home last Jan.-March.  It was just across town which was nice because I could take weeks instead of all at once.  Also the airplanes could be hauled one or two at a time in many loads.  The hardest part was the new house is very much larger than the old place but ironically had a lot less usable storage space-especially for finished airplanes. Even the 'now' shop was a sauna/ exercise room with plush carpet that we had to pull out.  Every inch of space was completely finished.   I found through the process I threw away tons of stuff I'd gathered for years-had to.  That seemed hard but I figured if I hadn't needed it for quite a while I wouldn't miss it.  The shop is a LOT bigger.  One wall we covered entirely with floor to ceiling shelves and still find ourselves out of space.   Can't imagine where I found space for all this at the old place.  Of course there I had one work table,  now we have three plus one we can pull out when I make a run of props or something.   I find no envy in you having to do it all at one time.  I'm sure I would have thinned it out much further had I done that.  I have seen airplanes moved by a company in a moving van.........

Dave

[Jeremy Chinn]

I've moved several times during my involvement in the hobby (and a couple other hobbies that I'm deeply into).

We moved into our current home in 2012. We were listing the home, so I began packing up the shop in advance of the listing. I got all fresh moving boxes and tape from U-haul at the time - that included a couple large wardrobe boxes.

For the smaller items, I started by pulling everything out of the shelving and racks and organizing it into groups. Engines and related items, Hardware, Tools, etc. Once I got enough to fill a box, I organized it into the box and then labeled the outside of the box with a very big magic marker indicating the groupings that were inside.

Small moving boxes were great for all of the small items. I used the wardrobe boxes for all of the kits, wood, covering materials, rolled plans, etc.

We were only moving a couple towns over, but were displaced from having a home for a month (lived with the in-laws  ) so I ended up slowly moving completed airplanes to a storage area at my workplace (I was the GM at the time, so I had the keys). When it was time to move into the house, I was able to slowly move them into our new home. I cannot begin to imagine movers properly moving finished airframes....

Grouping and labeling all of the 'stuff' was a huge benefit long down the road, as I had intended to take a short break after the move. That short break turned into almost 10 years. I definitely forgot where I put things (or even that I had certain items) during that time, so the grouping and labeling of the boxes really helped when I began to dig back in. I know that any moving situation I've been in always involves a period of time when I'm doing a lot more "moving in and getting settled" than enjoying life.

You mentioned the emotional aspect... there were some newspaper clippings about events I flew in, some things from big contests, pins from the Nats, etc I had on my pegboard. I pulled all those down and put them in a box to be ready to put right back up when I built the new shop in the new home. Those items definitely made it feel more like 'home'.

[Dennis Toth]

Clearing stuff out is the hard part. Even the scraps of balsa that are easy to hang onto need to go (I know as soon as I toss them, I'm goanna need that one little piece). I have several kits and parts that are started but I know I will not finish them so I'm giving them to local flyers. As I get some stuff that just found its way into the shop I'm starting to see day light. Gees, Scotty where is that transporter!!

Best,  DennisT

[EddyR]

Dennis    A-move from Florida to Asheville NC is a very big change in life style. I moved from a very active cl group in Tampa Bay area 23 years ago to a very active cl group in Charlotte NC so it was easy to keep flying . Things are very different now than 23 years ago. I think you will find cl to be of less interest to you in your new area,to many other things to do.
Ed

[Dennis Toth]

Week 4: I've been working through a couple rooms to declutter so that they would be packable. So far got through clothes closet and books, doing pretty good. This week I got into the shop and had to fight my way through lots of stuff that was just there. Also got the clutter out of the garage, lots of old wood and broken chairs.

Now back at the shop. Since I can now get to the stuff, I want to keep I need to get it organized. My first task was all the props, geez I had a lot more than I thought. I put them in shoe boxes according to size and marked them. I will put them into a shipping box for transport.

I have a shelf full of usable paint that I want to take but this can't be put in a moving truck so will do a few boxes that will go the car. I will do same with my engines as I want to make sure they don't get lost. I have a couple of the Rubber Maid containers that are stackable and should make fitting into the car easier?

Well, off to the shop to start more packing, maybe will get some flying in later today.

Best,   DennisT 

[Motorman]

My advise, watch that TV show Hoarders, makes throwing stuff out allot easier.

[Steve Helmick]

Until I was 15, I was a USAF kid, and we moved many times. We packed a lot of models into one or maybe two wardrobe boxes and never had any damage to speak of. That was way before bubble wrap. Wrapped stuff with newspaper (heard of it? LOL) and then wadded up newspaper. Fuselages were wrapped and taped to the side of the box. Mostly FF & RC models with surfaces held on for flight with rubberbands, ya know.

I don't recall a lot of CL models surviving long enough to need shipping, except a Sterling "Polish Fighter" that my oldest brother built. I never flew it, which might be why it survived as long as it did. Wasn't really interested in flying that POS, either...O&R .33 and weighed about 5 lbs.  Steve

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

Just this year I hauled 40 built planes to Brodaks, of various sizes.  And I've boxed a number of shops.  So I have some comments.

The hardest part is the built models.  Not sure how many you are talking about and how far they are going.  However, the technique that has worked for me is to set the models on the floor of a cargo trailer, similar to my 5x10 cargo trailer, with the tails outward.  Then lay a layer of moving blankets on top.  Repeat layers of planes/blankets.

As others point out, I would not allow any person who is not experienced at building and flying models handle any built model.

Regarding balsa, if your building style is to scavenge, I'd keep 100% of it, including crashed/odd+ends.

Props box easily.  Engines, as well, possibly wrapped in rags, paper, bubble or similar.  And, of course, well oiled.

Kits travel pretty well, too.  To retain value, avoid any tape/writing/labels on the boxes, especially on printed artwork.  Instead, cut a piece of brown paper 3" wide, wrap it around, and put tape on the brown paper.

Another thing to avoid is using rubber bands for any storage purpose, as they become a mess of glue in fairly short order, especially if exposed to heat.

Best of luck with your move.  Hope to see you at a future contest.  You are not too far from plenty of CL activity.

Peter

[Fred Cronenwett]

When I moved the last time I transported all of the models and breakable items in my own trailer. I am currently moving from my shop from one area in the basement to another right now. When the new shop is ready to accept the work bench and the larger items I will start to dig thru the piles of stuff in the old shop area. I will find stuff I didn't know I had and then stuff I had lost track of years ago.

The best thing I did for the props, line material, lines and handles is that I have all of them on a pegboard. I had props in many boxes at one point, but now all of my props are on the pegboard sorted by size. When you do move if you can organize your stuff you need quick access to like the flying lines or the props, consider a pegboard.

Fred

[Dennis Toth]

Making progress got the kits closed up and in several tall boxes they use for shipping golf club sets. Also got most of the boxed engines, oiled and in large container box. Working on the ones loose in draw. I am trying to make sure they are loosened up before packing. Next will be the tools. All I can think of is to wrap in bubble wrap and put them into a marked box.

The frustrating thing is every time you think you finished you open a draw or look on a shelf and find more stuff!! My gold is to have the airplane stuff packed so I can fine it once we get to the new place. I am trying to put enough information on the labels to know what stuff is in what box. Lots of work.

Best,   DennisT

[Dave Hull]

I moved offices a number of times. It was always a LOT of packing. One thing that really helped is to number each box, and keep a master list of all the boxes. On my lists, I made note of the contents in as much detail as I could in one line. If you do it on the computer, keep a hard copy. And keep that list very close! It will tell you if one of the boxes is missing, and often prevent you from going thru endless boxes as you are trying to get things done before the new setup is all unpacked and reorganized. In some cases, years later, I was still able to track down things I suddenly needed but could not find.

I admire your efforts to clean up engines as you pack. I suppose that is possible if you have the luxury of time! Since I was always moving on a deadline, often with little warning, that kind of a strategy was the kiss of death....

Safe move,

Dave

[Dennis Toth]

Guys,
Things are getting serious now, I am done with my lung surgery and doing fine. We have a house we are talking about in Fletcher, NC and we have to get our house here in Jupiter, FL on the market. I have been working through most of the big shop packing, draws, kits, engines (lots of engines) and am getting to the final tools and planes.

How have you transported planes to new locations? I can't get them all in the car and will need to include them with the transport move. Did you do any special packing? Last time I moved from NJ I just wrapped them in bubble wrap and put them on top of the other belongings in the truck. Any better ways to do this?

Best,    DennisT

[Robert Whitley]

Maybe rent a one way u-haul enclosed trailer?

[FLOYD CARTER]

I've moved 3 times, and have built 3 workshops/

If possible, I recommend never use a commercial moving company.  Do it yourself. 

Buy a lot of cardboard boxes, and allow plenty time to pack your supplies and tools.

Renting a panel truck might seem expensive, but you will not regret it after the move.

[John Rist]

My Son last move he went with a U-pack we pick up the container and hall it to the new location.  I am not sure of the name of the company he used but there are many.  How it worked they dropped a large container in his driveway.  He packed all of his household items and loaded them in to the container.  When ready they packed up the container and delivered it to the new home.  Cost was reasonable because you do most of the labor.  If you are having a moving company move household items  there may be a small container option for just your hobby stuff.

[Fred Cronenwett]

with my last move in 2012 I moved all of the models in my own trailer

I just moved my shop from one end of the basement to the other end, that required me to go thru everything and downsize it what I had put into every corner of my old shop. I lost 6 months of building time but worth the effort.

Fred