Packing machines for a move
 

We will be doing a local move soon, and next spring a move of about 1100 miles. I have 3 machines; the old one I’m not worried about, and the fancy one (Brother VQ3000) will likely travel with us in the car.

My question is, how do you safely pack a mid-level embroidery machine? I have a Brother Designio 820E. I didn’t come with any sort of case, just a dust cover. The embroidery arm (thing that moves around when the embroidery is happening) doesn’t come off, and I’m worried that it might be damaged.

Any packing suggestions greatly appreciated! I don’t really want to have to take it in the car as well (there will be 2 birds and a parrot as well as the other machine, etc.).

Thanks in advance!

I would take it in the car if I didn't have the original box and packing it came in.

I would buy a case for it and pack fabric or batting scraps around it in the case.

Cari

I would put it in the car with me too. When I travel with my embroidery machine it has it's own seatbelt.

Oh goodness, I would be taking it in the car with me regardless of how I packed it.

I sold a Bernina 710 to an interstate buyer...packed it within an inch of its life with so much packing material and reinforcement on the box sides and plastered it with "Fragile" and "This way UP" stickers over every side of the carton and the freighters still managed to drop it from such a height that the machine was beyond repair when the buyer collected it. Luckily, she had insured it. I would never, ever, trust a freight or removalist company again with anything so precious.

I take it you didn't keep the original box it came in? Then I would pack it in the car.

FYI. When I bought my Janome, I was told if there was ever a problem with it that required the dealer shipping it to the manufacturer, the only way they would ship it was if it was in the original box. They would not take any substitute. Kind of a pain to store a large box for years "just in case", but better safe than sorry.

For sure- Take it in your car. As a word of caution- try not to travel in high heat times. DH was tasked with moving my sewing machine & bread machine. He had to work on the way to the new home & parked the car in the shade. He drove to the new home later that week. After we took the machines out & let them acclimate to the new house & AC, I tried to turn them on. The computer boards in both machines were cooked. Bread machine replaced, sewing machine replacement boards would have cost more than I paid for the machine & all the extra feet etc. that I bought to go with it. Hubby was so upset 'cause he tried to keep things cool.
Good luck
sewverybusy1

While the ideal travel for the machine is in your own car, life is sometimes not accommodating. If you are forced to ship it with your household goods. I would double box it. While using fabric might sound good as well as economical it is also very heavy and will add to the weight. Also movers tend to put the heaviest things at the bottom of the pile

If forced to pack it, I would first wrap it in several layers of bubble wrap / put it in a box with a little bit of room in it and fill that box with packing popcorn / then find another box at least 6 to 8 inches larger in all directions / put several inches of popcorn in the bottom of the larger box / center the box containing the machine / fill the rest of the larger box with more popcorn and tape it well.

Mark it well with Fragile stickers and I would be tempted to write on it some sort of request not to stack things on top of it.

I used this method when we moved ten years ago for extremely fragile things including my serger. By double boxing it - the machine can not shift or settle to the bottom. Everything in our move arrived in perfect condition including the serger. Good Luck!!

http://www.victoriansweatshop.com/po...ipment-7927515

i took mine in the car but this is an option

i agree with most... take it in the car

Stitchnripper's link is a good one and I recommend it. If your machine must be shipped, double-boxing is the way you should go. Use fiberglass strapping tape to secure the box. I have used an entire roll of it to seal one box. Start the roll of tape on one corner of the box (I usually start at the top left, about 3" down from the corner) and go diagonally in a straight line to the other corner. Do not cut the tape at any point - just keep rolling around and around wherever the tape takes you. This will preserve the structural integrity of the box.
At my most recent packing experience, I packed some boxes and a coworker packed others. There was much laughter as I rolled and rollled tape around my boxes. All boxes were transferred by the same shipper. Mine arrived totally intact, contents untouched. Boxes packed by my coworker all arrived damaged, some with contents spilling out. For the cost of a roll of tape, it's a no-brainer.

I have always saved the original boxes my machines came in for just that purpose. I put my entire sewing room into storage for what ended up being 4 years long. When I finally sold the house and bought another one, it was over 1,200 miles trip for my items. When they movers opened the back end and I saw my machines on the bottom of the piles I freaked out but since I had kept all the packing materials for each box, they came thru fine. Needless to say I made comment to the movers that I didn't appreciate seeing my machines at the bottom with heavy book boxes on top of them.

I moved across country and all my machines were moved by Atlas. I put my big Janome is the rolling tote from Joannes with lots of fabric around it. They wrapped my HQ16 in packing pads. My small Janome went into a box with lots of fabric around it. Everything was just fine when unpacked. I really worried about the HQ16. My machines were all bought used and did not come with boxes.

UPS will pack machines in their store and ship them with a guarantee. That is pricey tho.

Check with your local dealer. They may have an extra box or two. Not everyone takes those big boxes home. Even if it's not your exact machine, they probably have one to fit.

Good luck on your move!

We have moved several times and we always carry my machines, guns and computers with us. Movers take everything else, but we either rent a small truck or manage to pack everything in our cars. Some things I just don't trust anyone else with!

I just flew from the Midwest to the East Coast with a 1964 Singer wrapped in bubble wrap, packed in a brown box and it arrived beautifully. I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t damage. Good luck!

I'm surprised the embroidery arm doesn't come off. I have two Brother emb machines and both have removable arms. Have you checked the manual to see if it comes off? I would NOT use peanuts for packing. They don't keep anything from shifting. If you have to pack it consider taking it to a UPS or FexEx store and ask them to pack it. If you do it yourself, use plenty of padding and make sure the machine is stable and doesn't shift around. How you would pack it with the emb arm attached is probably going to be a problem.

Find a large box (shippers will tell you a minimum of 2" space each direction). You can accordion 2 boxes if necessary. Then use blankets and towels. You have to pack them anyway, might as well use them. We have done that with our towels, pillowcases, etc when packing kitchen items. A tip told to me many years ago was to use your washer and dryer and pack them with sheets, pillows, toilet paper and paper towels and soap. When you arrive at new location, these appliances are easy to locate and you will need these items as soon as you get there! Also, make sure you mark all the boxes with room locations (not contents, that can tempt a thief). If you are taking your refrigerator, it is a great place to stash small boxes containing crystal, photo books and other valuable items. Wrap it shut with some duct tape. Again, it is easy to spot and not likely to get misplaced. Good luck to you! Try to look at the positives - my last move allowed me to get a dedicated work room that is 10' x 22'. Makes up for all the work of moving!

What great ideas. I would never have thought to put anything inside the washer and dryer or the refrigerator.

Did the duct tape residue come off?? That would be my biggest fear. I'd probably buy a roll of that cling-wrap style of packing tape, they kind you see being wrapped around boxes on pallets.

I would take it in the car regardless of the box.

I have kept the original boxes for both my Janome 8900 and my Bernina...but luckily I have a storage area for them.

I did rid of my Singer 401A machine (it is over 50 years old) so I will have to locate a box to pack it in, should that occasion arise.