taking down a long arm
 

Hi, quilting board members. May I have your opinion. I'm moving soon and am taking my Handiquilter Avante with me to my new home. My dealer (about 2 hours away from my current place) wants $300 to come to my home and take my machine down. He is not transporting it, nor will he set it up in the new place. Is that a fair price? Should I try to take it apart myself? The instruction manual shows how to set it up. I could just follow the directions backwards. What do you think? Sadly, I have no handy husband to help me out. I'm on my own. Thanks for your opinions.

Is there no-one at all to give you a hand?

If you have instructions why can't you do it yourself. I too am on my own, and at 65 bought my Lizzie from a dealer an hours' drive away, in boxes, and assembled it all myself. Do you have all the tools, hex keys & spanners or such - should have been provided in the kit. My only regret is that I could have used my cordless drill if I had the right 'bits'. would have been easier/quicker. The only help needed was my sewing friend helped to lift the machine onto the frame.
Am now 70, and not as healthy, but could still do it all again, and will have to if I move from here.
But then, I've always had to be a jack-of-all-trades for many years, even when I had a man around the house.

Wish you luck.

I have an HQ16 that needed service. They did not make house calls and wanted everything but the table. I took it all apart myself and took pictures of everything while I took it apart. When I got it to the shop, she said the only thing I needed to bring seperate was the computer and the cables. Oh well, practice makes perfect! Disassemble in reverse order.

I moved my 12 ft table and APQS Millenium a couple years ago. My grandson and I got the machine off the table and I took that in my car. We got the hydraulic lift off the table but couldn't get the table apart...we weren't strong enough. I had hired local movers through Angie's List and planned to ask them to take the table apart. They elected to just move the table and that worked. At my new place they brought it in through the patio and sliding glass doors. I wish I hadn't taken off the hydraulic lifts from the legs.

Thanks, ladies, you've given me confidence. Maybe I can scare up some girlfriends to give me a hand.

Lots of good suggestions here, and I just wanted to say that common sense and logic can go a long way to solving a problem.....

I do have a DH but he has had heart problems so I did most of it myself. I have HQ16 and it came with 2 fold up tables and I was able to do that. I did ask him to help guide me in placing the machine in the channels.

Yes, common sense and most quilters already have that. You could buy a lot of fabric for $300. Good luck.

I took down my longarm myself when I moved. I took lots of pictures, took notes on the order used to take it down, put the bolts, nuts, etc. that I used in baggies that I labeled with numbers and notes. When I got to the new house I was able to reassemble most of it by myself. I did get my son's help inserting the long poles, but probably could have done that too if necessary. It isn't rocket science. And if you do it yourself, you will know a lot more about your machine and its frame.

oh how I wish I could come help. My DH doesn't do anything when assembling ever, so if I buy something that has to be put together either I do it alone or seek the assistance of my eldest daughter. My dear friend has given me the strength to do such things by myself. It never ceases to amaze me what she does on her own. She even uses power saws on her own. She said the worse that can happen is needing a repairman later and she is right.

So give it a try, maybe call in a friend for moral support and to assist with taking pictures and writing notes.

Take lots of pictures along the way!

You could take it down yourself but some times you will need an extra pair of hands. I think the price is steep. Have you got a good neighbour or sewing friend who could act as the additional pair. I put a frame together by myself and at times I wished my arms were 12' long.

I definitely think you would need another person to help, but that you could do it yourself. Here is a link to a 4-part article by Todd Fletcher on how to take down a longarm for moving. I downloaded the article and it is very good. Lots of pictures, and he takes it step by step. He is using a Gammill for this article, but most longarms are very similar. Here is the link where you can download the PDF:
https://machinequilting.mqumag.com/2...todd-fletcher/

Yes, make it a fun time at your house serving cookies and tea. Maybe a hat party. That is what friends are for. Be sure to take an many pictures as you can before and after something is unbolted.

I would also say you could do it yourself, except, if possible, you should have someone else there to help handle the weight of the machine when you lift it off the frame. It's quite heavy and a bit ungainly. I would take it from the frame directly to the vehicle if possible. I also have an Avante, and saved the box the machine came in, just in case.

DH and I took down my 12' HQ fusion and frame (with prostitcher) to move it to the new building back in January. It's not that bad to take down, but you should have two people as that makes it easier.

I set up the frame myself the first time, and only used DH's help to get the machine set on the frame. The second time we left the table long, only removed it from the legs since we could fit it out the door of the house and into the new building without taking it down farther.

I may pay someone $300 to set it up, but not to take it down. I found setting up the HQ to be easier than setting up the Gracie frame, except the HQ is a lot heavier.

I bought my Avante with a 12 foot frame from a long-distance dealer. It arrived on a large wooden pallet and it took me 2 days to put it together by myself. It can be done. Good luck to you.

My husband had no clue when it came to using tools. The toolbox was mine and it left the house when I did. My father taught me well and where I live it is had to find anyone to do anything. I am my best handyman.

Longarm take down
 

I have taken apart my gammill now five times..it takes some thought ..take pics as you go along..put matching labels where the parts are going to go back together. Not sure about yours but mine has steel bars and they are real heavy. I put a table under the bed of mine ( a six foot portable table) and took the ends off and then the bed rested on this table.if you have steel bars you will need some assistance to move the table..mine had steel bars all the way down the table underneath and so therefore that part was pretty heavy. All else was pretty manageable. Good luck ! I think you can do it..seems expensive for what you are getting..

I have a HQ Avante and eventually it will be removed also. I do have a DH who will help and we plan on labeling everything in plastic bags. Our salesman/dealer certainly will never help us. Go for it, I wouldn't pay them $300.

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*** I say "Go For It" in reverse with lots of pics.
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PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES! You can't take too many pictures. And when it cones to the final countdown, get a couple extra bodies to help!
Let us know how it goes.

I am with the majority here, do it yourself. I set up and took down my LA frame, my husband helped in keeping it steady while removing the rollers. For me doing it myself is the only way I learn something. It frustrates my husband to no end. :)

You can do it! But, take pictures and make notes. Little things you think you will remember - you might not. Heck, you are a quilter!!! putting things together is what you do!!!!

Before you take it apart, take photos and photos of the pieces. Close up photos. Get some gallon Ziploc bags you can label photos 1 thru #.That is what my husband does. He'll write down right front this or that.

I agree with the others -- get some friends and go for it! You might also want to call Handi-Quilter and see if they have any suggestions and also call them if you need help putting it back together. The thing I noticed when my Avante was delivered and set up by my great local dealer is that levelling seems to be the most important thing.