Moving Models

[Erfolg]

In the not to distant future, we will be moving house. Aprox 60 miles away.

I have been adopting a head in sand strategy, hoping that it will never happen. Mainly due to be able to fly 7 days a week with my two clubs =.5 and possibly 2 miles away and a park behind the house.

Last night my wife tackled me as to how my toys are to be moved. This has completely thrown me. Mainly because I only see the problems, no real easy solutions that are low cost.

My Tx is showing 19 models. There are probably another 5 or 6 without gear in. I have a lot of glider wings that is + 100" probably about 5-10 airfarame worth.

As many modellers I also have piles of so called junk, from a Ao drawing board, wing board, a fuz jig, boxes of misc items,

Yet in reality it is the wings and bodies that are the issue. I am guessing it would take about 5 journeys of 120 miles each just to move these in my car. I cannot see them going into the removal van and surviving the journey.

As i will not be the first person to face this task, who and how have others dealt with the issue.

[Andy48]

Why not rent a small lockup container for a month or two and take the models over bit by bit, or secondly hire a van for the day, or both. That way you can move in with one (ha ha!) less thing to clutter up the removal process.

Often you can get quite good deals on storage lockups for short periods.

[Toni Reynaud]

Plus one for hire a van for the day, of find a modelling friend who owns a motorhome to help.

[Geoff S]

When my sister went to university in Huddersfield as a mature student a few years back my brother and I rented a self-drive Luton van to take her stuff up to the house she's rented. I don't recall its being very expensive and we were able to make 2 trips in a day without any trouble. It was also about 60 miles each way.

If we were to move (dreaded thought!) that's what I'd do and what we did when we moved here even longer ago. It wasn't model aeroplanes in those days but lots of motor cycles and sundry spares (engines and frames etc) as well as tools. I would think moving models would be less of an issue.

Geoff

[Chris Barlow]

Is it possible to ask a few club members if they can help out for the day, maybe offering a free BBQ or beers etc?

A few mates and 4-5 models per car should make light work of it.

[glen johnson]

Another option would be to build a wooden crate or two out of 25mm timer and 3mm mdf/hardboard to put the models in. They could then be strapped down and kept safe whilst in the moving van/ hire van.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Pete B]

ISTR Vecchio Austriaco made up some transport boxes from ply for his move a few years ago. I haven't seen much of him here recently, so PM'ing him might get a result...

Pete

ps Found his thread here

Edited By Pete B - Moderator on 07/12/2015 20:04:01

[Erfolg]

It seems that great minds think alike. My wife suggested a van. It does seem the minds think alike. Plus the plus that it was my wives idea.

Over a week end I should be able to get 5 round trips in.

I think it will have to be bubble wrap, as there are a lot of models, even with wings removed there will be a lot of bulk. Although the main draw back is the time required to make boxes. At my pace of working, it would tale me months to make them. Then i should get rid of them, which I probably would not, so more junk.

It does depress me that i will loose a lot of hobby time, I have been reflecting on how long it takes me to build a model, which appears to be a lot longer than most, for a very average accuracy of build and finish. It seems about 4-6 months. I always seem to be building, so do wonder where the time is going.

Then how long it will take to set up a workshop. Not withstanding all the jobs i will have to do. Even though a decorator (other than me) has been identified for much of the work.

Hopefully my new club will have a better for average flier than my present (UC) field. It is all very depressing, it really is.

Edited By Erfolg on 07/12/2015 20:24:29

Edited By Erfolg on 07/12/2015 20:26:02

[Phil Green]

Hi Erfolg, I wont ask why the unwanted/enforced move but I'd suggest its something you could look forward to, you'll have a new workshop where you can plan a layout properly and set up exactly as you wish, you'll have a new club and loads of new flying friends with new interests... who might get you started in a genre of flying you'd never considered!

...and sixty miles isnt the end of the world - I frequently travel 55 miles to the SSA slope, and visit my mum 45 miles away. After 11 years in Ponty we still regard Sheffield as 'home' albeit 40 miles away, not that we're homesick, its just the convenience of knowing your way around a familiar city.

You will as you say be busier than usual with a variety of jobs as you settle in to your new home, making changes as you go.... thats what makes it home. Modelling is just a pastime. Something to do when the chores are done. You could revert to flying only RTF foamies for the first season, so your limited building time can be used instead for flying,

Dont be depressed about the move, embrace it, help with the planning, talk to your wife about the possibilities and I'm sure you'll enjoy your new setup

Cheers
Phil

[Gary Manuel]

Man up and tell her you're not moving and that's that.

[Tim Hooper]

I was lucky earlier this year when we moved house.

We have a 5-berth touring caravan, which I used to transport my models in two journeys.

tim

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

You are no doubt paying to have expensive furniture n electric items to be moved, wrap em in something and let the lads shift em, why you making work for yourself

John

[Area 51]

Hi Erf, I'd recommend the van hire suggested, over a weekend these can be two days for one as they are not out on rental to business users etc and rental business are keen to see them being used.. So look into getting a good deal, maybe ask a pal at the flying club to assist in moving them as a lot of "helpers" do not always share the need for care around our precious models..

I moved a few years back, similar amount of models, but not over the distance you have to cover.. I did around 6-7 trips with my estate.. time consuming and a headache in the end.. So if youre not looking forward to it and the trip.. aim to get it over and done with in one trip..

Setting up the new workshop can be the project you focus when this issue has a happy solution for you...

Good luck Erf and enjoy the move and future plans..

[Erfolg]

There is no secret as to what has driven the move, it is to help my daughter. Both her and her husband work in a hospital. Given that my wife does 3 days of the week to either pick up and or take the children to school. Other arrangements are taken for the other two to three days , all dependant. Plus they both have to work one weekend in three, which often involves one ot the other being in the hospital for the whole of the days and nights.

I can see that they need our help, increasingly, plus other family changes have meant I could not reasonably resist.

I am curious Tim how you managed to set up your workshop. Deal with the inevitable jobs in the new home, which are a consequence of moving. In your case also working.

Being retired, in theory I have lots of time. In reality I do really do not know how I found the time to work, as there seems very little spare time.

There is another down side, the son-in-law threatens me with one of the granddaughters helping to build models. I am no teacher, how ever much i would love her company.

I will be honest, and dread trying to sort and move 45 years of household junk. It seems easy when some do it, I just think, there are 3 boxes of text books in the loft, I have not seen or looked at in, well it seems like 200 years. The garage is stuffed to the roof almost. Then there are the sideboards, cupboards, and so on jammed with, goodness knows what. and so on, where ever I look.

But at present it is my models that is my main concern and how to continue.

[Erfolg]

JS

I certainly will be using a furniture moving company to move the beds, sideboard, tables and chairs etc.

But I guess you can sense my trepidation. I know that the wardrobes, although classed as built, were actually brought in as a number of big units, which were refastened in the house, by the supplier. I had planned taking these apart myself and bagging the screws.

What really bugging me is how my wife will deal with her cloths, i have very few.

In some respects I know i should dump all my college work, but I find it hard, I look at some notes, read them and think, wow, that's what you could do. I know it is some pride, nostalgic memories. I know i will never use then again. I also recognise as soon as i am dead, they will be consigned to the bin, without a moments hesitation. I am so sad I have one of my daughters medical books, must weigh about 10 or so pounds, it is about 6" thick, without exaggeration. I tried to give it away on E-Bay, postage cost and yet still cannot bring myself to bin it. To me it is more than a pile of paper, although i cannot articulate what.

I think it could having to do what I know should have been done years ago that is conceptually so hard for me .

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Moving homes a big deal and hard work, let the younger lads do the graft, you just pack your stuff and memories up ready.

John

[AVC]

I moved house four years ago, although my scenario was a bit different: it wasn't a 60 miles but a 1900 miles move, from the south of Spain to the north of England. What I did was to sell some of my models, and for the most beloved, I made a wooden cage and put them in the removals' truck. I sent three models this way, from 60" to 86" inches, and all they arrived in perfect conditions.
In your case though, the van is probably the best option, as you can keep all of your models, and besides is your wife's idea, and that makes things much easier

Edited By AVC on 08/12/2015 03:37:20

Edited By AVC on 08/12/2015 03:38:33

Edited By AVC on 08/12/2015 03:39:41

[Toni Reynaud]

We lived at the house before this one for 7 years. When preparing to move from there, I found three boxes of "stuff" in the attic I had not opened - they were still sealed from the move to that house. I decided that as I had not looked in them for 7 years, I didn't need the contents, so I binned them sight unseen. Five years after moving, I found that among other things those thrown away boxes contained a lot of photos from my 23 1/2 years in the RAF. A bit of a loss, but not a life-changer.- harden up and bin that which is not REALLY necessary.

Best of luck with it all. Having moved house about 15 times over the years, I do understand the trepidation. However, hire a reputable moving firm and let them worry about the wardrobes and suchlike - they are good at what they do and worth the money. And LABEL THE BOXES!!

Toni

[Erfolg]

John

I have two daughters, who seem to see a young man as a father. That means I do for them. That means everything from producing CAD drawings for an extension, submitting Building regs etc, Moving built in wardrobe. My son-in-law who is very practical in addition to being very academic (a proper doctor as well as a doctor) is both short of time and I would not risk his health. The others boy friend is just not the type.

I was reflecting last night that my wife does not comprehend what it will mean to her either. I am looking at a sideboard with 14 photos (framed) a wall with 4 photos of my daughters with there two degrees (one med + Pharm, the other a degree + masters). As I look around this all continues in various forms. One thing that stopped me in my tracks is a photo of a young man (who at the time thought they were old), dressed up, clutching a degree, pushed right to the back, hidden. Who was he I now wonder, it certainly is certainly not me.

Toni you are almost certainly correct, as both my daughters have moved a large number of times. One lived at BEB's flying field, Arrow park, then moved 7 times more, all over the country. The other I think a similar number. I think the difference is that their houses were not crammed with the memories of children and detritus of 45 years of other memories. Plus i am not used to the idea.

One of my concerns is how I will and can get back into building and repairing.

[Andy48]

We've moved quite a few times. The last one was 250 miles from south to north. We have a few "rules" about moving.

1. If you haven't used it in the last couple of years, bin it/ take it to a charity shop/car boot it. If this seems hard, think what your kids would do when you both die. Yes, they'd likely bin everything.

2. Ask the removal firm to pack for you. For the extra (really quite small) cost it is worth every penny. They do an excellent job.

As for the age thing, its surprising what you can do, start slowly at first and then build up day by day, you'll get considerably fitter in the process. Do listen to your body, when it is really telling you its time to pack in, do so.

[kc]

Regarding your item 1. perhaps you should ask your kids whether they want the items first? Could be the items hold memories etc!

[Andy48]

Yes we have.

[Erfolg]

Andy

I am not sure that a lot of the stuff is necessarily of the use it type of thing. There are numerous ornaments out, then then are things in display cabinets.

If you are old, then there are all the things that make you and your family, photographs, items inherited. Non of which i could bare to throw away.

I am sure that there is a lot which could and should go. Although my glider wings of some vintage, will not be going, that it is in the bin.

[Don Fry]

Erfolg, old or young, you make you and your family. If you don't use it, am not likely to ever use it, and your kids, neibours, club mates don't want it, it is a clue as to what to do with it.