Subject: My anvil, sort of

From: TOMBGUARD <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 23:19:23 CST

The continuing drama of my anvil.

I have written a few times about my anvil.  Seems that my father has
it down in South Texas, it has a slight depression on the face, etc.

So you have all heard that, now the saga continues.  My father
couldn't find any markings on it and so he put it on the bathroom
scale for me and it showed 145 lbs.  He tested it for me and told me
that the ends have a nice ring to them but the middle, were the wear
is at is a bit dull, but not a thud (just passing on what he has told
me).

Now for a question.  He is in South Texas and I am in Kentucky.  He is
going to check into shipping this to me.  I work at a place that ships
a lot of UPS and I know that anything above 70 lbs is considered to
overweight and this costs a lot and from what I have seen, are not
treated very well.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can
do to get this anvil to me.  I am really tired of being confined to
using the forge at the historical site that I volunteer at.  I have
not been able to go for a few weeks and I am having withdrawls.

Thanks for any suggestions that you may have.

Robert

  Robert H. Neidlinger                      [email-masked]
  "The Tomb Guard"                          [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Noller, Joyce)
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 23:16:52 -0700

>   "The Tomb Guard"                          [email-masked]
My experience with shipping anvils, swage blocks etc. is that it's just
about impossible to beat UPS unless you're shipping 400+ pounds. Whoever
you ship with, call ahead to let them know what you're shipping.  My dad
shipped me an anvil awhile back and the people at UPS made him put it in
a wooden box so it wouldn't damage the other packages in the automatic
sorter. The up side to shipping UPS is they seem quite diligent about
getting that heavy stuff to me quickly, probably to be rid of it ASAP.
The UPS driver in my old neighborhood used to scowl at my house whenever
he drove by. ;^)
Larry

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 09:36:47 -0500 (CDT)

> The UPS driver in my old neighborhood used to scowl at my house whenever

   I was interred with, er working for, UPS for a short while.  There 
were some new anvils that came through with minimal packaging. - The 
equivalent of wrapping in newspaper and tape.  But I would echo the 
suggestion to call ahead.  A lot of packaging requirements is up to the 
discretion of the counter clerk.

Jerry

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From: "Steven O. Smith" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 96 9:05:05 MDT

I've found something out recently about shipping. My previous
experience was a 200 pound tool from Colorado to California. It cost
$200 via Yellow Freight.

Here's what I just found on shipping 1850 pounds from California to
Colorado: 

	Yellow Freight	$750, $30 add'l to home
	Northwest	$850, $30 add'l to home
	Broker #1	$450 to Denver, $50 add'l to home
	Broker #2	$500 door to door

Pretty big variance! The problem is that most of the stuff the freight
companies ship is under contract (read DISCOUNT). You call up and they
don't give you a discount. Not quite true--Yellow Freight will give
you a discount if you ask for it--you write "Yes Discount" on your
bill of lading, and they will give it to you. I've heard it described
as 12%, 15% and also as 25%, and I don't know which is right.

The key is to NOT call a freight company. Call a freight broker. Look
under Trucking-Motor Freight in the Yellow pages of some nearby big
city. There will be ads for freight companies, also some that say
"Bonded ICC Broker" or some such. These are the folks to deal with, as
THEY get a good discount.

The cost is based on poundage, and the more pounds you ship, the lower
the per pound rate. You should be able to beat UPS pretty easy, though.

Here's one that serves all 50 states:
	AAA Transport
	Denver, CO
	(970)693-4110
	(800)548-9984

Another thing I've been told is to pre-pay the freight. They usually
accept whatever weight you tell them (within reason!) and don't
re-weigh. 

--
Steven O. Smith
[email-masked]

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From: Jim McCarty <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 1996 22:43:47 -0500

>   "The Tomb Guard"                          [email-masked]

I checked into shipping a swage block from Missouri to Texas and it 
would cost $90 by Yellow Freight. Didn't check any other freight 
carriers but did check with UPS -- they said 150 pounds was their 
cutoff which is exactly what this weighed. I sold it to this guy and 
left it to him to foot the bill -- he found someone just up the road 
from me who was heading that way and was glad to take it along. Are 
you in D.C.? Let us know wher you are and where it is, might find 
someone who will take it to the SOFA Conference and then deliver it to 
someone who lives close to you. You'll have to be trusting on this one 
but I wouldn't have a problem with anyone involved in blacksmithing.
-- 
Jim McCarty
Father Helias Forge
Taos, MO
Editor Rural Missouri Magazine
Newsletter editor, Blacksmiths Association of Missouri

³Foolish consistencies are the hobgoblins of little minds³