# Moving a commercial embroidery machine



## DancingBay (Nov 1, 2010)

I have a Tajima Neo II embroidery machine. I've taken it to 5 shows, 4 dart tournaments and a hamfest to personalized shirts, cap backs, and Koozies. The big issue is getting it in and out of the back of my Honda Pilot. 

I have heard that what I need is a DemTruk. Does anyone on here use one and how do you get it from the cart to the DemTruk and then back on the cart again. 

Seems like you would still need 2 men to move it, maybe somewhat less awkwardly, but I still don't see how I will get past finding someone to move it around. At the last dart tournament, the guy who was helping my husband put it in the Pilot at the end of the tournament, pushed it off the cart too soon and crushed the tip of his finger. Luckily it didn't end up on the ground in the parking lot.

To me, the best solution would be to load it into a trailer and not have to take it off the cart at all. Any opinions?

Thanks,
Alisa
Dancing Bay Embroidery


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## cormondsr (Jan 30, 2008)

We have taken emboidery machines to show for the last 5 years and so far have not found a safe and secure way to handle them, even while hauling in the trailer or truck you have to worry about something falling over on them, if we worked an outdoor event you had to worry about rain, wind blowing the threads and the sun light blocking the screen, we worked through these problem but never found an easier way, we have now opened a store and won't be transporting our machines around anymore. Good luck.


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## RickyJ702 (Jul 23, 2012)

if you travel alot with your machine you might wanna invest into one that is travel safe. i currently have the brother pr-1000 and it only takes 1 person to move. set up is within 5 minutes if you know what your doing. tajima is better but the hassle weighs it out.


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## DancingBay (Nov 1, 2010)

cormondsr said:


> We have taken emboidery machines to show for the last 5 years and so far have not found a safe and secure way to handle them, even while hauling in the trailer or truck you have to worry about something falling over on them, if we worked an outdoor event you had to worry about rain, wind blowing the threads and the sun light blocking the screen, we worked through these problem but never found an easier way, we have now opened a store and won't be transporting our machines around anymore. Good luck.


 
I do not take mine to anywhere that is outdoor. However, at the dart tournaments, where they set me up, I might as well be. It's in a Holi-Dome at a Holiday Inn. The lighting is very very dim, so we have to string our own lights. Because it's near the pool, it's humid and there's also a risk that some kid is going to drip water over the 2 stories of railing when going back to there room. This only happened once, and my husband and a "come to Jesus" event with the kid and scared the daylights out of him. Also, at this location, the area is unsecure so I have to pack everything up at the end of the day, move it the hospitality room which is always manned or locked, and then move it back out and reset up every morning.


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## cormondsr (Jan 30, 2008)

I agree with Rick, what we carried to shows were our Babylocks six needles, same machines he as, we carried two, if you have paid a high entry fee and one messes up you are in a bind, and with the cost of entry fees you need a working machine, some shows we used both of them, but yes it is a job setting up machines and worrying about some small child getting their hands too close or spilling their drinks on the machine. Good luck.


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## DancingBay (Nov 1, 2010)

If I keep doing shows, I'm thinking of getting a couple of smaller machines to travel with. I love the stitche quality of my Tajima, but it's such a pain to move. At the hamfest this weekend, I teamed up with another embroiderer, so we had 2 machines. He did caps and I did flats so we did a pretty good volume.

If one of us had broken down, we would have still done plenty of caps to make it worth our while. I think we did something like 65% caps, 35% flats (shirts and cap backs). They travelled a long way, paid the booth rental and supplied all the inventory. I slept in my own bed every night and they paid me by the piece. It was a good deal for both of us.

Thanks,
Alisa
Dancing Bay Embroidery


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## cormondsr (Jan 30, 2008)

Knock on wood the Babylocks have given us great service and good quality on finsihed products, and little more trouble to switch from flats to caps, but we very seldom caps at a show due to how long it takes to set it up so we take orders and ship them out. We also have two SWF full size machines at the shop, but there is no way we would attempt to transport them to an event for a weekend they are way to heavy. Sounds like you have a good grasp on events, you may check with Northern Hyd. if you have one nearby they sell a lift table that has wheels and jack that will lift up to 400 lbs, we really had considered buying one of them, currently we are using a Black and Decker fold up table when on road to save the space the metal stand takes up.


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## A1WHITES (Nov 19, 2011)

Ok I have a Baby Lock enterprise 10 Needle. I also would like to take to events. But there no way unless I can find something to help me move it will I be able to. It take two people to move it. I would think that someone as come up with something to move these machines.


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## myfinishingtouch (Nov 21, 2009)

I just saw the youtube video on the dem-truk...pretty darn cool. I wonder if you could just leave the embroidery machine on the dem-truk during the show. I might want to put block under the legs to get if off the wheels so it is more stable and doesn't rock during embroidery.


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## DancingBay (Nov 1, 2010)

Someone on one of the Tajima groups I belong to says that they do leave it on the DemTruk during shows. I haven't seen it on the DemTruk to know how stable it is, but off the top of my head it would make me nervous.

Thanks,
Alisa


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## Riph (Jan 11, 2011)

Thirty years ago when I was selling medical equipment, we used what we called "coffin carts" to load and transport everything. They were about 6 feet long and the legs folded up underneath. We loaded them up and then used fiber tape to secure the load to the cart.

The DemTruk looks like a modernized version of that. Pretty cool!!

Folding Carts for Heavy Duty Use - Max1000VH by Salesmaker and Ferno


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## A1WHITES (Nov 19, 2011)

After looking around at many thing to help me move the baby lock I found this cart at Harbor Frieght . It works great I move both my embroidery machine and heat. 
Here the link. http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...acity-hydraulic-scissor-table-cart-93116.html


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

A1WHITES said:


> After looking around at many thing to help me move the baby lock I found this cart at Harbor Frieght . It works great I move both my embroidery machine and heat.
> Here the link. Scissor Lift Table Cart - 1000 Lb. Capacity


Read the reviews on this equipment before you purchase.


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## A1WHITES (Nov 19, 2011)

I did read the reviews. That why I have the extend warranty.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

You could also get a small trailer and mount it in there and just use the trailer as your booth for outdoor events. Even some indoor venues will give you access to drive it in. For hotels and smaller venues you would still need to carry it in though.


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## DancingBay (Nov 1, 2010)

There's a guy who attend the local hamfest who has is ham radio and mobile antenna business in a customized Wells Cargo trailer. He had a drop down window cut across one side and then has all his merchandise on slat wall or peg board across the other side. He devised a way to lock everything down so that nothing falls off. He pulls it with a motor home. He backs it into his booth at the various hamfests he attends, opens the windows up, does a little setup and he's ready to go. It takes him about 30 minutes total to set up where it takes most vendors over 2 hours. Of course, this isn't embroidery, but I've often thought that this would be the way to go. As long as you have power (drop or generator) you can operate anywhere rain or shine, indoors or out.

Tnx,
Alisa


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## A1WHITES (Nov 19, 2011)

That what I want. Hope to have something like that by spring. I think I need a trailer some where between 16-20 feet long. If it is more than that I would think that it would be hard to get a vender place in some of the festivals. Any opinions


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## cormondsr (Jan 30, 2008)

We do craft shows in the fall of the year, Christmas shows, and they are very good money makers, we have a line of items we carry with us to sell and embroider on site, and we also if time allows embroider items other vendors sell. We have a 12 foot cargo trailer w/drop ramp and two hand carts we can transport out equipment with, we have shelves in the trailer to keep items organized, and secure. The only problem we have is the actual machines, we carry two 6 needle machines with us and at most shows we keep them running, customers love to come by and watch them work,so they actually draw customers to us. We do not work outdoor events due to the chance of getting the machines wet. There is a good selection around here of indoor events to keep us busy from end of Sep. through the 2nd week of December. Good Luck.


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