CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[hailtoby]

I am moving out of state in a couple of months and here is my problem. My new employer is paying for my relocation and providing movers to pack, transport, and unpack all my junk. Im fairly certain they will have next to no knowledge of CRT projectors and how to pack and move them adequately. The moving company will not reimburse or cover any damage to items that they did not pack. Whats the best way to protect a BD1209s from the neandertals that will be moving it. No offense to any movers here, Ive just had bad experiences in the past. Im not really worried about any of my other TVs, Id really like to get updated replacements, its just that I cant even imagine how I would get them to process a claim for a $33k projector. And then what would I get them to replace it with?

Im thinking that I should at least remove the lenses, maybe the tubes and drain the glycol. I could pack the tubes and lenses myself and let them take the chassis. Does anyone have a better suggestion? My only worry with a road case is that if it still gets broken they will say that they are not responsible for the damage becasue of the case, they might try to get me to take up the issue with the road case manufacturer.

I think my renters covers moving and damage/losses from movers, but I have to look into that. Again, it would be a huge hassle, Im sure, sure to make a claim on a 10 year old pj. They will say it has depreciated to far, then they will give me a sh*tty xga lcd projector to replace it and they will think they are doing me a favor.

Suggestions....

[jask]

point them to this site when they are shopping!! (kidding)
I have had some luck shipping by common carrier and have had some damage as well.... if you want to cover yourself- double check both of your policy limitations. find out if they will remove the projector from its mounting location or if you should do that, and I would talk to the contact person at the mover to see if they would use a pallet and plywood box if you provide it and they pack it.
good luck.
I have a friend who signed off on a move only to later discover the movers had damaged some very expensive porcelain and not told her. the original position of the mover was that she had signed off...too bad, because her move was paid for by a very large corporate client her employer had a chat with the mover and all was made right!!!!

[Brian Hampton]

Our family was "re-located" by my wife's company. (Moved us and 2 cars from California to New Hampshire actually.)

They paid for a carpenter to build a custom crate for the 1271 I had at the time. (I sold that pj years ago but I still have the crate and use it for other stuff these days.)

Cost about $60 or so if I remember. The fella build a nice crate out of 1x3 mostly.

-Brian

p.s. If they don't want to pay for it..... Go buy some 1x3 and make a custom crate yourself. It's fairly easy... You can line it with cardboard also... it's not really hard to do.

[Brian Hampton]

I would not remove the lenses or drain the glycol.

The pj can be shipped assembled and was designed to be able to do so.

But... your pj... so your call.

Good Luck,

Brian

[jkruger]

I would build a box that fits on a pallet that is fully lined with about 3 inches of foam and then pack it full so the pj can't move at all. Leave the lenses on, maybe pull the neckboards on the 1209s.

[hailtoby]

It probably would be better for me to build a crate and pack it, but the only problem is that if it somehow breaks in transit, thye wont be responsible. I guess I am just nervous because Ive had movers lose/steal/break my stuff before and its a huge hassle to get anything covered and replaced with a similar item. They love to use their depreciation formulas on electronics. The last time I had movers I made sure to take pictures of everything on and working and I bought a bunch of case logic cd holders and removed every single CD and DVD from their cases. I took the discs with me and let them take the boxes. It might sound excessive, but during one move they lost/stole over 50 PS1 games and about 100 CDS. A 32" TV and VCR were gone and a bunch of random stuff was broken. I think the check I got was around $700. Granted this was about 8 or 9 years ago and the last time I moved, everything went OK, but Im still nervous. Its never easy to watch strangers wrap and pack your stuff when you 'know' they arent doing it as well as you could, or at least not with the same care you would use. Kind of like watching your kid at their first day of kindergarten, only much harder.

[hailtoby]

[JustGreg]

You didn't say how far you were moving. Is it possible for you to move the pj yourself? (minivan, p/u truck, or a small trailer behind either one of those or your car?) If you take all the monkeys out of the equation then only the most totally bizarre happenstance can trip up your plan to relocate your baby safely.

Best of luck in your new home!

BTW Brian...where in NH? I grew up in Amesbury, MA and then moved to NH in '76. (Somersworth then Rochester then Hampton and then Exeter). Then I met my wife while on assignment in Illinois and moved out here. A reverse of our life stories eh? I do miss NH tho. I haven't been back in about 10 years.

[JustGreg]

Damn double posting! Sorry.

[gonyr]

[hailtoby]

I am moving 750 miles, from the midwest to the east coast. The barco fits perfectly in the back of my trailblazer but with absolutely no WAF. I have convinced my wife to do a lot of crazy stuff, but I dont think I could convince her that its a good idea to use 50% of the available space in our truck to bring the pj with.

I can just see the conversation now. "Babe, the kids dont need that much stuff right away. Besides, the movers will be here in a couple days. I slept on the floor with no blanket and wore the same clothes for more than a week when I was a kid. What I didnt have when I was a kid was a bass ass projector."

[Curt Palme]

Why would you not take the lenses off? They stick out too far on the Barco and are a huge liability. Take the neck boards off for sure, but I'd pack and transport the lenses personally.

[Curt Palme]

Why would you not take the lenses off? They stick out too far on the Barco and are a huge liability. Take the neck boards off for sure, but I'd pack and transport the lenses personally.

[jkruger]

Taking the lenses of does make it a lot easier to handle... And then they could be individually wrapped and boxed.

[JustGreg]

[Brian Hampton]

Hi,

I looked up your projector (I've only had Sony's and E-Home's).

With the way the lenses protrude... Yeah,... I can see wanting to take the lenses off.




When I shipped lenses, I rolled them up in cardboard that was about 3 inches longer on each side so that nothing came near the lens surfaces. (Just a starting point for your ideas.)

-Brian

[jkruger]

Yeah the 1209s is a BIG pj. Personally I would move it myself, rent a car for the wife and kids to follow me in and take the most important thing in my life with me.....

[Mr. Green]

With insurance, rules vary company to company, state to state and country to country. Here's some information that might help you ask the right questions from your insurance provider. I'm not licenced in the USA, so I can only give you information. This is information most people should know anyways and usually don't know enough about insurance to ask.

It might cost a bit of money, but if your insurance company offers coverage for specialty items called "floaters" or "scheduled property" or a "rider" (depending on the "lingo" they are using) then I'd suggest you schedule your projector.

Also, upgrade to the best home insurance package you can get. Upgrade from bronze to platinum or whatever they call their packages. It rarely costs much more, but the coverage is vastly improved.

Basically, you schedule your item (usually artwork or jewelry) or in this case a $33,000 projector. You make sure their rider gives full replacement coverage. The premium you pay is based on the value of the item so in the event of a claim they aren't going to give you garage sale value for it. This might run you a couple hundred a year depending on their rates, but if anything (subject to policy exclusions) happens to the projector then you get a new projector or if they offer a cash settlement clause and can't replace it, then you would get the full replacement value of the projector paid out. My guess is in the event of a claim they would try to salvage it first (pay to fix it). It would either need to be lost or completely destroyed for them to pay out replacement value.

Also, in the event they don't offer a cash settlement clause; ask them if in a replacement situation and it can't be replaced with a 1209 (no longer made), would they replace it with a new Marquee 9500 from VDC instead (as it is "like kind and quality" to the 1209) and it is one of the only machines still made that would replace it? If they do, then you would have to insure the projector based on the cost of a new Marquee 9500. I've never dealt with claims so I don't know if the insurance company would go for it or not. It never hurts to ask though.

This is important. Make sure the moving coverage your insurance company provides (property in transit coverage) covers the move. Sometimes there are clauses that make it so the coverage is invalid unless you have their premium package and insure both your houses with the same company. If you don't insure house A and B with the same insurance company the coverage moving between them may be voided. In that case, you are stuck with the movers coverage which will be garbage.

You will want to move any DVD's, vases, china, knick-knacks, etc... (anything fragile) yourself. Most moving company waivers basically say they aren't responsible for any "fragile" item being broken or damaged even if you buy their insurance. Your home insurance will likely exclude the same items while they are "in transit". You will want to find space for things like this. I'd suggest renting a small u-haul trailer. It would be cheap and it would double your storage capacity. If you care about it, pack it and move it yourself. Maybe put the projector in the truck and the bedding and such in the u-haul trailer with the china.

In any event, make sure you do a detailed inventory before they get there. If possible number the boxes and keep a "key" with you. If only you know what's in a box, then boxes are less likely to go missing. If one does go missing, you'll know which box it was and what was in it. When they arrive you can be like "box 6 living room, box 9 master bedroom, etc..."

NEVER label a box "DVD's" or "RECEIVER". If that stuff is packed in a big box full of towels, they'll never think to open it. I re-read this thread and it looks like they will pack stuff. If you care about it, pack it and take it yourself.

You are right to be paranoid. I also keep my DVD's in those media binders (500 DVD's in two 4" binders). I used the cases for filler in a box with a big room fan and other items, They saw me pack that one. It didn't seem to make it. All they got was a fan, packing peanuts and empty DVD cases. Suckers! I also took my move a step further by having anything "interesting" that I couldn't take in my car packed up in a randomly numbered box before they got there. They would have had to stop and open every box to get something. The numbers weren't in sequence either, so #8 might have been electronics wrapped in a comforter, but box #9 was toiletries. Funny how only the box they saw open went missing. They must have noticed the DVD cases and the box number and made it disappear at some point.

Hope that helps.
Chris

[jask]

Hey Chris! they may not be able to replace it with a 1209 but the other 9" offering from Barco are still available!!! (not to wish any misfortune on Hailtoby...)

[paw]

Does the Trailblazer have a hitch? I'd rent a small, enclosed U-Haul trailer and tow it with me. That way you have the full SUV space for kid stuff. You might even get by with just padding the PJ and not building a crate. Stuff animals make great padding. If you don't have enough, let me know. I'll SHIP you some. I swear the damn things multiply.

I'd check with my renter's and AUTO insurance about coverage if you go this route. I assume the 750 mile trip will take a couple of days. Look into a lock to secure the trailer to the SUV. A hitch lock, latch lock. I can't remember what they are called at the moment. I'll find you a pic if you need it. To save $, you could always buy at one Wal-Mart and return it at your destination Wal-Mart. "It was a gift and didn't fit. Yeah! That's it. It didn't fit"

[paw]