15-20 Pallets of pavers

Response: Hi Ed, Can you describe the Tailgator forklift. Is it ok for rough terrain? At the pick up end, we will be on the sand base layer of a driveway, and perhaps on the lawn to lift the pallets (tho hoping not to damage the lawn on that end). The drop off end is a few yards on soil/grass passed the end of a straight asphalt driveway, and no worries about the grass there. Paul (6/25/2009)

Response: Hi: Yes it is an all terrain. It weighs about 6000# plus the load so it will make a depression in the grass. How many square feet of pavers do you have? I checked with a local dealer and a pallet usually weighs about 2500# each. I think each pallet is 28 sq. ft. Not sure how many that would be on each pallet. Let me know and I will bid. Thanks, Ed - Warrior Trucking, LLC - Mechanicville, NY 12118 (6/26/2009)

Response: Hi Ed, I was there today with tape, scale, etc, and measured and weighed (myself, then me holding 5 stones to get reasonable accuracy with household scale). We filled a pallet. We are stacking the equivalent of 30 full-size stones per layer, 8 high, which equals around 2800 lbs per pallet. I estimate 15 pallets, so about 45k lbs. The pallets are standard 40"x48", or 4' by 4.3'. So surface size of each pallet is 13.3 sq ft. If you can fit two across (less than 7 ft wide), then 8 pallets each side is 32 ft long, 10 are 40 ft long. Not sure about weight capacity of vehicle with lift, or space taken up by gator lift. The rest of pallets should come tmro, and if so, we plan to stack and wrap all stones sunday, and could provide any corrections in pallet count. The driveway is crescent shaped, but averages under 10 ft wide, and 150 long, so original estimate of 2000 sq ft was off. More like 1500 sq ft of stones. Let me know if any other info would help. Thanks. -Paul (6/26/2009)

Response: Hi: Sounds good. When you say you are wrapping the pallets how is this being done? The pallets of stone pavers I haul have a wire mesh around each pallet that is secured by wire ties and nailed with brads all around the pallet and are strapped to help hold them into place. This because there is no way each pallet could be strapped securely to the trailer with straps alone. If the pallets weigh in at 2800# each plus the weight of the pallet I could only haul no more than 16 pallets at a time. My forklift will pickup 5000# so that will be no problem. Let me know and I will bid. Thanks, Ed = Warrior Trucking, LLC = Mechanicville, NY 12118 (6/27/2009)

Response: Hi Ed, I can give you an exact upper bound on weight and number of pallets once stacked, which may not be today, given weather. If the pallets/weight are too much, I will try to get someone with a trailer who could take two pallets. If the weight or number is clearly over, I can also try to get someone with a trailer who could take 2 pallets. As far as wrapping goes, there is the issue of how to wrap each individual pallet. One landscaper we know said "everyone shrink wraps now, but you need to do like 10 wraps". I plan to contact/drive too some paver sales places and get expert opinion on that. I do not want to ship them in any way that experts don;t approve of as safe. (I would probably ride behind the load.) But if I am reading you correctly, are you saying that even if the stones are well-secured to each individual pallet right up to whatever the industry standard is, you do not have anyway to secure the pallets to your flatbed with straps or whatever? Thank (6/28/2009)

Response: Hi: Yes I do have all kinds of tie down straps on the trailer. I just was referring to the metal banding straps around the rows of stones on each pallet. I have 10 sets on the trailer and carry 6 portable staps. The pavers I looked at last night had each vertical row (top to bottom) strapped for the length of the pallet. This pallet had 8 rows across (front to back) and that group of pavers were secured together with a banding strap. If we need an additional truck or trailer for 1 or 2 pallets that will work if needed as I will be able to load and unload. Sounds like we are all on the same page and I hope I can get this done for you. I will figure you up a bid shortly. Thanks for your patience, Ed - Warrior Trucking, LLC - Mechanicville, NY 12118 (6/28/2009)

Response: Hi Ed, There are 17 pallets, stacked 8 stones high, weighing between 2750-2900 a piece, so 46750-49300 for all 17. How many can you handle interms of space and weight safely? Ed, I've spoken to two landscapers, and both said shrink wrapping, if done 10 times around stones and over top at diagnols is fine to secure the wraps, and one indicated that it was now quite regularly used. Is that ok with you? (6/28/2009)

Response: Hi: OK I will go with that as long as your are doing the shrink wrapping and have them all ready to load. Since you will be riding along we can keep a close eye on the load. If your weight averages between 2750 and 2900 I think I can take no more than 16 pallets with the forklift aboard. The only other question is timing. What is your timeframe? My bid is for the holiday weekend because that is all the open time I have until the end of next week or next weekend. I am trying to work your load with 2 others that I have to PA so it is a little tricky. Let me know what your timeframe is so I can get the dates down correctly. Thanks, Ed - Warrior Trucking, LLC - Mechanicville, NY 12118 (6/29/2009)

Response: Hi Ed, I am flexible the whole wkend for fri-mon (2nd - 6th), except evenings of 3d, 4th. I would just need to check with the household. If they are having party or family over. How long do u think it will take u to load and secure 14-16 pallets from a crescent driveway? You would be parked at one of vertical or horizontal locations like this: _____________ | \_____/ I am looking into a 16 ft moving truck with capacity for 3 pallets (11k lbs). My thought, and let me know what u think, is a) we load the 1st, push it back with the 2nd, and push both back with the 3rd (if 3). b) unload by chaining the 3 together, and lift/pull the first fwd to slide the 2nd/3rd fwd 1 pallet space, and do same for 3rd with 2nd, so we can use lift to extract all. (6/29/2009)

Response: Hi: Well if we can avoid this weekend my family might like it a whole lot! Next week either Fri., Sat., or Sun. would be good. I assume you can do on the weekend OK since no business is involved being opened during certain times. As for another truck .... I guess we can do it with a van and pull them out but if you have an option of an open flatbed that would be a little easier but you know what those options are. Also if you can get a pallet jack that would make it even easier with the van. I can work with you as much as possible. If you want to do it next weekend then that would be great! I can do it first thing Sat. as early as possible. Let me know and I will update my date on my bid. Thanks, Ed - Warrior Trucking, LLC - Mechanicville, NY 12118 (6/29/2009)

Response: Ok, I will look into fri-sun, 10th,11th,12th, so hold those days if you can till I get back to you, hopefully later today. About pallet lifter, can you say briefly why that is better for back of moving van? Moving van ramps won't allow 2800 lbs to go up them, so not sure what would be gained by that additional lift. Please share any thoughts or concerns so we can iron out a plan where all goes smoothly. (6/29/2009)

Response: Hi: A pallet jack is a small lift that you put in the pallet and pump up the forks lifting the pallet and then it rolls around on its wheels to the rear of the truck thus no pulling or chaining and dragging. But we will make do with what tools we have. I suppose if worse comes to worse you could unload the pallets by hand. Thanks, Ed (6/29/2009)

Response: Ah, I see. Pallet jack will help for moving pallets back and front on truck for unloading and loading. didn't think of that. Will look into rental. Will get back to you about 3rd and 10th. I prefer 10th too, but ppl at house with pallets have to be ok too waiting till then. Friend will call them in an hour, and will get back to you to nail down. (6/29/2009)

Response: Hi: If you have some kind of choice of trucks to rent and can get an open flatbed I can unload that but if you have a box truck it will make it more difficult. I am not sure that you can push 2 or more pallets into a van. Not sure if the floor is smooth to allow this or rough which will make it difficult. AS I said before a pallet jack will make it a whole lot easier. I will take all I can on my trailer so probably anything over 16 would most likely have to go separately. I am going to get my truck, trailer, and tailgator scaled here locally so I know what I am dealing with before we start. Thanks, Ed - Warrior Trucking, LLC - Mechanicville, NY 12118 (6/29/2009)

Response: Hi Ed, Some emails I sent may have come in a bit late. I intend to rent a moving style truck and pallet jack if you think you need to take less than 16. So let me know about the weight. I can rent the truck the day before and meet you early morning the 10th no problem there. Paul (6/30/2009)

Response: Hi: I am going by the average of the weights you gave me. I figure 16 pallets @ 2800# avg. each will be 44880#. That will leave me room for my forklift which is about 5500#. I have yet to get the truck and trailer weighed so I am estimating their weights. So the truck and pallet jack will be very helpful as 16 pallets puts me right on the edge. So if you have 17 pallets we will put 2 in your truck. Any other questions or concerns feel free to contact me. Thanks, Ed - Warrior Trucking, LLC - Mechanicville, NY 12118 (6/30/2009)

Response: Sounds good Ed. I will accept your bid now. Massachussets. The drop off is Dover, NH. My cell is [phone number removed] (6/30/2009)