Transporting Victrolas & Electrolas Using the Bottom Holes

[Victrola-Monkey]

Hi Folks,

Just wanted to promote the use of those 4 metal threaded holes in the bottom of Victor's floor models. Other methods that have the machines stand on their own legs or the use of straps put too much compression on those old dried out horse glue joints, in my opinion. Here's some pics of two methods I use for the Credenza model.

[PeterF]

This is awesome, and thus, so are you!

[Garret]

Uncle Vanya, if he wishes to reveal himself, was also a big proponent of using the holes at the bottom of the cabinet for shipping. I wish he could share some photos for us here.

[Victrola-Monkey]

Oh my, quite the complement. Thanks Peter. All you collectors are awesome. For me, it's worth going the extra mile to protect these in transport, either to or from home.

Here's photos of a VV-230 I just sold that also was mounted on a pallet and was held down via 4 bolts thru the bottom metal thread holes. Unlike the bigger machines which used ⅜" bolts with a bolt pattern of 22" X 9.5" , the VV-230 uses only ¼" bolts with a pattern of 22.5" X 12.25".

(I corrected the previously wrong bolt size above)

[PeterF]

That's an impressive rig. What carrier did you use for that one, how far did it go, and how much did that cost, please? The Blais Non-Express is still probably the carrier of choice for many of us, but when that's too slow or not geographically feasible, this more conventional method is good to have.

Guessing it wasn't too bad if someone was willing to get a 230 shipped that way...

[marcapra]

You wrote that Italian word "Fra-geel-lay" a little small for my taste. UPS and FedEx porters might not see it, much less know what that word means! I've seen Wayne pack Victrolas and he is the Michelangelo of packing!

[Victrola-Monkey]

Thanks Marc. I've been wondering if and what to write on the outside of these shipments.

Peter, I was quite surprised at the price of transport my buyer was able to attain to ship the Credenza. R&L Carriers in OH 800-543-5589 (or R&L Truckload Services Fort Myers, FL 877-510-9133), was used to ship FL to CA for $212. Anxious to see what the VV-230 cost to also travel FL to CA.

I know from what others have experienced, shipping these can can have successful results. My one shipment that I ever made was from CA to FL and had ended in disaster. They put VE 10-70 and a VE 9-18 face to face on a pallet with a single sheet of cardboard between them. The cabinets arrived smashed up and the guts which were in separate boxes, were lost. I vowed to personally transport these myself from then on. Now that I am thinning down the collection, I vow to protect these the best I can from some of the abuses having these shipped can bring on. Clearly, no carrier can beat the personal care a collector offers when moving the machines, such as Jerry's fellow collectors have benefited from.

[marcapra]

Peter, I was quite surprised at the price of transport my buyer was able to attain to ship the Credenza. R&L Carriers in OH 800-543-5589 (or R&L Truckload Services Fort Myers, FL 877-510-9133), was used to ship FL to CA for $212.

That shows you how different Craters and Freighters, or this carrier, can be on quotes for shipping. I asked the C&F in Detroit how much to pack and ship an Edison Amberola 1A to California and the price was $685. I paid just $650 to ship a Brunswick Cortez to Europe, and that included packing.