A Safe Way to Mail Parts

[Tom Wesenberg]

The heavier the item, the more likely it is to arrive damaged. I know every space in the box must be filled so the heavy object can move around. For generators you have to make sure the output stud can't reach the box edge, or it will get bent or broken. The same for the cast pulley.

I bought a large glass globe for my mom's old lamp about 8 years ago on ebay. It cam in a large box, with about 6" extra room on each side, and a handfull of peanuts thrown in. I was shocked to see how lousey it was packed, but even more shocked that it actually arrived in one piece. Another time I bought a Studebaker pocket watch on ebay and it arrived in a one cent envelope. I was plenty upset over someone being that stupid, but somehow it arrived in one piece also. I will never send or recieve a sewing machine by mail again. The post office broke 3 antique sewing machines and lost the forth one I tried buying.

[dr.j]

Tom,
It took me half an hour to unwrap the slant case, a thing of beauty indeed and no damage.

[Glenn C.]

I like to label the item first with the receivers address, along with my own address. Wrap the item well in plastic and center it in the box with bubble wrap. Wrap the box totally with clear packaging tape. Cut a small hole in each (8) corner of the box, just large enough to inject spray foam insulation. You will get a huge laugh when the package is received, and the person phones or emails you back expressing his alarm to the difficulty unpackaging his parcel, but also complimenting you on the care taken to ensure undamaged delivery. The additional holes act as vent holes for the extra spray foam.

[V4F]

I use priority mail with good luck ..........

[Brentwood Bob]

Luck has a large part in all of this. Hope my radiator shell was packed with care. This suspense is not unlike the gender of both my children for the last 6 months preemergence.
Waiting
Bob

[d.]

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I would agree that peanuts are useless, they just move around and really don't protect a thing...BUT you can put them in zip lock bags, or wrap them in taped bubble wrap for some good protection.
Also, the biggest problem I've had on the receiving end is failure to TAPE ALL SEAMS of the box...that's how small parts (and fender braces) escape.
Also use a fresh box for packing or at least a sturdy, heavy walled box. The box your wife brought home from the design store ain't gonna cut it.

[colin1928]

I have parts shipped from all of the world to Australia
from the US FedEx the best never lost or damaged anything they are the not the cheapest
UPS are the worst never know when it may arrive can take up to 3 months they lose 1/2 the items and damage 1/2 what left
USPS and DHL only lose or damage 10%
Parts from England Europe Canada the shipping is so much cheaper around 1/4 the cost of US shipping which seams to double every 6 months
I now look outside US 1st for any parts as do most of the guys in my club

[Tom Wesenberg]

Here is a good example of how to pack a generator for safe shipping. I picked this up Saturday morning from the post office. That afternoon I drove to Blaine to see Jim Mason's early Tudor that he just bought. (remember that craigslist posting I did a few weeks ago about the underpriced 28 Tudor) Anyway it was zero outside and I had this in the trunk of my car. I wanted to show Jim what I just bought. I froze my hands because it took me a half hour using a knife and screwdriver to get the box ripped apart. I emailed the seller suggesting how to use expanding foam to pack it for safe shipping, and the seller certainly did an excellent job. He put the generator inside two plastic bags then sprayed the foam around wadded up newspaper, so the box and generator became one solid block.

One can of foam for a few dollars is much better than wasting the same money on postal insurance, which is very hard to collect, if at all. The post office never would pay for the last sewing machine they broke, so I will never again buy insurance.

[whirnot]

I used to ship a lot of very expensive Custom Fly Rods. Fedex was by far the most dependable. UPS would break them regularly, they would get caught in the sorting belts. USPS worked OK except Alaska, They seemed to destroy anything and everything I ever shipped there.

[Mike V. Florida]

which shipping company is kindest to your packages

[hardtimes]

Hey Tom,
Try FedEx, if in your area. I switched from UPS , after they busted every old part that I sent with them...and then said...go ahead sue. They are franchised out here in lalalaland ! Well, judge said...'pay the man' .
What a great sound,eh ! Anyway, I pretty much pack like you describe and pretty much like a lot of guy who send car parts that went thru the wringer. FedEx has never damaged/destroyed any of my shipments....and seems to give a darn.

[CarlG]

Both UPS and FedEx have their second largest hubs only a couple of miles from where I live. They also rip you off big time when it comes time to pay the piper for the ride. USPS is by far the best and most cost effective way to ship things to and from Alaska. Getting shippers to ship USPS is the biggest challenge. Most have the attitude that since I'm paying the freight, they could care less as to how it ships. Most often the price of shipping (via UPS or FedEx) exceeds the cost of the goods being shipped.

Just one of the challenges of living in Alaska! (Nevermind the 18" of snow we got this past weekend!)

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by hardtimes

Hey Tom,
Try FedEx, if in your area. I switched from UPS , after they busted every old part that I sent with them...and then said...go ahead sue. They are franchised out here in lalalaland ! Well, judge said...'pay the man' .
What a great sound,eh ! Anyway, I pretty much pack like you describe and pretty much like a lot of guy who send car parts that went thru the wringer. FedEx has never damaged/destroyed any of my shipments....and seems to give a darn.

LOL When I asked the guy at the post office why my packages come so beat up, he blamed it in FedEx. He said many of the USPS packages are shipped through them. I figure it was just his way of passing the buck.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

LOL When I asked the guy at the post office why my packages come so beat up, he blamed it in FedEx. He said many of the USPS packages are shipped through them. I figure it was just his way of passing the buck.

Not at all the USPS has last mile service for a lot of Fedex and UPS packages.

FedEx and UPS made almost $2 billion last year from... the Postal Service

[tmiller6]

I do not specify USPS to have any parts shipped to me. They admitted they leave my packages sitting around until Saturday because it is a light delivery day. A visit to the post office and discussion with the postmaster was useless.

Any bulk mail marked Postmaster please deliver between (dates) arrives late on the following weekend.

[Keith True]

I had a head show up here with the end sticking out of the box.If you've ever bought a Brumfield head you will wonder what had to happen to destroy the box he uses to send them in.There were slices and hook marks all over it,somebody,somewhere,got carried away moving it.One of the old UPS drivers told me years ago how heavy packages sometimes got damaged.If there is a person grabbing packages off a conveyer,and sliding them on a sorting table,they might grab 30 boxes that hold a pair of pants or something.Then along comes a 50 pound head in another box the same size.Their hands were used to catching three pound boxes,and suddenly they have caught 50 pounds.They jump to get their toes out of the way,and the head hits the floor.They grab it,throw it up on the table,and keep going.That was a few years ago,automation has eliminated a lot of that.The only thing I've ever seen actually drop on purpose was mail.When I hauled mail years ago I would back the trailer up to the dock in the middle of the night,go in and wheel the canvas bins onto the trailer.The bins were under chutes that filled them up from inside the sorting facility.I have gone into the loading room to load and find a bin had rolled away from it's spot.There would be a three foot pile of mail on the floor with an empty bin in front of it.

[MrWzrd]

I have never received a USPS package that wasn't beat to hell and priority mail takes F O R E V E R to get anywhere. (currently waiting for package from MT to IL, 2nd day priority, sent on 16th, scheduled delivery 19th.....weird interpretation of 2 days)

I have never received a Fedex package on time. (yes, never...as in ever. They either can't find me, deliver it to the wrong place or won't get out of truck because of big dog....which I don't have. Package is usually intact but not reusable.

UPS has consistently delivered pristine packages, on time or a day early. I haven't had any damage claims and many of my packages are 70-100 lbs and contain fragile electronics. If I need to ship or return items I can reuse the boxes, print labels online and hand them to the UPS driver.

I use a LOT of packing peanuts and have never had issue with shifting. The key to using them is to make sure you have enough so that shifting is not possible. This means putting a layer on the bottom, placing the item in, adding more around the sides and packing it tight, then a layer over the top....and I go 1-2 inches above the top of the box, depending on the size of the box, and compressing them while closing the top. This will hold the object solid and not allow it to shift while the "spongyness" of the peanut cushions any shocks. Have shipped everything from antique porcelain clocks to 14" computer hard drives without any issue.

[dean from bozeman]

As 62Pan said, there are many grades of cardboard boxes. Choose wisely.

I have sent many large parts (fenders, deck lids, running boards, etc.) via Greyhound coated with two layers of bubble wrap and coated with plastic wrap. Evreything has arrived in good shape. All except the running boards arrived on time.

USPS and UPS have served me well. I double box small and valuable items. Packing with newspaper has served me well.

I print out FRAGILE labels in bold, red ink. They are about an inch wide and can be held in place and protected by one piece of clear packing tape 1 1/2 inches wide). I also print out address labels that are about 4" by 6" and I completely cover them with clear packing tape so they can't get (easily) destroyed.

When building my dad would tell me to use extra nails at times because they were cheap and would really solidify some framing. With this in mind I use extra tape (though it's not too cheap) to wrap a package. It will help a package keep its shape, stay closed under trying conditions and minimize any damage.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

LOL When I asked the guy at the post office why my packages come so beat up, he blamed it in FedEx. He said many of the USPS packages are shipped through them. I figure it was just his way of passing the buck.

FedEx carries the US Mail for the Post Office in and out of Alaska. The FedEx hub is just across the street from the main Post Office. You can see tugs zipping across the street with containers of mail all the time.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Not at all the USPS has last mile service for a lot of Fedex and UPS packages.

FedEx and UPS made almost $2 billion last year from... the Postal Service

Right, I wasn't doubting that Fed Ex hauls for USPS, but was questioning the shifting of the blame for damage to Fed Ex.