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Re: Shipping Scopes


 

If I can, I pack items myself and take them to UPS or FedEx for shipping.
Double-wall boxes are available at Home Depot and Lowes. They are usually
in the ¡°moving supplies¡± aisle.

If you are shipping a scope with plug-ins, remove the plug-ins and pack
them in a separate box. It may be more expensive, but my understanding is
that Tek always recommended shipping scopes with the plug-ins removed.
Besides less stress on the backplane connectors, packing the plug-ins
separately means you can pack them to better protect the knobs.

I probably overdo packing and it costs more both for the packing materials
and higher shipping weight but if you want an item to get to its
destination in good shape, pack well. UPS used to say to pack for a
four-foot drop onto concrete (a sign in the UPS store I used to use when I
was in Los Angeles and bought a lot of surplus electronic equipment).
Nothing I packed and sent home was ever damaged in shipping.

I bubble wrap the scope with at least a double layer over the front and
back. I buy the inexpensive white styrofoam insulation at the home
improvement stores. I have found that using a serrated knife works well (I
bought an inexpensive bread knife for this) to cut the foam to fit the box.
I will usually put an extra couple of layers of bubble under the bottom of
the scope. I always attach a label with the address of the recipient on it
to the wrapped scope or other item. If there are voids between the wrapped
scope and the foam lining, I fill that with more bubble. I hate using
styrofoam peanuts to fill voids, but there¡¯s a trick I use so the recipient
does not spend a mess of time getting the peanuts out of the equipment or
off the floor. I put the styro peanuts into plastic bags (I use recyclable
grocery bags for this) and tie the bags off so the peanuts stay in them.
Sometimes, I put an empty bag in the voids if they are irregular in shape
and then pack the peanuts into them and tie them off. Loose peanuts also
¡°migrate¡± in the box and putting them in bags prevents this.

A couple of other tricks. Stretch wrap - I use that to hold the bubble
around the scope rather than taping it. It allows the bubble to be re-used
rather than thrown out. I have also used painter¡¯s tape (¡°blue tape¡±) for
this as it is easily removable so also allows the bubble to be reused.

I tape the box shut with packing tape including the edges of the flaps
(keeps them from getting caught on the various sorting machines). I put the
label on the ¡°top¡± side as that tends to stay right side up. Another trick
- write on the BOTTOM of the box - ¡°This side DOWN¡±. The reason? If you
write ¡°This side UP¡± on the top and the box is inverted, the shipper will
not see that. If it is bottom up, then the message that it is inverted is
clear.

For really heavy items (not heavy enough for freight) I staple the carton.
Years ago, I bought a carton stapler and a box of staples. I still am using
that first box of staples, but I still have it - only about a quarter used.

On Wed, Sep 23, 2020 at 10:43 greenboxmaven via groups.io <ka2ivy=
[email protected]> wrote:

Fedex and UPS pack things fairly well, I have not had any damage. It

can be pricey, but is usually less then traveling to pick something up.

Some people offering equipment demand that you pick it up from them. I

have accounts with both Fedex and UPS, that allows me to take care of

everything from my end and convince reluctant sellers to take items to

the stores. I ask everyone who demands pickup only to reconsider and be

willing to take the item to a shipper who will take care of the packing

and shipping.



Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY





On 9/23/20 10:31 AM, Eric wrote:

Ups , FedEx. At least in the US. Use heavy card board and at minimum 2
inches of loose padding all round for shock. I have gotten them double
boxes before and a 576 even in a wooden crate the trick is limiting
movement in the box I double boxed a high end computer it made it safely
to

California from the east side. But it was not cheap to ship. I have also
been successful crating things and shipping them freight. Plywood and
padding is wonder for protecting the device.
On Wed, Sep 23, 2020, 10:26 AM Adam Beasley <abeasley@...>
wrote:

Is there a good service to use to ship scopes? The only boxes I have
available are from Amazon and they are not very sturdy so I wouldn't
trust

shipping something heavy and expensive in them.
Thanks,
Adam












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