Packing 101 (read this if you want your recorder / mixer to arrive in one piece)

"What can Brown do for you?"

:eek:
cjacek said:
Still want your packages shipped? It's worth a read. :eek:
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That explains everything! The stockholders only care about the bottom line. "What can Brown do for you?" What a bunch of B.S. I am going to try to use FedEx when I can. I think they are better?
ViP
 
Victory Pete said:
:eek:

I am going to try to use FedEx when I can. I think they are better?
Click to expand...

If I were crazy enough to ship, I'd probably pick FedEx over UPS anytime. But, and this is a BIG "but", unfortunately no company is immune to mishandling of packages. That's the nature of the game. Is FedEx better? Probably but I speculate not by a huge margin.

BTW, in my nature of business, I run into people all the time, who either work or had worked at some of the biggest shipping companies including FedEx, UPS and DHL and similar stories abound.
 
OK, the bottom line is that it IS possible to ship via the "dangerous carriers", while minimizing damage BUT your best bet, as always, is getting something packed correct. Unfortunately, that is also where you rely upon someone who, in most cases, doesn't know how to do this properly or adequately. That right there is the Achilles heel of the whole eBay shipping experience.

As far as the notion that some decks "arrive fine"... well.... Like I said over and over, a machine may not show outward damage signs but has internal problems. You know those "gremlins" that show up when a machine arrives from the other side of the country? Well, in many cases, that's shipping damage talking back at ya.

BTW, VP, didn't mean to imply that you're crazy. :o
 
I think Fed Ex and UPS have the same chance delivering packages safe or damaged, but as Cjacek mentioned internal problems on some can occur.
Channel cards is one example.

Oversea's is a different ballgame, custom sometimes bust them open and search thru and a few times even looked inside the deck.
Re-packing can be lousy in some cases before arrival to it's new owner.

So prepare for the worst, insurance and packing slip inside is a must in my book :)
 
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Vintage Texas said:
I think Fed Ex and UPS have the same chance delivering packages safe or damaged, but as Cjacek mentioned internal problems on some can occur.
Channel cards is one example.

Oversea's is a different ballgame, custom sometimes bust them open and search thru and a few times even looked inside the deck.
Re-packing can be lousy in some cases before arrival to it's new owner.

So prepare for the worst, insurance and packing slip inside is a most in my book :)
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Hi VT!
Do you have a 42B? I have one coming as we speak. (knocking on wood) UPS is delivering it. I am anxious as hell! I have a 42 now and I am wondering what are the differences.
VP
 
A shipping nightmare waiting to happen

Looking on junkbay for a Tascam 32 and ran across this. This is how he is going to ship this reel--- Be advised that this recorder is quite heavy and will cost a lot to ship. TEAC Tascam 32-2B Tape Recorder will be shipped via UPS Ground. I will simply bubble wrap sensitive parts and place in heavier type of box. I will not double box or use peanuts. I am indicating local pickup only but I will ship this item. Don't believe me!?!? Look at it for yourself. It will never arrive in one piece. Unless you want on piece here and two pieces their.
http://cgi.ebay.com/TEAC-Tascam-32-...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4837cc0574
 
Another UPS disaster!

I recently bought a brand new Tentelometer from the factory. There was some question to whether it was calibrated properly. I returned it to get it checked. Tentel said it probably was due to mishandling. They recalibrated it and sent it back to me, but this time they attached a ShockWatch label
http://www.shockwatch.com/shipping_handling_monitors/impact_indicator/selection_guide.php
It is a small vial of chemical that turns red if it is mishandled. Sure enough it came banged up and red. The tentelometer was ruined. I have since got a new one and they shipped with FedEx and the ShockWatch indicator was normal. I have a theory about UPS, if the package is a plain cardboard box they dont give a crap, but if it is labeled Dell, HP, Sony, Magnavox, Walmart, ect..... they may get a different treatment.
VP
 
Okay, I don't want to sound like a sourpuss, but this thread seems to have degenerated into horror stories, as opposed to advice on avoiding the problem in the first place. To be brutally honest, this is not helpful and does not, to my mind, constitute a useful "Packing 101" thread. I want to be able to tell someone what to do, not what not to do.

For my money, it would be worth editing the original post (if possible) and adding this link:
http://www.reelprosoundguys.com/packing.html

...of the ones I've found so far, this is the most useful. The current links given on the first page are pretty worthless - the first is mostly a textual description. If the person packing it is thinking it through that poorly, a wall'o'text is not going to help.
The second link simply links to the first and has a few pictures which cannot be seen unless you're a member of that forum, which I am not and the person I'm thinking of buying from certainly isn't.

I do remember a thread where someone on the forum gave a very helpful and concise overview of what they did to protect a deck they shipped, using lots and lots of styrofoam chunks and filling it up with packing peanuts. However I can't find it, can't remember who did it, and it not seem to be linked in this thread. That - assuming the pictures are viewable - is the sort of thing I'd like to give to the seller (remember, if they're embedded in the forum as attachments, only registered viewers can see them).

So - to summarise, can anyone provide a collection of good packing howto's? Because unfortunately, I don't think this thread is doing that anymore.
 
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Save for the shipping disasters, I do agree with you jp... I think there's no other option and we need to live with this thread, as is. It's safe to say, tho, that the packing link you provide would be a good one to go by. It's clear, accessible, focused, effective and not overwhelming, unlike the 101 thread.
 
A community shipping support proposal

1. A collection of well-deigned, reusable shipping containers for the most common tape decks, plus a couple of generic containers, owned by the community, or underwritten by interested community members;
2. available to community members for temporary use, to ship items purchased online, or to/from dealers and repair facilities;
3. a user puts a deposit on the container, and it is then shipped empty, with packing instructions and shock-watch stickers, to the shipper;
4. if the receiver is a community member, he stores the container for future use, and then ships it to the next user;
5. "current" user pays for shipping from previous user's location to shipper;
6. cost of shipping from seller/shipper to "current" user is per terms of sale of equipment;
7. users report on condition of equipment received, and also log the condition or wear of the container;
8. users perform required maintenance on container.

Could be a really well designed, heavy-duty double box system; or perhaps the OEM shipping system, if appropriate.

Could be standard ATA flight cases with fitted double-wall cardboard boxes (outside).

Containers could be sponsored by commercial concerns, who and specify advertising graphics, and insertion of advertising materials.

Potential to negotiate reduced insurance costs.

Container value could be insured, too.
 
jviss said:
1. A collection of well-deigned, reusable shipping containers for the most common tape decks, plus a couple of generic containers, owned by the community, or underwritten by interested community members;
2. available to community members for temporary use, to ship items purchased online, or to/from dealers and repair facilities;
3. a user puts a deposit on the container, and it is then shipped empty, with packing instructions and shock-watch stickers, to the shipper;
4. if the receiver is a community member, he stores the container for future use, and then ships it to the next user;
5. "current" user pays for shipping from previous user's location to shipper;
6. cost of shipping from seller/shipper to "current" user is per terms of sale of equipment;
7. users report on condition of equipment received, and also log the condition or wear of the container;
8. users perform required maintenance on container.

Could be a really well designed, heavy-duty double box system; or perhaps the OEM shipping system, if appropriate.

Could be standard ATA flight cases with fitted double-wall cardboard boxes (outside).

Containers could be sponsored by commercial concerns, who and specify advertising graphics, and insertion of advertising materials.

Potential to negotiate reduced insurance costs.

Container value could be insured, too.
Click to expand...

Personally I think it's an excellent idea. I'm just not sure how to go about such a thing.
 
jviss said:
Thanks.

Here's a way to start: does anyone have the OEM shipping carton for a tape deck, that they will donate to the cause?
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I have packing boxes for both Tascam 38 and Teac X-7R However I think if it has to be shipped they should go in a flight case or crated. I know this might get expensive, but if it needs to be shipped it would be the safest way. Best solution is to only do local business.
 
dodgeaspen said:
I have packing boxes for both Tascam 38 and Teac X-7R However I think if it has to be shipped they should go in a flight case or crated. I know this might get expensive, but if it needs to be shipped it would be the safest way. Best solution is to only do local business.
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What are the boxes like? Can you please describe them?

(I've seen pics on eBay (!) of a double-box OEM shipping carton for some Teac decks, that looked pretty sturdy. I don't imagine Teac was tossing these into UPS or FedEx, however, probably used a bonded private freight company to move the gear to dealers or distributors).
 
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