That's the problem - your heavy item shall not move during transport, otherwise you have an instant transfer of energy when the motion is abruptly stopped by the cardboard, and the cardboard is likely weaker than some chunk of metal.
Ahhh, ok. That's interesting, thanks. A mystery solved.
That probably makes sense, because one of the albums I remembered was clipped was the Quadrophenia movie soundtrack, which would be the kind of thing discounted as it wouldn't have a lengthy appeal in the market.
I built the setup in post #1 to prevent any movement of the amp and to provide space between the amp and the carboard box. The idea was to cut 2 plywood pieces to fit the carboard box, and then cut notches in the boards where ratchet straps would go to secure the wood/foam/amp sandwich. the notches were placed inside the front amp handles and the straps needed to avoid the rear handles, speaker posts, etc.
I bought a foam kit, but I got undersized ones. Then the wood idea came to mind.
On another note - I once bought a pair of JBL 4410 monitor speakers. They were shipped by a UPS store that put each speaker in a MASSIVE box using a layer or two of bubble wrap and then the box was filed with "air pillows". The speakers showed up with all the air pillows destroyed and damage to speaker grilles, a few corners on the speakers, and some chunks of veneer. Long story short, working with the seller and UPS the seller filed a claim, got paid, and I got refunded. So my damaged JBL4410's were free to me and sound great. Thank you UPS....
I bought a foam kit, but I got undersized ones. Then the wood idea came to mind.
On another note - I once bought a pair of JBL 4410 monitor speakers. They were shipped by a UPS store that put each speaker in a MASSIVE box using a layer or two of bubble wrap and then the box was filed with "air pillows". The speakers showed up with all the air pillows destroyed and damage to speaker grilles, a few corners on the speakers, and some chunks of veneer. Long story short, working with the seller and UPS the seller filed a claim, got paid, and I got refunded. So my damaged JBL4410's were free to me and sound great. Thank you UPS....
I have had fairly expensive items shipped to me that were just thrown in a box and arrived just fine and others not so fine. I had a set of race grade sway bars for a Vette send that were packed in a heavy duty box with blocks of foam around the parts but show up with a one of the big and heavy bars missing from a rather small hole in the end.
In the last couple of years I have had many issues with USPS shipping, dropped at wrong address, shipped across the country and back, lied to by drivers and agents. Even had a money order sent to me that was cashed right across the Columbia River, WA when I was in OR but a 30 mile drive or so, cashed at a USPS post office, they would not cover the loss, that one was back in 2005. I still sent the order out to the customer, it was not his fault.
Rick
In the last couple of years I have had many issues with USPS shipping, dropped at wrong address, shipped across the country and back, lied to by drivers and agents. Even had a money order sent to me that was cashed right across the Columbia River, WA when I was in OR but a 30 mile drive or so, cashed at a USPS post office, they would not cover the loss, that one was back in 2005. I still sent the order out to the customer, it was not his fault.
Rick
Preferably more than one
https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/PKG_Testing_Under150Lbs.pdf
"FedEx package testing procedures are based on data from shipping studies within our networks, industry procedures, international testing standards, and development methodology and practice to provide reliable packaging tests.
. . .
Impact Tests Using Free Fall Drop Tester
Drop Heights: 18-30”
Drop Count: 10-20 individual drops
. . .
Bridge Impact for Elongated Packages
Drop Heights: 30” to package surface
Drop Count: 1 drop in center of package
Equipment Used: Wooden Hazard Box
. . .
Vibration Test Using Rotary Table
200 CPM (cycles per minute)
Length of time: 60 min
. . .
Vibration Test Using Random Vertical Table
Frequency varies by profile used
Length of time: 45-90 min"
. . .
For packages under 75lbs, we use a 30 inch drop height. For packages between 76-100lbs, we use a 24 inch drop height. For packages between 101-150lbs we use an 18 inch drop height
. . .
We all have traumatic stories. Sometimes with the best intent and packing on our end. The stakes are much higher if the package is heavy and in those cases, I actually build a crate, surround it with pretty stiff foam, and then box all of that in a double layer cardboard box. The wooden crate is to 'try' and resist the holes or punctures that we have seen right through the box! I sometimes go part of the way with this thinking on smaller items but that more about the item being crushed by the weight of who knows what on top of it. Some packing can be sacrificial. Other packing is for strength. And so on it goes.
It's not only heavy stuff, today I received some replacement dust caps, 6 were ok, 6 have dents. There's something ironic about getting a replacement dust caps, with a dent. It's possible that the bike peddles I ordered at the same time did the damage. Fortunately the speaker drivers were bound together with bread wrapper ties.
US Customs slashed through the bubble pack on the last two chassis I ordered from China leaving huge scrapes on at least one panel of each. Luckily this resulted in damage that cannot be seen with the covers on. This has been going on for some time.
Maybe... time to make a stink bomb....
Put the stinky liquid inside a rather fragile packaging... a few glass ampules...
Let them break it.
That'll teach them.
Put the stinky liquid inside a rather fragile packaging... a few glass ampules...
Let them break it.
That'll teach them.
It is telling to me that you are ordering both bicycle parts and speaker drivers from the same seller. I expect that sort of packing to be in their mindset. Probably neither is in their field of expertise. Along with that might be a sense of selling online strictly for the profit involved without understanding much of what you are selling, let alone packing.
Unfortunately, this can also happen with a seller who brags about having been in the 'business' for 40 years or something. That doesn't mean a thing to me.
Unfortunately, this can also happen with a seller who brags about having been in the 'business' for 40 years or something. That doesn't mean a thing to me.
I've had some experience shipping stuff sold on ebay.
A Makita table saw.
A 12V 50A analog power supply.
A Fender Twin.
A pair of Klipsch Heresy's (not the one I have now...)
Some exercise machine that was supposed to simulate riding on a horse.
A pair of Dyna MkIIIs to Quatar
Lead diver weights - may favorite; crammed them into a USPS flat rate box. Hey, <50 lbs!
Vises, various.
I do make mistakes. Sometimes the hot melt glue holding speaker cabinets together - when old - cant take it. One time it didnt occur to me to remove the counterweight from the tonearm; it just snapped off and bashed around between the table and dust cover, smashing everything in between and the cover. That was a full loss.
I mostly use custom cut foam block, engineering each and every package to fit. Sometimes I use two different "shores" of foam to attempt to control deceleration. Most of the time, it works.
A Makita table saw.
A 12V 50A analog power supply.
A Fender Twin.
A pair of Klipsch Heresy's (not the one I have now...)
Some exercise machine that was supposed to simulate riding on a horse.
A pair of Dyna MkIIIs to Quatar
Lead diver weights - may favorite; crammed them into a USPS flat rate box. Hey, <50 lbs!
Vises, various.
I do make mistakes. Sometimes the hot melt glue holding speaker cabinets together - when old - cant take it. One time it didnt occur to me to remove the counterweight from the tonearm; it just snapped off and bashed around between the table and dust cover, smashing everything in between and the cover. That was a full loss.
I mostly use custom cut foam block, engineering each and every package to fit. Sometimes I use two different "shores" of foam to attempt to control deceleration. Most of the time, it works.
Great packaging methods!
Too bad on the loss, we all make mistakes, hopefully it was not hugely costly this time.
Rick
Too bad on the loss, we all make mistakes, hopefully it was not hugely costly this time.
Rick
And then there are those times that absolutely nothing would have done well with the shipping experience.
It is a crap shoot, definitely. One time someone cancelled an order (a mower deck belt) just as I shipped it; lost the sale and rather expensive shipping charge to some remote village in Texas complete, but got the verification picture of it dropped off at their residence.
Still cant figure out how they did that...
Damned near had that done to me recently. Different trick but same result. It was one of those, "No the unit isn't defective. You must turn the power switch on which is in the back of the unit. You're welcome." It's right up there with, "What is the least amount of money that you will accept for your product?" kind of crap. Well, as stated in the ad, it was at cost thing to me just to sell it.
I sent a package to my son, birthday gift, ten days before his birthday on a Sunday. FedEx.
Sent it on a Friday.
But Wednesday it was still in the City Of Industry, by LA.
I called FedEx service.
"May I help you?"
Ohoh..
Anyhow, asked when it will be there... no clue. So I made a comment
"WTH, might as well get it back and I'll drive it"
"OK, sir, I can do that"
"No, no, no.... DON'T do that"
I take notes.
Sure enough, on Friday package arrives in Tacoma... and it has an "exception"... I call
"Sir, it says the shipper requested it returned"
"no, no, no... the bugger screwed up! he wasn't supposed to return it!!"
"Sorry sir, but it is being returned, there is nothing I can do now"
I take notes.
On Sunday, they deliver it back to my door.
On Monday, I shipped it overnight. $$$, using UPS and I called my credit card company and reversed the charge.
CC company and FedEx agreed to the charges being reversed.
I take notes.
...
Months later, I get a bill from a collection agency about the shipment from FedEx. I dealt with it. OK.
I take notes.
...
More months later, another bill from another collection agency. I called FedEx and I got the nastiest person in the World. But I got it taken care of.
I take notes.
...
A year later, another bill from yet another collection agency... I called FedEx and raised the issue... I got an even nastier person.
I take notes.
This time I sit down and compose a letter to the Office Of The Chairman, FedEx.
I describe the entire experience, About 30 pages long with copies of the paperwork and chronological history... with NAMES
( Always have names, dates, times, phone numbers... take NO prisoners... )
Sent the letter via USPS Certified Mail.
....
A week later got a call from some FedEx assistant VP letting me know the case was closed and I owed nothing.
She followed it up with an email and letter for my records.
....
You know when you get that
"My name is Peter, May I help you?"
That you're f%&%d up...
Sent it on a Friday.
But Wednesday it was still in the City Of Industry, by LA.
I called FedEx service.
"May I help you?"
Ohoh..
Anyhow, asked when it will be there... no clue. So I made a comment
"WTH, might as well get it back and I'll drive it"
"OK, sir, I can do that"
"No, no, no.... DON'T do that"
I take notes.
Sure enough, on Friday package arrives in Tacoma... and it has an "exception"... I call
"Sir, it says the shipper requested it returned"
"no, no, no... the bugger screwed up! he wasn't supposed to return it!!"
"Sorry sir, but it is being returned, there is nothing I can do now"
I take notes.
On Sunday, they deliver it back to my door.
On Monday, I shipped it overnight. $$$, using UPS and I called my credit card company and reversed the charge.
CC company and FedEx agreed to the charges being reversed.
I take notes.
...
Months later, I get a bill from a collection agency about the shipment from FedEx. I dealt with it. OK.
I take notes.
...
More months later, another bill from another collection agency. I called FedEx and I got the nastiest person in the World. But I got it taken care of.
I take notes.
...
A year later, another bill from yet another collection agency... I called FedEx and raised the issue... I got an even nastier person.
I take notes.
This time I sit down and compose a letter to the Office Of The Chairman, FedEx.
I describe the entire experience, About 30 pages long with copies of the paperwork and chronological history... with NAMES
( Always have names, dates, times, phone numbers... take NO prisoners... )
Sent the letter via USPS Certified Mail.
....
A week later got a call from some FedEx assistant VP letting me know the case was closed and I owed nothing.
She followed it up with an email and letter for my records.
....
You know when you get that
"My name is Peter, May I help you?"
That you're f%&%d up...
I was the biggest, in shipping cost, home based customer of UPS in Utah for a number of years. Their billing department screwed up my account and locked then refused to fix it unless I paid them what I had already paid. I ended up having to switch to FedEx and never had a billing issue again and the service was never an issue with the next thousands of shipments. When I retired and moved the business to SoCal to have a buddy run it he used FedEx as well, never a problem.
Rick
Rick
No one said UPS was much better than FedEx.
A pox on all of them.
One of these days, Amazon will IPO Amazon logistics and will wipe the floor with all of them.
A pox on all of them.
One of these days, Amazon will IPO Amazon logistics and will wipe the floor with all of them.
Up until the billing issue, which they contract out, UPS was great to deal with in all respects. I shipped tens of thousands of packages with rarely any issues at all and those were minor ones. Now all shippers seem to be having a difficult time doing things right like they used to, USPS by far the worst case.
Rick
Rick