Shipping floorstanders without cartons?

toobluvr · « **on:** 19 Apr 2009, 04:23 pm »

Does anyone know if there are pack and ship companies that will come to your door to pack 'em up and ship 'em?

I've scoured the web for the correct sized and appropriately strong shipping boxes, and even with cutting and adjusting, can't find any. I have come across companies that will custom make to your needs, but they are ridiculously pricey.

Speaker dimensions: 45" high, 15" deep, 10" wide; 65 lbs each

All ideas and input appreciated. I'm not a lazy ass, so I will go to the trouble of boxing and shipping myself...if appropriate and safe cartons can be found. I will also consider using a company that does the whole ball of wax from packing to shipping. But I gotta believe that it will be very expensive.

Let me know what you know.

Thanks!
~ John

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Apr 2009, 05:02 pm »

UPS does all that with the exception of picking them up (unpackaged) at your door.
If you think about it, a company that's going to pick something up without packaging is taking a risk shipping it to their place to package, you know?
I'd just carry them "nekkid" to the UPS store and say, "Here you go, wrap this up and ship it for me".
Then, it's all on them. aa

Bob

toobluvr · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Apr 2009, 05:50 pm »

Quote from: Bob in St. Louis on 19 Apr 2009, 05:02 pm

UPS does all that with the exception of picking them up (unpackaged) at your door.
If you think about it, a company that's going to pick something up without packaging is taking a risk shipping it to their place to package, you know?
I'd just carry them "nekkid" to the UPS store and say, "Here you go, wrap this up and ship it for me".
Then, it's all on them. aa

Bob

Thanks Bob!

I didnot think they would take a speaker that big.
I don't mind bringing it to them, but will they really do it.

More importantly, can they do a good job and will they arrive safely?

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Apr 2009, 06:30 pm »

Yip, they'll really do it.
I shipped a band saw a few years ago. I made a casual comment, "Gee, it's a large box and real heavy, I hope it's gonna be alright".
The fella opened my box to see if I did a good job. He didn't like it at all, so he proceeds to take it all apart and do it "the right way". No extra charge.
UPS will ship anything, anywhere. And yes, they'll box it up for you too.

Since you have the size and weight, give them a call.
Geez, I sound like I work for them or something.

Bob - No affiliation with any shipping company.

marvda1 · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Apr 2009, 06:52 pm »

and if they pack it it's kind of hard to claim "poor packaging" if there is a claim since they packed it.

Goosepond · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Apr 2009, 06:55 pm »

A few years ago I bought a lot of old AM radio consoles and one of the sellers used something like Creighters and Freighters to pack them up for me. It wasn't cheap but you talk about doing it right. I'm talking about wooden crates on a pallet lined with sheets of Styrofoam and foam rubber. They were custom built for each cabinet.

So if you live in a large metropolitan area and these are big heavy speakers, you might look them up. I got the feeling they were a chain across the country.

Gene

mgalusha · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 12:07 am »

A friend of mine used Navis to ship some antiques and had good luck with them. http://www.gonavis.com/

Looks like the offer crating as well. Probably not cheap but might be worth it.

orthobiz · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 12:23 am »

When I refurbished my Dahlquists 5 yrs ago, first thing I had to buy was their cartons. They shipped them collapsed, bundled together.

Perhaps you could get GIK or RealTraps to send you collapsed boxes. After all, they make some mondo stuff and they're forum members! I had good success shipping big stuff with pink styrofoam housing insulation (the stiff kind) to buffer the inside of the box.

Paul

WGH · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 12:45 am »

If you shipped by UPS then you would have two boxes to ship at about 85 lbs. each. I would double box with at least 1" (preferably 2") of rigid styrofoam around the speaker in the first box, then the put the speaker in a second box with another 1"-2" of styrofoam. I get 4x8 sheets for about $10 each from a distributer. As you are finding out, finding the right size boxes is a real pain, you will probably end up taping two together end-to-end to get the right size.

You could put both speakers in a crate. Figure about $100 in materials and 6 hours to build the crate and pack the speakers so maybe a cost of $500 if you are lucky. The crate will weigh about 150 lbs, add 130 lbs for the two speakers and you have a 280 lb crate with integral pallet that will look something like this:

Shipping would be by common carrier, you will need a lift gate truck for delivery (and maybe pickup) so figure about $250-$350 freight depending on zip code.

Hope this helps.

Wayne

toobluvr · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 10:50 pm »

Thanks Bob and Mike, and all others for the input!

I looked into both options, and this is what I came up with for this particular pair of speakers:

UPS Pack and Ship: $50 for packing + $160 for insured ground ship to CA

Gonavis.com : $150 packing + $270 insured ship to CA + $25 curbside delivery (or $125 liftgate to door)

The quoted packaging prices are for dropping them off at their location. Gonavis charges $75 more to come and pack them in your house.

I'm sure Gonavis is more "white glove" service, but the price difference really is quite large. But nice to know that the option exists for big spenders or those that have really expensive stuff that needs TLC and gentle handling.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 11:50 pm »

You're welcome!

Bob

rivieraranch · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Apr 2009, 12:42 pm »

It would be worthwhile to buy shipping cartons from the manufacturer.

toobluvr · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Apr 2009, 02:19 pm »

Quote from: rivieraranch on 23 Apr 2009, 12:42 pm

It would be worthwhile to buy shipping cartons from the manufacturer.

Not really an option...
British speaker, discontinued model.

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Apr 2009, 03:16 pm »

I just mail ordered sheets of polystrene foam from foambymail.com to pack my Behringer DEQ2496 for shipment. Not cheap, but the 1 - 2 inch sheets are really nice (not completely rigid, but stiff, hard to compress, and hard to bend). And sheets of it can be glued together (ask foambymail how).

I'd try wrapping your speakers in this stuff and build a cardboard box around it, if UPS seems too expensive. OTOH letting them be fully responsible is a very good idea.

toobluvr · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Apr 2009, 03:31 pm »

Thanks to all for the input!

The $50 quote I got from UPS to pack 'em up seems very reasonable for a speaker of this size. I've looked into it and if I were to do it myself materials alone would cost more than that!

I visited them and they use double thick heavy duty boxes that seem more like thin plywood than cardboard, so I'm pretty comfortable.

And as has been stated here, they pack 'em so they take responsibility.
Noone wants to see a nice pair of speakers arrive as a pile of splinters, but if worst case scenario does occur, at least settling a claim should be much easier.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Apr 2009, 03:54 pm »

Do they still require you to purchase insurance if they pack it?

Bob

toobluvr · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Apr 2009, 03:58 pm »

Quote from: Bob in St. Louis on 23 Apr 2009, 03:54 pm

Do they still require you to purchase insurance if they pack it?

Bob

Yes....I guess even they don't trust their own goons!

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Apr 2009, 04:14 pm »

I guess it wouldn't be very professional of them to say, "Shit happens, therefore you must pay insurance".

Bob

edit; spelling

mhconley · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 Apr 2009, 08:07 pm »

I've used The UPS Store's Pack & Ship option more than once. Only once did the item I ship with them become damaged. It was a sissy bar rack combo from my motorcycle with a leather pad. The leather pad rubbed on the inside of the box and arrived with a small hole. The buyer wanted his money back so I called UPS. They picked up the package, refunded me 100% of my packing and shipping costs, paid me what the item sold for on eBay, and returned it to me. I then resold it on eBay, discolsing the damage, for almost as much as I got in the original auction. UPS is great about insurance claims when they are the ones who packed the item.

I've been paid on every claim I've filed with UPS but I have noticed a night and day difference in the claims process for self-packed vs. items they pack.

Martin

toobluvr · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 Apr 2009, 01:51 am »

Thanks Martin....

That's good to know. Certainly gives a bit more confidence about using them.