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#1 shipping valve amps

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 10:53 am
by ed
Can anybody suggest a good courier(from experience) for shipping valve amps of about 25kg(40cmx40cmx40cm ish).
I'm a tad confused at the moment because parcel monkey say post office will do this for £12 and post office say they will do it for £30.
any suggestions will likely confuse further, but I'm up for it.....

#2 Re: shipping valve amps

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 12:31 pm
by pre65
ed wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 10:53 am Can anybody suggest a good courier(from experience) for shipping valve amps of about 25kg(40cmx40cmx40cm ish).
From past experience finding a "good" courier is a lottery, it depends on how each person in the chain feels on the day. :(

Extreme care in packing the item would mitigate transit damage.

I usually use "parcel to go" and find DPD as good as any.

#3 Re: shipping valve amps

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:00 pm
by Nick
i have used DPD a lot and not had a problem, but its all about the packing.

I find using this is good if you don;t have original packing:



Double boxing and using packing straps around the box helps a lot.

#4 Re: shipping valve amps

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:00 pm
by ed
Ta for the suggestions

I will try DPD, they ought to be trustworthy....

that instapak stuff looks a bit pricey for a cheapskate like me...maybe worth checking the local charity shops for cushions....snigger

onward

#5 Re: shipping valve amps

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:27 pm
by Nick
that instapak stuff looks a bit pricey for a cheapskate like me...maybe worth checking the local charity shops for cushions....snigger
The problem with soft packing cushions or poly chips is they allow the amp to move, is if its dropped it can accelerate and then hit the side of the packing and some parts stop, some keep going. The instapack type packing forms a hard close fitting foam, so its held firmly in place.

#6 Re: shipping valve amps

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:36 pm
by ed
cushions was a joke, or at least an attempt at one....

My usual method is polystyrene blocks, which I think perform the same function as that instapak stuff...only difference I think is that I have to cut the blocks to size and shape.......

The most important word in my post was 'cheapskate'.......can't stress that word enough, I'm morphing into Steptoe.

edit: It just occurred to me. It would be possible to wrap product in plastic bag or cling film and then spray builders foam into the box before closing it. I could probably get about 3 boxes done with one can of foam....that's super value for money compared to the instapak thingies......and would probably allow for 3" of foam around the amps on all sides....

and imagine the fun the customers would have digging out their amps......
mmmmm...

#7 Re: shipping valve amps

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 7:45 pm
by Mike H
You probably don't need telling, but don't do what I've had delivered and lost count of how many times - I get boxes with the thing(s) put in the bottom of the box then the packing material on top and fill in the sides. So it's only got the cardboard on one side. :shock:

#8 Re: shipping valve amps

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 10:50 pm
by Baggy Trousers
Nick wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:00 pm i have used DPD a lot and not had a problem, but its all about the packing.

I find using this is good if you don;t have original packing:



Double boxing and using packing straps around the box helps a lot.
Perhaps much depends upon how often you intend to ship the amplifier. I have owned some of my equipment for 50 years and in that time have lived in several countries. Long ago I made wooden boxes/crates to the dimensions of the dedicated contents and these were fitted without any packing medium other than some basic water-proof lining of the equipment. I made these containers for the cost of the materials and they proved the saving of my stuff on several occasions. However, this approach may not be consistent with the Steptoe philosophy.

If this is a one-off transit, I'd be inclined to hand the whole thing to an agent and leave responsibilities to him. Might cost a bit more but the avoidance of hassle could be worth it. In any event, polystyrene whilst being good at retaining stuff provided it is well fitted, is not so good with heavy contents as it is only vaguely elastic in performance. A power transformer on the move at 32'/sec2 will reshape it (and the tx) very quickly.

Sorry - not a lot of help . .. .