posted on June 29, 2006 10:22:56 PM new
I am now ready to send my first 3 LPs out. I have 3 pizza boxes that are quite a bit larger than the LP's cover. I dont want it to do any shaking, rattling and rolling until it gets to it's destination. Can't use packing peanuts unless I seal up the album some how. Any experience with big pieces of cardboard bent in a V? Any other hints are how to do this are greatly appreciated.
One more thing: Tape it completely or on all 4 sides only (meaning to secure it)?
posted on June 29, 2006 10:58:59 PM new
I would cut 4 strips of styrofoam the same depth as the box and use them to line the edges and narrow down the inside dimensions. Or you could probably roll four seperate sheets of newspaper and use them the same way. One other way would be to cut two sheets of styrofoam the exact same dimensions as the inside of the box. Sandwich the album between then, tape it securely and place the finished item in the box. Tape it completely. If it goes to a warm humid climate and starts to come loose, you want to be sure it's sealed so it doesn't pop open. Also, if it's being shipped overseas, those customs guys will have to work at it and earn their money to inspect the contents
If Murphy's law is correct, everything East of the San Andreas Fault will slide into the Atlantic
[ edited by sparkz on Jun 29, 2006 11:08 PM ]
posted on June 29, 2006 11:10:05 PM new
Thanks Sparkz. I don't have any pieces of styrofoam that big but I'll find something. I have a big box of wastebasket size plastic bags I can seal the record/ album cover in (record inside the cover, of course) Do you think it will hurt the record or the cover? It's slightly bigger than the album cover so I used scotch tape to close up the rolled up ends.
posted on June 29, 2006 11:16:04 PM new
Try using some of those hard, unedible end crusts from the pizza slices to take up the empty space but make sure you tape all seams so no ants can get in.
Sorry I couldn't help it. Those darn pesky voices in my head, I guess.
posted on June 29, 2006 11:21:18 PM new
I'll let y'all in on a little secret of mine. I came a cross a jumbo roll of indstrial food wrap one day at a yard sale. Didn't know why I felt the need to buy it, but I did.
That was 3 years ago and I am still using the roll.
This stuff is great for wrapping games, books, pictures, anything to keep moisture and styrofoam out of your product. It is like suranwrap, only thicker and it is fairly easy to work with.
I guess you can use regular Suranwrap too, but this just gives the packing job a more polished look. My buyers have been raving about my packing since I started using it.
posted on June 30, 2006 12:03:20 AM new
Costco sells the industrial food wrap. I bought a roll 4 years ago and am still using it for food and to wrap items to to keep moisture out. I believe it was around $9.00. I did notice that it can be put on hot food without melting, too.
posted on June 30, 2006 12:23:58 AM new
Everything that I ship gets placed in a plastic grocery bag and I tie the ends together. It's a good way to recycle the grocery bags. My buyers seem to like it.
posted on June 30, 2006 12:38:25 AM new
I roll up pieces of newspaper and use as padding. I also wrap the records in bubble wrap first which takes up all the excess space depth wise. Then, I roll up the newspapers and place them around the edges of the lp to fill the box.
You could probably do the same thing with plastic bags and then put some newspaper on the top but I like the extra protection the bubble wrap offers.
I only seal the edges. But, I do put tape along all edges including the perforated ones on the back edge.
posted on June 30, 2006 07:33:47 AM new
Sounds to me as though the rolled-up newspaper idea is going to work for you right now, given that you don't have styrofoam around. I'm wondering, though, why you think the peanuts won't work for you?
Another thought--sometimes when packing an item I don't center it in the container but push it all the way into one corner. That leaves more space for bulkier padding.
It's true, though, isn't it, that these records are just plain more work to ship than other items. I think that's why I still have stacks of LPs here, staring at me, chiding me every day for 3 years, begging to be listed!
posted on June 30, 2006 08:56:08 AM new
Me too Roadsmith. But, I have a whole storage building full
I am selling mine in bulk and that is working out better. They are one big pain for what they bring. I get more for a postcard than I do for lps.
One word of advice on the peanuts...they will slip around and won't keep the album stable inside the box. This can result in damage to the jacket.
Edited to add that I absolutely gringe when I open any package with peanuts in it. Those things break apart and stick to everything. I have a huge bag (taller than me) of them I bought to use for my records and after trying it a couple of times the peanuts are now in storage, in the bag, on top of the unsold records.
If I didn't want to record 50% of them onto DVD for me to keep I would have taken them all to Goodwill many years ago.
[ edited by myfavorites4u on Jun 30, 2006 08:58 AM ]
posted on June 30, 2006 10:55:13 AM new
Peanuts should work place album in plastic bag tape it shut then take 4 2 inch strips of card that you can then wrap around the corners of the album to make corners then tape on to album top of plastic (I use grocery sacks too) bag then pack with peanuts. I find if it is packed tight with peanuts it won't let item slip around...
Here is image of what I am talking about done on paper to show corner I am talking about. Can be done easily with old priority box scraps that are the thin cardboard.
OR you can put cardboard on 2 sides folded over with the cardboard extending out longer than the edges of the album..
Just an idea for you, I have done the corners with books and albums.
**************
You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me!
posted on June 30, 2006 12:48:58 PM new
Since you may have to ship a lot of these, here is what I would do:
Score some big sheets of large cell bubble wrap (any place that sells plasma TVs has a ton of it -- I get mine from Anderson's TV in RWC). Cut the bubble wrap lengthwise on every other row of bubbles, so you end up with long narrow strips of bubble wrap. I would actually glue these strips to the inside edges of your pizza box, all four sides, to make a bumper.
Put cushioning on the bottom of the box, then your wrapped record, then more cushioning on top. Tape closed and ship.
I would prepare a whole bunch of these ahead of time so I could just grab and go.
fLufF
--
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Jun 30, 2006 12:50 PM ]
posted on June 30, 2006 05:50:45 PM new
I ship my records in a priority box I keep the box flat and seal both open sides keeping them flat,. What I mean is instead of forming the box by closing the flaps I just slid the record album in after I wrap the album with bubble. The box stays flat and the album fits real good without moving around,
The box I use is 21-1/2 long with the flaps still laying flat and the thickness is 3" but I don't form the box. Just keep it the way it comes when you take it out of the shipping box.
I have been shipping the albums like this for 4yrs and never had any problems.
posted on June 30, 2006 09:06:33 PM new
toni: Interesting idea. Does the package ship, then, for $4.05 or will it come in at more than a pound? That could really drive the shipping costs up for the buyer, right, if it's more than a pound and going to the opposite coast? Have your buyers complained about excessive shipping?
And you've never had a record break in the mailthat way? Hmmm. I may try it sometime. A
The weight comes out to approx 1-1/2lbs so you consider it as 2lbs. I never had a customer complain when I charged 6.00 for shipping on a record.
I figured it is the same as if you shipped it in a bubbled envelope and had to add stiff cardboard for safety, so rather then do that using the priority box is easy for packing and safe for shipping. You can put two albums in the box if you need to. You also don't need any peanuts or paper, just the album goes in the flat box.
If a customer did complain I would send it the way they wanted like media or parcel it wouldn't matter to me, but when I have a choice the priority shipping I find quick and easy and safe.
posted on June 30, 2006 11:22:37 PM new
Thanks Fluff, There are few a stores like that around here. I'll check it out. Since I still have alot of pizza boxes, I can do the bubble wrap thing while I watch tv or something. It's got to be cheaper that way than how I shipped 'em today. I thought about sending them in a flat priority box. I was worried about them getting damaged so I decided against it.
Lesson I learned: Don't EVER list Priority mail for records shipping unless you know what you're doing! I piled newspaper under the record (record sealed in plastic bag) and on top of the record. I even rolled up some newspaper on both empty sides of the record so it wouldn't slide around. Brought the weight up to a HEFTY 2+ pounds in the pizza box. I sent it priority from here in california to a remote locale in New York. Cost me almost $11. Then I added Insurance and delivery confirmation. Well, you get the picture. Anyway, I charged a flat rate of $8 for priority plus Ins + delivery confirm. The record bid price was $3.99. So I guess I might have made enoough to cover the fees and that's about it. As soon as I got home, I modified ALL record auctions/store items to show $8.00 for Media and $16 for priority.
posted on July 1, 2006 12:02:51 PM new
paloma...bubble wrap doesn't add weight. That's what makes it so great.
I ship single records for $3 (cost me around $1.50 each and then cost of box and bubble wrap). My "lots" I figure one pound per record and charge media based on that plus $1 handling.
posted on July 1, 2006 12:52:10 PM new
Ray, I know, that was kind of stupid of me to do, as well as shipping the box priority. I figured if I listed it in the auction description as to how I would ship, I'd better do it. I changed ALL the LP listings yesterday to reflect a different shipping info in the description.
My fav - Yes, I am going bubble wrap searching today.
posted on July 2, 2006 04:00:07 PM new
I'm surprised that no one has already suggested this yet, but if mailing LP's in pizza boxes be sure to clean off the ants before mailing.
