27 Oct
2011
27 Oct
'11
1:28 p.m.
On Thu, 27 Oct 2011, Chuck Guzis wrote:
On 27 Oct 2011 at 11:11, Richard wrote:
Probably 85-90% of my smashed-at-arrival eBay purchases fit that
pathology. Vibration and settling causes the unit to migrate against one
of the inner surfaces of the box and... that's all she wrote when it drops
off the ramp at the next depot.
I would trust nothing but a _very_ sturdy box and InstaPak end pieces for
shipping, e.g. an Ultra 60.
I found some eBay sellers with small quantities of InstaPak bags. If it
comes to it, I will go that route.
Steve
--
Basically you're using the bubble wrap for
shock absorption. My
problem with people using blocks of styrofoam is that they *think*
this provides shock absorption when it doesn't. Packing peanuts are
superior in this regard. I have had units arrived damaged because
people use bricks of styrofoam and think they're providing protection
when they aren't. There's a reason people use peanuts and not busted
up bricks for shipping.
I guess, YMMV. One problem with styro peanuts is that they will
allow heavy objects to shift in the package. And that essentially
seals the fate of the cargo, once it's been allowed to move in the
box. I've shipped CRTs with rigid foam, but with a "balloon" of
bagged styro peanuts between the wall of the box and the face of the
screen. A partially inflated child's plastic beach ball works
similarly.
I've received items packed in styro peanuts only and they've been
heavily damaged because the object was allowed to move in the box.
Once that happens, the momentum of the heavy object becomes the tool
of its own destruction.