clennell on sat 2 apr 05
Sour Cherry Pottery
> my teapot lid was broken also.
> it was double boxed, totally bubble wrapped.
> i have no idea how that cover could have been
> cracked in half.
> it almost seemed impossible.
> mel
Mel: Damn this shipping is surely the weakest link in the process. I don't
know how it could happen to you but we are up against the Homeland Security
thing that has them open the packages and then not repack them the way they
were packed. We have had bowls just laid on top of the packing and the box
retaped.
Now to ensure I at least get thru Homeland Security I have had to dirve the
45 minutes to Niagara Falls, Ny , clear customs myself and take it to a
shipping company. this has worked before but i gambled on the Mailbox
franchise and lost.
the insurance money is nice but the best of my work ended up as shards.
As he scale of my work increases the shipping beocmes more of a problem. A
jug requires a cedar chest sized box, a texan casserole an even bigger box.
this is the reason I didn't send a casserole- couldn'
t figure how to ship it.
I'm going to start making mini teapots. Go to a show with a suitcase and
$20,000 worth of pots in there.
Cheers,
Tony
Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King Street
Beamsville, Ontario
CANADA L0R 1B1
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com/current_news/news_letter.html
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on sun 3 apr 05
Hi Mel, all...
While I myself have never shipped Pots, I have shipped
Antique Battery Jars and other odd and frail Glass things
that weighed six or eight or ten pounds...
And my method has been to go and get the foam-rubber which
comes out of upholdstered furniture when it is going to be
re-upoldstered, where, the price tends to be way right since
they were oging to throw it away anyway.
This can be of various thicknesses, be plain or the
'egg-carton' dimpled kind, or, places as re-upoldster also
of course have new material of various versions and
densities on hand, sometimes very cheap for remnants.
Knock on wood...with the item wrapped in three or four
inches of soft foam rubber, then boxed, with that in another
box with a three or four inch rubber filled space between
the two Boxes...
You can usually toss them from the roof and they will make
it.
Certainly the heavier a frail item is, the more difficult it
is to package against breakage.
Far as my experience goes, the three or four inches
initially, and three or four more between Boxes, seems like
the ticket.
I never use 'bubblewrap' and I never use 'peanuts'...
How much space did you have of bubblewrap between the item
and the first carton, and between the two cartons?
If it was not three or four inches, it might not have been
enough...
Best wishes for happier shipments !
Phil
el ve
----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
> my teapot lid was broken also.
> it was double boxed, totally bubble wrapped.
> i have no idea how that cover could have been
> cracked in half.
> it almost seemed impossible.
> mel
> mel jacobson/minnetonka/minnesota/usa
mel jacobson on sun 3 apr 05
my teapot lid was broken also.
it was double boxed, totally bubble wrapped.
i have no idea how that cover could have been
cracked in half.
it almost seemed impossible.
mel
mel jacobson/minnetonka/minnesota/usa
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
http://www.rid-a-tick.com
luckisprepaid
Wayne Seidl on sun 3 apr 05
Mel, Tony and all:
I sent 6 boxes to and from Baltimore this year, all FEDEX. All
standard overnight (there by 3:30 PM the following day)
I packed them, drove them to my local (smiling) Fedex agent
(of course they're smiling, for what they charge) and sent them on
their way.
Nothing arrived damaged, broken, or EVEN OPENED. I am not sure, but
I believe Fedex must X-ray their own packages, since I see them go
directly from their depot onto the plane (THEIR plane) here, every
evening at 6.
Laptop, digital camera, suitcase, feather boas, pots, mugs...a pink
lame helmet even....it all came through unscathed. Both ways. It
always does.
Yeah it cost more, (a LOT more) and it's worth every damn penny.
What is the value of your work entered into a show worth to you?
Of course, I have no idea what is involved in shipping from across
borders, but no one I have ever sent things to, either in Canada,
Britain, or most of Europe has ever mentioned a problem with their
package to me.
Just my two cents. No connection to FEDEX other than as a customer.
Wayne Seidl
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of
clennell
=20
Sour Cherry Pottery
> my teapot lid was broken also.
> it was double boxed, totally bubble wrapped.
> i have no idea how that cover could have been
> cracked in half.
> it almost seemed impossible.
> mel
Mel: Damn this shipping is surely the weakest link in the process. I
don't
know how it could happen to you but we are up against the Homeland
Security
thing that has them open the packages and then not repack them the
way they
were packed. We have had bowls just laid on top of the packing and
the box
retaped.
Now to ensure I at least get thru Homeland Security I have had to
dirve the
45 minutes to Niagara Falls, Ny , clear customs myself and take it
to a
shipping company. this has worked before but i gambled on the
Mailbox
franchise and lost.
the insurance money is nice but the best of my work ended up as
shards.
As he scale of my work increases the shipping beocmes more of a
problem. A
jug requires a cedar chest sized box, a texan casserole an even
bigger box.
this is the reason I didn't send a casserole- couldn'
t figure how to ship it.
I'm going to start making mini teapots. Go to a show with a suitcase
and
$20,000 worth of pots in there.
Cheers,
Tony
Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King Street
Beamsville, Ontario
CANADA L0R 1B1
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com/current_news/news_letter.html
Jeanette Harris on mon 4 apr 05
Another method is to create a foam 'crate' for the piece.
Find a sturdy cardboard box that is larger than the piece by at least
4 inches--more is better in this case.
Get a can of insulation foam. The kind that builders use to fill in
spaces between construction and window frames, etc. You can find it
at home hardware stores.
Get an idea of how much it will expand by doing a test in a small box.
Then line the shipping box with plastic sheeting. A split-open
garbage bag will do. Make sure that the plastic reaches the top of
the box and tape it down. You might have to cut the corners to make
it fit. Don't worry about leakage, though, that can be cut away if
need be.
Wrap the piece in plastic, making it conform to the shape as tightly
as possible. Brace any spouts, handles, or protrusions with foam
before wrapping.
Using what you know about the expansion of the foam, spray it into
the bottom of the box until it reaches a volume that will half fill
the box.
While the foam is still soft, but will support the work, place the
piece in the center of the area. You want to try and get it half
submerged in the foam.
Let the foam set up. If any has gone higher than halfway inside the
box, the excess can be trimmed away.
Leave the piece in the foam and lay another layer of plastic over the
whole surface. Make sure that it is flush with the piece and the
surface of the set-up foam.
Spray the remaining half of the box with foam and after it has set
up, trim it flat to fit the top of the box for sealing.
If you're really paranoid, you can put this box into a larger one
that is lined with plastic and braced with more foam. Or you can use
the upholstery foam as Phil mentioned or use bubble wrap.
Include written instructions about how to uncrate the piece and
rewrap. Put this in envelope on the outside of the box (you will have
to pay the postage with a stamp) and tape it firmly to the outside of
the box. Show how the bracing goes back on the piece before wrapping
it again.
I learned this technique at the Denver NCECA. It may be written up in
the journal--I'm not sure.
--
Jeanette Harris
Poulsbo WA
Potter's Council member
Earl Brunner on mon 4 apr 05
UPS will do this kind of packaging for you for a fee,
not sure how it compares to the do-it-yourself system
cost wise. I do know that it does take a little time
for that foam to set up and you should allow for that
before actually shipping.
--- Jeanette Harris wrote:
> Another method is to create a foam 'crate' for the
> piece.
>
> Find a sturdy cardboard box that is larger than the
> piece by at least
> 4 inches--more is better in this case.
>
> Get a can of insulation foam. The kind that builders
> use to fill in
> spaces between construction and window frames, etc.
> You can find it
> at home hardware stores.
>
> Get an idea of how much it will expand by doing a
> test in a small box.
>
> Then line the shipping box with plastic sheeting. A
> split-open
> garbage bag will do. Make sure that the plastic
> reaches the top of
> the box and tape it down. You might have to cut the
> corners to make
> it fit. Don't worry about leakage, though, that can
> be cut away if
> need be.
>
> Wrap the piece in plastic, making it conform to the
> shape as tightly
> as possible. Brace any spouts, handles, or
> protrusions with foam
> before wrapping.
>
> Using what you know about the expansion of the foam,
> spray it into
> the bottom of the box until it reaches a volume that
> will half fill
> the box.
>
> While the foam is still soft, but will support the
> work, place the
> piece in the center of the area. You want to try and
> get it half
> submerged in the foam.
>
> Let the foam set up. If any has gone higher than
> halfway inside the
> box, the excess can be trimmed away.
>
> Leave the piece in the foam and lay another layer of
> plastic over the
> whole surface. Make sure that it is flush with the
> piece and the
> surface of the set-up foam.
>
> Spray the remaining half of the box with foam and
> after it has set
> up, trim it flat to fit the top of the box for
> sealing.
>
> If you're really paranoid, you can put this box into
> a larger one
> that is lined with plastic and braced with more
> foam. Or you can use
> the upholstery foam as Phil mentioned or use bubble
> wrap.
>
> Include written instructions about how to uncrate
> the piece and
> rewrap. Put this in envelope on the outside of the
> box (you will have
> to pay the postage with a stamp) and tape it firmly
> to the outside of
> the box. Show how the bracing goes back on the piece
> before wrapping
> it again.
>
> I learned this technique at the Denver NCECA. It may
> be written up in
> the journal--I'm not sure.
>
> --
> Jeanette Harris
> Poulsbo WA
>
> Potter's Council member
>
>
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>
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> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
Earl Brunner
e-mail: brunv53@yahoo.com
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