pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on sun 3 apr 05
Hi Chris,
Quite so...
I was thinking about this also lately, since I have had some
things shipped to me (single boxed) which arrived with the
item intact, but the inertia of the item had pushed or torn
though the box in several places, and sometimes in a big
way. In one case, to where if one tipped the box, the item
fell out through one of it's pushed-out-holes in the box,
which event happenned just after the Postman handed it to
me. The item in this case was a pretty robust Mechanic's
type Air Tool, with other small parts and attatchments
miraculously still in there, loose.
So...
The inertia of the item in itself, as you know, just to
think out loud, is an important consideration, and for
fragile items recommends thick resillient padding and
thickly padded double boxing, because the item can break
even when the Carton appears fine on the exterior from the
item's compressing too little padding in some acceleration
or other.
Or, for not fragile items, for them to be wrapped in layers
of taped and folded cardboard around their more pointy or
small ends or parts, for single-boxing, so they do not push
their way through and rip the Box.
Phil
el ve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Campbell"
> My Only Rule for Shipping Pots ....
>
> When I am done packing it , if I cannot throw it six feet
> across the room to thump onto the floor and bounce to
> a halt ... it is not packed well enough.
>
> A really great learning experience is to pack a box
> and ship it to yourself ... you will NOT believe what it
> looks like on the receiving end !!
>
> I don't care what company you use ... people do get
> bored silly at 3:00 am .... and those bright red Fragile
> tags must be soooooo tempting !!
>
> Chris Campbell - in North Carolina -
Chris Campbell on sun 3 apr 05
My Only Rule for Shipping Pots ....
When I am done packing it , if I cannot throw it six feet
across the room to thump onto the floor and bounce to
a halt ... it is not packed well enough.
A really great learning experience is to pack a box
and ship it to yourself ... you will NOT believe what it
looks like on the receiving end !!
I don't care what company you use ... people do get
bored silly at 3:00 am .... and those bright red Fragile
tags must be soooooo tempting !!
Chris Campbell - in North Carolina - Thanks Tony for the memory ...
'Four strong winds that blow lonely ...' those lyrics ring to the core....
lived on the prairies for three years and the winds sure do blow.
Ken Nowicki on mon 4 apr 05
Chris's post reminded me of a UPS worker who once told me that when I'm done
packing my pots, the carton ought to be able to handle falling 6' feet off a
loading dock onto hard concrete, without damaging the contents inside. I've
never forgotten that comment and am reminded of it each time I pack pots to ship.
I'm still undecided whether or not those "fragile" or "this side up" stickers
are worth a damn. I too have heard that it's almost worse if you put them on,
as some employees tend to see if they can get that fragile item to shatter if
they see one of those stickers. It'd be interesting to hear an "insiders"
perspective on this topic from the shipping industry (UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc.) -
in fact ... it would make an excellent Clayart Room mini-workshop at a future
NCECA ... hmm... Maybe it'd be hard to get one of these employees to say
anything too revealing or truthful in an organized forum as such though ... it'd
have to be strictly "off the record" I'm sure.
- Ken
Ken Nowicki
Port Washington, NY
RakuArtist@aol.com
Potters Council - Charter Member
..............................................................................
Chris Campbell wrote:
My Only Rule for Shipping Pots ....
When I am done packing it , if I cannot throw it six feet
across the room to thump onto the floor and bounce to
a halt ... it is not packed well enough.
A really great learning experience is to pack a box
and ship it to yourself ... you will NOT believe what it
looks like on the receiving end !!
I don't care what company you use ... people do get
bored silly at 3:00 am .... and those bright red Fragile
tags must be soooooo tempting !!
Vince Pitelka on mon 4 apr 05
> I don't care what company you use ... people do get
> bored silly at 3:00 am .... and those bright red Fragile
> tags must be soooooo tempting !!
Chris -
When I was selling mostly wholesale in the late 70s and early 80s, I shipped
everything UPS. Now, it could be that the service has really deteriorated
since then, but I had hardly any breakage at all. I got some good advice
when I first started doing lots of shipping. A friend who had shipped lots
of ceramics and glass said "Don't ever mark a package 'fragile.'" The
theory is that disgruntled shipping/postal workers take those markings as a
challenge, as you indicate above. They always toss packages, but when
something comes along with a "fragile" sticker on it, they get a little
goose out of tossing that package a little farther.
I think that the only people who treat a package carefully because of a
"fragile" sticker are the final delivery person and the recipient. They're
the ones who have to meet face-to-face and deal with the final condition of
the package.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
DMCARTS@AOL.COM on mon 4 apr 05
Denise and I have sent thousands of pots through USPS, FedEx, DHL,UPS with
only 2 pieces having damage...a pretty good record I think. Our secret...Double
box and pack (generally) for your box to be dropped to the floor from fully
extended arms at shoulder height. This is the new standard of performance for
packaging these days. Also, fully isolate heavier objects from lighter ones in
the same box with foamcore or cardboard, i.e., a lid from the pot. When
possible pack only a single item per box.
I realize packing this way can be expensive but I think in the long run it is
well worth it when one considers the disappointment of the recipient and the
hassles of filing insurance claims.
D. Michael Coffee
Shy Rabbit Showroom
& Ceramic Studio
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
(voice) 970-731-2766
(email) dmcarts2u@aol.com
(web) http://www.dmcarts.com
Ingeborg Foco on mon 4 apr 05
Vince said:
A friend who had shipped lots
> of ceramics and glass said "Don't ever mark a package 'fragile.'" The
> theory is that disgruntled shipping/postal workers take those markings as
a
> challenge, as you indicate above. They always toss packages, but when
> something comes along with a "fragile" sticker on it, they get a little
> goose out of tossing that package a little farther.
I know that is what everyone says. However, UPS states packages should be
packed to withstand I think a drop of 6 feet and to add a fragile sticker
is meaningless. In theory you should pack things to withstand a bit of
juggling. Do disgruntled employees try to damage packages, I don't know and
it is certainly possible. I like to think that most people try to do their
job to the best of their ability and still things happen.
I've had very good luck with shipping with UPS but I follow their rules of
packing two inches all the way around the item. So far, no breakage....:)
If something is broken, it is their fault if I have packed according to
their rules. What more can I ask. Any package can be damaged if you drive
over it with a truck. Doesn't matter how well you have packed it, anything
can be broken.
Best wishes
Ingeborg
the Potter's Workshop & Gallery
Located on Pine Island
P.O. Box 510
3058 Stringfellow Road
St. James City, Florida 33956
239-283-2775
>
>
Russel Fouts on thu 7 apr 05
>> The regional Distribution Stations have conveyor Belts which run
sometimes 20 something feet 'up' and parcels DO fall or get josteled off to
free-fall or bounce off things on their way 'down'. <<
Has anyone mentioned the speed at which these conveyors travel.
I heard it once here but have forgotten the actual speed.
Your packages are not "majestically" moving along on the belt, they're FLYING!
Time is money.
Russel
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes & Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
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