Greg Myers Posted August 4, 2010 Posted August 4, 2010 Mailing out small parts and 1/24th scale kits doesn't seem too hard. How would you wrap larger 1/12, 1/16th scale kits for mailing?
Harry P. Posted August 4, 2010 Posted August 4, 2010 I'd take the kit box (or boxes) and put then inside a larger outer box, filling the "gap" with styrofoam packing peanuts.
Greg Myers Posted August 4, 2010 Author Posted August 4, 2010 I'd take the kit box (or boxes) and put then inside a larger outer box, filling the "gap" with styrofoam packing peanuts. The BIG flat space (top and bottom) just seem so vulnerable.
Harry P. Posted August 4, 2010 Posted August 4, 2010 The BIG flat space (top and bottom) just seem so vulnerable. If you pick an outer box that bigger all around... left, right, top and bottom... and "center" the kit boxes with peanuts all around, it works fine. I've had several very large (Pocher) kits sent to me that were packed that way, and there was no damage at all to the inner kit boxes. You don't need a HUGE outer box... 3 or 4 inches of peanuts all around the kit box is fine.
sjordan2 Posted August 4, 2010 Posted August 4, 2010 (edited) All of the above are correct. I would also recommend adding small-bubble bubble wrap inside the kit to keep parts from moving around. One of the most important parts of this packing depends a lot on the kit; kits at this size tend not to have the kind of sturdy boxing you find on smaller scales and it's very easy for kits to get slightly crushed and arrive with broken A pillars on the body. Therefore, I additionally recommend packing the body with a certain amount of support inside the shell. It's not a huge deal, and you can get away with outer boxing that's not that much larger than the kit box, but the larger the outer box and the more the packing material the better. I say all this from my experience as a recipient, and I've seen what works and what doesn't. Edited August 4, 2010 by sjordan2
jw78z28 Posted August 4, 2010 Posted August 4, 2010 everyone's on the right path about over sized box, but please people bag the glass or rap it with something, i hate when i get a kit and the seller places glass on the very bottom them adds the rest of the parts on top of it.
highway Posted August 5, 2010 Posted August 5, 2010 I traded a 1/25 scale trailer kit for a tractor trailer once, and it was still factory sealed. All I did was wrap brown craft paper around the original box, and had no problems with that.
Kaleb Posted August 5, 2010 Posted August 5, 2010 I shipped a 1:12 out larger box top anf bottom and some on the sides Used a lot of paper then wrapped the entire kit with bubble wrap, I could move it after it was closed. Then put a fragile and breakable sticker on it....dunno if that helps in shipping or not.
DrewCfromSC Posted August 5, 2010 Posted August 5, 2010 Maybe if its not already mentioned. Double or tripple box the items? We sell on ebay and always double box on stuff, tripple if its glass, breakable, or really expensive. Luckly we have not had a broken item yet. Lotsa bubblewrap, packing peanuts, old foam or even more cardboard, shredded up newspaper, grocery store bags. Ive even gotten free thicker foam from an upholstery shop. Hope this helps you some. Drew C. from S.C.
Art Anderson Posted August 5, 2010 Posted August 5, 2010 I traded a 1/25 scale trailer kit for a tractor trailer once, and it was still factory sealed. All I did was wrap brown craft paper around the original box, and had no problems with that. You were EXTREMELY lucky! Lucky that the kit wasn't just mashed flat. Bear in mind that USPS, if the package is small enough, they will stuff it in a canvas mailbag along with other packages, and then toss that canvas bag into the back of a truck for shipping, along with other bags of mail--what if an anvil had been in the bag that landed on top of the one your kit was in? Another thing, while they will still accept packages wrapped in Kraft paper, the USPS would really rather you didn't--that worked 50-60 years ago, but with modern sorting equipment, it's very likely that the paper will be torn, and the address either munged beyond reading, or gone forever (UPS, and I believe FEDEX as well, refuse packages wrapped thus). Seriously though, take a tip from the kit manufacturers and hobby wholesale houses--they always pack products in sturdy corrugated boxes, and if the kit is loose in that box, they put plenty of packing around the kit, between it and the box. Just my thoughts, having sent literally thousands of parcels all over the US, indeed to just about every continent on the planet over the past 25 years or so. Art
highway Posted August 5, 2010 Posted August 5, 2010 You were EXTREMELY lucky! Lucky that the kit wasn't just mashed flat. Bear in mind that USPS, if the package is small enough, they will stuff it in a canvas mailbag along with other packages, and then toss that canvas bag into the back of a truck for shipping, along with other bags of mail--what if an anvil had been in the bag that landed on top of the one your kit was in? Another thing, while they will still accept packages wrapped in Kraft paper, the USPS would really rather you didn't--that worked 50-60 years ago, but with modern sorting equipment, it's very likely that the paper will be torn, and the address either munged beyond reading, or gone forever (UPS, and I believe FEDEX as well, refuse packages wrapped thus). Seriously though, take a tip from the kit manufacturers and hobby wholesale houses--they always pack products in sturdy corrugated boxes, and if the kit is loose in that box, they put plenty of packing around the kit, between it and the box. Just my thoughts, having sent literally thousands of parcels all over the US, indeed to just about every continent on the planet over the past 25 years or so. Art Actually, Art, the ONLY reason I sent that kit in that manner was I couldn't find a suitable box for it. All were either too small or much too large to fit that trailer in. I also did fail to mention, I had it very clearly marked with large red "Fragile: DO NOT CRUSH" markings written on all sides of the package. It was also taped very well, there was not very many areas, if any, where the craft paper was exposed. By the way, Art, I also have exprience in shipping. While it was only 1/5 the time you've been shipping, I worked in a warehouse for 5 years shipping various products around the country.
highway Posted August 5, 2010 Posted August 5, 2010 "Fragile: DO NOT CRUSH":lol::lol::lol: What's so funny about that?
sjordan2 Posted August 5, 2010 Posted August 5, 2010 What's so funny about that? Based on postal service, that sounds like "PLEASE CRUSH."
Greg Myers Posted August 5, 2010 Author Posted August 5, 2010 What's so funny about that? I just retired from the USPS.
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