U.P.S. shpping
-
Carl Vilar
- Posts: 386
- Joined: 24 Jan 2008 5:56 pm
- Location: New Jersey USA
Pete I love it good story if people only knew what goes on in the shipping business we would only ship paper. I just recieved an amp UPS made it here in one piece I was worried specially amps but I have to say it was probably packed better than the day it left the factory great packing job that's what's needed in order for things to survive the trip. A guitar case and a cardboard box with no packing material around the guitar case and no packing material inside the guitar case does not cut it.
JCH 9/7
1971 Blond Twin Reverb 15" custom
Randall Steel Man 500
1971 Blond Twin Reverb 15" custom
Randall Steel Man 500
-
Darryl Hattenhauer
- Posts: 1725
- Joined: 16 Nov 2005 1:01 am
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA
- Contact:
Al,
Your tip about the wood blocks has also worked for me.
---------------------------
Dustin,
I'm just guessing that loading and unloading 24/7 would be better for the economy. If so, then some would have to work Saturday &/or Sunday, just like cops, bus drivers, salesmen, nurses, etc.
For the last 50 years, I've worked weekends more often than not, and I don't think it's so bad, especially when you get some time off during the week. But maybe it would be a real imposition for most people.
---------------------------
Pete,
Ages ago, I applied at UPS to load docks. Now I'm glad they didn't hire me.
Your tip about the wood blocks has also worked for me.
---------------------------
Dustin,
I'm just guessing that loading and unloading 24/7 would be better for the economy. If so, then some would have to work Saturday &/or Sunday, just like cops, bus drivers, salesmen, nurses, etc.
For the last 50 years, I've worked weekends more often than not, and I don't think it's so bad, especially when you get some time off during the week. But maybe it would be a real imposition for most people.
---------------------------
Pete,
Ages ago, I applied at UPS to load docks. Now I'm glad they didn't hire me.
This guy was kinda chubby, so I said F.U. SPANK-EEEE!!!
-
Ron Frederiksen
- Posts: 2029
- Joined: 15 Nov 2004 1:01 am
- Location: Van Buren, Arkansas, USA
I just talked to the man in So. Ga. I shipped the steel too. It got there Wed. afternoon in the same shape it was when I put it in the box. I think thats about 11 or 12 steels shipped now and never had any reason to file an Ins. claim. Everybody has their opinion and thats fine. I will stick with U.P.S. as long as they do a good job.......Ron
-
Richard Sinkler
- Posts: 17067
- Joined: 15 Aug 1998 12:01 am
- Location: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
I recently bought a Sho~Bud Professional from a guy in Baton Rouge. He packed the legs, pedal bar, and other loose pieces in the case and covered it in thick cardboard with a hole for the handle to fit through. He then packed the body in a wood crate with the body surrounded in 2" thick foam rubber. He left a gap in the side, braced by 2x4's for a place for the shipper to place his hand to lift it. The guitar (and the actual outside packing materials) arrived in great shape.
This seems like overkill, but I am glad he took the time and effort to make sure the guitar made it undamaged.
This seems like overkill, but I am glad he took the time and effort to make sure the guitar made it undamaged.
-
Bruce Atkinson
- Posts: 41
- Joined: 10 Nov 2007 8:26 am
- Location: Massachusetts, USA
As a former Fedex Ground employee at a hub sorting center, I know from experience that perhaps 50% or more of the damaged packages are the result of improper, or inadequate packaging on the part of the shipper. The rest is the result of package handling (manual and mechanical). Oh yea, I’ve had to deal with soaking wet packages, too, when they were in a trailer with a leaky roof in a thunderstorm, too.
When shipping an item, there are three things that the contents must be protected from: crushing, drops, and punctures. Although rare, sometimes other packages may leak onto other packages, and cause damages there as well.
Crushing occurs when somebody nicknamed “Superman” puts 100+ pound packages on the top of the walls of packages they create in each trailer. A wall of packages is just that. A bunch of packages stacked up like a brick wall…except that rarely are two are the same size and shape. Smaller packages fill the holes between the bigger packages, and whatever will fit is put between successive walls. When a trailer hits a bump, the 100+ pounds instantly becomes 200+ pounds of crushing force.
Although I never met him, I frequently unloaded trailers that Superman must have loaded. That particular terminal sent 8 or more trailers every night to the hub for sorting. If I wasn’t careful, I’d get hit in the head while picking up a package on the floor to put on the rollers that lead to the conveyor belt. Although the heavier packages are supposed to be put on the bottom of a wall, Superman must have thought it funny to put them on the top!
Dropped packages sometimes occur when something unusually sized, shaped, too heavy, or hazmat must be put off the back of the trailer without going on the conveyor belt. Some of the package handlers use that as an excuse to push, shove, roll, or even toss the package out the back end to the floor (24” drop). For speed unloading, as one person already remarked, it’s faster to simply pull a package out of the wall and let the rest come crashing down. Although our training class showed how we should individually remove each package from a wall and PLACE it on the rollers, too many unloaders, and managers too!, simply pulled and let them crash. Yes, it is faster. But if a package isn’t terribly well packed to prevent shock damage, those are the ones that get damaged.
Punctures don’t happen terribly frequently, but they do. Sometimes oddly shaped packages or something as simple as a bundle of ¼” steel rods falls apart and, like a spear, impales a nearby package. I’ve seen 2” diameter 96” long steel rods shipped in bundles of 2. As they are long and skinny, they are frequently “tossed” on the top of the packages in a trailer and on the way in, may skewer something. Hopefully not your steel.
As for packaging, my rule is “if it can move, you lose”. Pack it tight…even wedging things in place. If you have flat pieces of styrofoam, I’d even support the rods under a guitar with a couple of pieces. Of course, make very sure the legs, pedals, etc, are very securely packaged and, if possible, a partition or plywood between them and the guitar itself.
Use plenty of shipping tape, too. Tape is cheap. Guitars are not. I’ve seen too many packages break open because of insufficient taping.
Lastly, in response to an earlier question in this thread, although separate packages for legs, etc and the guitar would prevent the two from banging into each other, most shipping companies will cost about 50% more for two separate packages compared to one package of the same total weight.
When shipping an item, there are three things that the contents must be protected from: crushing, drops, and punctures. Although rare, sometimes other packages may leak onto other packages, and cause damages there as well.
Crushing occurs when somebody nicknamed “Superman” puts 100+ pound packages on the top of the walls of packages they create in each trailer. A wall of packages is just that. A bunch of packages stacked up like a brick wall…except that rarely are two are the same size and shape. Smaller packages fill the holes between the bigger packages, and whatever will fit is put between successive walls. When a trailer hits a bump, the 100+ pounds instantly becomes 200+ pounds of crushing force.
Although I never met him, I frequently unloaded trailers that Superman must have loaded. That particular terminal sent 8 or more trailers every night to the hub for sorting. If I wasn’t careful, I’d get hit in the head while picking up a package on the floor to put on the rollers that lead to the conveyor belt. Although the heavier packages are supposed to be put on the bottom of a wall, Superman must have thought it funny to put them on the top!
Dropped packages sometimes occur when something unusually sized, shaped, too heavy, or hazmat must be put off the back of the trailer without going on the conveyor belt. Some of the package handlers use that as an excuse to push, shove, roll, or even toss the package out the back end to the floor (24” drop). For speed unloading, as one person already remarked, it’s faster to simply pull a package out of the wall and let the rest come crashing down. Although our training class showed how we should individually remove each package from a wall and PLACE it on the rollers, too many unloaders, and managers too!, simply pulled and let them crash. Yes, it is faster. But if a package isn’t terribly well packed to prevent shock damage, those are the ones that get damaged.
Punctures don’t happen terribly frequently, but they do. Sometimes oddly shaped packages or something as simple as a bundle of ¼” steel rods falls apart and, like a spear, impales a nearby package. I’ve seen 2” diameter 96” long steel rods shipped in bundles of 2. As they are long and skinny, they are frequently “tossed” on the top of the packages in a trailer and on the way in, may skewer something. Hopefully not your steel.
As for packaging, my rule is “if it can move, you lose”. Pack it tight…even wedging things in place. If you have flat pieces of styrofoam, I’d even support the rods under a guitar with a couple of pieces. Of course, make very sure the legs, pedals, etc, are very securely packaged and, if possible, a partition or plywood between them and the guitar itself.
Use plenty of shipping tape, too. Tape is cheap. Guitars are not. I’ve seen too many packages break open because of insufficient taping.
Lastly, in response to an earlier question in this thread, although separate packages for legs, etc and the guitar would prevent the two from banging into each other, most shipping companies will cost about 50% more for two separate packages compared to one package of the same total weight.