Shipping reminder.....be careful out there
- Thread starter cueaddicts
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Kim, yep...that's the only way I fly. Extra peace of mind imo. This thread is just a reminder to folks of what can happen.
Not often Ken....but the possibility is always out there.
That sucks. From experience of working at UPS as an hourly and in management for almost a decade, I can tell you that it's much better to ship in square boxes as opposed to tubes. Tubes get stuck on the conveyor easily and can spin in between belts until something heavy comes along on top of it. They also get lost much easier as they roll off staging pallets and under places where it's harder to see them.
If you have the option pick squares over circles
If you have the option pick squares over circles
Bad news
UPS requires 3 inches of packing around the item being shipped for claims approval. That would require a minium of a 4 inch circulair tube for a shaft. But they do pay claims usually in two weeks or less provided proper packing and their negligance. They paid a $2700 claim on a Cue of mine in less than 2 weeks. Your package might be processed inadaquite outer and inner packaging. Bummer deal for sure. Their convayer belts really are designed for up to 36 inch tubes but will accomidate larger but I wouldn't risk it with out adaquite packing to their standards required.
Nick
UPS requires 3 inches of packing around the item being shipped for claims approval. That would require a minium of a 4 inch circulair tube for a shaft. But they do pay claims usually in two weeks or less provided proper packing and their negligance. They paid a $2700 claim on a Cue of mine in less than 2 weeks. Your package might be processed inadaquite outer and inner packaging. Bummer deal for sure. Their convayer belts really are designed for up to 36 inch tubes but will accomidate larger but I wouldn't risk it with out adaquite packing to their standards required.
Nick
While I am sure all the carriers have their nightmares. I have had good luck with Fedex and USPS as well. Only nightmares for me with UPS. So I always request one of the other.
I had a 148lb Krell amplifier delivered by Fedex ground one time, box arrived absolutely perfect. Can't say that much about the fedex guys back though...
I had a 148lb Krell amplifier delivered by Fedex ground one time, box arrived absolutely perfect. Can't say that much about the fedex guys back though...
Small thin tube, no fragile stickers.....
I would say the problem was in the packing, not the shipping.
I got one like this very recently, but the cue was OK thankfully. It was sent by somebody that has no experience shipping cues but actually works for Canada post. Never assume that the guys handling the packages (the employees of the shipping companies) can offer the best advice on packing cues. He also packed the shaft right up against the butt with no padding in between. Again...he actually works for the shipper.
I have probably got 4 or so total that had major buckling in the middle from weak packaging tubes. In every case the cue was just fine luckily, but I generally let the person know in very specific terms that their packing was inadequate.
I actually got a cue sent to me by a "cue person" with experience here on AZB that had rubber banded the shaft to the butt! Seriously? Yup.
There are weak tubes and strong tubes. Use the heavy strong ones of sufficient diameter to allow for packing material.
For really expensive cues a PVC pipe packed inside a triangle or square box is a great idea.
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I would say the problem was in the packing, not the shipping.
I got one like this very recently, but the cue was OK thankfully. It was sent by somebody that has no experience shipping cues but actually works for Canada post. Never assume that the guys handling the packages (the employees of the shipping companies) can offer the best advice on packing cues. He also packed the shaft right up against the butt with no padding in between. Again...he actually works for the shipper.
I have probably got 4 or so total that had major buckling in the middle from weak packaging tubes. In every case the cue was just fine luckily, but I generally let the person know in very specific terms that their packing was inadequate.
I actually got a cue sent to me by a "cue person" with experience here on AZB that had rubber banded the shaft to the butt! Seriously? Yup.
There are weak tubes and strong tubes. Use the heavy strong ones of sufficient diameter to allow for packing material.
For really expensive cues a PVC pipe packed inside a triangle or square box is a great idea.
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thankfully not too bad news....it's just a shaft
We had a cue lathe shipped to us once (maybe 70 lbs) that was crated up properly in wood, and the UPS driver lost control and dropped it off the end of his truck, somehow causing over $500 in damages. The driver did openly admit to this in their investigation and the insurance refund took over 6 month to process. So, in my experience their insurance coverage and claims process leaves much to be desired.
@ Brandon, agreed...square or triangular boxes with edges are much better than cylindrical tubes. :thumbup:
We had a cue lathe shipped to us once (maybe 70 lbs) that was crated up properly in wood, and the UPS driver lost control and dropped it off the end of his truck, somehow causing over $500 in damages. The driver did openly admit to this in their investigation and the insurance refund took over 6 month to process. So, in my experience their insurance coverage and claims process leaves much to be desired.
@ Brandon, agreed...square or triangular boxes with edges are much better than cylindrical tubes. :thumbup:
Doc, this isnt one of those super thin tubes. It's the thicker variety. I cant crush it in at either end with my hands. This was obviously caught in something (or run over) and was violently bent. Where the warp is in the wood, there is also a deep chink/gouge in the wood.
Wow. The way it buckled I just assumed it was one of those flimsy tubes.
I have never seen one of the heavy tubes buckle like that, but I haven't dealt with nearly as much cue shipping as you have either. It would certainly take a lot of force to buckle that tube.
I do agree that square or triangle boxes are a better shape, but all of the ones that I have seen are pretty weak corrugated cardboard. They won't roll, but I can't imagine they have much crush resistance.
I think a very heavy cardboard tube or perhaps a PVC pipe inside of a triangle or square box is really ideal.
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Absolutely, just sent a shaft out myself in one. Bubble wrapped pretty thick and tight though. No tube should look like that when you receive it. That is carrier neglect, not packaging.
Has our standards for what the condition our packages should arrive in dwindled this much?
Ups
Ups is the worst, I will go out of my way not to use them, their insurance is a joke as they do not honor it. I once sent something ups packed very carefully and it was smashed and even though It was insured for $600 they wouldnt honor it. I then went into the store with the exact same item without any packing and proceeded to smash it with a hammer to prove How difficult it would be to do the damage that was done and how awful they are and they still wouldn't honor it. I honestly would much rather use the pony express then Ups any day of the week.
Ryan
Ups is the worst, I will go out of my way not to use them, their insurance is a joke as they do not honor it. I once sent something ups packed very carefully and it was smashed and even though It was insured for $600 they wouldnt honor it. I then went into the store with the exact same item without any packing and proceeded to smash it with a hammer to prove How difficult it would be to do the damage that was done and how awful they are and they still wouldn't honor it. I honestly would much rather use the pony express then Ups any day of the week.
Ryan