Almost a Holiday Cue Tragedy

Drawman623

Drawman623

Box Cue lover
Silver Member
Here is what I found on my doorstep today. It spent 8 days in transit from Kansas to Rhode Island. As I picked up the package, I asked myself what cue could have survived this trip?

MVC-008F.jpg



Well I need to offer a special thanks to Will Prout. I guess he's shipped a cue or two in his day because he had the forethought and care to use PVC inside the mailing tube. My lovely "box-bell" cue of rosewood, ivory and ebony is safe. Thanks Will!!!!

MVC-011F.jpg
 
YEP a pvc tube inside a box is the only way and expensive cue should be shipped, IMO!! The shipping companies could care less if their employees damage something because their lawyers have written up the fine print on the contract to screw the customer plain and simple.. Just file a claim and see the ensuing nightmare they put you through..
 
I bought an OB-2 a while back and it was shipped via US Mail in a mailing tube. When it arrived it looked just like yours did. Unfortunately, the shaft was splintered in two. I bought it used and the shipper insured it for $100. It took me over a month to collect it from the Post Office. Glad you had a lot better luck (thanks to the PVC tubing).
 
Oh my goodness. If that arrived on my doorstep I would grab a golf club and chase the delivery truck down the street!
 
ArizonaPete said:
I bought an OB-2 a while back and it was shipped via US Mail in a mailing tube. When it arrived it looked just like yours did. Unfortunately, the shaft was splintered in two. I bought it used and the shipper insured it for $100. It took me over a month to collect it from the Post Office. Glad you had a lot better luck (thanks to the PVC tubing).
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I've had three 50+ year old cues destroyed by USPS shipped to me by priority mail. It's just sad the care they give packages - that and no live tracking system - no wonder the post office has lost so much business.

Chris
 
I spoke to Will about the PVC. He gets it at Home Depot, cut to 33" lengths (which they do in house). End caps are also available for $.25 apiece. I don't plan to ship another costly cue without that added security.

Thanks for the lesson in cue protection. Everybody should know this!
 
TATE said:
I've had three 50+ year old cues destroyed by USPS shipped to me by priority mail. It's just sad the care they give packages - that and no live tracking system - no wonder the post office has lost so much business.

Chris
Click to expand...

I just had this very conversation with a postmaster about their absolutely useless tracking system. And, yes, I also added that for reasons like this it's no wonder USPS has just about had it. But of course, they will just keep increasing the cost of a stamp to make up for their terrible ineptitude.

My talk was to do with an expensive cue they couldn't find in their system for over three weeks that was shipped to me from just 50 miles away. It finally arrived two days ago.

Giann; I am happy to hear of your happy ending. Yes, indeed, Mr. Prout knows how to ship a cue. :thumbup:

Best,
Brian kc
 
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Last week Postal Service would blame it on the snow blizzard.

Drawman623- What PVC Dia. did Will use? 2'', 2 1/2"??

Glad it got to you safe.
 
I use this PVC long time ago. I worked with UPS and when I saw what they doing with the Packages:angry: I was shocked. From that Day on I only use PVC Tubes or GTF Cases.
Glad you have your Cue safely and Will know what htey have to do too:D
Ralf
 
USPS Shipping Cues

I've lost count of the number of stories i've read and heard about the USPS shipping custom cues. I've had cues of mine damaged and i've seen many pictures of boxes bent and holes knocked in the boxes by the post office. I hear a lot of people defend the Post Office for cue shipping because they are cheap and they've been lucky, but they are my last choice for shipping a cue. The PVC idea is a good one and probably the only thing that saved this cue.

I don't like to go to the post office here where I live. The people that work there act like they could care less about helping you and i've heard stories about people putting the word "Fragile" on the outside of their package translating into worse care than they would have normally gotten.

I'm glad you got your cue safely and if Will hadn't used the PVC this thread would probably be about a destroyed cue.

I saved a picture of an expensive "Nitti" cue that was broken in half along with both shafts by the Post Office shipping service. I can post it if anyone is interested.

James
 
TATE said:
I've had three 50+ year old cues destroyed by USPS shipped to me by priority mail. It's just sad the care they give packages - that and no live tracking system - no wonder the post office has lost so much business.

Chris
Click to expand...

Chris

What's funny is that technically, the USPS should do less damage to packages like cues. It doesn't happen that way, but it should. When you ship a cue via USPS it's supposed to go with the "Mail" which is mostly small light packages. UPS and FeDeX both ship larger heavier packages along with your cue. These heavier boxes are more likely to smash or bend your long light weight cue box when they all get caught on the conveyor systems. Imagine a light weight cardboard tube only 2" in diameter caught on both ends being the one twig holding back a dam of 50 packages weighing as much as 70 pounds! Something's going to give, and it's usually your cue or cue shaft!

I don't use the PVC tubes, but I do use the large triangular shipping tubes. These are much stronger, and they give the cue or cue shaft more room. The way we package, a box can be "Bent" quite a bit before it actually bends the cue shaft inside. We've had pretty good luck so far.

We also use UPS. The claim system with USPS is absolutely stupid. I have had them put all the responsibility of making the claim on the receiver, which doesn't make sense. I have also had them send the check, several months after the claim was made, to the receiver. I had already replaced the product! I never got the check, so now I'm out the product and the money!

Even with all this, I know other businesses that use the USPS successfully. I just haven't had that much luck!


Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!
 
Drawman623 said:
Here is what I found on my doorstep today. It spent 8 days in transit from Kansas to Rhode Island. As I picked up the package, I asked myself what cue could have survived this trip?

MVC-008F.jpg



Well I need to offer a special thanks to Will Prout. I guess he's shipped a cue or two in his day because he had the forethought and care to use PVC inside the mailing tube. My lovely "box-bell" cue of rosewood, ivory and ebony is safe. Thanks Will!!!!

MVC-011F.jpg
Click to expand...

Drawman:

My goodness! In the second photo, is that PVC pipe actually CRACKED in the same location as the bent/blistered part of the cardboard tube? (The photo seems to show a crack or damage in that location, or 6-8 inches from the end cap -- but that could also be an imperfection in the PVC itself, or else a light reflection anomaly in the photo.) If that PVC pipe is cracked as the photo seems to indicate, I can't imagine the forces it took to do it -- I've seen PVC bent to the point of failure, and it will do one of two things: 1.) shatter like glass (hard PVC), or 2.) kink like a hose (soft PVC).

Let us know how the PVC itself fared (to give us an idea of how close the cue inside came to real damage),
-Sean
 
RBC said:
Chris

What's funny is that technically, the USPS should do less damage to packages like cues. It doesn't happen that way, but it should. When you ship a cue via USPS it's supposed to go with the "Mail" which is mostly small light packages. UPS and FeDeX both ship larger heavier packages along with your cue. These heavier boxes are more likely to smash or bend your long light weight cue box when they all get caught on the conveyor systems. Imagine a light weight cardboard tube only 2" in diameter caught on both ends being the one twig holding back a dam of 50 packages weighing as much as 70 pounds! Something's going to give, and it's usually your cue or cue shaft!

I don't use the PVC tubes, but I do use the large triangular shipping tubes. These are much stronger, and they give the cue or cue shaft more room. The way we package, a box can be "Bent" quite a bit before it actually bends the cue shaft inside. We've had pretty good luck so far.

We also use UPS. The claim system with USPS is absolutely stupid. I have had them put all the responsibility of making the claim on the receiver, which doesn't make sense. I have also had them send the check, several months after the claim was made, to the receiver. I had already replaced the product! I never got the check, so now I'm out the product and the money!

Even with all this, I know other businesses that use the USPS successfully. I just haven't had that much luck!


Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!
Click to expand...

great post Royce :thumbup:

Merry X-mass back at ya
Kennan
 
The line on the PVC is from the tape holding the end cap in place. There was no crack or kink after the delivery ordeal.

The PVC diameter is 2"
 
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