I’m looking to send a high-end cue to a cue maker to fit a shaft and I am very nervous about shipping something high dollar. What is the best way to ship it with it being insured? Has anyone ever had an issue with it being stolen in transit? Which service is best for shipping? The cue is around $3500. Has anyone ever had to file an insurance claim on one? If so, was it a difficult process to get your money?
Best way to ship a high end cue
- Thread starter Gilbertfan81
- Start date
Fedex,
ship your cue in a hard case too.
Bite the bullet,
get the insurance as well-
be sure-
on the return shipping of your cue back to you,
same as sending-fully insured-fedex
fedex will ship 3 days too.
wont be too expensive.
Any major shipper, take pics and choose quick shipping option that requires signature.
Biggest risk is probably your packaging of the item.
Perhaps ask the recipient which service he prefers?
Biggest risk is probably your packaging of the item.
Perhaps ask the recipient which service he prefers?
I ship FedEx overnight with signature. Use a strong case as part of your packaging,
you're gonna get the case back.
I insure also.
Will Prout
Yes!
I always use pvc if the shipment is going one way.
Can’t beat pvc. Put the cue and shafts in a Mylar sleeve,
insert in a pvc cut to 33” and use a triangle tube.
Will
Couldn`t agree more with Will, Lou and Duane. PVC in a triangle FedEx box and Insurance.
Don`t take any chances, pay the extra, its well worth it in the end.
Biloxi Boy
Man With A Golden Arm
Not packing, per se, but I advise photos of packing/condition of cue. as it is going in the tube. (Someone might claim you should have more, but tell me how.) In this day and time, one never knows what some idiot is going to jump up and claim. Insurance +.
Google FedEx stealing packages and see what pops up. Commonly stolen is baseball cards sent to California to be graded for value. Since your cards have not been graded and appraised, your insurance claim will be zippo.
Overnight, 4x4 Square, 4" OD PVC sleeve or Cardboard tube work fine, and fits a 4x4 box. I have never had an issue with UPS Overnight. Any of the overnight carriers except, USPS should suffice. Depending on the cue, watch the weather.
2 day shipments or longer, only ship on Mon/Tues, maybe Wed. Otherwise, you will have a weekend traveler, and you want LESS time in warehouses or trucks.
Do not ship a tube. They roll off belts, and under tables.
JV
2 day shipments or longer, only ship on Mon/Tues, maybe Wed. Otherwise, you will have a weekend traveler, and you want LESS time in warehouses or trucks.
Do not ship a tube. They roll off belts, and under tables.
JV
Yup! They roll!
Tube in a box, triangle best, square second best.
Ship in a case some say? Maybe. But a really sturdy case has value too, and just adds to the insured value and hence potential cost and risk. I wouldn't trust many (most?) cheap cases, I think I can pack a cue much safer. Those cases that are just a PVC tube with vinyl covering are fine, but that's because they are a PVC tube. You still need to pack the cue in it better than the cheap lining can do.
Aside from delivering the cue yourself, best/fastest shipping available would be the rule. Generally Fedex or UPS. USPS is just getting worse all the time. I got a really nicely packaged cue from Japan by DHL really fast. I was impressed. I was worried but it turned out great. There is one now advertised in Japan to ship to the US that has ivory inlays and ferrules, I wouldn't try that.
With all that said, I have a few cues that need sent out for work and the only reason they have sat here for years is my shipping fears. I have made all kinds of excuses for myself, but that is what it comes down to.
Insurance can make you whole financially, but it can't replace the irreplaceable.
My view is that PVC is good but if think enough it is heavier than with the method I used mupltiple times with no issues.
Get some floor moulding and make a shipping wrap out of that one. Usually two blocks would do, but if you want extra extra extra level of security you may go for four.
Get some floor moulding and make a shipping wrap out of that one. Usually two blocks would do, but if you want extra extra extra level of security you may go for four.
pay me 200 dollars to do the service
You know, that's funny.
I once bought a cue and the seller went to one of those packing/shipping stores. It was one of the worst cue packing examples I have ever seen. And they paid for it!
billiards_watch
Well-known member
Good advice.
I've got a few cues that I'll be selling. Not "high end" but not production, $1000 - $2000 ish.
Someone recommended UPS through Pirate Ship. I may try it, used to do Fedex or USPS
with tubes in triangle boxes. I have some 4x4 double wall with a shipping tube, bubble wrapped with sleeves from Atlas.
I think the packaging will be ok. Not sure about Pirate Ship but I've seen them mentioned in a few threads.
Someone recommended UPS through Pirate Ship. I may try it, used to do Fedex or USPS
with tubes in triangle boxes. I have some 4x4 double wall with a shipping tube, bubble wrapped with sleeves from Atlas.
I think the packaging will be ok. Not sure about Pirate Ship but I've seen them mentioned in a few threads.
Iwishiwasrich
Well-known member
No way would I use UPS for anything let alone a high end cue.
I have shipped to and from RJH CUSTOM CUES in Brooklyn and my home in Atlanta for years. I learned from Richard Hsu to enclose valuable cues or shafts in very inexpensive PVC tubing available at Home Depot and Lowes etc. I wrap cues in clean packing paper and then use foam or bubble wrap to keep cue centered in the tube. Richard prefers UPS. I'll still use USPS Priority Mail but a few years ago that was a horror show. Fed Ex stores supply free triangle tube boxes if you ship FedEx but don't forget PVC.
A few years ago I bought two custom cues off Craigslist for $150. Researching to see what I got led me to Kenny Koo and Joey Bautista. Turned out both cues had been shipped together to a destination in Vietnam and never arrived! Essentially, I had hot merchandise. Joey put the Vietnamese player in touch with me and his cue was returned to him. He gave me the Koo as a reward but I sent it back to him later once I decided to sell it.
Coincidentally I'm expecting a delivery from RJH later today so I might post photos of how beautifully he packs for shipping.