How do you like your cue packed and shipped?
- Thread starter X Breaker
- Start date
PoolSleuth
Banned
U.S. Priority Mail Rocks....
Personally the couple of times I used the United State Postal Service, INSURED Priority Mail to send a Cue. I got EXCELLENT Service out of the U.S. Mail.
I packed/rolled the Cue & Shafts in Baby Flannel. Placed them in a Thick Walled Shipping Tube, and than Put the Shipping Tube in a Priority Mail Triangle, that iare FREE AT THE Post Office.
I have also sent Cue Cases, and you name it through the Mail with NO LOSSES, or Damage CLAIMS...
I find most time when I use Priority Mail, a Package can go from Sunny AZ, to NJ, NYC, FL, or almost any point in the Continental U.S. in the 2-3 day the mail tries for.
UPS Lately has me Pissed Off at them, as during the Xmas Rush, I was Expecting a SECOND DAY AIR on Wednesday, and it never got to me until Friday. I wrote UPS for an Explanation, and never replied to my LETTER....
I understand DHL is also giving EXCELLENT SERVICE, and they are very big in Europe...
Personally the couple of times I used the United State Postal Service, INSURED Priority Mail to send a Cue. I got EXCELLENT Service out of the U.S. Mail.
I packed/rolled the Cue & Shafts in Baby Flannel. Placed them in a Thick Walled Shipping Tube, and than Put the Shipping Tube in a Priority Mail Triangle, that iare FREE AT THE Post Office.
I have also sent Cue Cases, and you name it through the Mail with NO LOSSES, or Damage CLAIMS...
I find most time when I use Priority Mail, a Package can go from Sunny AZ, to NJ, NYC, FL, or almost any point in the Continental U.S. in the 2-3 day the mail tries for.
UPS Lately has me Pissed Off at them, as during the Xmas Rush, I was Expecting a SECOND DAY AIR on Wednesday, and it never got to me until Friday. I wrote UPS for an Explanation, and never replied to my LETTER....
I understand DHL is also giving EXCELLENT SERVICE, and they are very big in Europe...
I use tube cue-cases to ship my cues, not only because they
protect the cues quite well, but they also insulate for temperature
differences -- whether it sits overnight in a storage facility or during
the flight itself, I figure a padded cue-case might slow down rapid
temperature changes.
By the way, I know that CueSight sell a nice case for only $25;
http://www.cuesight.com/sth2bk.html
(just make sure they send you the right one ;^)
-- peer
protect the cues quite well, but they also insulate for temperature
differences -- whether it sits overnight in a storage facility or during
the flight itself, I figure a padded cue-case might slow down rapid
temperature changes.
By the way, I know that CueSight sell a nice case for only $25;
http://www.cuesight.com/sth2bk.html
(just make sure they send you the right one ;^)
-- peer
nipponbilliards said:When you order a cue, how do you like it packed and shipped?
What are the things you absolutely hate to see in a package?
Any good or bad experience to share?
Any recommendation to the cue dealers and sellers?
Thank you in advance.
Richard
I like the fed-x triangle box. Once it is assembled it is really tough and with some popcorn type styro packed around the cue the cue can't move a fraction. You could throw it off a roof and it would not get hurt.
I think those triangle boxes are great too, expensive, but protect well.
Inside the box, I think the cue should be inserted into a clear plastic cue sock that has a separate sleeve for both shaft and cue. The cue and shaft should not touch because transportation vibration can cause marring on the finish. You should have wads of newspaper on each end with either popcorn or newspaper packing protecting the cue from rattling inside the box.
Shipping should also be Air express. 3 days or less. 3+ day Ground shipping can leave the cue exposed to extreme temperature differences...and I am sure you know what that means.
Before you tape the box, shake it real well to make sure it stays put with the packaing you have used.
Inside the box, I think the cue should be inserted into a clear plastic cue sock that has a separate sleeve for both shaft and cue. The cue and shaft should not touch because transportation vibration can cause marring on the finish. You should have wads of newspaper on each end with either popcorn or newspaper packing protecting the cue from rattling inside the box.
Shipping should also be Air express. 3 days or less. 3+ day Ground shipping can leave the cue exposed to extreme temperature differences...and I am sure you know what that means.
Before you tape the box, shake it real well to make sure it stays put with the packaing you have used.
I put the cue in a separated plastic sleeve. I then bubble wrap and tape it. I can fit either 1 or 2 cues in the 2 inch square boxes with an extra square of bubble wrap folded at each end. It costs me $2.75 at my local mail box store. I walk in with the cue and out with it pack. Then I am off to the post office to ship it priority mail with insurance. Never a problem. Anybody want to buy very nice no logo production cues?? Please PM me.
rackem said:I put the cue in a separated plastic sleeve. I then bubble wrap and tape it. I can fit either 1 or 2 cues in the 2 inch square boxes with an extra square of bubble wrap folded at each end. It costs me $2.75 at my local mail box store. I walk in with the cue and out with it pack. Then I am off to the post office to ship it priority mail with insurance. Never a problem. Anybody want to buy very nice no logo production cues?? Please PM me.
With all due respect the square boxes are the weakest of all I would not put cue I cared about in one. And forget postal insurance. If you do have a chaim you can be up to a year trying to collect if you ever do. The usps insurance is almost worthless. The last claim I had took 9 months to get paid, I almost gave up, (they probably hope you do), never again.
KingCarom said:
Expensive....at Fed Ex or USPS they are free.
Definitely use the triangular style boxes/tubes; they are much stronger than either the cylinder or square type. Best and easiest way that we've found is as follows....butt and shafts should be separated (i.e. not directly touching each other) with a plastic sleeve or the thin (3/8" thick) bubble wrap. Tape it well, so that it won't move or slide around. Now, the "encapsulated" cue can be rolled up using either the 3/8" or 5/8" thick bubble wrap to roughly the same diameter as the inside of the box/tube. Use some popcorn badding, scrap pieces of bubble wrap, or newspaper to pad the inside ends of the tube so that the cue stays "suspended" in the center of the shipping tube. Tape the ends of the outside of the box well, and you're ready to go. It's also a good idea to tape over the label (if using priority mail) so the elements don't get at it and to prevent it from being scraped off.
Like I think 'macguy' just said, you can pretty much through it off a building and not hurt it.
Sean
Under $200 cue- sealed plastic bags, bubble wrap, round cardboard tube, ends stapled and taped, tracking and insurance.
$200-$1000 cue- velour bag, sealed plastic bag, bubble wrap, plastic tube, ends stapled and taped, tracking and insurance.
$1000- $2500 cue- velour bag, sealed plastic bag, bubble wrap, heavy walled PVC tube, ends sealed with pvc cement, tracking and insurance.
$2500 + cue- Brinks truck, six heavily armed security guards, two outrider cars, armed helicopter escort, lojack tracking and insured by Lloyds of London!
Terry
$200-$1000 cue- velour bag, sealed plastic bag, bubble wrap, plastic tube, ends stapled and taped, tracking and insurance.
$1000- $2500 cue- velour bag, sealed plastic bag, bubble wrap, heavy walled PVC tube, ends sealed with pvc cement, tracking and insurance.
$2500 + cue- Brinks truck, six heavily armed security guards, two outrider cars, armed helicopter escort, lojack tracking and insured by Lloyds of London!
Terry
Do you feel better if your cue comes via FedEx as opposed to USPS?
What kind of tapes do you like to see, masking tape, scotch tape, transperate shipping tape, black electrical tape or brown tape?
Would you feel better if there are more layer of bubble wraps? How about an extra layer of wax paper on the outside to prevent it ever getting wet?
Would you like to see the shafts being wrapped individually?
Does it make a difference if the person's business card is included?
How about a personal thank you note, how much difference does it make?
Thank you.
Richard
What kind of tapes do you like to see, masking tape, scotch tape, transperate shipping tape, black electrical tape or brown tape?
Would you feel better if there are more layer of bubble wraps? How about an extra layer of wax paper on the outside to prevent it ever getting wet?
Would you like to see the shafts being wrapped individually?
Does it make a difference if the person's business card is included?
How about a personal thank you note, how much difference does it make?
Thank you.
Richard
No more shipping!!!
I will never ship or have one shipped to me again. After UPS let my one of a kind, Runde era Schon get stolen off their truck, I take it from the cue shop in my hand. If I need to have them do something I cannot do myself, I give it back to them from my own hands to theirs. Cues are too individual and irreplaceable if they get lost or stolen. I won't ever let it happen again!
I will never ship or have one shipped to me again. After UPS let my one of a kind, Runde era Schon get stolen off their truck, I take it from the cue shop in my hand. If I need to have them do something I cannot do myself, I give it back to them from my own hands to theirs. Cues are too individual and irreplaceable if they get lost or stolen. I won't ever let it happen again!
nipponbilliards said:
Doesn't matter to me about the shipper as long as they deliver intact.
Prefer good fiberglass re-enforced tape.
Shouldn't get wet if shipper does their job right. Everybody likes extra bubble wrap....it's so fun to pop!
Shafts should be individually wrapped or safely separated in some manner.
Business card is very good idea. A note is not necessary, but a hand written thank you on the business card would be good.
Terry
nipponbilliards said:
The superior tracking of Fed-Ex or UPS makes them preferable to USPS. If shipping with UPS, $1000 of insurance is the magic number to make them take extreme care not to lose the package. Of course, if it is lost, the insured amount is the max paid, not the amount guaranteed to be paid. Next day service is best. The price difference is usually pretty small compared to the price of a cue, and it leaves the cue in the shippers possession for the least amount of time.
The tape doesn't matter too much, as long as it is used properly, in sufficient quantity. If it is going to require a knife to open the package, make sure there is plenty of space in the package for the knife blade so that the contents are not cut.
The cue should be protected from water, but the outside of the package need not be.
It is always nice to receive 2-3 business cards with any major purchase, which allows me to keep one for myself, and pass 1-2 on to enquiring friends.
gregoryg said:
That is unrealistic. I ship cues of value next day and insures UPS. People ship works of art worth thousands every day. People like Southwest, Black, Shick and a host of others have no problem shipping cues of great value every day. You have to be willing to pay for the best handling but you can't live in total paranoia. Do it right and there should be no problems. How was that cue being sent that was taken?
PoolSleuth said:UPS Lately has me Pissed Off at them, as during the Xmas Rush, I was Expecting a SECOND DAY AIR on Wednesday, and it never got to me until Friday. I wrote UPS for an Explanation, and never replied to my LETTER....
I understand DHL is also giving EXCELLENT SERVICE, and they are very big in Europe...
UPS is the crappiest company by far, they managed to f'up close to 30% of my packages in some fashion.
My new company will be dealing with DHL and so far we're impressed with their customer service.
-Roger
matthew staton
Banned
buddha162 said:
I agree with what you said budda.DHL seems to work very good.I usally send all my cues dhl unless some one asked for a different shipper.There boxes are bright and seem to be very thick to.