Shipping a cue
I always use the PVC with caps and put that in the triangle box. It's cheap and if the truck driver runs over it, which might happen if you use USPS, it'll still be ok. If I sound bitter about the USPS, it's because I'm still smarting from an unplayed '94 Franklin South West I recently purchased here on AZ from Greg Short (co nineballer). He packaged it very securely in this manner, insured it for $3000, and shipped it from Littleton, CO, only to have an empty tube show up a week late at my door. Even the mailman said that it had clearly been cut open while with the USPS, and the cue stolen. The USPS made everyone run around in circles for months while they said they were looking for what was clearly stolen while in their possession. The postal employees on my end treated me as if I just wanted the money, to which I replied "no, I want the cue! If I just wanted the money, I would have just kept the money!" Greg went WAY above and beyond what would be expected of any seller to make it right, only to get stiffed for the final $100 as USPS would only pay the $2900 shown on the copy of my cashiers check instead of the $3000 he had it insured for. I scrolled through the 'stolen cues' section and was shocked to see how many others had a similar experience. A good friend who works at the post office says the fact that it was addressed to Rack'em Billiards showed it was a cue. It could have been a 'Players' cue, though, or a black velvet tapestry of dogs playing pool, but someone knew it wasn't and I think you can figure out how. I've shipped and received many expensive cues over the years with USPS and never had a problem before. I know many others have as well. I'll probably try someone else next time.
