Ship cues or leave them in car?

[tlcff8]

I will be taking a 2 day trip that requires flying, for the end of my summer internship. My question is this, the car will be in a covered garage, so no direct sunlight, should I still ship the cues home or could I leave them in the car? I ask because if I ship them it seems like they will be exposed to the same elements they will experience in my car. Especially because I can leave the windows cracked just a little to let most of the heat out. So can I leave them in the car, rent a locker, or ship them home?

 

[masonh]

where is the car going to be parked?

just kidding.i would ship them,unless it is a truly mild climate where the car is.i mean 60-80 all day long with low humidity.

 

[ridewiththewind]

I would not leave them in the car...for any reason....but in your case, airport security is not the greatest when it comes to the parking areas. I know that often times vehicles parked in the airports' parking structures are considered easy targets by thieves partly because airport security is so lax.

Lisa

 

[tlcff8]

good point

It is very mild where they will be high of 82 both days, and very low humidity. But if they get stolen from the car not covered, if they got lost during shipping they are covered I suppose. I will ship them out tomorrow then. Thanks.

 

[ridewiththewind]

I only mentioned this because most of the people I have known to have cues stolen, have all had them stolen out of their vehicles. And even with a relatively low humidity and mild temps...70 degrees to me is mild...the temps inside your car can rise to easily twice that, even with the windows cracked.

I just do not believe in leaving cues in cars...makes my ol man nuts...LoL. If after a shoot/league night, I decide to go elsewhere for a drink or two, I will take my case in with me...I usually have no problem keeping it behind the bar, or in a back office...most around here are pretty accommodating...but I am kinda lucky that way.

You probably made the wisest decision. Before you ship, if you can, take a pic of your cues and the case...even if it's just with a cell phone. That way, should something happen with regards to shipping them, you have a record of the items included. Taking a pic of the packaging materials used won't hurt either....will all go a long way should the worst happen.

Lisa

 

[tlcff8]

thanks...

Thanks Lisa never thought about taking a pic of the contents and packing material. I would be devastated if something happened to my cues though. Kind of scared to do it to be honest.

 

[ridewiththewind]

Thanks Lisa never thought about taking a pic of the contents and packing material. I would be devastated if something happened to my cues though. Kind of scared to do it to be honest.

No worries....I used to work on the damaged packages at FedEx Ground, and the claims that came through where the customer had documented via photos not only the condition of the contents before shipping, but the packing materials used, generally got paid straight-away, with no delays.

Shipping cues is always stressful to me...I hate doing it as well....but have been extremely fortunate. I also pack cues as bulletproof as possible. I do not scrimp on the packing materials, or the insurance, which is why I usually lose money on every sale...LoL.

Shipping them within the case should be fine, but be sure that the case has plenty of cushioning, and above all, make sure everything goes into a plastic bag...just in case the package encounters moisture, ie; wet box. You can purchase what is called a 'golf club' box from the UPS Store...nobody else sells them...or see if you can get a local golf shop to part with one of their empties. A 2x4 case should fit into one no problem, I think. I believe the options are 6x6x36, 6x6x40, and 6x6x48.
I like to use the 'glass' tape...with the fiber strands in it, as it is impossible to reuse/reseal without noticing it...makes your package a bit more tamper-proof. Basically, you want that box to be able to survive a 3 ft fall to a concrete floor...if it can do that, you should be good to go. I would NOT write FRAGILE or DO NOT CRUSH on the box, as that is almost like a dare to package handlers to bust the box up....seriously.

Lastly, make sure you insure for the full replacement value, and do not forget to include the value of your case into that equation...many do.

Hope all this helps to alleviate your fears a bit...all should be fine. If you have anymore questions, please feel free to ask or PM, and I will answer what I can. Let me know how it all goes.

Lisa