Shipping questions

frankncali

frankncali

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A question for you savy Azbilliards buyers and sellers !! :)

What are acceptable and the best ways to ship cues/cases/shafts etc.

Not what company but rather what packaging? Company infotmation would not hurt either.


I usually get those Fedex triangles if possible but Fedex is usually high.

Any help is appreciated??
 
I like to use the hard cardboard tubes for shipping cues with it wrapped in bubble wrap. I have used the triangle box and received in them as well with out any issue.

Jim
 
wrap

One thing is for sure NEVER wrap a cue in newspaper....The ink will get on the cue...
 
IMHO The best for cues and shafts are the cardboard tubes (not the 1/16" thick triangle boxes from ups) that posters and blueprints etc are shipped in.
 
Where are these cardboard tubes found?

I only find ones that are too small after wrapping with bubble wrap.


thanks for the suggestions and comments so far
 
ATM said:
IMHO The best for cues and shafts are the cardboard tubes (not the 1/16" thick triangle boxes from ups) that posters and blueprints etc are shipped in.
Click to expand...

agreed, i dont know why triangles are recommended. post office has them, as well as small ones that wont fit
 
socks said:
i'd stick to the TUBES with plenty of bubble wrap. you can get teh triangles free from the post office.

http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/sto...d=13354&productId=26002&langId=-1&WT.ac=26002
Click to expand...

Fixed it for ya,lol. Free isnt worth a cracked cue. Really for $5 Rosie Odonnell could jump on the tube and not dent it. The triangles fold with Rosies farts, just not worth the chance. Ive seen some of these guys hurl packages and stack heavy stuff on fragile stuff in the truck.
 
Not recommending Fed-ex, but their requirements as to how an insured cue should be packaged is the best. Wrap the cue in bubble wrap and lightly ( don't want any undue pressure on the shafts that may cause them to warp) tape. Then insert into 3" tube. Seal the ends and then insert tube into triangle box. Tape both ends thoroughly. If your cue is damaged in transit, and not packaged this way, they will not pay. I have shipped hundreds of cues this way, the only other way that is safer is to use PVC pipe instead of round cardboard tube. Either way, put it in a triangle, because the triangle does not roll off the conveyor rollers like a round tube will, decreasing the chance of loss.
 
When shipping cues overseas, I always try to use rigid PVC tubing and PVC endcaps these days.

In the States, I either go with the cardboard mailing tubes and bubblewrap for most of my cues, or if I'm sending a higher dollar cue out, I use golf club boxes (4"x4" or 6"x6") and cut them to length (they're usually 48" long) and then I go to the hardware store and get foam pipe insulation to fit the shafts and the butts, then I cut it about two inches longer than the shaft or butt. I pinch one end shut and tape it closed, put in the shaft/butt in and then pinch the other end and tape it shut. This is a little spendier than the tube and bubblewrap, but it uses less tape, and takes less time to package, so it isn't too bad. I think the foam not only offers protection from impact, but also acts as a great insulator. I live in Arizona where this is very practical because of the heat, and I try to use it when I know a cue is going to cold climate.

Steve
 
I usually go to the grocery store and get some paper bags and wrap these around the cue with duct tape.:p

Seriously, I usually use the USPS. The priority boxes are free, although you have to order the tube boxes online now. There may be better services and such, but for price I like the USPS. Also, I have not had a problem with them yet(knock on wood).
 
I once shipped a cue & case to a friend...a little 1X1 Guiseppe case. Cue in case, then bubble wrap, then placed all in a capped & taped section of PVC pipe that I cut to length. UPS then placed that in their own box. It may have been overkill, but all made it from coast to coast with zero damage to the cue or the case. I jut didn't trust the cardboard, was perfectly willing to pay for the PVC pipe weight.
 
frankncali said:
A question for you savy Azbilliards buyers and sellers !! :)

What are acceptable and the best ways to ship cues/cases/shafts etc.

Not what company but rather what packaging? Company infotmation would not hurt either.


I usually get those Fedex triangles if possible but Fedex is usually high.

Any help is appreciated??
Click to expand...

I thought I'd share this in the forum rather then PM you so others know.

I work on large format printers for a large format repographics print/service/sales shop. These printers use large rolls of paper from width of 11 to 36" or metric if outside the US.

The point is the cores that the paper is on is PERFECT for shipping cues. They are 3" and very very thick walled. If you pack bubble wrap in the bottom wrap your cues carefully (make sure shaft(s) and butt are wrapped separate) then shove into the tube. Pack more bubble wrap on the other end and tape with packing tape.

Best option I have seen. I would feel confident dropping my cues from tall building when wrapped up for shipping.

We go through hundreds of cores a month and they are thrown out or recycled. Most large or even semi large cities have large format repographic. shops. They specialize in construction and Architecture printing.

So you have 2 choices, A) dig through there garbage or B) ask nicely to have some cores.


Also USPS is the best option because it will spend less time on a truck. This is good when shipping during the summer.
Hope this helps!
 
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tjlmbklr said:
I thought I'd share this in the forum rather then PM you so others know.

I work for a large format printers. These printers use large rolls of paper from width of 11 to 36" or metric if outside the US.

The point is the cores that the paper is on is PERFECT for shipping cues. They are 3" and very very thick walled. If you pack bubble wrap in the bottom wrap your cues carefully (make sure shaft(s) and butt are wrapped separate) then shove into the tube. Pack more bubble wrap on the other end and tape with packing tape.

Best option I have seen. I would feel confident dropping my cues from tall building when wrapped up for shipping.

We go through hundreds of cores a month and they are thrown out or recycled. Most large or even semi large cities have large format repographic. shops. They specialize in construction and Architecture printing.

So you have 2 choices, A) dig through there garbage or B) ask nicely to have some cores.


Also USPS is the best option because it will spend less time on a truck. This is good when shipping during the summer.
Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Good idea. Where I work we use fiberdrums and boxes that hold 1000 lbs of material. We use bags to line both as well which come on a very thick core (tube). Ive saved a few for shipping as well.
 
I've had many cues shipped to Thailand from the US- nothing beats a sturdy cardboard tube (except a pvc tube, but that adds a lot to the shipping cost due to weight).

The triangular boxes are ok, but they tend to take a beating.
 
It can also be a good idea to wrap the cue in a soft cloth before putting bubble wrap on. If there is any moisture the cloth can absorb it and not the cue. I've had a few cues shipped to me this way and prefer it.
 
Johnnyz86 said:
agreed, i dont know why triangles are recommended. post office has them, as well as small ones that wont fit
Click to expand...


The Fedx triangle tubes are very strong, you can stand on them and you can not bend them. Much stronger then the common round tube. I have shipped cues worth thousands using these tubes
 
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