Miracles do happen

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A cardboard box, a few sheets of cumpled up kraft paper and a mid century Zenith radio-phonograph. How it made it from the States to Calgary pretty much intact is bodering on the miraculous. When I picked up the box, my heart almost stopped. The contents were sliding around several inches in every direction. I grabbed my pen knife in one hand and my camera in the other, and proceeded to take pics as I unpacked. Apart from a handful of screws etc in and amongst the packing paper, the thing was intact.
The mouse poop was free.
I recently shipped a Scott 222C, a tuner and a 1950’s Rek-0-Kut TT as well as a pair of Wharfedale W60’s from Calgary to Cleveland packed to survive armageddon which UPS managed to demolish and this clown sends me this and it arrives virtually intact. How does that make sense?
 
It makes sense because the thing is built like a tank. It was made to get thrown in the trunk of a car and bounced around then go outside with an extension cord and play music while the owners picnicked or whatever they did in the 50's. Try that with a 1985 BPC turntable and you'll open a box of plastic shards that used to be a turntable.
 
Usually they'll drop it upside down and any chassis will come out, yanked screws and all. I had a tube tester come to me that way once. Should have packed bubble wrap or foam inside the lid to prevent that. In addition to the obvious lack of packing on the outside.

You won the lottery man!
 
This the result of UPS’s handling of the Rek-O-Kut and the 222C I recently shipped to Cleveland along with some shots of the packing job I did. 4 boxes containing two speakers, a TT, an amp and a tuner. All four arrived in the same condition. How they managed to drop all four is beyond me. I was heart sick when my sister sent me these pics. I had spent hours refurbishing the plinth and TT.
The end result is that I will never ship gear again.
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This the result of UPS’s handling of the Rek-O-Kut and the 222C I recently shipped to Cleveland along with some shots of the packing job I did. 4 boxes containing two speakers, a TT, an amp and a tuner. All four arrived in the same condition. How they managed to drop all four is beyond me. I was heart sick when my sister sent me these pics. I had spent hours refurbishing the plinth and TT.
The end result is that I will never ship gear again.
View attachment 1026874 View attachment 1026875 View attachment 1026876 View attachment 1026878 View attachment 1026881 View attachment 1026880A before shot of the TT
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That packing job looks awful from what I can see, not at all surprised it got broken.



Regards Snow
 
That packing job looks awful from what I can see, not at all surprised it got broken.



Regards Snow

One inch foam top, bottom, in between and sides. And that was the inside box. Same treatment for the outside one.
 
One inch foam top, bottom, in between and sides. And that was the inside box. Same treatment for the outside one.
I am talking more about the loose bits and bobs of foam pieces I can see versus the amount of foam used, I could be wrong but it appears that there are many sizes and shapes and different types of foam being used along with some bubble wrap all put into a box/boxes loosely.

If everything is not tightly wrapped so things do not move around then the odds of damage increase greatly, that being said UPS is the absolute worst there is for damaging things.


Regards Snow
 
Sorry for your loss.I worked in warehouses for many years.Does't matter what shipping service is used.Stuff happens.I spent countless hours trying to figure out the best way to ship glass and ceramic items by the case.Once a method was approved,and a few cases were packed,them the fun part began, Testing! First test; jump on it ! then shake it and listen for rattles. If it passed that test,take it out to the loading dock and throw it as far as you can,THREE TIMES. Once again,listen for rattles.Final test,ship it to the bosses house and back. If it survives, pack em all and ship them.(thousands of cases) If it broke, reduce the weight, and try it all again! After all that,cross your fingers. The fragile stickers just made the shippers laugh.I have shipped a few TT's and even with my knowledge, some don't make it.If in doubt , use separate boxes and cross your fingers and hope.
 
I am talking more about the loose bits and bobs of foam pieces I can see versus the amount of foam used, I could be wrong but it appears that there are many sizes and shapes and different types of foam being used along with some bubble wrap all put into a box/boxes loosely.

If everything is not tightly wrapped so things do not move around then the odds of damage increase greatly, that being said UPS is the absolute worst there is for damaging things.


Regards Snow

You’re right about the bits and bobs. I used them to fill in gaps around the larger bits. In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have. As for UPS, I used to think they were good. The only postal service so far that has consistently delivered intact and on time is the USPS. Go American postal carriers, an under appreciated breed.
 
You’re right about the bits and bobs. I used them to fill in gaps around the larger bits. In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have. As for UPS, I used to think they were good. The only postal service so far that has consistently delivered intact and on time is the USPS. Go American postal carriers, an under appreciated breed.
I agree with your thoughts on USPS I have shipped thousands of packages with them everything from TT's heavy amps weighing up to 70 lbs receivers preamps tubes etc and have never had a single thing damaged. I have had 2 items sent to me via USPS that were damaged both times the contents were loosely packed which allowed them to shift and move inside the boxes I am convinced that was the reason why.


Regards Snow
 
USPS as far as delivery quality goes does fine by me. Their tracking system kind of sucks but the stuff gets to the other end intact and on schedule. The quality of the customer service really depends who is at the counter. There is one not particularly pleasant lady that works at the local post office, everyone else is fine.
 
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