Sending costly items via a courier

[Star Gazer]

Does anyone have any experience of sending expensive kit internationally through the post/via a courier? The kit I'm sending is worth around £4500, so I would need insurance if things went wrong.

Any good experiences as well as things/companies to avoid.

Don't know if the FLO memebers can advise me? I would hope they are the experts :-)

Many thanks

Tim

[DirkSteele]

My APM 105 Apo refractor came by international courier last year and was worth over £3,000. The courier used was DHL, the delivery was insured and could be tracked at each point on its journey. I seem to remember the delivery cost was not that great (something of the order £30-40). The only minor mishap was the failure to deliver the first time the scope was loaded on the van. The driver obviously did not complete his allotted round (London traffic probably played a part) during his shift, but arrived the next day safe and sound.

I do not know if the delivery charge was a corporate rate that APM benefits from and is not available to individuals.

I have also had (less valuable but still insured) packages delivered by UPS without incident as well.

[Moonshane]

I like UPS and use them normally through www.interparcel.com

the main thing is 1) insure it (although glass might be difficult to cover) and 2) pack it assuming it can be dropped any number of times during transit.

[TonyD]

I had parts of my 2M sent by courier. I used Parcel2Go. I guess it would have all ended up here in one piece, but for peace of mind I removed all the delicate and sensitive stuff carefully and brought it back via hand luggage.

Is it being sent within the EU, or are customs also going to be involved? Would this be private sale or commercial sale?

That might mean some one unpacking stuff and poking their nose around equipment they don't really want to be putting their smudgy fingers on.

That was another reason for the choice I made.

For the £4500 outlay a cheap flight ticket (if possible) would be a no-brainer in my books to sort out the packaging, sending, and removal of the most delicate and easily damaged equipment (bringing it back separately on person).

[crashtestdummy]

From my experience anything glass is NEVER covered.ive tried loads in the past when sending mirrors off for recoating and i didnt find one that would insure them

[Naemeth]

Personally I'd probably either deliver by hand or wrap it in so much padding that the box is about twice as big because it's so heavily cushioned. Can't be safer than that with something that costs £4,500.

[Kai]

For that value i would deliver it myself , just too many things that could go wrong if left to a courier imo

[crashtestdummy]

Or get the buyer to arrange their own courier so its out of your hands

[m sutton]

Make sure it is packaged very well.

It will get thrown on/off a van/waggon and may be the bottom box in 3 metre high stack of boxes weighing several hundred kilograms.

Fragile labels will not help.

[Psychobilly]

If you have to ship it then boxes within boxes - triwall if possible seperated by a layer of polystyrene "quavers" or pieces of foam or bubble wrap....

Shockwatch and tiltwatch labels will let you know what it's been through in transit...

Peter...

[upahill]

Maybe try something like shiply to find a courier who is heading that way. Would cost more, but be looked after by a single individual.

Having done a stint as security for a parcel depot I can assure you its safer NOT to write fragile all over the boxes. It tends to be an invitation to 17/18 year old louts unloading the vans.

[TonyD]

Having done a stint as security for a parcel depot I can assure you its safer NOT to write fragile all over the boxes. It tends to be an invitation to 17/18 year old louts unloading the vans.

I've always had my suspicions about this! A very wise bit of advice - the more fragile it is, make it totally safe on the inside, and totally inconspicuous on the outside!

[upahill]

In fairness to the company they did crack down it, but have seen couriers throwing around parcels in the back of their vans.

Inconspicuous would be the way I would go too.

[cathalferris]

Put the items in waterproof bags. Sandwich the items between dense foam, preferably cut to the item's size and shape. Ensure that there's a good 3-5 inches of foam between the outermost extremities of the item and the side of the box. Foam peanuts are not ideal for this part - the item will settle and will contact the side or bottom of the box. Tape up this box. Place this box in another double-wall cardboard box with a good 2-4 inches of expanded polystyrene foam sheets or similar on all sides, top and bottom included. Put your shipping details in under the top of this box as well as on the outside of the box. If the item is properly heavy consider getting a wooden crate made for the outer box.

Make sure your shipping details are waterproof and securely attached on the outside of the outer box.

Only ship it when you are happy for it to be dropped from 10 feet onto concrete corner first, as that is typical of the worst forces it can be subjected to in transit.

[TonyD]

Only ship it when you are happy for it to be dropped from 10 feet onto concrete corner first, as that is typical of the worst forces it can be subjected to in transit.

Yes, I don't want to alarm you, but Cathal is absolutely right.

Once I was at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam looking out the window while an aircraft was loaded with luggage. One of those little conveyer belts with no side walls was being used to get the stuff from the luggage truck to the hold of the aircraft.

And yes, one dropped the 10 feet (or possibly more) from the conveyer belt to the tarmac below

[Star Gazer]

_{Hi All,}

_{Thanks for the great tips advice. I think I am going to send to France using UPS. They gave me a quote of £235 (OMG) that inclided the full insurance value and next day delivery. The good news is that I can ship it with UPS, but get a big discount as my partner's company will ship it for me at their preferentail rates.}

[Astrobits]

Fragile?? I thought it said Missile