Crating / Boxing / Shipping
Don’t worry - we’ll talk about all of this. Still, please read this section.
I am at (386) 956-1724. The best time to reach me is after 10:00 AM, Eastern time.
Crating
Some items are so bulky, heavy or delicate as to require a wood crate. Let’s discuss this and determine what’s best for you. My blog includes an article named Crating Bronze Sculpture. CLICK HERE to open the blog in another page.
Boxing
Almost everything shipped to me is small and light enough to come in a cardboard box. I sometimes recommend double-thick cardboard for heavier items. Everything below has to do with cardboard boxes.
Planning Ahead
Please make your decision about buying insurance before you tape everything up. If you want to buy insurance from your carrier and insure your $3000 sculpture for $3000 for example, then the carrier will almost certainly require that you open your box and show it to them. Refer to the paragraph about insurance, below.
Carriers do have a limit as to how large the box can be, but we’ll be on the phone before you start. I’ll help you think it through and find the best solution if your item is large.
Let’s make sure we are in agreement as to whether a signature is required when your box arrives.
Wrapping Small Pieces
If you are shipping broken pieces, please wrap them individually. Bubble-wrap works nicely. Have a lot of small pieces? You may want to wrap them in paper towel, place them all in a zip-lock bag and then wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap. You should secure the bubble-wrap with some kind of tape so that it is bound tightly.
Double Boxing
Please have your sculpture “double boxed”. This is also called “box in a box”. This may seem excessive, but it’s the best way of preserving your item. It should live in the center of the inner box and be packed tightly, so that it cannot move around. Add some extra packing material so that it forms a bulge before you tape down the top of the inner box. This is called “crowning the box”. After you tape it up, the box should look a bit swollen. Shake the inner box gently, You should not hear or feel anything move. The inner box should live in the center of the outer box and be packed to keep it from moving. Like the inner box, the outer box should be packed to the point it is slightly swollen, so that when gently shaken, you detect no movement inside.
Box Size and Packing Materials
Most items are best shipped in cardboard boxes. I tend to use a combination of bubble wrap and shipping peanuts when packing items into the inner box. Shipping peanuts are also called “loose fill”. The space between the inner box and the item is at least 2 inches in all directions. Usually, I buy the peanuts from the local Uhaul store since I prefer not to buy in large quantities.
I use shipping peanuts or thick foam sheets when packing the inner box into the outer box. The space between the outer box and the inner box is at least 3 inches on all sides. Please be careful to center the inner box within the outer box.
Tape up outer box using regular packing tape, not the kind with strands in it. Certain carriers will not accept boxes with stranded tape because it “gums up” their conveyor belts.
Shipping Insurance
Please ask your common carrier about the cost of shipping insurance before you complete your boxing and hand it to them. Your Fedex shipping price includes insurance coverage of $100. Naturally, increasing the coverage will increase the price. If you want to buy additional insurance from your carrier, the carrier may require that you open your box so they can see both the item and how it was packed.
Other Boxing Details
I like to draw an arrow with the words “This Side Up” on the outer box. That won’t matter if the carrier drops it, but it will remind the person on the receiving end which side to open. Please write “Fragile” on the sides of the outer box or ask the carrier to label it as fragile.
I’ll reuse the box that you sent if I can. If the box appears to be damaged then chances are I’ll replace it.
My Shipping Address and “Special Instructions”
My shipping address and other details will be included in your written Price Estimate. Please contact me and get a “green light” to commence your shipment before you actually do it. This will ensure that I am here to receive it.
Usually, I ask clients to instruct the carrier that no signature is required. But there are exceptions to the rule. Let’s agree on this beforehand.
Double Boxing Video
Click on the link below to watch an excellent, short YouTube video about “Double Boxing” in another window. You don’t have to use the type of foam they do. You can use other materials, but it is very instructive and worth watching. https://youtu.be/jsEhg3s7eTw
Take your time! Have fun with it!
I’ll be on the lookout for your box!
