Thread: USPS First Class Letter Thickness Tester

Originally Posted by reeskylr

Yeah, the swaps are really hard on the pocket book. Especially the big ones.

I found that out the hard way too. I had them coming back to me and then found out that most needed hand stamped, so that is .64 cents.

If it doesn't fit in the slot or has bumps, then it goes as a small package at a $1.17. Unfortunately, doing a lot of stitching blocks makes for bumps.

I know...this is my last time to do a swap of blocks that is NOT centralized...it is just too dang expensive now!

Thank you, my postmistress must have put one letter I sent with 3 fat qrts, a note & a foam sticky thru at least ten times, couldn't decide if the 2 inch X 1 inch foam sticky would prevent it from passing.
So hopefully they all went the entire trip!

This will definitely help me with things I send. Thanks

I love my postage scale too - but it doesn't help you with the thickness rule! I found that out the hard way and decided to do something about it for my quilting friends.

I recently made some quilted postcards for a swap and didn't have this and I literally crossed my fingers as I tossed them into the mail bin. After that, I created this tool for myself.

Originally Posted by Iamquilter

When I retired from my job my boss gave me the little postage scale so I can test my envelopes at home and know how much postage to put.

It's the individual swaps that made me really find a way to get my block to my partner for 44 cents. :-)

That's how I learned to copy others and use the flat fold, saran wrap cover, and place it in a Costco card envelope (those huge max size heavy duty envelopes). Once in awhile my block is heavier than normal and I have to pay 64 cents. But most of them go for 44 cents.

88-108 cents round trip for F8 and block makes a 36 block exchange run around $32-36. Not too bad for 36 gorgeous blocks and the fun and excitement of so much quilting mail! ;-)

I'll definitely keep doing them. Love them!

Originally Posted by jaciqltznok

Originally Posted by reeskylr

Yeah, the swaps are really hard on the pocket book. Especially the big ones.

I found that out the hard way too. I had them coming back to me and then found out that most needed hand stamped, so that is .64 cents.

If it doesn't fit in the slot or has bumps, then it goes as a small package at a $1.17. Unfortunately, doing a lot of stitching blocks makes for bumps.

I know...this is my last time to do a swap of blocks that is NOT centralized...it is just too dang expensive now!

I've been to 4 of my local post offices. I've asked them all about that cardboard slot and they told me they didn't know where to get one.

I've had them send back packages asking for additional postage but when I take them into the office I ask them why and they can't tell me why and they accept it with the original postage.

I'm very frustrated with my post offices. It seems like they don't even know their own rules.

Maybe too many good USPS employees retired (and became quilters!) ;-)

Originally Posted by heyjami

Maybe too many good USPS employees retired (and became quilters!) ;-)

You may be right. My post office don't seem to know the rules either when I asked about the little cardboard thing they said oh this and I said yeah and they told me maybe I could get them off the internet. They didn't have any. When you go to usps website they are not there. All the good workers who know must have retired or are somewhere else cause they sure aren't in my town

now that's a wonderful idea! :)

Thanks, very useful.

Great idea! This should save a lot of frustration at the post office.