need help packaging a machine
 

I saw a really good thread about a week ago on packaging machines and now I can't find it! My question is: what kind of foam works best and where can I find it? Any help would be great!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...t-t240508.html

Open cell foam. DO NOT USE Styrofoam or bubble wrap

SteveH wrote the thread, you might be able to find it using his name.
Rodney
EDIT: Steve got it while I was typing. Never mind.

Thanks! I'll be checking out ebay for some supplies. They seem to be the best route when it comes to price. Btw, I love that thread! I bookmarked it so it will be with me forever :)

I've used a combination of double boxing, bubble wrap, styrofoam, and 30lb kraft paper for years without any problems. If I can save a few bucks on open celled foam I'd be happy to use it but ebay seems pretty high. Any other low cost sources?

Jon

The price does seem high but I figured I'd just pass the cost onto the buyer. I might look into costo see if they have this. It's been my experience that staples or office max stores are more expensive than ebay for shipping supplies. Any advice you can offer Steve?

Were are soon to find out if the packing job my husband and I did was sufficient - tracking says "out for delivery"

You can find it at fabric stores that also sell upholstery supplies. That is what it's used for most often, padded furniture.

The cheapest way to get it - go to a thrift store and pick up a overstuffed ugly chair for $5 - then take it home and take it apart.

Macybaby, please let me know how it worked out and what you did. I dread the anxiety shipping these would cause. I don't want to take the fun out of finding these a new home by making it stressful.

Truth is I get it for free... ( I actually can (and have) shipped folks a box full of foam to use to ship my machines) if you need some and cannot find it local, PM me

The 3 boxes HAVE arrived at home, but I am still at work...grrrrr

Hmmm...nice idea. I actually have a chair we've been meaning to replace with a recliner. Now I know what to do with it before it hits the curb.

Thanks steve, I appreciate that. I'll be taking a good look around this weekend and when I get a good deal I'll post it.

Nothing wrong with bubble wrap, though I use the large size for wrapping the machine. The box would have to suffer some catastrophic mishap in order for the bubble wrap to be compromised, and at that point, it would likely be a matter for insurance.

I do occasionally use foam to cover the top/front/back of the machine where there is usually something sticking up that needs extra protection.

I just buy seat cushion foam at Walmart in the sewing section.

Is there an alternate packing method if one can't get free or inexpensive foam? Foam is very expensive around here and I have sanitation concerns about using used chair and cushion materials. I'm spending around $8 a machine double boxed and good and tight-all new materials. I'm always looking for better and less costly methods for shipping a head and not relying on free material so I don't run out when needed.

Jon

With all due respect that has not been my experience.

Bubble wrap is "ablative" in that once popped it is no longer padding. EVERY box that I have received with bubble wrap has has a significant portion "popped". IF the seller uses other padding between the bubble wrap and the box it is MUCH less likely to be damaged.

The issue comes from the padding acting as a weight support structure. So a 40 lb sewing machine sitting on two layers of bubble wrap gets dropped on the ground twice and the inertia of the machine coming to ANY sudden stop, tends to pop the bubbles even if the box is UNDAMAGED on the outside... After the first drop the padding can be reduced increasing the chance of the second drop damaging the machine.

My Jones Serpentine has a broken paw foot even though the box was only compressed 1/2" on that corner... because it had two layers of bubble wrap and both layers were popped.

Double boxing is ALWAYS preferred if possible.

I know I'm going to sound like an idiot here, but I have to ask: by "double boxing" do you mean leaving space between the boxes and then putting padding between, or is it okay to just put a box of the same size on it so that it is doubly thick on the 4 sides? That has worked well for me when I ship dishes or glass.

No such thing as a dumb question...

When "I" say that I mean a second box with some padding (usually 1" or less) between the box layers. Boxing it with two boxes without padding between them is better than single layer of box, but not as effective as the two surfaces to puncture separated by padding.

The Ancient Patcher seems to have made it safe and sound.

Heather opened the boxes to look and all seems well. I will completely unbox them tonight (about 1 hour and 20 minutes from now)

Thanks for all your help!

Steve,

Not everyone has access to your foam which makes it difficult to follow your packing instructions. Wonderful if one has access as the hard foam is the best packing material on earth .

Jon

I've had machines wrapped in about 8 layers of bubble wrap that has very small bubbles, and that seems fine. I've had it packed with large bubble stuff, with poor results.

I've found the number one thing is make sure the machine can NOT move around, not up, down or side to side. So far I've bought and had shipped 23 machines, and have seen quite an array of packing jobs.

1. remove anything you can remove, the machine is heavy and will break other things like lights if it ends up on top of them (like laying on it's side). Don't leave anything "loose" that can move around and scratch the machine (like control pedals, or attachment boxes). Over wrap them and make sure they also can't move around.
2. if the machine can move at all, it will. Mostly I've seen them packed so the machine can rock back and forth, this will bend all sort of interesting things.
3. if there is a case, either pack them separate, or make sure the machine can NOT move around inside the case. I've ended up with more broken cases from the machine moving around, and had one end up upside down on my doorstep, so the machine pulled free of the case and made a mess of things. The machine is rarely damaged in this situations, but a thin wooden case is no match for a 25lb machine. The ones that survived were either packed separately, or the case was stuffed so full that the machine was fully supported inside the case. The only real safe way with a wood case is to pack them separately - otherwise you are only hoping you get lucky and it does not end up upside down at some point.

For me, double boxing isn't a big deal, provided there is unmovable support around the machine. I've had several with packing materiel that moved aside during transport, and the machine had parts sticking out of the bottom of the box. Had one the Postman said they taped back up at the station because it was part way out of the box already. And that was from the bottom of the machine rubbing a hole through the cardboard.

I think I've only gotten two machines that were double boxed. That is the best way to insure the outside padding does not move around.

BTW - many years ago I ordered a rather large picture in a fancy frame. It was wrapped in plastic, then set in a bed of spray foam around the edges of a box, which molded itself exactly to the frame. I was worried that large a piece of glass wouldn't make it safely, but the seller assured me they shipped a lot of framed art successfully.

I wrap a cocoon of bubble wrap around the machine, and then fill in around that to secure it inside the box.

Now I don't ship heavy cast iron machines, so if I did, I might alter my methods. Plus, cast iron can be brittle, so extra care would obviously be needed to protect it.

Have any of you used that plastic saran wrap-type material for packing? I wish I knew exactly what it was called, but basically it's the same stuff that is used to wrap pallets, just in a handheld size. That stuff does wonders when it comes to packaging items that you want TIGHT. I'll use it over the bubble wrap and once it's on you can toss the item unboxed without it breaking. It's pretty cheap on ebay and would probably work really well on top of a bubbled SM.

I use it only to wrap strips of white foam over the spool pin, take up lever, and any other part that might get easily damaged in shipping. Also to immobilize the hand wheel from turning.


Jon

Wen I was selling antiqes on ebay, sometimes I would use swimmers noodles, cut to fit, around a bubble wrapped item, never had a complaint. However,prior to using them I once shipped a crockery whiskey jug ( old & empty) and at the post office, I saw the conterman throw it onto a hard surface from about 6 ft away. I just knew there would be a claim!
Dang, when I was desperate...I even used a cheap cut up styrofoam cooler to fill the box...I've shipped some very unusual items but you sewing machine experts have my admiration for your moxie just for shipping old sewing machines.


adamae

now that the machine has arrived safely, here is how we packed up a very different sewing machine.

We built a base that fit into the bottom of the box - it was set on top of 1" insulation foam.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps8df851de.jpg

The machine was bolted to this frame - our concern was that no weight would be sitting on the oversized flywheel.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psd55f5266.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps000aa242.jpg

The box was custom made - DH went dumpster diving at the appliance shop in town (with permission) and pulled out several large boxes from TV's. Apparently most kitchen appliances no longer come in cardboard boxes, but the TVs are now big enough that he got plenty of heavy duty cardboard. Then he cut and folded it to create his own box, using high strength spray adhesive to glue it shut.

Foam packing was put between the box and machine, and filled up so that it was not possible for the machine to shift in any direction.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps7228e21c.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psd241e7ba.jpg

This box weighed in at 60 lbs, and was cheaper (and much faster ) to ship UPS than USPS. For comparison, we dropped this off at UPS at 5:30pm (they are only open from 5:30 to 6pm for drop off) on Thursday the 13th, and he got it yesterday. Earlier this year, SteveH shipped a regular sized machine to me via USPS and it took almost three weeks to get here. Not sure if either machine had a lot more miles on it or not, though with USPS the machine went about 300 miles past my house, and then turned around and took the long way back.


And we did stick some bubble wrap in there - especially for SteveH since we know how much he loves the stuff.

Great job on the packing!

I also like old woodworking machines and people shipping parts have the same issues. Proper packing is critical. I've seen cast iron parts wrapped in garbage bags then spray foamed around them with products like Great Stuff to keep them from moving. If you do this, provide some way of easily removing the machine from the foam.
You're basically trying to do two things. Keep the machine from moving inside the box and keep the shippers from destroying your packaging. Putting the machine in something soft like tissue or an old pillowcase can't hurt either. You don't want the packing material to rub the decals off.
Don't even bother to mark the box as "fragile" or "this end up". The people loading the trucks don't have time to read or care. Remember that old Samsonite commercial with the gorilla tossing the suitcase around? Your box will receive the same sort of attention.
Make sure the person receiving the machine is aware of the extra costs involved in packing a machine so there's no misunderstandings about the shipping bill.
Rodney

Actually it was the Styrofoam that made me groan... I HATE that stuff with a passion. But in anycase it arrived safe and sound.

FYI - The "wee greenie" is packed and should go out today.

Rodney, I think it will help if I have a picture of the machine in the box, wrapped up but unsealed. It will add some confidence to see that it's not sitting on a few bunches of newspaper.

I can (and am willing to) ship a box of good foam to anyone in the US for the shipping costs($10 or less) should be cheaper than buying materials....

Now here is were terminology can get it the way - I didn't think there was any Styrofoam in any of the boxes. We've used Styrofoam for some insulation products, but don't consider the pink stuff the same thing. Maybe technically it's the same, I don't know, just never considered it to be.

BTW - I would not use what I consider "Styrofoam" for packing. Though it's probably the most common thing used to hold things stable inside boxes.

Now that I know this, I would not use it shipping something else to you LOL!!

hehe, sokey. As long as you pack them as well as you did on the Politype, I'dd deal with the little white bits from hell....

The pink stuff is fine....

I've often wondered is you could use that styrofoam stuff in a can that expands to close up holes to stabilize machines when shipping. It dries solid.

I sent a sewing machine to my sister 2 years ago. We used foam that we had, I had some batting she'd sent me that I knew I wasn't going to use, so that went into it. We packed it up nice and tight. Then we put a bigger box around it, packed it super tight and shipped it UPS.

It got there just fine. Double boxing is something my DH does when he ships an antique radio or 45 record player to an enthusiast. It works very well.

However, if the UPS guy tosses it over a fence because you're not home and he doesn't want to return the next day, there is still breakage. So insuring your machine is a must!

Try using plastic grocery bags. Wad them up nice and tight (many in one bag, tied shut when full) and stuff them in as tight as you can. They always 'relax' some, which makes them kind of like bubble packaging. And you can fit them into odd shaped places, too.

I can't imagine running out of those darn plastic grocery bags.

Very generous. Thank You.

Jon

just paying it forward as it were. I feel that am frequently the beneficiary of more than my share of good fortune, and I try to respond to the universe in kind, where I can. I cannot afford for example, to offer to do it without charging the cost of the shipping(often...)

I can attest that the foam he uses is REALLY nice for shipping machines. He shipped me 2 treadles using it and those things arrived safe and secure...even if it did take me the better part of an hour to UNpack them :D