Return-Path: Received: from gs69.sp.cs.cmu.edu by K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU id aa22832; 26 Jan 93 12:05:16 EST From: jch@GS69.SP.CS.CMU.EDU Sender: jch@GS69.SP.CS.CMU.EDU Bcc: jch+@cs.cmu.edu To: bovik@CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Shipping a computer screen Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 12:03:16 EST Source-Info: Sender is really jch@GS69.SP.CS.CMU.EDU I asked for advice in packing and shipping a screen. Here's a quick summary of the responses (full report attached to the end of this message) > (1) Should I ship in double boxes, or would one be enough > (assuming all boxes are stuffed liberally with beads)? The > screen is relatively small and light (18lb). The consensus was that double boxing is a good idea if you value your screen, or if there's not much of a gap between the screen and the box walls (and UPS wants any such gaps filled anyway). And never ship color monitors face-down. And *always* get insurance. > (2) Does anyone have (dis)recommendations of either UPS or First > Class Mail? Would this choice affect question (1)? Dr Bovik > seems to recommend UPS in general, but has no knowledge of > shipping screens that I could find. UPS comes out on top, in contrast to horror stories about US Mail. If you can afford it, there are specialist door-to-door services. [addendum -- mkant later said that UPS demands the ability to withstand a 4ft drop. If you're not confident about this, go with FedEx] > (3) Anyone got about, ohhh, 3 cubic feet of polystyrene beads they > want to donate? Alternatively, what are good sources close to > either CMU or Squirrel Hill ("Mailboxes Etc" on Craig?) Seems like Wean Hall is overflowing with this stuff! > *: What _do_ you call this stuff? Most votes were for "packing peanuts", with honorable mentions for "packing popcorn", "styrofoam peanuts", and "styrofoam beads". The generic term is something like "loose fill packing material", as in "The Assocation Of ... Manufacturers", who'd like you all to recycle the stuff at eg Mailboxes Etc. Thanks go to Barry Eisel, Derek Beatty, Christopher Fedor, Thomas Warfel, Fredric Solomon, David Kosbie, Todd Mummert, Michal Prussak, Ravinder Chandhok, Po-Jen Yang, Rich McDaniel, and Joy Banks. ------------------------------------------------------------ From: Derek Beatty To: Jonathan Hardwick Subject: Re: Shipping a computer screen : recommendations? Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 22:29:17 -0500 (EST) Whatever you do, don't ship it face down if it's color. Be sure that you have big "THIS END UP" arrows on the outside of the box (and that they all point the same way, and in one of the 5 proper directions). It's virtually impossible to get all the dirt out of a CRT before it's sealed. If you leave a color CRT face-down for any length of time, but particularly during shipping [when it might be shaken a bit :-)], there's a chance that some of this dirt will fall down from the neck of the tube and lodge itself firmly in the shadow mask, resulting in a dead pixel. ------------------------------ From: Christopher_Fedor@H.GP.CS.CMU.EDU To: jch@A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Shipping Date: Sun, 24 Jan 93 23:05:53 EST P.K.G's 276-7090 They are in the yellow pages under packing & crating. They may be more than what you want or are willing to pay for but I think they will put the screen in a box and fill it with foam. They were great for shipping erebus stuff and some other random computers down to florida. Anyhow the suggestion is that there are services that will pick up your goods, pack them and send them ups (or whatever) for a special rate. chris ------------------------------ From: Thomas.Warfel@N2.SP.CS.CMU.EDU To: jch+@CS.CMU.EDU Subject: packing stuff Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 00:41:59 EST UPS would probably get it there faster. Double-boxing is certainly more secure, but if its already defective it probably won't make great difference. My $.02... -Tom ------------------------------ From: Fredric_Solomon@A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU To: jch@A.GP.CS.CMU.EDU Subject: Shipping Terminal Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 08:17:27 EST I would never, ever, ship anything of value thru the US mail. They are incompetent. For about the same price, you can ship via UPS. They have an excellent record. I've never had things lost by them. However, the US mail, especially in Pittsburgh, has lost packages, mail, etc.. As far as double boxes, sounds like it would be a good idea. There are usually boxes in/near the E-lab on the 3rd floor. You can get packing material fairly cheaply at Mail Boxes etc. There is one in the Pharmoor plaza in East Liberty. Fred ------------------------------ From: David.Kosbie@KOZ.GARNET.CS.CMU.EDU To: Jonathan Hardwick Subject: Re: Shipping a computer screen : recommendations? Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 08:41-EST In sending equipment back and forth to an employer in California, more than once the equipment was damaged (once they actually managed to *entirely destroy* a $1,000 monitor!). We used UPS almost all the time, despite the problems. But I will offer this one piece of advice: BE SURE TO INSURE!!! FOR 100% OF VALUE. AND CHECK YOUR INCOMING PACKAGES *IMMEDIATELY* FOR DAMAGE! Two simple rules that can greatly simplify life!!! --dave ------------------------------ From: richm@CARTOON.GARNET.CS.CMU.EDU To: Jonathan Hardwick Subject: Re: Shipping a computer screen : recommendations? Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 13:40:34 EST Never buy those styrofoam beads. I've been keeping two bagfuls myself that I'm more than willing to donate to anyone who'll use them. As for double boxes and so forth, it's hard to say. I'd say let there be at least an inch or two of the styrofoam. If there's not that much room go with the double box. Rich M. ------------------------------ From: Joy Banks To: Jonathan.Hardwick@cs.cmu.edu (Jonathan Hardwick) Subject: Re: Shipping a computer screen : recommendations? Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 15:37:00 -0500 (EST) Jonathan - I call them packing peanuts, but your term sounds much more technically correct. I would suggest UPS, as US Mail insurance is hard to collect on. As for boxes, I think I would put the terminal in its original box, then put it inside a slightly bigger box with packing peanuts. The best idea I can think of is to use an actual screen box - these appear regularly outside the E-Lab in the 3500 corridor. Ask the guys in the E-Lab to save you one if there isn't one already out there. Good luck. Joy ------------------------------ From: mkant@GLINDA.OZ.CS.CMU.EDU To: jch+@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Re: Shipping a computer screen : recommendations? Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 11:53:04 EST DON'T ship it UPS. Obviously nobody has told you about UPS's 4 foot drop rule -- any box shipped by them must be able to survive a 4 foot drop. If you don't believe me, drop by the UPS main depot when they're loading the trucks one morning. Use FedEx instead. --mark ------------------------------