Advice needed on shipping

[opposedtwin]

What a pain in the keester. I need to box up a cowl for a bigtwin/RD. It’s the front to back clamshell type for an 1955 RD-17. I can’t seem to find a box big enough to fit the damn thing in there along with some padding. I thought about driving out the roll pin connecting the two halves. Before I destroy the roll pin by removing it, will I be able to re-use the old roll pin (assuming it survives the removal process?

Or do I just need to fabricate my own box? Have any of you guys ever shipped a big cowling? I got a big banana box at the grocery store but it’s not quite big enough.

Any advice (besides agreeing to ship it? Which I’ll never do again by the way)

Thanks!
Scott

[chris-p]

I hear ya!

I have shipped a few cowls to members that needed them. It is a pain. I always split the halves. It is ESPECIALLY a pain if the roll pin is seized. Usually, you can get them out, but sometimes they are a pain and need heat and penetrating oil. It is those ones, that I wonder to myself, why I offered to ship it to them for free lol.

[Mumbles]

You can usually salvage large boxes from the big box stores, Home Depot, Costco, places like that. A dollar store might be a good source to as all of their products come boxed from China. It’s easy to make a large box smaller but I’ve never tried making a small one larger. A couple rolls of clear and brown packing tape will help to hold it together.

[frankr]

U-Haul sells big boxes.

[bob-myers]

Lowe’s & Home Depot also sell boxes.

[dave-bernard]

I get 2 boxes from U Haul and make one if I cant find what I need and it is stronger.

[opposedtwin]

Thanks. Got a couple big ones at Costco I should be able to make work. Don’t want to sink another penny into shipping by buying a box if I can avoid it. I might try to drive out the pin.

[dave-bernard]

U Haul boxes are cheap and strong.

[dan-in-tn]

Check you size limits (not weight) for USPS, UPS, or FedEx. You will pay dearly if you go past the size limit. Probably more than the cowling is worth! Just take it from experience trying to ship V-4, V-6 covers even if giving them away.

Dan in TN

[fifty20ne]

Scott,

I would go to Fed EX or a U haul store and look for a triple thick wall (three layers) box.
If you cannot find one the correct size, you can make your own by taping or gluing in
Extra cardboard panels on the inside including top, bottom, & sides. For packing material
I would use 2-3 complete wraps of plastic bubble wrap, with the remainder of the fill being
White foam packaging peanuts.
I have shipped 8 outboards purchased from EBay etc.. and 6 of those 8 arrived
Damaged in some way. The only way to ship a complete outboard without damage is
To build a custom wooden crate, like what Johnson & Evinrude used on their Pre –War
Motors etc.. Another option is to take it to an “UPS Wrap & Ship” store and have them do
The packaging for you. I have shipped three motors that way with no damage, but it is
Very expensive like $120.00 – $190.00 depending on size and weight. UPS routes the
Packages they pack differently through their handling system to avoid damages.
Packaging boxes takes time and money to do it right with a little bit of luck
Thrown in from the shipping gods above. My choice for a shipper would be Fed Ex
But there is no guarantee with using any of the shipping companies. What does UPS
Stand for? If you work for them it stands for Under Paid Slaves, If you ship with them
It stands for Usually Pulverized Shipments.
This time of the year is very busy time for any of the shippers with all of the
Online Holiday shopping that is being done. The UPS hub in my town was only
Designed to run 200,000 packages per 4 hr. shift and they are pushing 300 – 350,000
Through the hub now during the Holiday rush, which makes a higher potential for
Damages.

Good Luck,

Bob

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