The Good 'Ol UPS Destruction Service

[KC4VWU]

Well, thought I would have a 32V2 to get rolling for this fall so I would get in some QSO time finally. NOPE! UPS destroyed it before I even got it! Maybe I need to shoot for year after next and keep my fingers crossed.

Phil

[KC4VWU]

Here's a few more. I need a pain pill!

[WA2ROC]

I trust you took out insurance for it, right?

[W1AEX]

Ouch. It must have been very painful to note the damage at as you unpacked it. Looks like it may have been tossed, causing the chassis to warp, and then it landed so that all the weight was on the rear, and something heavy landed on top of it bending the front panel backwards. What a mess.

As Dick mentioned, I do hope it was insured...

[ka3zlr]

As hard as it is to Package an item of this size an weight
it looks like it coulda used a little more effort.

A lot of hard work ahead OM. that's a drag.

73

Jack.

[W8EJO]

I was the seller, packer & shipper & I did insure it. Trying to make an online claim now.

Terry

[k4kyv]

I wouldn't ever recommend shipping something that is both vintage unobtanium and heavy.  They always seem to get banged up.  That happened to the audio amp I had shipped from N Mexico last winter.  They even managed to bend the corner of the front panel, a standard 19" rack panel.  Luckily no damage was done to any of the  components, and since it was actually two amplifiers combined on one chassis, I had already planned to rebuild it into two separate units, so I wasn't too pissed off.  I did hammer out the dent in the original panel which is now in my parts collection.

I think the knuckle-draggers who work in shipping companies get pissed off when they have to lift a heavy parcel and deliberately try to do as much damage as they  can by letting it roll off the loading ramp or tossing it off the truck to the  concrete floor below.  I remember working on some equipment at a major airline terminal in Boston in the 70's, and it was not unusual to see guys come in with the shift change with an attitude (maybe had a fight with the wife the night before or an argument with the boss?), and deliberately abuse luggage on the conveyor belt - like picking up a suitcase by the handle and slamming it to the floor, and then kicking it and tossing it 10 ft down the ramp.

I have a problem with these companies, which charge inflated prices for shipping goods but take no responsibility for making them arrive intact.  Their attitude is that their job is limited to getting the item from point A to point B, and the condition upon arrival is irrelevant.  I disagree.  If they are charging money for moving goods, they have an obligation to transport it without damage, if it was packed properly. What is the point of shipping an item if it will be damaged or destroyed?

I never have tubes shipped any more.  If I can't pick them up personally, or have someone I know to be trustworthy to bring them to me, I simply don't attempt to acquire them.  3 out of the last four HF-300's that I have had sent here were destroyed in shipping, and (classic Murphy's Law) the one that made it intact was probably the only one of the bunch that was already crapped out.  

[The Slab Bacon]

I deal with commercial shipping here at work on an almost daily basis.

pick your poison: UPS destroys it, or FEDEX loses it !

the best way to get something bulky or heavy from point A to point B is truck freight. Period! Crate it up good and ship it truck freight. I think the secret is that it gets handled less times by human hands. I had a rather large HEAVY crate of stuff shipped to me by Skip (K7YOO) some months back by truck. It arrived in fine condition totally unharmed! Not to mention for heavy stuff they are a lot cheaper than the others. 

[w1vtp]

I had a QSO with a guy long time ago who was in UPS management.  I kept my mouth shut as he described the crap that went on between management and the worker-bees.  There has to be a lot of pent-up anger as these poor folks go through job-related crap.  Unfortunately, for us it means that all too often we are the victims of an attitude problem.  Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Are you going to try to rescue it?

Best wishes, Al

[W8EJO]

I sold about 7-8 items in this last batch of shack clean out over the last two weeks - mostly big old heavy radios & this was the only item they damaged.
Of course the 32V2 was the heaviest. Shipping weight was 93#'s less the cabinet.  It looks like they just dropped it from a dock or ramp.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Definitely agree with Frank. Last December I ordered online a large flat-screen TV to be shipped to my home. Wife thought I was nuts. "It's going to come in a large bag of broken pieces" she said. The unit was shipped by truck freight. The truck picked it up at their warehouse somewhere in IL; it may have been transferred to another truck locally here in NJ before it was delivered to my curb by a large truck. One person couldn't lift or manage the large box, so for $10 cash, the driver and I carried it off the truck, up 12 front steps, and into the vestibule of my home, where he waited while I unpacked and inspected it to make sure there wasn't any interior damage and I was satisfied. The only visible exterior box damage was some corner bruising and some wearing of the bottom as the box was dragged from place to place. As far as I can remember, I have never ordered such a large and fragile "whatever" so I was quite pleased with the outcome.

[steve_qix]

I have shipped big things in the past, but they require major and extreme packing measures.  When I was at Digital, everything had to pass the "Drop Test", where the ready-to-ship item had to survive, unharmed, a 3 foot drop.

This is very hard to meet with a heavy and/or delicate item.

Anyway, I shipped a BC1004 once.  First, I spotted packing material in all the openings, and between delicate parts so if the receiver was dropped, say, on its back, the IF cans would not be bent out of position.  Also used a wood frame to protect the back - this frame was attached to the front panel.  This is very important.  Next, wrapped it in the thick, large bubble bubble wrap so there was literally a foot or more around it on all sides.  Wrapped it in all different directions.  The, put it in a very strong WOODEN crate with albino rat droppings (those white packing peanuts) to fill in any gaps between the crate sides and the bubble wrap.

The thick bubble wrap does not puncture easily.

The package was fairly large (as I recall, 3 feet on a side), but everything was in perfect condition upon arrival.

[WQ9E]

I recently received a SX-42 and NC-303 from Terry and they were both well packed and arrived in great shape.  But with the additional weight of the 32V a severe shock is going to result in damage.

From an ebay purchase I got lucky and received an undamaged HT-32B even though its protective packing consisted of a well used lightweight cardboard box with some balled up newspaper thrown inside.  A few months after that I received a triple boxed Breting 14AX with the front mirror glass cracked despite all the efforts at packing.  Luck of the draw....

I was the seller, packer & shipper & I did insure it. Trying to make an online claim now.

Terry

[K5UJ]

Hi,

That's really too bad what happened but from looking at the photos, it looks like the rig might be repairable.

Shipping a heavy boatanchor takes a lot of work and money.   At a minimum you have to find two big double ply cardboard boxes that are big enoiugh so that the rig can sit inside the smaller box with 2 inch thick styrofoam slabs all the way around it.  The bigger box has to be big enough for the small box to fit inside it with room for more styrofoam.  The rig should be stuffed inside with bubble wrap so nothing inside can move around.  That's the only place bubble wrap should be used.  Forget peanuts, crushed paper, any other kind of material.  The rig has to be suspended inside 4 inches of dense styrofoam so its steel can fall at least 5 feet and have a solid compressible surface to absorb the force.   Any big tubes or heavy iron should be removed and shipped separately.  The cabinet should be wrapped in a plastic garbage bag and put inside the small box.  You have to get the slabs of blue wall insulation styrofoam and cut them with a saw to line the box.  Then you put that box inside the big box so it sits inside more 2 inch thick styrofoam.  When you are done you have a big heavy box that was expensive and a PITA to pack and get to the shipper, but it is still cheaper and easier than driving the rig 1000 miles yourself.

Getting the styrofoam is easy, any Lowe's has 4 foot by 8 foot by 2 inch slabs.  you can fill in the cracks with spray non-expansion foam sold in aerosol cans.  The hard part is getting decent boxes and measuring and cutting the styrofoam (do it outside or your house will be full of particles you'll never clean up).  

Be sure to back all the front panel knobs up against the front  panel so the force of impact is not on the knob shafts.    

[flintstone mop]

92 lb 32v2......hmmmmm
Was it marked heavy electronic equipment?
It took quite a fall to bend the chassis and move transformers.

I have heard that UPS 3-day select is a lot gentler to electronics. TRU-FALSE??

I would get the rejects that didn't make it in UPS shipping from Howard W3HM, when I was doing piece work.
Truck/Freight shipping might be the answer. Or encase the item in a wood structure.

Fred

[steve_qix]

Of course the other question is:  Why use UPS?  I *never* use them for anything.  Shipped 100 mod monitors all using USPS priority mail - not one unit damaged or lost.

I don't know what the weight limit for Priority is - maybe a 32V would be too heavy.

[KF1Z]

The US post office will not take anything over 70 pounds.

[N8UH]

Wow, it looks like it took quite the fall. I've always used United Package Smashers as a last resort. FedEx seems to be less brutal on things. Hope things work out!

[KC4VWU]

Terry did a good job packing it; and he didn't really want to send it in a box, but I was really impatient to get it and begin the work. I believe shipping is really just luck of the draw; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.


As far as trying to salvage it; I'm not sure. The front panel is bent really bad and that is some pretty healthy gauge aluminum. If I could find a good donor, it might be do-able, but would be pretty labor intensive. We'll just have to see what course of rectification UPS offers first.

Phil   

[KF1Z]

I don't ship any boat-anchors....

But I have learned that it pays to pay UPS to pack the item for you....

The reason?

If they break it, they will pay the insurance to you no questions asked.

If you pack it... it is usually quite a battle, and a lot of time to MAYBE get the insurance payment.

I sent a class-E rig to Ohio.
Payed UPS to pack it.

Was  at first a little disappointed that they did not ship it the day they said they  would.
But got a phone call saying they didn't have on hand the packing material they thought they should use, and had to order the proper materials.

He told me they don't take any chances when things are insured for $1k each package, because they have to pay the insurance claim if there is any damage.
(Their own policies hold them to it!)

I was supprised they took that approach, but happy about it!


I've been rakied through the coals on several occasions with FedEx.
I won't even allow someone send me a package via the Ex... let alone place anything in their hands...

Everyone has had different experiences I guess.

I've shipped at least 300 items via UPS over the past 7 years... have had no problems.

(knock on Oak)

[steve_qix]

I sent a class-E rig to Ohio.
Payed UPS to pack it.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the class E rig you sent!  Good idea having UPS pack it.  Not exactly a light weight transmitter, either.  Do you remember how much the packages each weighed and how much UPS charged to pack it up?  I'd be very interested.

Regards,

Steve

[KF1Z]

I sent a class-E rig to Ohio.
Payed UPS to pack it.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the class E rig you sent!  Good idea having UPS pack it.  Not exactly a light weight transmitter, either.  Do you remember how much the packages each weighed and how much UPS charged to pack it up?  I'd be very interested.

Regards,

Steve

I think they were 35 and 24 pounds. Modulator and RF deck.
Then the RF converter, cables, etc were in another small box.

But I'd have to dig the reciept out to see how much it was ..
It was a looong time ago!  Well, 1 1/4 yrs ago... seems like a looong time  

I think the total cost, including insurance ($2200 total), packing and the actual shipping... was less than $150.

[K5UJ]

shipping solid state boxes is totally different from tube stuff with a lot of transformers

if by getting ups to pack it you mean going to one of those ups stores, i think they are independent contractors and ups won't do anything special if they don't pack it right.

fedex has its own probs:  they have started making it a real PITA to take delivery if a box is insured for much  more than 100 bucks.  it don't matter if it is something one in a million people wouldl want like a mod monitor, they will act like it is gold coins and demand the addressee be there in person to sign for it and they won't make any time window committment and no exceptions like a neighbor taking it so if you are single with a day job you have no choice but take a day off and wait around and  if you are the shipper and specifically tell them not to require signature they will ignore you, require it anyway, not ask you or even inform you ... I am done with FedEx forever.  UPS will just leave the box no problem.  FedEx thinks a million people all want a 75A3 and everyone is married with a stay at home spouse.

[K5UJ]

forgot to mention this--another front panel protection trick I've seen done is to surround each knob (or the big ones that stick out the farthest) with heavy mailing tube cardboard that extends an inch or two past the knob.  This protects the knob, shaft and front panel from impact if a few are done this way.   the mailing tube is put inside zip lock bags so they don't scuff the panel paint.

[WBear2GCR]

Yep, I see the damage.

Straight G-force damage.

Thrown, dropped, tossed by Gorillas.

I have never had a package damaged by UPS.
I had ONE package on international shipment damaged by FedEx.
That one had to be rammed by a forklift against a solid immovable object or some similar fate
like being dropped off the tail end of a moving plane...

The trick, if there is one is to understand, and anticipate the various problems and deformation modes
before starting the packaging.

There are two aspects - the stuff inside the unit and the second is the exterior of the unit.

MOST damage people get is to the exterior of the unit. Some damage is due to a heavy part (iron for example) moving the
surface it is being held by.

The trick for avoiding the exterior damage is to do G-Force limiting, and transfer the load to another surface.

I do this by packing the unit inside another box using energy absorbing materials whose density is scaled to the weight of the unit. Heavy stuff gets "blue board" or "pink board" solid styrofoam board cut to fit the unit. Lighter units get progressively lighter and more compressable material. No matter what there needs to be a zero motion between the unit and the packing + box. This box is then packed into another box, larger, scaled in size depending on the weight and packing material used.

The key is that the unit has to be completely supported and immovable inside the inside box. This transfers the energy from the unit to the box - or looking the other way, it causes energy on the inner box wall to be absorbed and spread before impacting the unit. The purpose of the outer box is to also do the same trick, in this case, you don't care if the outer box is
bashed, you want it to absorb energy and have the ability for some deformation. So I usually use a less dense material between the inner and outer boxes.

Also, use a large distance between the inner box and outer box.

In the case of the 32-V at 90lbs I'd have used a minimum of 6" in all dimensions between the inner and outer box, maybe more.
The inner box in this case would be 2-3" minimum. The box itself would be wrapped in "strapping tape" so that the box's shell is stiff and connected (energy transfer).

I'd also have used some stiffening for the corners and probably at least one layer of "free" cardboard halfway from any outer box surface and the inner box to further spread energy to the "stuffing"

Protecting the inner iron is a bit more tricky. In most cases, extra application of internal stiff styro between key points to make certain that the iron is not able to move independently between WALLS of the unit is required. Sometimes I use something solid like a wood insert, if it makes sense.


Hope this describes my method. It works. An extra box in the mix doesn't hurt, fwiw. The key is that the inner box MUST be very very tight to the unit, no motion possible. And the inner unit can not DEFORM inside that.


it hurts me to see a nice a piece like that Collins get trashed...

                      _-_-