[CR]Shipping containers

(Example: Framebuilders)

Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 16:56:04 -0700
From: "Dennis Young" <mail@woodworkingboy.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
In-Reply-To: <CATFOODfGdMNFmWAFsT00000026@catfood.nt.phred.org>
Subject: [CR]Shipping containers

There are companies that specialize in packing rare and delicate goods for transport. This includes valuable art work, chandeliers, etc. They usually have their own shop that allows them to turn large sheets of the crate material into containers. There was at least one in San Francisco when I resided there, and I would think that there are outfits throughout the country doing this. Generally, they use double or triple walled cardboard for the crating. It is sort of honeycombed inside. The stuff is quite strong, and somewhat resilient as well. I'm sure that they would be open in allowing you to design your own container. I have a comapny like this near me. Most of what they pack is delicate electronic stuff. After observing how they build crates, I now take advantage of the left over material that they will give me, and build my own crates. The double/triple wall cardboard is very easy to use. Scoring it on the table saw and you can bend it into boxes. A cutter knife would also work. They use large staples to hold the ends together, but I use glue with a overlap. A good way to build boxes is to have a top and bottom cap, with the walls that fit between the caps. The caps overlap the walls, and are held in place by straps. You can make a cozy bed for your bike on the inside with foam, etc. The nice thing about this thick walled cardboard is that you can glue it together with white glue, even edge glue it, and it is very sturdily held together this way. It is easy to make partitions, etc. It's easy! I thickened it up and made a pair of sawhorses out of it, with a plywood strip at the top. Check in the phonebook under crating or packing. They usually have no end of left over sheeting that they would give away, or sell cheap. I have shipped many things in these crates without suffering breakage. If you need ideas or tips, the people at these crating companies do this work on a daily basis, and are experts. If you can locate a company that specializes in packing artwork or valuable interior goods, they know all the tricks.

Dennis Young Hotaka, Japan


>
> ill second everything steven (maasland) said.
>
> however, not all airlines will let you just roll a bike on, which is
> my preferred method as well - though last year, when i flew sf >
> boston on my to europe, on continental, they told me they would have
> let me just roll my bike on! i was quite surprised.
>
> if you do roll your bike on, remove your pedals - not for any
> damage-related reason, but to keep baggage handlers from riding your
> bike :)
>
> if youre trying to pack your bike for *maximum* protection, though, i
> dont think id opt for a hardshell case - ive become increasingly
> distrustful of these, as over the past 10 years, seeing hundreds of
> foreign messengers arrive at the messenger worlds each year, i see
> more damaged bikes come out of hardshell cases than anything else.
>
> if a soft case, bag or loose bike makes you fear for your bike too
> much, i would really take into consideration building your own crate
> out of the sturdiest cardboard you can purchase (even if that means
> double-layering), and a frame of 2" x 2" wood members, padded
> internally with foam as needed. a few people have shown up at the
> messenger worlds with cases built like this, and while a bit on the
> heavy side, the bikes inside have bee pristine upon arrival. the main
> thing is to brace the largest surfaces - the weak point of a bike
> box, whether cardboard or hardshell case, is the big flat side with
> no internal bracing - this is where the weight of other luggage will
> crush the box and your bike. this is what i would do if shipping a
> valuable vintage bike to a show or somesuch, personally... make my
> own crate so the only person id have to blame would be myself :)
>
> since were talking about this stuff, i may as well pull a shameless
> plug/request for more data - ive got a page ive been haphazardly
> working on for a few years at http://www.blackbirdsf.org/bikefly.html
> - which, while largely focussed on getting your bike on a us > europe
> flight for cheap, i want to be a more useful resource... if anyone
> has any data they can add, im looking for:
>
> the airline flown
> direction of flight (ie us > europe, us west coast > us east coast, etc)
> year of flight
> how the bike was packed
> what charges were levied, if any

>

> thanks!

>

> -joel

> --