Shipping Bows

[BrownA5]

Over time I have a received a number of bows in the mail in PVC tubes.  Where do you purchase these tubes?  I am not trying to spend a lot of money here.  Thanks!

[Pat B]

Lowe's, Home Depot, local hardware store.

[BowsnLabs]

Home Depot in the plumbing section.  They sell the pipe which you can saw to length and also the end caps.  You can buy diff weights and diameters.  I've also used heavy cardboard tubes...go to a rug store, one that sells nice large area rugs or carpets.  They usually have them stacked up somewhere waiting to be scraped.  You can cut these a little long and put bubble wrap in the ends and then duc tape them.  If you get the heavy ones, they are just as good as PVC.

[Echo62]

x2 on the carpet tubes. They work really well.

[BrownA5]

I appreciate the feedback here!  I had not thought about carpet tubes.  I know someone that has a carpet store.  Think I will have to make a visit!!

Appreciate the input regarding hardware stores for PVC.  I wasn't of cost, as it relates to the weight of PVC

[LongStick64]

Yes go to a carpet store and get the tubes that the rolled vinyl floors use, stiffer cardboard,

[JB]

Home Depot has a Triple wall HDPE drain pipe that is very light weight,it's not brittle in the cold like PVC . About $8 for ten foot . It's very sturdy and has worked good for me. Jim

[Paul_R]

I always chime in with this warning regarding package size on the subject of shipping bows:

If the total length + girth dimension exceeds 80" USPS charges a surcharge that will more than double your cost.

You can also stack mailing tubes (end to end) from any office supply store. Much cheaper and lighter than PVC.

[Blackhawk]

I believe the length/girth maximum to avoid the balloon charge is 84".

I've also learned round tubes can be a problem due to their ease of "rolling".  

At any rate, I know it's expensive when shipping a $500 bow across country priority mail with insurance.

[Paul_R]

Nope it's 80". Guaranteed.

Shipping a 70" x 3"dia tube cross country = $24      
Shipping a 70" x 4"dia tube cross country = $62    :(

[dnovo]

Just went thru this a while back. The balloon charge starts at 84" if you are mailing priority. If you go with regular shipping it is 108", but then you can't insure and track like priority

[BrownA5]

Again, I appreciate all the feedback.  I did get 5 tubes from the carpet store today (about 4 inches in diameter) and they are heavy!  I will have to check out the triple wall HDPE drain pipe and compare.  Thanks again!

[Clint B.]

To store and transport my longbows, I use a length of 3" dia. thin wall pvc pipe with one plain end cap and one screw in type end cap. I usually ship them with 2 plain end caps (taped on, of course. When shipping inside 4" dia. pipe, you have to be careful about the length to avoid extra charges.

[GreyGoose]

So far I've bought at least one more bow from you guys than I've sold, so I still have a suitable tube stowed in my garage just in case.