Bad News Bow Shipping

[jcar315]

Bjorn, Say it ain't so!!! That "wrap job" is unbelievable. What was your first reaction when you pulled up and saw THAT!?

[DEATHMASTER]

I just got a Predator that came in the best cardboard  box with foam cut outs for each piece. Plus there was a foam top and bottominside also.
I do not know if this is how all Predators are shipped but I was VERY impresseed with it.

[Bowwild]

The flimsiest shipping I've encountered was for a new Bear TD Supreme, box in a box with plastic, not bubble wrap sleeves. It was in perfect condition, thank goodness. I sold a one-piece 62" recurve recently and sent it to Homer, Alaska. I couldn't find any carpet tubes large enough and I had 4.5 inch one--too much recurve. PVC big enough was extremely heavy. I settled for two gun boxes, reinforced cardboard, bubble wrapped bow entire length and double on limb ends. I stuffed paper on both sides to keep the bow from moving. I put foam pads on the bottom and the top. Lots of tape. The bow cost $47 to ship (I only charged $25 (ouch). Bow arrived in perfect condition.  I received a try-out 1-piece from a terrific fellow (Oak Rose) packed in rectangular cardboard and bubble wrapped with paper wads on ends. The bow arrived perfect, I returned in the same packaging and it was perfect. I was a bit nervous about shipping it this way because the box wasn't very heavy. I'll receive another this way from him in November and one in mid-December (yeah I went on a buying binge last week). I'm hoping for the same luck because I'd hate to start the 8-month build clock going again.

[Rob DiStefano]

i've used cardboard carpet tubes, they work fine.  pvc is lighter and easier for me to work with.

[Keefer]

Rob'
  I had a longbow in a heavy cardboard tube that looked like someone hit it with a pick up truck and as my mail lady handed me the carpet role she said "Good thing it's insured "! I took pics before I opened it and thank "God" the bow was perfect...Looking at the tube I thought it would be severed right in the middle! A fella I know who fly's for "Overnight; told me even the P.v.c. tubes get jammed up on the conveyer belts as they are loaded on the containers sometimes but the P.v.c. tubes are a safer bet...

[Rob DiStefano]

from impractical to gambling, here are most material options for shipping out all stickbows - you pick the one you think will work best ...

1. steel pipe (hah!)
2. schedule 40 pvc
3. drain pipe lightweight pvc
4. heavy cardboard carpet tube
5. light cardboard carpet tube
6. triangular cardboard box
7. rectangular cardboard box

though i'm not at all adverse to using heavy carpet roll tubes, from several practical standpoints, it's easiest and best for me to use pvc tubes for all stickbow shipping, insured and confirmed.  

y'all choose wisely.

[Tim Finley]

If you do have to put in a claim good luck I had one smashed and it was insured , they took the bow and the box and I got nothing not even the bow back ,that was from the USPS I had 8 bows damaged in a pvc pipe by UPS and they paid.....Tim

[Michael Arnette]

I have had worse!

[Al Kidner]

Wow.... although I think the Hindu Kush will eat anything sent via USPS!

[Hit-or-Miss]

I received a longbow from a seller on that large auction site awhile ago...

   Shipped in a large, heavy duty cardbord tube, bubble wrapped with the tube caps duct taped in place. It was obviously packed with care, but to loose in the tube and some US Postal idiot had apparently used it as SPEAR and thrown it into a truck or against a wall, HARD and the bow tip had poked through the bubble wrap, tube cap and multiple layers of duct tape. It was loose and slid back and forth in the big tube. No damage, but I was PO'd.

   I think shipping bows is a matter of luck, despite how careful it is packed or who ships. I have bought numerous other bows in recent years, and they have all arrived in perfect condition.

   PVC/bubble wrap and multiple prayers might be the best bet for shipping longbows.

[Keefer]

Rob,
  Steel pipe with two end caps on it!  

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Hit-or-Miss:
I received a Ben Pearson longbow from a seller on that large auction site awhile ago...

   Shipped in a large, heavy duty cardbord tube, bubble wrapped with the tube caps duct taped in place. It was obviously packed with care, but some US Postal idiot had apparently used it as SPEAR and thrown it into a truck or against a wall, HARD and the bow tip had poked through the bubble wrap, tube cap and multiple layers of duct tape. No serious damage, just scratches to the finish.

   I think shipping bows is a matter of luck, despite how careful it is packed or who ships. I have bought numerous other bows in recent years, and they have all arrived in perfect condition.

   PVC/bubble wrap and multiple prayers might be the best bet for shipping longbows.

GOT to use sturdy end caps on all tubes - i cut and fit either 3/4" pine or 1/2" plywood, with 4 screws, both ends.  gonna be tough to poke through that, hard as those shippers might try ...........

[Mohawkbows]

The thin wall irrigation pipe that I buy at Home Depot costs $5.29 in a 10 foot length and they have a coupling on one end. I can ship 3 bows with the purchase of two tubes [$3.71each]. If you put the caps on as Rob describes the shipping container is about as strong as is possible, I have never had a damaged bow doing it this way even though they have arrived with tire marks on them. Don't know what the boxes cost but for a couple of bucks more it makes sense to me. I can ship anywhere in the lower 48 insured for a total cost of right at or slightly under $25.

[bentpole]

That's the way to do it Vince.  

[RonD]

I think your bow would have survived the road trip through Afghanistan much better than the USPS trip it made to your house.

[Tim Finley]

The pvc pipe I had damaged had plywood screwed into both ends, the pipe was totaly shatered when it arrive. My brother flew freight for Fed X and he said some of the conveyors at the depots were suspened and when packages came to the end had quite a drop....Tim

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Tim Finley:
The pvc pipe I had damaged had plywood screwed into both ends, the pipe was totaly shatered when it arrive. My brother flew freight for Fed X and he said some of the conveyors at the depots were suspened and when packages came to the end had quite a drop....Tim

well tim, then ya did the very best ya could and thank goodness for insurance ... um, if the bow was damaged, you did have it fully insured, right?

[SteveB]

Originally posted by Mohawkbows:
The thin wall irrigation pipe that I buy at Home Depot costs $5.29 in a 10 foot length and they have a coupling on one end. I can ship 3 bows with the purchase of two tubes [$3.71each]. If you put the caps on as Rob describes the shipping container is about as strong as is possible, I have never had a damaged bow doing it this way even though they have arrived with tire marks on them. Don't know what the boxes cost but for a couple of bucks more it makes sense to me. I can ship anywhere in the lower 48 insured for a total cost of right at or slightly under $25.

Does that include insurance?

[Bowwild]

I recently received from Rose Oak Creations a one-piece in a rectangular, custom cardboard box. It arrived perfect and I returned it (it was a "try-out" bow)in the same box also perfect. I also received a new Blacktail Elite VL on Wednesday in the same type of box ($19.95 shipping USPS) and it also arrived perfectly -- bubble wrapped inside. I sold a one-piece 62" to a fellow in Homer, Alaska about 30 days ago.  I made a box from two gun boxes (cardboard). I shipped it $47 and it arrived in perfect condition. I have no doubt that some have had bad experiences and I insured all these bows. The cardboard tubes I found (carpet store) were only 4 and 4.5 inches in diameter -- neither were wide enough for the recurves I shipped. I couldn't find anything so took a chance on the boxes. I doubt I'll be shipping many one-piece bows so maybe I've dodged a bullet.

[Craig]

Could have been Fed Ex that damaged your bows or the airlines. The USPS uses both for shipping. Might not have been a US Postal idiot like someone posted. Things happen and It does hurt when it happens to that person. I would also be mad. Make sure it is insured for more then it is worth so you get something extra for the stress. The guy that did not get paid for his lost through the USPS must have done something wrong. They will aways pay out a claim if you filled out the paper work correctly. Might take a few months,but you will get paid. Always send it priority less chance for loss or damage. Another thing you don't need delivery conformation if it is insured. The Person has to sign for it if it is insured and will show when he or she signed for it.