Best Way to Ship a Bow - Private Purchase

[LA Trapper]

What is the best method to ship a bow for a private purchase.  

UPS
USPS
 
What about packing and such?

What about the shipping container?

What about insurance?

I hear so many horror stories out there that I want to use your experience.  

Coach Jones and I have a deal cooked up and I want it to go smoothly.

Thanks;

Billy

[Steelhead]

I prefer USPS 2 day priority,with insurance for the value and make sure to get delivery confirmation/tracking.
Pad the bow well with bubble wrap of something else.double pad the tips and stuff end of box to avoid crushing.

Longbow are best shipped in a PVC tube or drainage tube.I sometimes go to the carpet dealer and use the hard cardboard tubes the carpert is rolled around.They are often in the dumpster and free ofcourse.Bring a box cutter and cut slightly longer than the bow so you can pad the ends of tube.

[Robhood23]

x2 what Steelhead said except I stopped doing delivery confirmation because when you put insurance on it they have to sign for it anyways so it is kind defeating the purpose of the confirmation.

[Goshawkin]

Originally posted by Steelhead:
I prefer USPS 2 day priority,with insurance for the value and make sure to get delivery confirmation/tracking.
Pad the bow well with bubble wrap of something else.double pad the tips and stuff end of box to avoid crushing.

Longbow are best shipped in a PVC tube or drainage tube.I sometimes go to the carpet dealer and use the hard cardboard tubes the carpert is rolled around.They are often in the dumpster and free ofcourse.Bring a box cutter and cut slightly longer than the bow so you can pad the ends of tube.

Same here,but I wrap the limb tips in leather as well. Make sure the bow is packed tight enough in the tube that it can't move at all.Shake the tube hard after it's packed. If you can hear or feel the bow move you'd better repack it.

[buckracks7]

I would not ship one without delivery confirmation. It is cheap, and both parties can check to see where it is, and when it should be delivered. It's well worth the piece of mind.

[Marc B.]

X3 on what Steelhead said. Always forward the buyer the tracking info. It gives both parties piece of mind.

Here are the plans for a recurve shipping box. I've bought bows from Jack and this box works great.
 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000125

[Tom Leemans]

I go so far as tp put tamper tape on the ends of my PVC tubes. Don't use the thin stuff. They'll bend it!

[Bill Turner]

Bow length and type is important to consider. Straight limb longbows are easy. Just follow the directions above. I personally prefer USPS Priority mail and PVC/carpet tubes. Recurves, or for that matter reflex/deflex long bows, can be a pain, because of the bend in the limbs. It is differcult and costly to find/ship the larger tubes needed to fit these bows. The large triagle(3 sided) boxes offered by the postal service can be taped together and customised to fit. Two of these large boxes,a roll of good heavy duty packing tape, packageing material(bubble wrap) and cardboard to cover the end tips should do the job. Pack the bow well, let the recipient know its on its way, insure for value, provide tracking numbers, and ask the recipient to notify you upon satifactory or unsatisfactory receipt. Last but not least keep all your receipts from shipping. It will be up to you,the shipper,to handle any damage or loss claims. I've been fortunate. I've never had to deal with a loss or damage claim, but my bud has had that misfortune. Rest assured it is not fun for anyone involved. Protect your bow, and therefore your butt, to the best of your ability,and you should be AOK when shipping. Good luck.  

[nineworlds9]

thick carpet tubes or pvc.  if its packed well and insured its ok to send parcel post to save money, sometimes those oversize 'surcharges' can add up to alot.  I shipped a 68" bow yesterday priority that cost $31 when all was said and done.  Seems like a lot of buyers don't understand 'tyd' pricing.  Personally, when I buy I try to factor what it will cost them to ship it and at least make a reasonable offer on their 'tyd' price based on what I know they will pay to ship.  Also, save the tubes from bows you get in the mail, you know you will ship something out later you decide to part with!!  

[fishone]

Do exactly as Steelhead states!!!!! On some recurves you cannot use a PVC pipe, so you will probably be forced to ship in a box. You can put styrofoam(s) in the box to reinforce it. "Over pack" the bow to be on the safe side. It is amazing what the Post Office can do to a shipping container. They have destroyed 3 bows for me but at least they have paid the insured amount.

[LA Trapper]

Sounds like some good experience.

Billy

[tzolk]

What they said above. Insurance, confirmation and for a longbow, I always go to Home Depot and get the 10ft  4" diameter white Pvc drainage tube, the one with the black Teflon like interior but without the holes in the side. Also the 4" pvc flat  caps they sell. Cut it to length, wrap the pointy parts in bubble wrap and cap the ends. That type of tube is light and has enough flex do that it won't shatter when stressed.

Always put a copy of the recipients address inside the tube attached to the bow just in case.

[darin putman]

For straight limbed or slight rd longbows I bubble wrap bow, get cheap green sewer pipe from lowes cheaper and lighter than pvc but plenty strong.I use ends of plastic cups from dollar store cut off slit down the side and placed inside ends of pipe, then use good tape duct tape or good packaging tape to secure. I've had bow delivered before with tip sticking out of cardboard box and hate to take a chance. Have sent and received a few and this system seems most protective with either shipper. You can even slide a few arrows in tube from one or both sides if you choose to send something extra with bow!!!

[Tim Finley]

Never ever ship in a tube, pvc or carpet if you do you will have the best chance for a broken bow. Some of the conveyors are 3 or more stories high and the tube will roll off or roll and get caught in the conveyor itself . A tube does not stack . There are over a million parcels a day shipped by some of these carriers . A cardbord box, bubble wrapped and securely taped is better a plywood box it the best. Use Insurance and confirmation delivery and I have found priority mail the best. I ship bows every week and the only troble Ive had is with tubes...Tim

[LA Trapper]

Wow Tim, thanks for the heads up.  This time of year the number of packages increase and they hire lots of temporary help.

Good advice.

[Bjorn]

The employees grumble about tubes.......they are round and always falling off conveyer belts. I figure a pissed postie is not a good thing. Cardboard and bubble wrap is fine. Insure and delivery confirmation. Priority post works for me.

[30coupe]

For hybrids and one piece recurves, I make a shipping box of 1" stock and masonite. I use pipe insulation and tape to protect the tips and to keep the limbs from rubbing. Like this:

 

Then pack it like this.

 

Screw the top and bottom on:

 

And tape the joints:

 

Overkill? Probably, but I have yet to have one damaged. Oh, and I mark it FRAGILE on every side in red.

Longbows go in PVC/carpet tubes as others have said. Three piece can usually be shipped in cardboard boxes, well padded.

USPS priority mail, insured with a tracking number. Signature confirmation is included when you insure the bow. If you have a way of weighing the package, measure it as well and order the postage online. It saves you money and time. Just print it out, tape it to the box (no tape over the UPC), and either request pickup (free) or drop it at the P.O. (what I always do).

Still, shipping is scary. If you do the best packing job you can, at least you know you tried.

[wapitirod]

I don't have much to add on packaging but as a custom gunsmith I ship alot of firearms and I strictly use USPS Priority.  I've had way too many issues with ups to even consider them for anything except hazmat shipments which technically you have to be certified to even do that now but I still ship custom loaded ammo to customers via ups ground.

[yaderehey]

I don't think signature confirmation is a given with an insured package.  I get insured packages all the time that are just dropped off on the front steps.  I believe they start getting signatures when the insurance value is $500 or greater.  I both insure and get delivery confirmation for that reason.

[LA Trapper]

Thanks guys