Shipping Bows-Lets Pack Them Right

[fishone]

Come on guys, lets package these bows right so they are not damaged when the buyer receives them. I just received a longbow that was packed in a thin trianglar cardboard box. The bow was just put inside the box without the tips wrapped, the bow wrapped and no packaging in the box. I paid a fair price for this bow! The tip of the longbow was thru the cardboard with a dent on the end. The box was open in the middle where the seller tried to splice it together. I am extremely lucky the bow was not damaged more. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO PACKAGE/SHIP THESE BOWS CORRECTLY. The Post Office, UPS and Fed X don't give a crap about anything. You owe it to the buyer to take time to package them for the worse case situation and they still might get damage!
Sorry but I had to vent!!!!

[TSP]

I don't blame you for venting, fish.  I generally ask the seller to pack the bow carefully...just as a gentle reminder.  And I always overpad mine when shipping to a buyer.  Just as there's nothing like getting a new-to-you bow, there's also nothing quite like buying one and having it arrive packed like it was destined for the trash can.    

[Bert Frelink]

I spend about $20.00 Can for a pvc tube and pad the end plugs with etafoam.
I have shipped bows to Europe and the USA without anything ever happening to any of them, yes it costs me a little but better save than sorry, I put too much of myself into these bows to have them wrecked during shipping.
Just my 2.
Regards, Bert

[fishone]

OK you guys that are selling bows, pay attention to "Bowchef" and Bert Frelink's reply's on how to pack and ship a bow. They make, sell and ship bows. When I ship a bow I have sold, it normally takes 30 minutes for me to wrap the tips, wrap the rest of the bow, put filler in the box or tube and double tape it shut. Knock on wood, I have never had a bow damaged (I know I'm lucky) or have the buyer complain that it was not packaged properly.

[dachba]

The Priority Mail triangular boxes are one of the best ways of shipping a bow (mainly a longbow since recurves tend not to fit).  The key is to suspend the bow in the box.  I wrap the whole bow in plastic, then wrap the riser area in a thick layer of bubble wrap that makes it very hard to get the bow in the box (I insert the bow in the bottom box before inserting the top box over the bottom.  I also over pack the tips using leather or similiar material to make sure there is no possibility of the bow spearing through the box (I have had to repair two bows because a seller didn't pay attention to this-one of the bows was packed in a PVC pipe but still drilled through the end).  If you do it right, nothing gets damaged unless someone drives a forklift over it.  I have shipped close to 70 bows with no damage using these techniques.

Dave in Ft. Collins, CO

[Apex Predator]

I cringe every time I receive a bow packaged in the triangular Priority boxes!  They are all bent at the joint in the very least.  Most have rents and tears in them.  I think it's a miracle more bows are not damaged in them.  Find a heavier gauge cardboard if you must use a box.  If you are shipping a longbow use a carpet tube or PVC.  Sorry, I just had to disagree on this one.

[Illuminated Archer]

Carpet tubes are the BEST! You can get them for free at carpet warehouses. They just throw them away. Its a thickwalled cardboard tube.

[jacobsladder]

im sure the triangular priority work some of the time...but the only bow ive ever recieved in one never got to me..just a torn peice of the package that stated contents missing...so i fealt terrible when i had to tell the sender to make a claim for a missing bow... i think the heavy cardboard tubing and pvc is the only way to go... I personally would never send a bow in the triangular boxes and feel that all of these bows(especially the ends) should be ultra packed so that there is no bow movement in the box... i also ask folks sending them to insure and make sure they keep the reciept... because the post office really doesnt care and someone still has my missing dwyer...fortunatley the sender was a longtime tradganger and did more than hold up his end of the deal.

[LBR]

Properly wrap the bow and use enough tape, the triangular boxes will work.  I use shipping tape on boxes, duct tape or even better the Gorilla brand duct tape to seal off carpet tubes.  I have used the triangular boxes in the past with no damage.

Newspaper is cheap, and works great to wrap the bow and fill in the gaps.  Be sure to put extra on the tips, and make sure they won't push through.  Again, used enough paper and use enough tape!  A dollar or two worth of tape may save a lot of damage from happening.  Cheap masking tape is fine for securing the newspaper.

I always insure every bow, and only ship via the USPS.  Several hundred bows shipped all over the country and all over the world, and to date none have been damaged.  Sometimes the package looks rough, but the bow inside has been fine.

Chad

[Ontario Longbow]

I bought a bow from Fishone two years ago. It came in a white PVC tube with no problems. I wish all longbow where shipped that way new or used. I would gladly pay extra for that kind of piece of mind. I also have recieved a munched up cardbord tube with a damaged bow,,Frank

[Inhimwelive]

I use the triangle boxes also.. I cut off one end then lay them out and I actually glue the two boxes together with titebond... I wrap the tips of the bow and make sure there is plenty of packing in the bottoms..I have never had a problem with this method.. I had one guy crush a piece of cardboard around a bow and then just tape it up.. I was amazed it was ok because it traveled a long ways...

[formerbutcher]

I would pack it like you where shipping to you'r self.

I work in the shipping industry and it's amazing what people will bring into have shipped and say just put a fragile sticker on it    i'll tell you they don't read fragile worse yet you get a disgruntled worker and they will take it out on the fragile sticker.

You can never have enough padding on you'r shipments.

[Redfeathers]

What Illuminated Archer said!!!

[AR Newbie]

I just received my bow from Gordy today and I would have to say he did it just right! I was very pleased to see the tips as well as the rest of the bow covered and protected. Hats off to him.

[Mike Byrge@home]

There's a box business in town that sells firearm boxes for a bout $2 a piece.  I can mail a 60" or under one-piece recurve in a single box and I use two boxes "slid" together for longer bows.  These are very sturdy boxes and would have to be really mishandled to damage the contents.

For straight or mild d/r bows I use PVC.  I've tried to get carpet tubes but like Bowchef mentioned, I've yet to find them for free and I can buy a piece ov PVC for about the same.

[Oregon Bill]

So what packaging do you folks use to ship recurves?

[Burnsie]

I probably go overboard when I ship a bow, but I don't want to deal with the hassle of making a claim or dealing with a upset buyer. I use PVC for long bows, but a 1 piece recurve usually turns into a 2 hour woodworking project for me. I build a small crate and totally fill the inside with bubble wrap.  I would probably change my ways if I was shipping more than a couple bows a years though. Too time consuming.
Burnsie

[Steelhead]

Burnsies probably got it right for a 1 piece curve.I usually (double box) mine though in carboard and pad appropriatly.

[Oregon Bill]

Steelhead: Where do you get appropriate boxes for double boxing a recurve?