shipping question

[dtomasch]

Not exactly ww related, but here it is. My BIL is getting married this fall and I would like to make a matcjing set of bed side tables like this http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=8610&cat=500&ppuser=1000 for he and his bride. The trouble is getting them to Boulder CO. Has anybody shipped anything like this, is it safe (yeah, I know, inurance, but I really want these to arrive in one piece), can I get them on an airplane for an extra charge (even though i cant even take shampoo:rolf: ).. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance

 

[DaveO]

I have never shipped something that large, but I have shipped quite a few items. After my first shipping experience where I packed the item myself (I sure could do it better than someone who didn't care about the item :roll: :eusa_doh: ) and it arrived broken. I have had a shipping store do all my packaging. My down fall on the first item, I found out later, was the box was over sized and had a heavy end (unevenly loaded). I haven't had any issues since paying someone to do the packaging.

I think that in your case you should make a plywood box, that isn't much larger than the table(s). Pad each corner with some cardboard, wrap the legs and top in brown paper, and then take it to a packaging place and have them fill it with the packing peanuts for padding. 1/2" ply shouldn't add too much weight. And insure it, the money won't replace it if they are damaged, but money does make one feel better, and would allow you to buy more wood to make another, and possibly a new tool if you insure it well enough.
Dave