CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

scottap · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 177 Location: Palo Alto, CA

I have several projectors that I'm planning to part out. Most of the tubes are in great shape and should have value, but I'm nervous about how to ship them. Does anyone have advice on how best to pack them and any other dos and dont's when shipping tubes? Thanks.

Tim in Phoenix · Joined: 21 Oct 2006 Posts: 4409 Location: Phoenix

Sure Do

First, wrap the tube in a sufficiently large plastic bag to protect the face.

Projection CRTs are heavy at the tube face and frail along the neck. Get boxes at least five inches longer than the tubes and taller/wider to allow 2-3 inches of bubblewrap or foam sheet. The best trick to protect the neck is a very heavy cardboard tube from the tube bell to an inch past the neck end, so if dropped on end in transit, the tube takes the shock to the bell. This is easier done if the yokes are removed.

BradTheAggie · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 651 Location: Oak Point, Texas

When I had to ship tubes, I bought some sonotube at Home Depot (it's the stuff they use to cast concrete pilings). Bubble wrapped the tubes, put them in the trimmed length of sonotube, and cut styrofoam caps for the ends. Put the whole thing in a box, lots of padding around everything, and it worked fine...

km987654 · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:19 am Post subject:

I live on the other side of the world and had tubes transported, well that far, many times. Tim in Pheonix has the right Idea.

scottap · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 177 Location: Palo Alto, CA

Thanks to all. In general is it better to strip it down to bare tube or leave the magnetics, etc. if space allows?

km987654 · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:48 am Post subject:

Leave it all together

KM987654

cmjohnson · Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 5180 Location: Buried under G90s

I disagree. If the tube is dropped while in the box, the additional mass of the magnetics MIGHT apply enough lateral force to crack off
the neck of the tube. It would be better to ship the magnetics in an entirely separate container.

I have been fortunate enough to be able to ship tubes in original boxes that were specifically made to ship tubes. And the way it's
done is dead simple: Foam-in-place packaging in a generously sized box, about 10x10x22 or so. Of course, not everyone has
foam-in-place capability, but if you can get it, you can trust it.

If using foam rubber to make your own packing, it's best to use a heavier, stiffer grade of foam to cradle the bell end of the tube
and a lighter, spongier foam to support the neck. Additional neck support with a length of cardboard tube that's a good inch or more
longer than the neck, to protect the pins, is always a good idea.

Simply dropping the tube into a box full of packing peanuts pretty much guarantees the tube will break before it's delivered. Don't
try shipping it that way, please.

CJ

deronmoped · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1154 Location: San Diego

Ever been to a shipping place or watched guys loading your luggage onto the airplane. They throw the stuff.

I would always use lots of foam around the tubes and then double box with foam between the boxes. I write Fragile all over the box, not sure if that helps.

Deron.

JustGreg · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 3098 Location: Kenosha, WI

Foam in place or cushioning foam can be found in alot of professional packing/shipping retail businesses. (on the line of Boxes Etc before UPS bought them).
If you want to go right to a source for it, try

http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_7708.asp?desc=Instapak%26trade%3B+Quick%2DRoom+Temperature

I'm not sure of their min quantities but it's the absolute best way to ship sensitive items IMO.

Greg