How To Properly Package Heavy Items!

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lilmaniac2
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Ask Me about SI Mag V4!
Ok I promised a tuturial on how to package a heavy item so here it is. I recently had a pair of Shocker Sig Motors ( 80lbs Each) shipped to me. I explained to the shipper my technique and once again it worked flawlessly.

Motors before shipment

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First thing you need to do is locate a box that is around 2-3 inches larger than the item you are packaging all the way around.

Then you stuff the bottom of that box with a layer of foam pool floats

(yes the kind like this)

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after stuffing the bottom full of noodles sit the item you are shipping in the box and fill the sides with pieces of foam.

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After that you need to put a layer of foam on top inside that box. You want this box to fit extremely tight so the foam compresses and keeps the item from moving.

Next you need to find a box that is around 4-5 inches larger than the other box all the way around. You must line the bottom of this with foam also. Then set that box inside like you sat your original item in the 1st box.

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again line the top of this box with more foam and once again u want it to be a very tight fit.

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if you have odd shapes you need to fill in these, like if your shipping a sub and the basket is much larger diameter than the motor you can fill the large voids with LARGE bubble wrap. The smaller bubbles dont do much in the way of protecting heavy items.

Another useful matieral for shipping items with a lot of 90 degree angles is insulating foam you can find at lowes. This comes by the sheet and is around 8 dollars for a 2x8' peice of foam

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i usually go by the rule 1" of foam for every 15 lbs but this is by no means perfect. remember your package should withstand a 4' drop.

here is the kinetik 2400 getting the foam treatment

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2" on each side on the inner box

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then for the outer box i used about 2 inchs of packing peanuts all the way around with cardboard spacers in there to keep the box from moving around

 
Another note on shipping large subwoofers

Fi seems to have that type of shipping down pat, but i still dont trust it 100%. They use a crate made out of 2x4s and 1/4" wood along with foam. I have never been a fan of these crates, but as long as you properly use foam and other materials to brace it should be fine.

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Your best bet when shipping is to double box and always use OEM packaging along with extra for added security.

I find good packaging to be a much better investment than insurance.

 
Heres also how DD packages there top of the line drivers, although they do weigh about 20 lbs less than RE MT's and BTLS 60lbs

notice the double thick cardboard

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How dd packages light subs

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Here is another method of shipping motors that follows the same technique, but doesnt use foam pool toys

inner box filled with 2 layers of pink insulation foam from lowes ( same as the blue )

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inner box inside of outer box with 2 layers on all sides

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top layers

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outer box

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DHL is around 40-50 bucks coast to coast

Fedex is 70-80

UPS surcharges based on size of box, but is close to 80-90

anything over 70lbs with anyone other than DHL gets a surcharge.

 
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Never use packing penuts with the box that holds the motor tho, the can get in the gap and be a complete pain in the ass to clean out.

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and we are done

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and i dont want to hear pool noodles are to expensive

biglots ftmfw

 
I shipped my RE SX to a member on the board by simply using some scrap wood left from my box build. He was VERY happy about the packaging when he received the sub.
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IMHO never pack anything in a crate like that. My first heavy sub i shipped in a crate and boy was that a big mistake.

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Corey

 
For those of you who can't find those pool floating thingies at walmart in the winter, i was browsing there and found an alternative.

Those foam pads you put under sleeping bags. Sorry I dont' have a pic of the packaging but I have pics of the sub packed up. It was like $6 and more than enough to pack a 12.

Pics (double boxed in first pic, inner box completely enclosed in foam + additional foam from original packing):

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can this method also be used to ship kinetik batts ?. also should I double box the batts also ?.thanks for the help...

Aloha
Yes i used the foam sheeting from lowes to ship mine before, double layer inside first box, 2nd box full of peanuts worked fine

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Some of my packing.. Any tips.. I think this sub was a dc lv4 15" being packed up
I would suggest maybe taking a thin sheet of handy board or particle board, very cheap, and cut it the same dimension as the inside of the box like i did mine here:

even made handles out of an old extension chord to pull this heavy bish out! lol package weighed in at 80lbs btw //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif

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added more packing stuff before closing it up but forgot to take a pic...

and double boxed (home depot boxes~0.96cents a piece I think)

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hopefully it gets to its destination safe! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 
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lilmaniac2

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