Weeping …

Today I am weeping after CollectPlus did this to my HS1.
I don’t even … I just … Wahhhh.

So, partly I guess this is a suggestion not to use them if you are sending precious and beautiful presses in the UK.

It is also a question, as I have to post out some other bits and pieces this weekend - do any of you use a courier for postng LP supplies, and who have you found to be reliable?

Also … does anyone have any natty suggestions for how I can pack a type in a wooden type tray so that the letters don’t fly everywhere? I don’t want to tape down the individual sections for fear of marking the wood.

image: brokenhs1.jpg

brokenhs1.jpg

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The secret lies in the packing of a press, I have ben sending several Adanas around Europe, but always made a wooden box. I wrapped the press with lots of bubbly plastic, fixed itto the base of the box and finally filled the whole box with polysterene. Wood type is best transported between board (UK: grey board/US: chipboard). The more items can move, the more risk there is of damage. This goes for everything that one transports!

Aaaarrgh. I cant even offer you a handle off my old HS1 its the only thing thats broken on it. If I can find another - its yours for the price of postage.
Any other HS1 bits you need let me know, they’re no good to me.
Jeremy.

If the type is in a small Adana type case wrap cling film round it

I haven’t shipped type in cases, but I’ve received some, and transported a batch. With the type I received, the cases (12-1/2” square) have been stacked, with a piece of cardboard on top, then well-wrapped with stretch wrap, basically the industrial version of the kitchen plastic wrap. Here’s a brand we can get on this side of the pond:

http://www.menards.com/main/home-decor/office-supplies/mailing-shipping-...

The stretch wrap sticks to itself, but in my experience has not stuck to wood. It’s the same stuff that big shippers wrap pallets with.

When we picked up a bunch of type in cases, we bought a roll of stretch wrap, and wrapped the cases in groups of 3-4. We didn’t use cardboard on top of each group, as I had misunderstood the size of the cases - I thought they were about 12-1/2” square, they were actually about 24” square - so the cardboard I brought wasn’t big enough. The cases were kept flat at all times, and the lack of cardboard wasn’t a problem. The stretch wrap was well worth the minor cost, it made the process pretty much worry-free.

Packing Type for transportation, wether in small Adana cases or full size Standard cases!!! same difference, give or take?… . Follows:- Length of 1/4” Foam, ex foam shop, or the Matey/Bribable Upholsterer, just around the corner, (they use it by the mile probably flame retardant but irrelevant) the foam is sat on top of the type, across the width of the case, with slight overlap and spot glued, 3 ply or hardboard sheet, atop the foam, tacked on with tiny panel pins, trimmed off, the very action of tacking down, gently pushes the foam into EVERY compartment & entombs the type, hence if it is ILL TREATED on delivery, even turned downside up, no problem,???, of course, the whole shrunk wrapped as well.… The author was performing this very operation a long time ago, BUT plagiarisied the Principle from Original Adana Methods, i.e. Small founts, were dispatched in purpose made cardboard boxes, BUT always with (what appeared to be) the fore-runner of the material now seen in *Jiffy Bag* wallets? as a cushion.
When/If one could afford an amount of display type, it invariably arrived, in purpose made, wooden case, every column/line of type interleaved with 3 or 4 sheet card, but always, with layer of soft material, next to the type, (akin to reject toilet paper) and always with the ply/hardboard top tacked down, and then double wrapped as well.???
One plus as well, (some on sight now!) the card that interleaved every line of type, was IN FACT, exactly the same, in good lengths & approximately at 3 point thickness, precisely that, incorporated in the Starter Kits, ex Adana. Freebies,? Goodwill,? Oversight,? etc.
Nobody ever complained!!!.
Dont want to use even tiny panel pins? 1/2” thick foam and 2” parcel tape instead, more than enough pressure to entomb the type.Good Luck.

I got someone to send me a cabinet with fourteen cases of good quality type to ship it from Bordeaux to Paris. The seller, a retired printer, packed all the cases very well, paper and cardboard on top of every case, well taped down etc., put the cases in the cabinet, secured every case and shipped it all. The man who delivered it to me in Paris, got a sack trolley out and moved the cabinet on it, tilted his sack trolley to get it onto the pavement (sidewalk for the Americans) and when I unpacked it, I found this. Whenever you transport with a company, there is always the risk.

image: transport.JPG

transport.JPG

The arrival of some new type is a moment of pleasure until you find that its a test of your commitment to letterpress and using monotype !!

I would never personally ship a single case full of type no matter how well it was packed. On the other hand, I moved 8 full cabinets across the country in a rental truck, and didn’t lose a single piece of type. I trust my own packing, but no one else. If you want the type to arrive safely, font it out of the case.

Paul

I have packed typecases and cabinets that have travelled across the country via truck and TRAIN!!! You can imagine the vibrations and bumps along the way.

The secret to keeping all the little type in the right compartments is that full size (or 2/3) cases have outer edges and divider strips that are HIGHER that the thinner division strips between the individual compartments. If you simply cover the whole case with something flat there will be room for small type to migrate from compartment to compartment.

So……. I have always cut corrugated cardboard to the size of the area in between the outer edges and thick dividers and taped them into position. You will probably discover that they are then FLUSH with the outer edges and dividers.

Just something to consider.

Rick

kentpterodactyl I feel for you on this one from all the stories I have read and stories I have been told about items being damaged in shipping. I work for a large IT company and have a hard enough time having extremely expensive equipment shipped to me with out it being banged around by professional shipping companies, much less vintage cast iron items.

All the equipment I have I picked up and moved my self, I have trust issues when it comes to having something I really want that is very old, and difficult to repair packed up and shipped because of an incident a long time ago. A long sad story that was really close to ending up in small claims court or a good old fashioned fight in a parking lot :)

I 2nd the cardboard on the typecase plans when moving a full cabinet. That is pretty much how I have done it and it works like a champ. The wife says I over plan our equipment moves but not one thing has ever been broken or lost yet.

Good luck on your repair/replacement. I had a pulley wheel repaired once that was broken off at the hub. It took a while to find someone willing to work on cast and he was slow but the repair job was amazing and worth every penny. The wheel was a true afterwards as before it was broken.