Well, I have good news, and bad news.

Well, I have good news, and bad news. Which do you want first?

OK, the good news is that the second motor that I sent to Dave at Great Lakes Waterjet got there today, after 10 days.

The bad news is that it is in worse shape than the first one he recieved.

Because most of you do ship items to customers I am offering this:

1. I advise all of you when shipping to conduct your business in writing.
PMs or e-mail will be just fine. Print out a copy of all
commuinacations. Keep the copies.
2. Ask your customer, "How do you want it shipped?"
3. Do you want it insured?
4. Do you want tracking?
5. Advise them that all items are pre-paid before shipment and
6. All items are shipped FOB the shipper. This means that when you
deposit the item at the shipper your responsibility ends. It is theirs
from that point on.


I notice that all companies that I do business have these stipulations in their paperwork so we are not being over bearing or unfair when we make these stipulations of our customers. Just doing business the way the big boys do it, and they can afford the losses a whole lot better than we can.

That's good advise, Wayne.

It's a shame we have to do business in this manner just because other people won't do their job. Accidents are understandable but what happened to you was pure negligence.

Larry

Agreed. USPS tossed these motors around like rag dolls. I had to remove the fan covers just to get them to turn. Had to remake one switch plate. I ordered a third motor from Wayne and it is shipped by Priority Mail. We will see the difference in a couple of days. I bet this next one is perfect. They just don't care about a Parcel Post package.

Good advice Wayne,
I personally ship everything Priority mail and if its worth anything I always insure.

More good news. The 3rd motor showed up today only 3 days from being ordered. It's in perfect shape. Thats what you get when you ship priority mail and not parcel post. I rest my case.cool 1

GLWJ/CK said:

Agreed. USPS tossed these motors around like rag dolls. I had to remove the fan covers just to get them to turn. Had to remake one switch plate. I ordered a third motor from Wayne and it is shipped by Priority Mail.

Click to expand...

"USPS tossed these motors around like rag dolls."
Did you really think that they wouldn't ????


It seems to indicate that the packaging is insufficient

Better crating costs time and $, but reduces losses from shipping damage.

Funny that all of the motors where packed in their original boxes with Styrofoam liners just how they came from the factory. The first 2 motors were sent Parcel Post and got beat up badly. The last motor was shipped Priority as is perfect. Coincidence???? I don't think so.

I shipped something parcel post, and the box got beat to crap, last time i will ever do that.

12345678910 said:

"USPS tossed these motors around like rag dolls."
Did you really think that they wouldn't ????


It seems to indicate that the packaging is insufficient

Better crating costs time and $, but reduces losses from shipping damage.

Click to expand...

Like Dave said, they were shipped in the original factory box with formed styrofoam all around. I guess that I could have welded up a metal box out of plate steel but they would have probably torn that up to. In my opinion this is just a case of malicious vandalism. Makes you wonder, If the Post Office is in such bad financial shape that they keep having to raise rates and now cut out Saturday delivery, maybe if they gave the service that they charge for they would have more customers and therefore more profit. Or,,,, maybe,,, they make more money on Priority Mail,,, so if your items are torn up by the cheap service you will pay more if they promise not to destroy it. Maybe its a plot.

Maybe you should have welded it in a 1/2'' thick sealed steel box encased in expandable foam, then put a 4'' thick layer of HD pink foam around the outside of the box then encased all that in another 1/2'' thick steel box, then put a pink bow on top!!!

:haha:Big Ern, you are too much! I'm gona love it when we finally get to sit down and spend some time together.
:haha:
BTW, I just noticed: is that Big Ern as in Big Ernie,,, or big Ern as in Big One?:haha:

Wayne Coe said:

:haha:Big Ern, you are too much! I'm gona love it when we finally get to sit down and spend some time together.
:haha:
BTW, I just noticed: is that Big Ern as in Big Ernie,,, or big Ern as in Big One?:haha:

Click to expand...

Yep someday you, me and a pot of coffee!! or 3!

Its funny you should ask lol

My DAD(rip) was named Ernie, Everyone that knew us called him Big Ernie
and me Little Ernie. Then when He passed away my mother said that she could now just say Ernie, she was relieved..... lol. But then she started calling me Big Ernie and even all my friends call me Big Ern. Cause everyone thinks I am BIG? I am only 6'2'' and 260 lbs........
Big Ern is only 1 of two nicknames I have ever had besides being called little Ernie For 19 years. the other is Shrek cause I look like an ogre!!

A little explanation

BTW, I just noticed: is that Big Ern as in Big Ernie,,, or big Ern as in Big One?
Last night I got to thinking that this didn't make much sense so I will elaborate.
We did not know that his name was Ernie Swanson, just "Big Ern". I saw his picture and My mind read, "Biger-'n (Bigger one). Just yesterday I saw his Pink Lunch Box and realized that it was "Big Ernie" shortened. I wonder if he intended the double meaning. Either or both fit. Now the real twist is when the "Biger-'n" starts making miniature knives.2thumbs

The difference in post office services are interesting...

Count yourselves lucky in your USPS services, especially the flat rates boxes...
We pay $.52 for a normal letter PLUS sales tax, and flat rates boxes don't exist.

I've been thinking about the original packaging...

When they are shipped from the factory, the origional boxes and packaging are only part of what is likely a shrink wrapped pallet that is handled upright by forklift as it is moved onto trucks. The individual boxes don't get that much actual handling as the pallet is moved as a whole.
When you are shipping the individual motor, it's getting slammed around like the ball in a pinball machine.

The 1/2 metal box is obviously an exaggeration, but maybe putting the origional box inside another with some 1/4 inch plywood, or some pink HD foam liners would have saved you a couple of motors then and more in the future.

That pink foam is incredible and super lightweight too.

I was thinking that a cheap tool / tackle box would be a good shipping container for something like this.

Whether you use a hard sided box or not, one other thing you could do is put your original packaged motor inside a box a few inches larger and foam it. I have not done this myself but I've seen it done so my description should get you there in only a couple of tries.

1) Get a box somewhat larger than your item.
2) Open it at both ends.
3) Stand your item on something so it will end up centered in the outside box and then set the outer box over it.
4) Cover your item with a sheet of plastic. Make a kind of bag by bringing it back up to the top of the box so the box is also protected from the foam to come..
5) Fill this half of the box with spray foam insulation and let it set.
6) Close this end of the box and flip it over.
7) Plastic over the item and back up the sides.
8) Fill the top half with the spray foam and let it set.

Your item is now inside a custom-formed hard foam shell. It will not move within that box and the foam will take a surprsing amount of abuse.

Because of the plastic sheeting the recipient will just have to pull on the plastic to lift out one half of the shell, the lift the item out of the hole.

And the Saga Continues

On Thursday, April 15th, 2010 I sent two packages to James Williams.
One was Priority Mail in a Large Flat Rate Box and weighed 30#.
The other was Parcel Post and weighed 9#.
Both were insured.
The Priority Box got to it's destination on Saturday, April 17th and James said that the box was all beat up and was in terrible condition. The contents were ok though.
The Parcel Post box got there on Monday, April 19th and was in pristine condition.
Go figure.
Now if I can just figure out how to ship these 43# motors in a 9# box I will have it made.
:duh: