Fossil Foilist Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 What is the best way to package and ship echs, teeth, coral, etc. Fossil Foilist -----)---------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecable Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 What is the best way to package and ship echs, teeth, coral, etc. Having shipped more than a few collectible books, which can be as fragile, or even more so than most fossils, I'll chime in. Start with a box. Not a bubble envelope. A box. Since priority flat rate boxes don't really have a weight limit, they are probably the best bet. Leave no rattle room. Paper, Styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap--whatever it takes. Tape all seams. Pay for tracking and insurance. But don't bomb-proof the package to the extent that the recipient will damage the fossil extracting it from your packaging matrix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vertman Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I would first put each specimen in a specimen bag along with a good label. Then I would individually bubble-wrap each specimen bag. Depending on the size of the wrapped specimens, I would then get a US Postal Service priority mail box. They are usually in the lobby of the post office. They come in several sizes. For the things you mentioned a small box would probably do. The postal service lets you fit everything you can in these boxes for the same shipping charge. They don't charge these boxes by weight. These boxes can be used to ship within the U.S. or internationally, although the international shipping costs more. I am sure there are other ways to do it, but this is how I have done it the few times I have mailed specimens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 For something really fragile, package it, well cushioned, in a sturdy box twice as big as it is, then pack that box, well cushioned, in another sturdy box twice as big as it is. Include both the recipient's and your own address inside the second box, in case the outer label is obliterated. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I used to have to pack fecal coliform samples for shipment (human poo from a wastewater plant), now that is something you don't want leaking or breaking. Take your specimen and wrap it loosely in tissue paper. Then find something hard-sided and just a bit bigger then the object. Plastic or carboard boxes come in all sizes, the key is to find it only slightly bigger. Place the object to be shipped with enough tissue paper around it to fit snugly into the hard sided container, not tight, but no wiggle room. Then wrap the hard container in sufficient bubble wrap, and place that in the final shipping container. A shipping container just big enough to hold the bubble wrapped container is optimal, otherwise take up the space with ghost poo (packing peanuts), styrofoam are better because they don't melt in water. Label the outside of the container with a sharpie, and then cover it with box tape, which makes it water-proof. Then wrap each seam of the shipping container with box tape, with additional tape going through the middle in all orientations. Never had a leaker or broken container. Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil Foilist Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Thanks Fossil Foilist -----)---------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xonenine Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 two stories of how not to ship - I collect bottles, so I jumped at the chance to buy a lot of 30 miniatures.They were nice as heck, and I won! The woman shipped them by placing all 30 bottles in one plastic baggie, then placed that baggie in a plain manilla envelope. When I recieved them all but 6 were broken, and the unbroken ones had melted from the alcohol. Another very exciting win was a cushion cut 8 carat amythest, which the seller mailed in a plain white envelope.I recieved the empty envelope w a small cut in the corner, and a very nice impression of the stone left in the paper. Above all, I'd say everything belongs in boxes, and without alot of space to move around... "Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile." Lepidus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Andy- Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I would first put each specimen in a specimen bag along with a good label. Then I would individually bubble-wrap each specimen bag. Depending on the size of the wrapped specimens, I would then get a US Postal Service priority mail box. They are usually in the lobby of the post office. They come in several sizes. For the things you mentioned a small box would probably do. The postal service lets you fit everything you can in these boxes for the same shipping charge. They don't charge these boxes by weight. These boxes can be used to ship within the U.S. or internationally, although the international shipping costs more. I am sure there are other ways to do it, but this is how I have done it the few times I have mailed specimens. I often purchase fossils online, and your method is one of the best I 've seen. Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vertman Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I often purchase fossils online, and your method is one of the best I 've seen. Wow, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-dog Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 If you want them to get there safe.Bubble wrap them,and put them in a box of shipping peanuts then seal the box.Placce the box in the trunk of your car........Sorry no luck in shipping fossils no matter how careful you are! Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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