Shipping Boxes - How?
03-24-2005, 02:31 PM
#1
Shipping Boxes - How?
I live in a very isolated area of Alaska and I am accumulating quite a fleet of aircraft as I build to relieve boredom over the winter.
I plan on moving back down to the lower 48 in a couple of years and I have to start figureing out how to ship the completed models. They are too big for US mail so i will have to send them out via Air Freight.
I'm thinking of building a few coffin sized boxes, one big enough for two or more fuselages and one for 5 or 6 sets of wings. I figure I can start shipping them down with about a year to go, unpack them when I go home on visits and send the empty boxes back. Since they have to survive multiple trips, I need a good compromise between weight and durability.
Anybody have some hints on what to build these boxes out of? I'm thinking firring strips and wall paneling with styrofoam beds. I want to keep the weight down as low as I can. I once had a plane built for me and the guy had the box filled with a foaming substance...anybody have a clue where I can get some of that?
Show me your boxes, guys and gals!
Don
I plan on moving back down to the lower 48 in a couple of years and I have to start figureing out how to ship the completed models. They are too big for US mail so i will have to send them out via Air Freight.
I'm thinking of building a few coffin sized boxes, one big enough for two or more fuselages and one for 5 or 6 sets of wings. I figure I can start shipping them down with about a year to go, unpack them when I go home on visits and send the empty boxes back. Since they have to survive multiple trips, I need a good compromise between weight and durability.
Anybody have some hints on what to build these boxes out of? I'm thinking firring strips and wall paneling with styrofoam beds. I want to keep the weight down as low as I can. I once had a plane built for me and the guy had the box filled with a foaming substance...anybody have a clue where I can get some of that?
Show me your boxes, guys and gals!
Don
03-24-2005, 04:59 PM
#2
RE: Shipping Boxes - How?
All the crates for planes I have seen were made with 1/4" plywood and (depending on the size of the crate) usually 1x1 or 2x2 along the seams to put screws into. The fuselage were supported by 2" thick sheets of pink or blue styrofoam (insulation) cut to fit between the sides of the crate and cut out to fit the fuselage and wings.
You may want to check Greyhound/Trailways bus on their rates. In the lower 48 that is usually the cheapest way to ship large,bulky items. You will have to deliver it to the bus station and pick up at the bus station though
You may want to check Greyhound/Trailways bus on their rates. In the lower 48 that is usually the cheapest way to ship large,bulky items. You will have to deliver it to the bus station and pick up at the bus station though
03-24-2005, 11:42 PM
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RE: Shipping Boxes - How?
ORIGINAL: hattend
I live in a very isolated area of Alaska and I am accumulating quite a fleet of aircraft as I build to relieve boredom over the winter.
I plan on moving back down to the lower 48 in a couple of years and I have to start figureing out how to ship the completed models. They are too big for US mail so i will have to send them out via Air Freight.
I'm thinking of building a few coffin sized boxes, one big enough for two or more fuselages and one for 5 or 6 sets of wings. I figure I can start shipping them down with about a year to go, unpack them when I go home on visits and send the empty boxes back. Since they have to survive multiple trips, I need a good compromise between weight and durability.
Anybody have some hints on what to build these boxes out of? I'm thinking firring strips and wall paneling with styrofoam beds. I want to keep the weight down as low as I can. I once had a plane built for me and the guy had the box filled with a foaming substance...anybody have a clue where I can get some of that?
Show me your boxes, guys and gals!
Don
I live in a very isolated area of Alaska and I am accumulating quite a fleet of aircraft as I build to relieve boredom over the winter.
I plan on moving back down to the lower 48 in a couple of years and I have to start figureing out how to ship the completed models. They are too big for US mail so i will have to send them out via Air Freight.
I'm thinking of building a few coffin sized boxes, one big enough for two or more fuselages and one for 5 or 6 sets of wings. I figure I can start shipping them down with about a year to go, unpack them when I go home on visits and send the empty boxes back. Since they have to survive multiple trips, I need a good compromise between weight and durability.
Anybody have some hints on what to build these boxes out of? I'm thinking firring strips and wall paneling with styrofoam beds. I want to keep the weight down as low as I can. I once had a plane built for me and the guy had the box filled with a foaming substance...anybody have a clue where I can get some of that?
Show me your boxes, guys and gals!
Don
In many cases (no pun intended
), air freight shipping cost is calculated on a combination of size and weight. If this is the situatino for your air freight carrier, to accomodate the reuse of the boxes, you might consider is designing the boxes either to be "collapsable" or "Nestable" for the deadhead trips back to Alaska...Cheers!
Jim
03-25-2005, 09:16 AM
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RE: Shipping Boxes - How?
Jim has an excellent idea about the collapsing or stacking. I built a coffiin type box out of the same amaterials as Campy described when I was stationed at Thule Greenland for a year. I put 1/2 foam on all inside surfaces and lightly bungeed the plane parts in.
03-25-2005, 11:47 AM
#6
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RE: Shipping Boxes - How?
How about using coroplast as an outer skin? You could build the frame with whatever light strong wood of your choice, then using polyurethane glue and some screws, attach the coroplast outer skin to the frame to seal it all up. If you aren't familiar with coroplast, it is like cardboard, only plastic. It's light, strong, durable and has shock and damage protection built in. You could incorporate the folding box idea as well. Good luck.
03-25-2005, 11:59 AM
#7
RE: Shipping Boxes - How?
I was hoping somebody would mention coroplast. I was thinking of that just because it is very light, but then I started thinking about durability. That's why I was thinking wall panelling as it would have light weight plus more puncture resistance.
I'm taking all this in so keep up the suggestions. I would have not even thought of making a nesting/folding box to help with the trip back. Great!
Don
I'm taking all this in so keep up the suggestions. I would have not even thought of making a nesting/folding box to help with the trip back. Great!
Don
04-01-2005, 08:53 PM
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RE: Shipping Boxes - How?
Wow.... while I don't have an answer to your question...I have spent some time up in Alaska.....I had to look on a map to see where you are!
I would love to live up there...but the wife says no!
Has the sun come up yet???
I would love to live up there...but the wife says no!
Has the sun come up yet???
04-01-2005, 09:29 PM
#10
RE: Shipping Boxes - How?
ORIGINAL: exeter_acres
Wow.... while I don't have an answer to your question...I have spent some time up in Alaska.....I had to look on a map to see where you are!
I would love to live up there...but the wife says no!
Has the sun come up yet???
Wow.... while I don't have an answer to your question...I have spent some time up in Alaska.....I had to look on a map to see where you are!
I would love to live up there...but the wife says no!
Has the sun come up yet???
Don
04-01-2005, 10:00 PM
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RE: Shipping Boxes - How?
Yep...the bugs! I climbed that big hill (Denali) a couple times and then spent a couple weeks exploring......still was early season, but the bugs... I swear they had FAA numbers on their wings.......or maybe they were AMA numbers!
and up high on Denali, even in May or June......it just never would get dark....very strange for someone from "the lower 48"
I hope the packaging works out!!!
and up high on Denali, even in May or June......it just never would get dark....very strange for someone from "the lower 48"
I hope the packaging works out!!!
