Advice on shipping my stash

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dotbot
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Advice on shipping my stash

Post by dotbot » Tue Apr 12, 2016 6:30 pm

In the process of preparing for an overseas move in May, I hope you all can offer some collective wisdom. :?

The rep from the moving company told me "no worries" about packing & shipping my modest stash of tonewood. But I worry.

The stash is not huge and nothing CITES listed AFAIK. I've about a dozen sets, several neck blanks and a generous board of WRC that I use mainly for bracing.

It's going in a container and the trip is about 90 days. Of course you have no idea where the ship(s) will go en route but you can bet humidity will be high and temps will vary a lot.

How would you pack it for this ordeal? Or would you bite the bullet and ship it via the post? AusPost estimate is about $250 airmail, insured. The container is already paid by my employer.

Thanks!
Aaron

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demonx
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Re: Advice on shipping my stash

Post by demonx » Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:40 am

If it was packed air tight, no moisture would be able to get in or out.

Large plastic container from Bunnings. ?

Just a couple of thoughts that come to mind.

Mat
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Re: Advice on shipping my stash

Post by Mat » Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:33 am

I'd say find a few large plastic containers and silicone the lids shut for maximum air tightness.

Might be overkill though.

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Re: Advice on shipping my stash

Post by dotbot » Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:26 pm

Thanks, gents!

I think that air-tight packaging with a little extra seal sounds like a safe route. At least if I pack it myself I have no one but myself to blame on the other end! :roll:

Other thoughts or suggestions are still welcome.

Cheers,
Aaron

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J.F. Custom
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Re: Advice on shipping my stash

Post by J.F. Custom » Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:09 pm

Hi Aaron.

3 months in a container is not ideal, but survivable. Humidity and temperature swings will be buffered by sealed packaging as mentioned. I'd also make sure the ends of the timber pieces themselves are sealed first and that your sets are nice and tightly bundled together flat, potentially between two thicker outer packers so they don't warp around. Make sure there are no bark or similar inclusions on the timber too. It might also help if you tape a list of what is packaged within, to the box itself. That is, quantities and species and intended use (eg 1 x Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) guitar set from Australia). Likely unnecessary, but it may help should customs inspect it on entry to your destination.

I've not shipped any timber by container, but when shipping internationally by air, you need to fill in a customs declaration form yourself. Likely your work has a broker doing that for the container and they may ask you about the contents in detail. Check they are insuring it for you.

When filling in the customs declaration, you have to enter the tariff numbers for each item, quantities etc. You can look these up online, but prepare to get confused!! They are full of particulars you have to work out such as - over 6mm thick; under 6mm thick; rough sawn unprocessed boards; dressed boards/products; right down to genus sub-categories within each etc. Species and country of origin is also required. I had to do all this for every shipment of timber that left the country.

Chances are it will all go through without a hitch either way, but it won't hurt to be as prepared as you can. That way, you've done everything reasonable to ensure it does.

Hope that helps. 8)

Cheers,

Jeremy.

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kiwigeo
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Re: Advice on shipping my stash

Post by kiwigeo » Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:04 pm

Just don't do it *******o style......ie wrap the wood up in thick black plastic while its still damp and send it and the mould spores on a nice long journey to the other side of the world. Personally I'd send it by the quickest method possible
Martin

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Steve.Toscano
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Re: Advice on shipping my stash

Post by Steve.Toscano » Wed Apr 13, 2016 11:33 pm

Here's what I did when sending a large stash by sea. Packaged up the wood in one big tight rectangle, the more 'precious' pieces on the inside, and the more plain dont care so much if get damaged on the outside, masking taped up tightly.
Took it to a mate who works at the local woolworths who then wrapped it with their (big glad wrap like wrapper thing(for lack of a better name for it)), basically the thing they use to wrap the pallets of goods with.
Then rolled it with some bubble wrap, and more masking tape. I stuck a full inventory list to the package.
No moisture was getting in or out of that. Easily survived the 11 weeks (i think) at sea. In fact probably would have survived 11 weeks on the bottom of the sea and still came out dry. :)

Wrapping it will be better then using a tub, those tubs arent exactly air tight.

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Re: Advice on shipping my stash

Post by simonm » Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:09 pm

felix wrote:... and the more plain dont care so much if get damaged on the outside, ...
A guy I bought a fews sets from in the UK (shipping courier/post) put in a board of mdf to keep all from bending and no doubt to take the bangs. One each side might be an idea here.

On the other hand if the company is paying the rest, the postage should cause you to starve to death either and you would have something of your own to look at in the new place while you wait for the rest of the stuff to arrive. Make you feel at home quicker?

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Re: Advice on shipping my stash

Post by dotbot » Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:06 pm

Well, thanks a lot everyone for the advice! It is greatly appreciated.

I think I'm converging on a plan based on all of this. It involves the boat, some MDF + heavy plastic wrap, and a full inventory. The shipping company takes care of the customs declaration based on the inventory of all our stuff, so there is that. Hopefully customs will decide not to crack it open in search of illicit BRW. I don't have any, I swear!

Reminds me of the story from Martin Taylor about the guy who built his shipping crates out of BRW. :mrgreen:

Shipping the wood separately is a slippery slope as I'd then be tempted to ship the tools, too, and those are heavy. Either way, I'll just be pining away for the part that's on the boat. My plan is to spend the three months learning to play my mandolin.

Cheers, :gui
Aaron

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