shipping glass

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rdanielson

Grumbler in Training
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For those of you who prefer museum glass over acrylic, up to what size would you use glass if the item were to be shipped.

And a second question, and I have read all of the horror stories about UPS and fully agree, What shipping company would you suggest? Is there a common carrier that handles pieces well yet is affordable?

Thanks

R Danielson
 
I have had so many bad experiences with shipping glassed frames I no longer ship anything with glass over 11 x 14. For me, it's acrylic or not at all.

I have had better luck with FedEx than with UPS or USPS.

Here is a tidbit of info I received last week from my PostNet neighbor, all shipped packages have coverage up to $500 with UPS. If you buy insurance on an item for less than that you are just wasting money.
 
Originally posted by rdanielson:
For those of you who prefer museum glass over acrylic, up to what size would you use glass if the item were to be shipped.

And a second question, and I have read all of the horror stories about UPS and fully agree, What shipping company would you suggest? Is there a common carrier that handles pieces well yet is affordable?

Thanks

R Danielson
Click to expand...
Why would you specify museum glass over all the other types of glass to compare to acrylic? Most everyday framings don't come close to needing museum glass whether they are shipped or not. I would choose acrylic over museum glass on cost alone unless there were a requirement for the museum type glass.

I don't know if they are in your area but we ship a large quantity of oversized framed originals and we use DHL almost exclusively because we have no claims with them and their rates are reasonable.

Framerguy
 
Here is a tidbit of info I received last week from my PostNet neighbor, all shipped packages have coverage up to $500 with UPS. If you buy insurance on an item for less than that you are just wasting money.
Click to expand...
You might want to check with the carrier. Most will refuse claims if the picture was glazed with glass.
John
 
Has anyone ever heard of " Mailbox etc.." or is this just up here???
I am told they will package,insure, and ship ( glass or not ) to anywhere? I have no idea who they use to ship by? I have never used them and havent any idea what kind of argument you will get into if somethin g did arrive broke.
I am just curious if anyone knew anything about this company?
 
I've shipped a number of pieces with glass, but can't remember how many were larger than 11 x 14. I do know that some were. I always package it using a "box in a box" packaging, and have never had a problem. I ship via DHL.

Layer 1 - 3/16 bubble wrap around art
Layer 2 - tightly fitting box, or cardboard on each side, leave an inch or two extra all the way around, tape securely so frame won't slide.
Layer 3 - 1/2 bubble wrap around entire package
Layer 4 - Art shipping box

I can save my customers $ by not using a commercial packaging service, and still make some money to pay for my packaging time.
 
Trapper - down here Mail Boxes, Etc has merged with UPS, just as Fedex and Kinko's now have a connection.

I save old cardboard boxes and pack myself, pretty much as Richard has described. Letting Mail Boxes both pack and ship is super expensive! I have had the best luck with the Post Office, believe it or not, and their rates are very reasonable and their size limitations are a bit larger than UPS.

The only problem I ever had with glass breaking was on a 5x7! I must have packaged it poorly because I so didn't think that small size would be a problem. Good lesson - pack, pack, pack!!!
 
I have shipped a 40 or 50 items that were 18x24 with no breakage. I have been shipping 16x20, 13x19, 11x14 for some time with no breakage. I use Fedex. Sometimes I get ready-mades in from Nielsen and sometimes they are broken. Nielsen does not pack teh 16x20's correctly, and they use UPS. I repack and reship without them breaking. Feel free to call or contact me if you want details on packing.
 
Both Fedex and UPS have limits of liability on items of particular value, and unique items. Last I checked they would not honor insurance on items framed with glass. That is why the packaging stores have an advantage. They can offer third party insurance for those items of particular value, etc. USPS will also insure items framed in glass, up to $40K last I checked.

They all have their days. I shipped some oversized framed work (acrylic glazing) in a solid wood and plywood crate. The owner opted to self insure, and the crate was skewered by a forklift. We got the $500.00 maximum allowance and all shipping charges were credited back, the piece was returned for free, and the replacement was delivered for free. The owner was still out a couple grand.
 
Packaging is everything. Assume the worst will happen...it usually does, and it doesn't seem to matter what name is on the truck.

The best packaging I've seen is on the Larson Juhl demo frames they sell. The frame is plastic-bagged & wrapped in corrugated.

Then that is sandwiched & taped between two larger sheets of corrugated -- about 8" larger on all sides, as I recall. The overhang on the larger boards is slit, so that the sides can be folded to enclose & hold tightly to the frame with tape.

Finally, that assembly is placed in a box the size of the larger boards. That is, the box is about 16" bigger than the frame, which is held in the middle by the slit/folded/taped sheets of corrugated board. There's nothing but air between the wrapped frame and the sides of the box.

That assembly is great at preventing edge damage, but if a forklift runs over it, all bets are off.
 
Wow, I am surprised that no one mentioned Glass Skin.

http://www.masterpak-usa.com/hil_03_glass.htm

We use it and it works, though we usually buy transfer film from pressure graphics suppliers (Regal Plastics has it) because it is the same thing and lots less expensive.

We ship glass all the time, and just received two pieces framed with glass from a gallery in New York that were about 40 x 60. So we're not the only ones who ship large pieces with glass.

We build wood sided crates that are either faced with double walled corrugated with the flutes running opposed for each layer (for smaller things) or varying thickness of wood for larger or more valuable things. All boxes are lined with ethafoam and all artwork is a minimum of 2" from the wall of the box. We hot glue the ethafoam blocks into the box.

http://www.masterpak-usa.com/cat_203_ethafoam.htm

We use Fed Ex, DHL (for international), sometimes Burlington Air (BAX). In California we use Security Express for shipments up to the Bay Area.

If you have an Inland Marine policy, you may be purchasing redundant insurance as shipments using a "common carrier" may alread be covered.

Nonetheless, it is sort of like purchasing insurance on a rental car from the rental car vendor when you already have insurance that would cover a loss. It is much less of a hassle walking away from a problem than having to file a claim with your own carrier.
 
Another source for packaging materials is Airfloat www.airfloatsys.com . They are the manufacturers of the Airfloat shipping boxes that Masterpack sells.
 
Interesting posts about shipping glass. I am at the low end. My handling is just a few dollars to pay for boxes, packing material and labor. I have to keep it cheap and quick. I am sending just frames so they are easy and cheap to replace unlike rare artwork. Usually when we have damage the only way to have prevented it was to crate it which is just not reasonable on a $45 dollar frame.
 
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