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Old 24-08-2018, 04:09 PM
glend (Glen)
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Safe Way to Ship a 10" Mirror Cross Country?

I am looking for experienced advice on how to safely ship a 10" mirror across the country? Should i build a wooden box? Is there some other packaging solution? Do i need to put a covering over the surface? I have the original plastic mirror cover that came with the mirror when i bought it, which rests on the edge and is off the surface, but i am concerned if might break if the package is roughly handled. Advice?
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Old 24-08-2018, 05:28 PM
glend (Glen)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kunama View Post
Three layers of polystyrene foam at least 40mm thick, middle one with a 10” circle cut out of it. I wrap the mirror in thin lint free tissue and wedge it so it is in the cutout and can’t move. Bubble wrap around that and into a box....

But I have only sent a few mirrors over the years, all arrived up damaged...
Great ideas Matt, thank you.
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Old 25-08-2018, 02:05 AM
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Ausrock (Chris)
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Glen,

There may be other sources but Insulation Industries at Broadmeadow sell polystyrene foam sheets, not sure of available thicknesses though.
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Old 25-08-2018, 06:17 AM
astro744
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Yes, wooden pine box is best with mirror face down resting on four pine cleats (one per corner of box). There should be about 2-3mm gap between the sides of the mirror and side walls of the pine box for some 3-4mm cardboard spacers (box cardboard) as well as a similar amount between the back of the mirror and the inside of the lid. The side walls of the box should be 16mm thick and about 6-8mm more that the mirror thickness in width so this will determine the width of pine to buy. You can tweak the cleat thickness or the cardboard packing on the mirror back to suit available pine dimensions. The base and lid should be made of 6mm Masonite and nailed or screwed into place around the edges of the box both top and bottom (if nailed use small light grade nails that require little effort in hammering). You can easily remove these later.

DO NOT place anything between the primary face of the mirror and base lid of box. The cleats provide the spacing and there should be nothing else there to rub against the mirror face during transport.

Once the mirror is in the box with the edges of the primary surface face down and sealed (don't forget the cardboard) and the lid nailed down (nail the base before you put the mirror in), then tape the outside of the box across the middle and at right angles (to make a cross) all around with packaging tape to ensure the nail don't loosen, then wrap the whole box in a lot of bubble wrap, (larger bubbles) and place the whole thing in a larger cardboard carton filled with further packaging material (foam cornflakes I call it) or bubble pillows or more wrap to build up the inside walls of the carton. Seal box with packaging tape and it's ready to go.

My Astro-Optical 6" custom mirror came like this and I built a similar box for my 10" mirror. I still have the boxes in case I need to ship for re-aluminusing or moving. I think it is a good and well proven design as it is also mentioned in a mirror grinding book I have that I cannot locate at present for reference.
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Old 25-08-2018, 07:47 AM
sharpiel
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Many senders here suggest not marking your item as "fragile". Sometimes this seems to bring unwanted negative handling from our postal guys.
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Old 25-08-2018, 08:14 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sharpiel View Post
Many senders here suggest not marking your item as "fragile". Sometimes this seems to bring unwanted negative handling from our postal guys.
I don’t buy into that premise Les, I wrap it in Fragile labels with arrows to point which way up etc... but I insure everything above the actual cost.....

After sending a dozen samples of Takahashi’s finest without incident I am happy to continue .... I also photograph the packing process fully....
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Old 25-08-2018, 08:58 AM
Billyboy78 (Bill)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by astro744 View Post
Yes, wooden pine box is best with mirror face down resting on four pine cleats (one per corner of box)..
x2. That's how mine came.
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Old 25-08-2018, 09:59 AM
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OzEclipse (Joe Cali)
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I have pine boxes for my 6" and 10" mirrors. More or less as described by astro 744 but with screw down lid, not nailed. This makes the box reusable and ensures no accidents when removing a nailed down lid.
Joe
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Old 25-08-2018, 02:22 PM
astro744
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Yes screws work and are probably better and recommended. My 6" mirror came with the small 3/4" light grade nails but lots of them. I copied the same design with my 10" although I have a feeling I put some screws instead later for shipping. I can't find either box at present to check.

I found the reference book that describes the box. It is called "Building A Low Cost Telescope" by Eric Witcombe. It is the best book for doing a first mirror and mine shows proof of that with black pitch between the pages. This book does say screws and specifically says not to use nails for the mirror box. I later bought Texereau but the simplicity of the Witcombe book just makes it so easy for the beginner mirror maker.
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Old 26-08-2018, 08:59 PM
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Absolutely what Chris said i have shipped mirrors some years ago and that is the best way to do it, and don't wrap anything.
The lid should be screwed down not nailed, and once done properly it can be chucked form here to there with no damage at all.

Leon

Leon
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Old 27-08-2018, 08:35 AM
Kunama
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From what I understand this guy has sent a few mirrors around the world:
http://www.loptics.com/intheshop/shop21.html, the box that my Suchting Mirror travelled in is exactly the same as this one....and will in future travel like this to be recoated...

( damn autocorrect changed my previous post and yes, the mirrors did arrive UNdamaged )
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Old 27-08-2018, 09:13 AM
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Merlin66 (Ken)
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+3 for Astro744's wooden box.
That's what I used many years ago for my mirrors.
Works 100%
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