Safely posting a 12" mirror

[jbloggz (Joe)]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice on the safest way to post a 12" mirror from a dobsonian. Has anyone had to do this before? Is there a good courier company that you could recommend? What sort of packaging is best to avoid braking scratching the glass? What would be the best material to wrap the mirror in?

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

I have had a 12" and an 8" dob delivered to me by courier and they were both fine. Both GSO and in factory packaging.

You're best off using a courier company. Don't use Aust post.

As for what to wrap it in, seems IME that a Newtonian OTA + styrofoam makes for reliable wrapping so I'd improvise something along those lines.

[jbloggz (Joe)]

thanks for the response. The issue that I am having is that sending the dob via a courier will cost over $300, since it's about 0.32 cubic metres and needs to be sent as a 'fragile' object to get insurance cover, so i thought it would be much cheaper to send the mirror by itself in a smaller box, and then the large tube wouldn't be considered 'fragile'. Doing it this way should cost about $150

[leon]

I have sent mirrors before and the best way is to make a box out of ply nearly the same size as the mirror and a whisker higher than the mirror.

Fix a small angled wedge in each corner and place the mirror up side down on these wedges, don't wrap in anything.

Screw the lid down, don't nail, with some cardboard to keep it firm, and also some scrap cardboard around the edges to stop sideways movement.

Leon

[raymo]

I strongly recommend that you contact Pack and Send. There is no problem
sending scopes with them, and as the name suggests, they will pack it for you. I just sent a mount/scope consisting of three boxes totalling 42kg
from Bunbury [W.A.] to N.S.W. for $300 including packing. [Would have been
$230 if I had packed it myself.] I just marched in there, and dumped the tripod, mount, scope, and a box full of accessories on the floor, and they did the rest.
raymo

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Originally Posted by raymo

I strongly recommend that you contact Pack and Send. There is no problem sending scopes with them

for Pack & Send. I only have their local outlet near my place in Preston (Melbourne) to go on but they seem to be on the ball. If I was sending a 12" mirror I'd still pack it myself to make sure it's safe.

@OP I did not mean send the Dob, I meant take hint from the fact that when the mirror is in the Dob it does not get damaged, and come up with your own solution. (I know it's a 'ball back in your court' kinda answer but I'm a lazy lazy man. )

[gregbradley]

I've used pack and Send a few times with expensive refractors. They are very good.

Greg.

[torana68 (Roger)]

Pack and Send know squat about mirrors and reflective coatings, make the mirror box as suggested, its THE only way to pack a mirror, then pick who you want to post it.

[mercedes_sl1970]

This is a good description of how to pack a mirror, which I used to send a 12" to Saintech last year:
http://www.loptics.com/intheshop/shop21.html

I think polystyrene is especially good for attenuating any shocks. Anyway, worked for me (and it seems Lockwood Optics too).

I bought polystyrene sheets at Officeworks.

[Nikolas (Nik)]

No one mentioned bubblewrap. After securing in the box bubblewarap the box and place in another box.
Seriously bubblewrap is a batter shock absorber than anything else.

[Shano592 (Shane)]

I'm with Nik on this. In fact, I had the same thought before I opened the thread to read.

Bubblewrap, place in box.

Bubblewrap box, place in another box.