Posting glass

[Abi]

Ok this one sounds insane, but bear with me.

I think I might have found a market for UV glass cut to size. Its a new venture so no guarantees. I'm thinking of offering sizes upto about A4 so not big pieces.

How on earth do I send this through the post?

Current thoughts are to try out some packaging ideas and throw it out a secondary storey window or off the local viaduct, and see if it survives, but I'm having doubts that a sheet of glass could be sent without a frame through the post safely.

[GeoSpectrum]

Plywood backing for rigidity, a inch or so larger than the glass, 3 layers of 2 layer fluted cardboard. Handy wrap and tape. Add fragile tape for good measure. Don't make the package too heavy. I.e. Max 3 sheets. Use Royal Mail if you can.

[Not your average framer]

I r eally don't like posting frames, or pictures by post, regardless whether there is glass there, or not. I work on the principle of packing such items in a much larger box, that most people would expect, beacause I like big crush zone to absorb impact and reduce the G-force when the item gets dropped. tying strong string around the middle of the box will help prevent the box from bursting, when the box is dropped and lands heavily on one of the crush zones. There is no such thing as a single layer of packaging that will provide complete protection and that is regardless of what anyone else says. So it multiple layers of different densities of absorbent and resilient packaging. The absorbent packing is crushable and allows the package to move and redue the G-force to which the item is subjected. Also for me the inner most layer is a taped up reasonably strong polythene bag. This keeps the item in the package nice and dry, if it gets dropped in a puddle.

My outer crush zone get filled up with bits of not to tightly screwed up strong brown kraft paper. This is very strong paper which will momentarily crush to absorb the impact of dropping, but after the initial impact, or crashing force is removed, it will reform to fill the gap. The secret is not to pack this crush zone too tightly, all that trapped air in the lightly as all that trapped air is your friend. Have you noticed how often parcels arrive, with strong plastic banding around the middle of the parcel, this is too prevent the parcel from bursting and while we usually can't use these plastic bands ourselves, there still is the option to use some real strong string, which is securely knotted. Two layers of corrigated cardboard either side of the item, with the flute in both sheets on either side at 90 degrees to each other provide close in resilience and provide some measure of protection nearer the glass, by the space between the corrigated cardboard and the glass should be filled with layer of corrigated cardboard to prevent uneven pressure against the glass.

It is also good to fill the same space in the rear of the frame, which is again to prevent the backing board and the corrigated corrigated cardboard, and this is also to prevent uneven presure against the glass from the rear. Polyester packing tape, while it is very cheap, it is next to useless as it lack the extra stretchibilty which the vinyl packaging tape has when a package is subjected to a serious impact. When you look at the extra cost per package, when using the vinyl tape any extra cost is not all that much when you consider how much extra protection you will get. Don't go for skimpy and inadequate crush zone it false enconomy, this is where most of your crush, or impact protection is when suffering a really big bash. Tying strong string around the middle of the sides of the box increases the weight which the box will stand with other items on top of it in storage, or in transist. Know what thr function is for each part of the packaging, it is important and can make you better at packing things.

I am a bit old fashioned and still like to use the older heavier sizel string, which is not only very strong and is easy reused afterwards, but is good foe friction when tied in knots and I like to tie together where one piece of string crosses another to prevent the string from moving out of place, when the parcel is handled.

[JFeig]

I think you might want to do some more research on this project regarding the cost of the packaging and shipping.

• What is the cost of the product even if it is shorts from other production?

• what is the cost of the internal padding material?

• what is the cost of the outer shipping box?

• How much time will this take, including the time, a trip or two?

• What will the cost be for shipping?

vs

• What can you sell the product for?

[Steve N]

As JFeig has said above, I would add
By the time you have worked out all the time you are going to spend on cutting (After buying) the plywood, cutting the glass to size, packing, labelling, getting to the Post Office, queuing, buying the postage, returning to your shop/ workshop, then dealing with customers asking where their glass is / asking you to send more as the original orders has a cracking in it, plus not forgetting dealing with the original order in the first place checking sizes, dealing with questing about the glass etc
Compared to more profitable way to spend your time, I do a lot of online sales and believe me , this could be a lot of hassle for little return, sorry

[Not your average framer]

Regardless what you think about posting glass, the essential fact is that there are no guarantees and it is very hard to be sure that the glass will always survive the transit while it is being posted. It is usually a very labour intensive process to pack a picture and I find it a rather expensive one, even when I can manage to use some secondhand packaging materials to help me save money. Sadly inspite of our best efforts, it all may be a waste of time, because things still arrive broken, although we did everything to our absolute ability.

While working at the place that I was trained, I have seen damaged parcels returned with double tyre marks from an obviously large truck across the out side of the packaged painting. I am not very keen on getting too involved in posting anything of any value, because of the potential for for perhaps very considerable loss, when the item is something very expensive indeed.