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Topic: Steel sold, shipped UPS...all OK !!! |
Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 16 Jun 2006 1:05 pm |
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ALL OK ! Imagine that !
I shipped a D10 Emmons 65 pounds with a cardboard outer box and foam around the case, with The HANDLE exposed. it had to make the journey to the middle of the USA..
UPS Ground.
But I did deliver it directly to the Charlotte hub to eliminate many extra folks from handling it locally before it ever reached the Hub.
It made the trip in two days. The new owner called and commented that the UPS guy left the Steel in the correct upright case position with the handle exposed..he obviously used the handle to carry it.
So there ya have it, they don't always fail... sometimes they do a darn good job...
oh, and the new owner also commented..
Great Steel,very pleased.
I'm glad to hear both things...
t[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 16 June 2006 at 02:14 PM.] |
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Jerry Malvern
From:
Menifee, California, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2006 1:42 pm
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| Tony, glad to hear it. How much foam did you use? Handle exposed, wrapped in cardboard is the correct way to ship. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 16 Jun 2006 2:23 pm
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huh...my Promat was shipped UPS and it should be here any day now..I`ll let you know...huh..sweating right now..
Db
PS
from EUROPE...
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"Promat"
~when tone matters~ www.promatsteelguitars.com
[This message was edited by Damir Besic on 16 June 2006 at 06:53 PM.] |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 16 Jun 2006 2:42 pm
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Looks like you had a handle on the situation, Tony.  |
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Rodney Garrison
From:
Montague County , Texas (deceased)
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Posted 16 Jun 2006 3:42 pm
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| Good Show! I rec'd my GFI in excellent cond. VIA UPS. Gary packed it like a pro w/ no handle exposed but lots o' foam. Just a little TEXAS DUST and a little crude oil probably from an air compressor. Yes you can ship UPS without fear. RG |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2006 8:16 pm
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Yes, you can -
And UPS has recommended over and over "no exposed handles". All that does is get packages caught on conveyors, where they spend a heck of a lot more time than in any human's hands...who don't use the handles anyway, because they might break.
I don't know how the "exposed handle" thing got started, but it's as useless as "this side up"... |
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rpetersen
From:
Iowa
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Posted 17 Jun 2006 4:11 am
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Jim - I have shipped several steels, and my UPS pickup man thanks me for being able to get at the handle - If you stop and think on how to pack a steel right, the handle isn't exposed, It's available - just put packing on top of the guitar and have a hole that they can reach down into to get at the handle. I and UPS both have said they would much rather pick it up with the handle and carry it 12 inches off of the ground as opposed to carrying like a sack of seed 48 inches off of the ground (and therefore ending up handling it like a sack of seed) _ Don't know where you got your information - but I know they appreciated the fact they could get at the handle and have been told so by them
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Ron Petersen &
The Keep'n Tyme Band
Mullen Universal 12 - Session 400 - Vegas 400 - ETC.
[This message was edited by rpetersen on 17 June 2006 at 05:12 AM.] |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2006 5:20 am
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Some of the driver do like it - but most don't use handles because over& over doing it strains the shoulders too much, so they'd rather lift the whole package.
But the drivers have the thing for a miniscule amount fo time, and the handles, unless the lock in place like on good ATA cases, can pop out and hang on conveyors, causing jams and falls. It happens a LOT.
I got the info from several UPS facility managers - they're one of our customers and I'm in the places quite often. And they really do laugh at "this side up" and "fragile", because 1) nobody has time to read that stuff, and 2) the machines can't read it at all.
It's amazing how many packages move through these places. If you ever go through one you'd be stunned that more things aren't damaged. All the shippeds really do a great job at trying to protect stuff...except the USPS, where it's really hit-or-miss.
But if exposed handles makes you all feel better, go for it. I just have been told several times that it's even on written policies to advise against it...plus your padding is limited where your handle is exposed, and I always default to more protection for severla days than carrying convenience for 45 seconds. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Jun 2006 5:27 am
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I, too, had a great big happy ending to a Shobud Professional shipped to Anchorage Alaska by UPS.
The guitar and case weighed in at 80 lbs. I went to the UPS store, told them I wanted the handle exposed, and they agreed it was a good idea. They packed it while I was still there. And when THEY pack it, it's pretty hard for them to turn down a claim. Well worth the $26 packing charge!
They bubble wrapped the case, then put in the box, then bubble wrapped that box, and put it into a second box, keeping the handle exposed. My customer took it out of the box and played it. It was still relativily in tune. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 17 Jun 2006 6:14 am
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Jim it's a dead Horse, sorry Buddy.
When I dropped the Steel off at the HUB, guess what the Supervisor said ....
"YES, !!! A Handle !!" .
It is NOT against UPS Policy to have a handle exposed. When I was at the HUB last Wednesday I observed probably 3 or 4 business packages , all BOXES with handles exposed.
Our Business also ships UPS exclusively,300 to 400 packages/year. I have been to the HUBS many many times, even in the back with the trucks.
The biggest issue I ever observed was to many small packages piled on top of each other which caused jams and kept falling off.
I don't buy that a worker would rather lift a 65 or 70 pound package waste high..who ever stated that I think was nuts.
I basically don't care what some UPS manager may have stated, HE or SHE is not speaking for the entire company. And quite frankly I think they are wrong. A manager at a UPS facility does not make them an expert on packing and shipping.Just like those folks that work in the MAIL stores and UPS Stores, they may work there or even own the store,but that does not make them experts at packing and shipping.
sorry, my take..
SO again I would ask them..
What about FLIGHT CASES ?
People ship with FLIGHT CASES everyday..
What do they do with the handles ?
Use your own best judgement.
[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 17 June 2006 at 07:21 AM.] |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 17 Jun 2006 6:15 am
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My Mullen was shipped ( NOT from the factory!!) unpacked! The latches on the case were taped securely, FRAGILE stickers abounded, and the UPS man said,"Sure glad this thing's got a handle! What you got in here, anyway?"
Thanks for the props for a bunch of folks trying to do their jobs, Tony. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2006 6:36 am
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"People ship with FLIGHT CASES everyday.."
Yep. And on the good ones the handles snap into a recess.
FWIW the managers of these places ARE experts - they run te warehouse processing line and know where the bottlenecks and claims come from. They have nothing o do with the managers of UPS stores, who are just retail guys. The warehouse managers supervise hundreds of people, automated picking systems, multi-million dollar machinery, etc. And it really is amazing to watch how little there's any human physical contact with a package. On-and-off the truck is pretty much it, and as I said - conveying systems and robotic lifts don't use handles o read....
Like I said, though - if it works for you...but I sure wouldn't want a protruding handle at the expense of more packing material. That's just common sense.
Note I didn't say it was "policy" - they have a written policy to "advise" against doing it...at least in the faciites in east L.A. and Orange counties. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 17 Jun 2006 7:19 am
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No Jim, I beg to differ. Not all are experts at packing, they are suppoosedly educated at MOVING material ( transpoprtation) on time and in a manner which is cost effective, but actually all thay are really doing is insuring the system that is in place flows.
Packing a box and ensuring transportation flow are two totally unrelated subjects.
Jim I really don't understand the issue here. I , becasue I have way too much time to burn this morning, just logged into my UPS account On Line and did a complete search for packaging and everything else you can imagine seeking a statment on HANDLES.
Not one comment regarding handles, but what I did learn was that the Sr staff has regularly updates and meetings with the Line workers and Drivers and they regularly update working SOP's based on what is requested by Drivers and Line workers.
SO whats the beef ?
You obviously prefer to ship in a manner which is cool by you, and many of us will ship in a manner which is cool by us.
There is NO written policy against Handles or written procedures anywhere to be found. I would love to see one of those which is a UPS Publication.
Oh, and by the way, My DX7 Flight Case did not have handles that were recessed, not every flight case has recessed handles.
sorry...
oh, and by the way, every claim I have ever filed, ( not many ) none of the boxes had handles, and the two that were lost and never found, they didn't have handles either. All the ones I have ever shipped with handles arrived on time and safely ! Go figure...
t
[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 17 June 2006 at 08:33 AM.] |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2006 7:34 am
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You guys could go back and forth about this forever. I'm closing the topic.
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 Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com
System Administrator
My Blog |
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