Protecting A Finial For Shipping

[Glen Blanchard]

I have a hollow form with finial that I want to ship. Bubble wrap will adequately protect the vessel but I am somewhat concerned about the more delicate finial. I want to assure that the recipient does not reach in the box and damage the finial while removing the contents of the box while at the same time assuring that he/she realizes that there is more than just the vessel in the box so the finial is not disposed of inadvertently. I think a great solution would be a clear plastic tube similar to those used for cigars. Obviously the inside diameter (something that approximates 1.75") must be great enough to accept the finial and its length must be adequate. However, if I could find a much longer tube, as long as the ID is adequate, I could cut the tube into multiple lengths for future use. Each tube could then be capped off with something like duct tape when shipped. This would protect the finial while at the same time making its presence in the box obvious so it does not wind up in the trash with the box.

I have no idea who might sell something like this. Any ideas?

[Trevor Howard]

A quick google search for "clear plastic tubes" brought up lots of options.
Here is one
https://www.uline.com/BL_3651/Clear-Plastic-Tubes?keywords=clear%20tube

[Dwight Rutherford]

Check Amazon for "shipping tube" lots of choices.

[Glen Blanchard]

I checked Hobby Lobby and Michael's last week with no success. Guess I was making it more difficult than it needed to be.

Thanks.

[John K Jordan]

...I think a great solution would be a clear plastic tube similar to those used for cigars...Any ideas?

Glen,

I bought plastic mailing tubes like that and caps from U-Line, although I don't think they will sell just one tube - I bought a box of 50. I use them to protect spindle turnings for shipping and as presentation tubes for gifts (I turn nice wooden end plugs for that.)

It seems to me that any mailing tube, plastic, cardboard, etc. would work fine. I see Amazon offers a variety. A visit to any office supply store, UPS store, or even Walmart might get you what you need.

When shipping, I like to tape things like that with special masking tape with extra strong adhesive - the tape is bright green so it's hard to miss.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z4AY
I find many uses for this tape in the shop and around the farm. (It is nothing like the green or blue painter's tape)

JKJ

[Roger Chandler]

I would use two wooden strips as splints, and wrap them onto the finial with painters tape, and then put them into bubble wrap........and if possible put the finial down inside the hollow form for shipping with a note to the customer to use care in removing the tape. Painters tape usually does not leave any residue, and the splints. It is likely it would all arrive safely.

[Clint Bach]

Fluorescent light protector tubes? Big box stores. May not be big enough diameter... 1 1/2 inches...

[Doug W Swanson]

Does it have to be plastic? What about a cardboard poster tube? They make some that are thick and durable for shipping artwork and such. You could cut them to whatever length you needed....

[John Keeton]

2" PVC pipe. Your local plumbing supply store should have cutoffs or visit a new subdivision and scrounge for scraps.

[Thomas Canfield]

Make a small cardboard box or tube to encase the finial wrapped with bubble or foam and stick it in the larger package. Should not be that complicated. PVC tube is also good suggestion but might require a trip to store (and other purchases).

[Glen Blanchard]

Thanks for the many replies. As I stated earlier, I suppose I was making this more difficult than it needed to be. U-Line and Amazon both provide what I am looking for. I made a purchase from Amazon for a 36" tube which should work nicely. The reason I wanted to stay away from cardboard or opaque plastic such as PVC, both of which would provide adequate protection, is that I don't want the recipient to overlook the finial.

Thanks again!

[Brice Rogers]

Here's an out-of-the-box idea (sorry for the pun):

Take the piece to a place that does foam-in-place packaging. They take an empty box, line it with very thin poly and then squirt in enough foam so that it is about 1/2 full. It is covered with a poly bag and while the foam has not completely "set up", the piece is pressed into the foam to the 1/2 way point (like a "parting line"). Then they cover it with another thin poly bag and squirt in the other half of the foam. It all cures and holds the piece perfectly. Because of the use of poly bags, each half of the (eventually) rigid foam can be removed. This same process can be used to hold several parts whether or not they are connected.

A contents of a box that were foamed in place is totally safe and secure.

[Josh Bowman]

At a recent auction I bought a HF that had a real long finial. I simple wrapped the HF in saran wrap, covering the hole in the top, reversed the finial in the hole (finial pointing down) and wrapped it again to secure it inside the HF. Bubble wrapped, boxed and it traveled just fine.

[Marvin Hasenak]

For a finial I would get a piece of PVC pipe about 4 inches longer than the finial. Cap one end, and fill part war with Styrofoam worms place the finial top in first so that it is about 2 inches below the top. Finish filling with worms, sort of "stuffing" gently with more worms so that it cannot move. Cap it off, with a note OPEN THIS END FIRST. Then place inside of another with the rest of the object also packed so it doesn't move around.

Things get broken because they either move or shift around in the container or the container gets squashed. When you ship something, most times the only personal hands on attention is when you hand it to the clerk and after it gets to the delivery person. A lot of machines move the packages by reading the bar codes that will assigned to the package. Those machines do not read fragile, handle with care or this side up, only the bar code to route it the bin for the next delivery destination. If your package is first into the hamper, and my order of 60 pounds of maple is next, your box better be able to take the weight of my maple falling on top of it. If not, it is your fault, not mine and not the shippers.

If you want personal hand service all the way, you have to hire a private courier service, or a long distance hot shot service to deliver your packages.

[John Keeton]

Whatever you end up doing, ALWAYS first wrap your objects in tissue paper. Many finishes do not like direct contact with bubble wrap and some plastics.

[Joe Kieve]

You might want to look at these from the post office; they're free and you can cut them to any length you need.

https://store.usps.com/store/browse/uspsProductDetailMultiSkuDropDown.jsp?categoryNav= false&navAction=push&navCount=0&atg.multisite.remap=false&categoryId=shipping-supplies&productId=P_O_1098M

[Scott Ticknor]

Pool noodle,or foam pipe insulation , wrap in shop towel slip the foam around and ship away.

[John K Jordan]

Pool noodle,or foam pipe insulation , wrap in shop towel slip the foam around and ship away.

Your post reminded me of how I packaged some woodturnings for shipping to friends in Italy. I wrapped each piece in soft paper and nested them in cutouts made in thick foam rubber. Boxed with extra foam rubber padding. Received in perfect condition.

The pieces were small but some, like the bell ornaments, were fragile.

355857 355858

JKJ

[Sam Murdoch]

Here's an out-of-the-box idea (sorry for the pun):

Take the piece to a place that does foam-in-place packaging. They take an empty box, line it with very thin poly and then squirt in enough foam so that it is about 1/2 full. It is covered with a poly bag and while the foam has not completely "set up", the piece is pressed into the foam to the 1/2 way point (like a "parting line"). Then they cover it with another thin poly bag and squirt in the other half of the foam. It all cures and holds the piece perfectly. Because of the use of poly bags, each half of the (eventually) rigid foam can be removed. This same process can be used to hold several parts whether or not they are connected.

A contents of a box that were foamed in place is totally safe and secure.

This is a technique that I have used to ship all manner of breakables - from curved glass panels to delicate stone sculptures.

I typically use the window and door low expanding foam available from any lumber yard these days. Set your item in a plastic bag - surrounded loosely by bubblewrap or packing foam "peanuts" then spray around that as it sits in the box. The bubble wrap or "peanuts" allows for informing without the need to actually tear into anything touching the object. Providing a photo or two of how the piece is encased will give good guidance as to how to unpack.

A box within a box, with foam between the two is especially good for extra fragile items. Add wood corners or U-line cardboard corners between the inner and outer box for even better security.