Re: [ARSCLIST] 78 RPM Packing Advice Requested

[Malcolm Rockwell <malcolm@xxxxxxxx>]

Hello -
I shipped some 4000 78rpm records from California to Hawaii in two crates,
by ship, with no breakage a few years back.
Your best bet would be 11" x 11" x 11" boxes (or 12" x 12" x 12"), the
records packed vertically (standing on end) tightly within but without
bulging and then use crushed newspaper to pad, as you suggest. The wooden
crate should hold 6 boxes in a tier 2 x 3, side by side. That's appx. 600
records a tier. Stack them 3 rows tall and that's 1800 records a crate
weighing appx. 900 lbs or around 1000 lbs including the crate.
Have some sheets of styrofoam cut 2" x 24" x 36" and put them over, under
and between each tier. You can have the crates built to spec or probably
you'll luck out and find something similar and adapt to your specs. Ask your
shipper what they have available.
I took the records to the shipping warehouse myself (you can probably find a
styrofoam dealer nearby if the shipper is in an industrial area) and helped
pack them right there.
Works like a charm and the styrofoam absorbs a lot of thumps and bumps
during shipping making for happy, unbroken records.
You can leave the 10" records in the albums, but I cut all the sleeves out
with an Xacto knife and tossed the cardboard outers and saved some space and
weight. Ship the 12" records separately from the 10" ones.
Don't ever use packing peanuts!!! They shift in transit and that can cause
uneven weight within the box which will cause breakage.
I spent 50 cents apiece for the records ($2000) and the shipping and packing
came to around $1200. Still a bargain at less than a buck a record so don't
stint on the packing whatever you do.
If you have any more questions please feel free to let me know.
Malcolm Rockwell

*******

Dismuke wrote:

> I just purchased a record collection located in another state containing
> approximately 10,000 78 rpm records.  I have do not have the time to fly
> out there and bring them back myself so I have found a freight company
> which will pick them up from the seller's location, put them on pallets,
> place the load on a truck and bring them to me.  The collection is now
> stored on shelves and in flimsy cardboard file boxes.  I am going to
> hire somebody who lives near the collection to box the records up for me
> and get everything ready for the freight company to pick them up.  I
> need advice in terms of what specific packing instructions I should give
> this person.  Has anyone here ever done anything like this before?
>
> Most of the record collection consists of 10 inch records - but there
> are 12 inch ones as well.  Many of the 10 inch records are either loose
> or in paper sleeves.  Others are in the old fashioned record storage
> albums.   For the loose 10 inch records and the ones in sleeves - what
> box size do you suggest I order?  I can order 10 inch by 10 inch boxes.
> Has anyone used those before?  Or would I be better off with 11 inch by
> 11 inch boxes with newspaper stuffed along the sides as padding?  Is it
> ok to fill the boxes from top to bottom with records?  Or would I be
> better off adding a layer of crumpled newspaper or foam packing peanuts
> on the top and bottom for padding?  Once the records are boxed, should I
> have the box shipped upright so the records are horizontal - or should I
> turn the box on the side so they are vertical?  I can order boxes of any
> height.  Is it better to order 6 or 7 inch tall boxes which will hold
> fewer records and perhaps weigh about 30 -35 lbs or 10 or 11 inch tall
> boxes which will hold more records but also weigh more?  Regarding the
> records in the storage albums - is it safe to ship the records while
> they are still in the albums?  Or would it be better to first remove the
> records from the albums and box them up with the loose records and pack
> the albums separately?  If it is safe to ship them in the albums, what
> is the best way to box them up?  Any thoughts on the 12 inch records,
> most of which are in albums?
>
> Any suggestions will be most appreciated.  This is one of those
> situations where the cost of packing shipping and buying boxes is going
> to exceed what I paid for the records - so it would be a huge shame to
> go through all of the expense and hassle only to end up with 5,000 lbs
> of broken shellac.