styrofoam peanuts vs. bubble wrap

[redrumloa]

weirdami wrote:
@redrumload

That seems to be the consensus, more or less, in this thread. I'll do it. Styrofoam peanut cache be gone with ye! hehehe!

If you need more supplies look HERE. I forget how far north you said you are, but this place may be worth the drive. It's where I buy all my supplies.

[Eco]

If you ever bought the A590 HDD and memory expansion for the A500, that came in a superb foam packaging in a sturdy cardboard box. I saved the packaging for years and years, until recently I shipped an expensive Thinkpad laptop in it (with total confidence).

I just cut the foam a bit to make room for the laptop, and used the resulting foam bits to totally lock that sucker down. The recipient was very happy with it too..

[weirdami]

@redrumloa

...this place may be worth the drive...

Mr. Box looks to be a bit of a drive, but it's a cool business idea. (I'm a fan of entrepreneurship. :-)) I've made a big honkin' box already, though, using old boxes. It's neat, like Frankenstein. :-)

Thanks everyone for the tips.

[sir_inferno]

iamaboringperson wrote:
Just break up some big foam chunks, and rip up some cardboard, and put some old plastic bags and newspapers in there.

That's what I always do.

oh god  :-(

well, i use small medium and large bubble wrap accordingly [i'd use large here]

sellotaped up, and then put those bags with air all around, instead of nasty nasty smelly smelly make a messy everywherey peanuts  :lol:

[weirdami]

then put those bags with air all around, instead of nasty nasty smelly smelly make a messy everywherey peanuts

If I hadn't ever seen those funky plastic bags with air in them, I'd wonder what you were on about. It's certainly a weird and genius idea. A simple, yet profitable product. :-)

Styrofoam peanuts aren't so bad. Just ask a cat! :lol:

[melott]

Ummm .... those airbags, the large ones about 6in. sq.
don't hold up with heavy items like an A3k.
I bought an item that was packed with those bubble bags
and I wasn't happy, I did come to an arangement with the
seller. I really wouldn't want to trust an A3k to those
for packing, I'd certinly insure it well if you do.

[macto]

I would avoid peanuts unless they are used as filler (eg. you are using melott's styrofoam corner blocks).  Something as heavy as a computer would probably settle, negating the benefits of the peanuts.

[weirdami]

Would lots of old newspapers be alright for packing something like an Amiga 1000 for shipping? I'm out of peanuts and bubbles and newspapers are free.

[Holley]

tightly-scrunched it might do - you need a little cushioning!  I recently posted an A1000-sized macine using a box a new PC came in from work - that did nicely!

[Floid]

weirdami wrote:
Would lots of old newspapers be alright for packing something like an Amiga 1000 for shipping? I'm out of peanuts and bubbles and newspapers are free.

IIRC, Mailboxes Etc. will either give you peanuts for free or sell them at a relative pittance; they're "recycled" from all the other people who dropped off the giant trashbags of peanuts in their garages.  (Probably depends how forgiving your local franchise is.)  Compared to peanuts, tightly crumpled newspaper is probaby equivalent -- but probably also heavier for the same 'strength,' = slightly more $$ to ship.

Now, the thing is, there are two aspects to packing.  On the one hand, you don't want the item to shift; on the other hand, you want something to take the load if the item *does* shift, or has a shipment of bricks dropped on it.  Bubble wrap keeps the thing immobile, and will be somewhat 'forgiving' when the UPS guy kicks it, as the bubbles will burst.  Peanuts are even more forgiving, but a heavy item will shift and settle in them, as noted.  The air bags are really intended as fillers, so for things smaller than a fridge, they serve the same purpose as surrounding the item with bricks -- it'll hold it in place, but dropping it to the floor (or to the tarmac, if the stories of UPS plane unloading are true) will transmit that force right through the bag to the item, rather than 'safely' caving the side of the box.

Generally, you're 'expected' to use something like 5" of peanuts on each side, as regards the shipping companies' claims handling.  If your box is too huge, then you can wrap the thing in bubble wrap a few times to keep it from settling in the peanuts.  If it's something like a CRT, which is going to be damaged by any jostling, then you may as well immobilize the whole thing in high-strength bubble wrap or airbags, since if they drop it at all, it's screwed anyway.

If you were actually doing this with truly important data (personal move or something), it'd be a good idea to ship the machine by a low cost method, and the hard drives in a hard drive mailer by Airborne or some other service likely to treat them right.  F=m*a, and light packages don't have as much inertia if they do get thrown around.

---

Of course, if it's something like a ridiculously overengineered Compaq DeskPro, then you can just immobilize it with bags and take pride in any battle scars. ;-)

[Framiga]

Hi macto

i agree, styrofoam corner blocks AND peanuts too.

Then all is relative . . .it depends by the idiot that will handle it , during the shipment.

Try to imitate the way all the great companies, ships theyr heavy items.

Ciao

[Karlos]

The last peanuts I had were honey roasted. They might have well been sytrofoam for all the honey roasted peanut taste they had :lol:

[weirdami]

Try to imitate the way all the great companies, ships theyr heavy items.

I found some cool dark foam corner pieces being thrown out by one of the departments at a nearby college. They fit just right. Also saved money on a box. Recycling bins are a treasure trove! :-D