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NER
12-Apr-2013, 19:19
Hi. Does anyone here know of a source for shipping boxes like those pictured here: http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/shipping-boxes-16-1-4-x-20-1-4-x-7-8/shipping-boxes/
Thanks in advance.

N.Riley
http://normanrileyphotography.com

thomasfallon
12-Apr-2013, 19:39
Uline has any box you need.

Tin Can
12-Apr-2013, 19:47
USPS brings free boxes to your door, in a variety of sizes. I just got 50 and Customs envelopes. Seems the world wants American cameras... Then, if you actually ship with USPS Priority boxes, they pick up for free. I love the way USPS is far better than all the imposters.

I even was a USPS employee almost 50 years ago, I quit because I couldn't drink as much as my co-workers. They seem sober these days.

patrickjames
12-Apr-2013, 20:43
Why don't people read the question before they respond??

Norman, I haven't seen those boxes sold by anyone else and I have kept my eye out for them. I just did another quick check at University Products and didn't see anything.

Most people I know make their own boxes. It would help to know what you intend to ship if you are looking for advice on how to ship it.

For up to a few matted prints, I sandwich them between two sheets of oversized masonite taped down and double bagged (tape over the bag obviously) then sealed with tape around the perimeter. If you need to ship many prints, simply make your own with 1x2 or whatever size you need with masonite on the outside. It is better to box the prints and use cushioning around the outside of the interior box. Masonite is preferable to plywood with smaller boxes. Not cheap to ship though. If you can't cut the wood yourself, usually Home Depot or Lowe's will do it for you if you are nice to them....

It is nearly impossible to guarantee the safety of what is in the box. I know someone who lost a bunch of large prints because a driver at the shipping company drove the blades of a forklift right straight through them! Ouch.

Tin Can
12-Apr-2013, 20:55
I did read OP's question, he asked for boxes, 'like' not same.

Sorry!

lenser
12-Apr-2013, 21:21
Not the same nesting construction, but if it is the dimension you are after, one of the labs I use ships in similar flat fold over type boxes. I'm pretty sure they would share the source, Black River Imaging in Springfield, Mo.

Jac@stafford.net
13-Apr-2013, 06:07
Uline has any box you need.

Uline has some good stuff. See this: http://www.uline.com/Grp_236/Artwork-Shippers

and they are breathtakingly expensive

vinny
13-Apr-2013, 07:25
Usps doesn't make boxes anythig like what you want but they do always up for free regardless of the box used.
I make my own because I can't afford ulines stuff.

David Aimone
13-Apr-2013, 07:47
FEDEX makes medium and large art boxes, and they are reasonably priced I think compared to U-Line

http://www.fedex.com/us/office/specialty-boxes-packing-supplies.html

NER
13-Apr-2013, 13:43
Why don't people read the question before they respond??

Norman, I haven't seen those boxes sold by anyone else and I have kept my eye out for them. I just did another quick check at University Products and didn't see anything.

Most people I know make their own boxes. It would help to know what you intend to ship if you are looking for advice on how to ship it.

For up to a few matted prints, I sandwich them between two sheets of oversized masonite taped down and double bagged (tape over the bag obviously) then sealed with tape around the perimeter. If you need to ship many prints, simply make your own with 1x2 or whatever size you need with masonite on the outside. It is better to box the prints and use cushioning around the outside of the interior box. Masonite is preferable to plywood with smaller boxes. Not cheap to ship though. If you can't cut the wood yourself, usually Home Depot or Lowe's will do it for you if you are nice to them....

It is nearly impossible to guarantee the safety of what is in the box. I know someone who lost a bunch of large prints because a driver at the shipping company drove the blades of a forklift right straight through them! Ouch.



Thanks, Patrick. For large numbers of prints, regular archival drop front boxes available from many sources like Archival Methods, Hollinger Metal Edge, University Products, and even Print File, for example, have worked fine for me when they are placed inside larger boxes and overpacked with plenty of protective material (bubble wrap, etc.). I've had this done for me through UPS and their price for overpacking and shipping was very reasonable - far more so than the cost of insurance for the prints! That said, they did a fantastic job, and I would not hestiate to use them again for a large (heavy) job. It's really too bad about the LI boxes, to say nothing of LI in general. Those particular boxes worked very well for me when I had to ship only one or two prints. Your suggestion involving masonite boards seems well worth looking into for jobs on that scale. I appreciate the suggestion. Thanks again.

N. Riley
Nttp://normanrileyphotography.com

NER
13-Apr-2013, 13:47
Uline has some good stuff. See this: http://www.uline.com/Grp_236/Artwork-Shippers

and they are breathtakingly expensive

Hi Jac. You are certainly right about those boxes being expensive. Holy cow! They seem potentially useful for shipping prints with glazing. I really aprrecaite you taking the time to call those boxes to my attention. I may have occasion to use them in the future and, if so, will be indebted to your for this guidance here. Thanks very much.

N. Riley
http://normanrileyphotography.com

NER
13-Apr-2013, 13:48
Lenser, thank you. I'll look into that as an alternative.

N. Riley
http://normanrileyphotography.com

Drew Wiley
15-Apr-2013, 13:53
I simply make my own in the shop. Way cheaper and a lot heavier-duty. Won't elaborate unless someone really need to know.

patrickjames
15-Apr-2013, 14:13
I simply make my own in the shop. Way cheaper and a lot heavier-duty. Won't elaborate unless someone really need to know.

Drew, I am always curious to find a better or easier way. What exactly do you do to make them? I know you print large. Are you doing something more like a crate?

Drew Wiley
15-Apr-2013, 15:44
Yeah it's a crate. When I'm active selling big prints to more than local demand, I keep on hand some inexpensive 1x2 lumber and sheets of Upson board. Now that Upson appears gone, I'm looking at Rhino board perhaps. I have certain standardized
dimensions recorded on a laminated sheet, along with automatic stops on my mitre saw fence. The corners are simply butt-
jointed with a screw run in. The board is cut down on my big Fletcher wall cutter. Everything goes fast. The trick is to use a
board which is stiff and impact resistant, but not brittle. Don't use plywood. Then I use a 1-inch-crown pneumatic roofing stapler to attach the board to the frame members. Lots of shippers make the mistake of using smaller staples or punching them in too deep, and they pull thru. This is especially a problem with Masonite which warps with humidity changes during shipping (and is too heavy per actual wt anyway). I have a spacer gage built onto the stapler. The framed print itself is put in a big plastic bag with carboard corner protectors. So the internal dimensions of the box are appropriately sized. Many parcel carriers are basically gorillas, so I want things relatively bomb-proof, yet lightwt enough to be cost-effective.

Merg Ross
17-Apr-2013, 10:06
I have used the box that you reference for many years, most recently purchased from Archival Methods. I contacted them this morning and, unfortunately, they are no longer available as the manufacturer ceased making them. However, Archival Methods has a list of those seeking the ShipSafe Box, so, you may want to let them know --- perhaps with enough demand, the boxes will again be manufactured. The person to contact is Angela Blauvelt in Marketing.

http://www.archivalmethods.com/

Michael Graves
17-Apr-2013, 12:27
Blick's has these here.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/safco-portable-art-and-drawing-files/?clickTracking=true&CAWELAID=520010530000057900

Drew Wiley
17-Apr-2013, 16:23
Those Blick things use ultra-flimsy corrugated styrene. I wouldn't dream of shipping anything of value in them. Might be OK
for hand-transport.

Robert Langham
20-Apr-2013, 14:48
I loved those Light Impression boxes.

93708 East Dike, Shiprock.

Bob Salomon
20-Apr-2013, 14:49
Gaylord should have them.

Merg Ross
20-Apr-2013, 15:28
I loved those Light Impression boxes.

93708 East Dike, Shiprock.

Yes, they were great. The ShipSafe Box from Archival Methods was identical, probably the same manufacturer. Too bad they are no longer available. The 16x20 size from AM was $15, not cheap, but very handy and reusable. I'm down to my last two.

Bob, didn't see the same item at Gaylord, thanks.

NER
8-May-2013, 09:22
Here is an update. Light Impressions was bought out of bankruptcy by a company called "FDM Brands" (their website is currently under construction). I spoke with FDM today. FDM says it plans to resume the sale of the shipping boxes in question. They are painfully aware of the difficulties LI had and of the resulting bad reputation earned by the company. The person I spoke with said that FDM is working hard to change prevailing views toward LI. She was candid about saying they do not have the shipping boxes in stock today, but she added that they are expecting the boxes to be available within the next 30 to 60 days. I told her I would check back in 60 days. Hopefully there is truth to these claims. It is at least encouraging that the representative was honest about not having the boxes in stock. LI, on the other hand, rarely admitted that anything was out of stock until after they obtained the money for the order.

N. Riley
http://normanrileyphotography.com

Merg Ross
19-May-2014, 20:39
A year has passed. Has anyone found a good replacement or source for the above referenced LI / Archival Methods shipping boxes in 16x20?

Thanks,
Merg

Jim Jones
20-May-2014, 05:38
I sometimes could find similar boxes and their outer corrugated shipping boxes tossed out by the graphic arts section of a book publisher.