Shipping large prints

**Ed Richards** · 9-Aug-2005, 07:00

I am curious about shipping large prints, both from inkjets and Lightjets. Can you roll them in a large tube (say, 6 inch PVC pipe) or do they need to be shipped flat? What about matted - does someone make a ready to go shipping box with inserts? What are the limits for UPS?

**David A. Goldfarb** · 9-Aug-2005, 08:21

There are ready-made corrugated shipping boxes from Light Impressions, and for larger prints, a tube might be the best option. For very large work and framed work, a lumberyard can make a custom wooden shipping crate.

**paulr** · 9-Aug-2005, 08:33

There was a recent thread about this ... it covered every imaginable nuance of cardboard tubes.

**tim atherton** · 9-Aug-2005, 08:38

always check the archives... it's usually been asked before

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lfforum/topic/502648.html

as Paul said, more than you ever wanted to know about cardboard tubes!

**Ed Richards** · 9-Aug-2005, 08:38

I missed that, thanks for the tip:

http://largeformatphotography.info/lfforum/topic/502648.html

Ed

**Eric Woodbury** · 9-Aug-2005, 10:13

I was just at a friend's house and he was shipping 20 x 50" inkjet prints that were printed on 30" wide paper. He ships quite a few of these regularly. He uses 6" dia cardboard tubes. The print is rolled with kraft and then placed in the tube. Some bubble pack is added so that there is no possibility of the print moving. A small handle is added so that the print is easy to remove from the tube. The end caps are taped in place. The tube is shipped Fedx because, if you read the fine print, they allow the insurance of art work to $500. Although other shippers will take your money, you can't collect more than $100.

I think you could use plastic tubing, also, but not PVC. PVC cracks in compression. Try ABS. It is impossible to break. Don't go smaller than 6", as it may be difficult to eliminate the curl in your print.

**Michael Rosenberg** · 9-Aug-2005, 15:35

Extremely sturdy shipping tubes of all sizes can be gotten from Yazoo Mills. I have purchased tubes that can easily hold 44 in wide prints rolled into a 5 inch diameter. I have shipped prints in these, and take them to the gallery.

Mike