Shipping my Linhof to Marflex

[Mike Lewis]

My Linhof Technika V needs service. I intend to send it to Marflex but I'm understandably nervous at the prospect. For those of you who have done this, please tell me the best way to do it. Thanks.

Mike Lewis

[Vick Ko]

My key to sanity for shipping is:
1. proper packing
2. use a courier, with tracking.

1. packing:
- close the camera properly.
- wrap the camera in plastic bubble wrap - at least 1 inch thickness all around
- get a strong box (thick cardboard) that has at least 1.5 inches room all around the bubble-wrapped bundle that you've created
- get a bunch of foam peanuts
- put a 2 inch layer of foam into the bottom of the box
- then put in the bubble-wrapped camera, in the middle of the box
- fill each side with foam peanuts
- cover the top with foam peanuts
- now tape the whole box shut
- if you are even more conservative, get a second sturdy cardboard box and put your camera/box into the second box, insulated with more foam peanuts.

Since you are staying within country, find your favourite reliable courier and ship your camera off. I like FEDEX, and I even like traceable shipping via your US Postal Service. The Postal Service is remarkably inexpensive and good, although you cannot insure items for as much as a courier (like FEDEX) will allow.

...good luck, I hope this was helpful...

Vick

[Bill_1856]

Send payment by Brinks carrier.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've shipped this sort of thing by USPS, UPS, and FedEx, and everything seems to have gotten to where it was supposed to get. Marflex usually ships back by UPS, so he might prefer that method.

Double boxing is a good idea if you're particularly worried.

Give plenty of time. He seems to be backed up at the moment. I've been waiting since April to have three lenses cammed for my Tech V 23b and a CLA on the body with a couple of small repairs.

[Capocheny]

Michael,

For maximum protection (at a bit of an added cost)... double-box your camera. That is, pack the camera as you normally would in a single box. Tape it up. Then, load this smaller box into a second, larger box and pack it with bubble packing or styrofoam chips.

Insure the package for the full replacement value if possible.

If you pack it this way... I'm sure you'll be fine against damage (unless a one-ton block falls on top of it.)

For protection against loss due to theft... insure it well!

This is what I ask my camera sellers do when I've purchased cameras from them... and I've never had a camera arrive damaged. Knock on wood!

Cheers

[Brian Ellis]

Few cameras are safer to ship than the Technikas. Folded up in their metal casing there isn't a whole lot that go wrong. I've shipped a Tech V and Master to Martin many times (unfortunately). I just heavily wrap the camera in bubble wrap, put it in a box filled with foam peanuts, and away it goes. Never had a problem

[David A. Goldfarb]

There was that guy who posted about ordering a Technika from Adorama, and it arrived with the back sheared off. It sounded like the box was punctured by a forklift. Not much to do about that one, eh?

[Frank Petronio]

Just use FedEx and overnight it if you're worried...

But of any camera to ship, the Tech is the safest