Best way to package/ship large rolled print?

[gchappel]

I need to ship a roughly 40x60" print, paper size 44x68".  Rolled paper.
Canson Platine paper.
I was thinking of laying down a layer of glassine paper, rolling the image and mailing it in a tube??
I have never shipped a rolled print before- any thoughts or experience would be appreciated.
Thanks again
Gary

[dkaufman]

For shipping large prints, I have often used construction Sonotubes (for pouring concrete footings) or similar brand, which come in various lengths up to twelve feet and various diameters including six, eight, ten and twelve inches. They are stronger and much less expensive than large size mailing tubes and can be cut to size with a handsaw. They can be purchased at building supply stores. Eight inch diameter works quite well as each turn of the tube accommodates about 24 inches of print, so a 44x68 inch print will only have to be rolled about 3 and a half times to fit in a tube about 4 feet long or perhaps four-and-a half feet for added safety. The print can be rolled with interleaving paper or tissue on the front and then wrapping in thin bubble wrap or foam. The Sonotubes are fairly clean but sometimes dusty and not as clean as new mailing tubes so the print should be wrapped around the outside after it is rolled up. The ends of the Sonotube can be sealed with layers of duct tape across the openings and a large mailing or shipping label can be affixed anywhere on the tube body. Good luck with your shipping.
David Kaufman   www.davidkaufmanphotography.com

[gchappel]

Thanks, using sonotubes is a great idea. 
Never thought of wrapping the outside with bubble or foam-
Thanks
gary

[nokk]

i used to ship in a mailing tube, which i put in a plastic bag with a larger triangle tube around it.  i got everything from uline, but i've never shipped that size before.  and you have to order a bunch of tubes, you usually can't get just one from uline.

[sportmaster]

Go to hardware store and buy plastic pvc pipe.  Cut to length required.  Pretty much indestructible in the mail system.

[deanwork]

For about 15 years I’ve only used the Uline heavy duty crush proof 4 inch tubes. I order them in bulk, a large box each about 50” long that I cut down to the sizes I need with a simple hand saw. I wrap the prints with glassine or clear bags.  I’ve never had one of these tubes damaged.

However last week, I was sending a short tube within the state, FedEx as usual. This normally costs me $10.00 for this size .  All of a sudden FedEx wants $30.00 to send the same thing. Triple the price all at once. They now call it  “ non-standard “ shipping container…. I just quit FedEx and switched to UPS which is back to what I was paying all along, $10.00 for that smaller size. Anyway, regardless who ships them, you can’t crush these tubes, I usually send proofs regular mail.

John

i used to ship in a mailing tube, which i put in a plastic bag with a larger triangle tube around it.  i got everything from uline, but i've never shipped that size before.  and you have to order a bunch of tubes, you usually can't get just one from uline.

[gchappel]

As I only need one tube, I bought the biggest one ups had- which is only 3", 42" in length.
I am going to give it a go.  Keep fingers crossed.
If I ever have to do this again, or in any number, I will likely order a stack of 4" tubes.
thanks
gary

[glyph]

I'm a professional printer, and do a lot of shipping. If you are going to try to get by with stuffing this print into a 3" tube, I HIGHLY recommend that you find a smaller diameter tube to roll your print around first. The smaller tube will allow you to roll it tighter, without the same concerns about kinking the paper you will have if you try to roll it freehand. You will almost certainly wind up with a crease or two if you don't roll it outside another form. I always ship in heavy duty 4" tubes, but have had USPS crush them catastrophically. Once you get the print into the tube, you can let it relax to conform to the full diameter of the tube. Safely stuffing a print that size into a 3" tube is going to take some skill and great caution.

[Richard.Wills]

Wrap the print with tissue around an old inner core, and tape strips of paper around the the outside. A thin layer of foam, then the bag a paper roll came in. This then goes in an old paper box, with the tube supported as when it was supplied. I find this is sufficient for domestic despatch.

For high value, and international shippping, I'll add an outer box from vinyl or laminate deliveries, padded with either bubble wrap  of corrugated card.

[gchappel]

Dang, I wish I had saved a couple of old inner cores and boxes.  Too late smart.
I almost never ship- so this will be a new venture for me.
The games begin. 
thanks
gary

[deanwork]

Yes wrap the print around a the tube standard paper comes in ( not the really thin ones ) with glassine surrounding the print .  Then I use cheap butcher paper to go around that for filling the space and/ or the plastic bag that media comes in. A big roll of butcher paper is cheap . Put all that inside the 4” uline tube.





quote author=gchappel link=topic=138814.msg1222046#msg1222046 date=1628764605]
Dang, I wish I had saved a couple of old inner cores and boxes.  Too late smart.
I almost never ship- so this will be a new venture for me.
The games begin. 
thanks
gary
[/quote]

[gchappel]

Thanks again. 
I finally found a 4” tube, you are right this would have never fit in 3”
Glassine surrounding the print and wrapped in kraft paper.  Padded inside the tube.
Looked perfect sliding into the tube.
Now lets see if UPS can still damage it.
Thanks for the guidance
Gary

[mfrohman]

I mail about 10 tubes a day of various sizes. I roll them in kraft paper with no inner tube. Glassine may make a better impression but it's no more archival than kraft. Instead of taping the kraft paper, which can stick to the print when unrolling, I make cuts on the kraft paper that extends past the roll and tuck inside the tube on both ends. This holds the paper around the tube without having to use tape. I use heavy duty kraft tubes from Uline 4" diameter for that size. The main thing is to pad each end between the end of the roll and the end of the tube/cap. I take kraft paper and mold it into a little round pad and stick that at the end. Add a little more padding on the ends than you think you need because in movement the paper compresses. My experience using UPS, FEDEX, AND USPS ground is surprising in that USPS is faster, cheaper, and less prone to damage. It's also easier to file a claim with USPS. Surprisingly, FEDEX and UPS both manage to damage tubes more often in my experience, unless you're doing overnight or expedited.

The heavy duty options mentioned are also interesting for high value prints.