I'd like to bash USPS, but instead I'll let everyone here guess the price I was quoted for the following size package:

Length - 8'2
Diameter - 4"
Shipped a finished rod & 3 blanks inside of a PVC tube, the light one with the black interior and ridged white exterior.

When I get annoyed enough, Ill let you know how much.

A lot ... here is why. Anything over 108" in combined length and girth (distance around) is only eligible for parcel post at a "surcharged rate". You are lucky, parcel post only handles up to 130" and your package was 98" long plus 4" x Pi (3.14159 ...) rounded up in girth = 111" total. Even to go across town at 5# WITHOUT insurance, tracking, etc. would be $30. Send it from Florida (me) to New York (you), it would be closer to $70.

This is one of the reasons why rods over 7'6" are MUCH more popular in two piece models. Now you know why so many surf blanks and such are dropshipped from manufacturers and not stocked by distributors.

It is an ugly world we live in at times. LOL

Try Fedex ground.

~Mark

Did you insure the rods and were they sent ground?
Good Wraps Bob

I'm guessing $22.00.... to go from the east coast to me in San Diego

Part of a responce I posted in another forum...


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Heres a tip for shipping rods with USPS.

If you are shipping a 6'6" or less you can stay under 84" with lenth and girth if you use a thin tube you will pay something like 12 bucks to ship it with insurance via priority if I remember right. After 84" the price really jumps.

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Other than that I use fedex ground its cheaper than USPS when you factor in insurance.

Heres another one of my posts from a different forum about shipping rods..


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*Warning* if you do not have insurance on the item when shipping via USPS its just plain to bad when it comes times to put in a claim.

If you are lucky you will get a "sorry" about your package being lost and nothing else.

If your unlucky you will just get a NEXT.. called in your face LOL.

Signature confirmation means nothing also if theres no signature and the pacakage is lost they are still not resposible. So forget about every other extra service they offer its a waste of money. All you need is insurance.


I also notice alot of companies I order blanks and rods from either ship USPS or Fedex Im pretty sure they ship alot more than stuff than us so they would not be using one or the other if there was a major consistant problem with either of them.

I would go with one of these but again make sure you have enough insurance on the package or be assed out when they lose or damage a package.

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THe question isn't where should I ship, it's how much do you think I was charged. I've shipped the exact same tube & length in the past year for $16, at the same post office.

The rods were not shipped, not insured, and I was only given ONE shipping option, which wasn't Priority and after seeing the price I really didn't care.

They changed things with the rate increases.

It used to be length + height + depth = total inches.
Now it is length + height + depth + girth = total inches.

Essentially, they are getting the length and depth more than twice. Like most things in politics, don't raise the taxes just take away all the deductions or "loopholes" and act innocent when they accuse you of raising the price.

$ 87.98 ??????? am I warm? Do I get a prize?

$57.98?

Jim Gamble Wrote:
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> > Now it is length + height + depth + girth = total inches

BINGO!!! Jim, you nailed it. As a result, my package which used to measure 98+4+4 = 106", 2" under the allotment, now measured 98+4+4+11=117".

This made the package go from a shipping cost of approximately $20, to a total of....are you ready...get the vaseline & KY..

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT DOLLARS

Yes, $128. $1-2-8. for an 8' tube.

Be cheaper to stick it on a Greyhound Bus!!!!!!!

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

I have a shipper that challenged the measurements you describe for cylinders. The weight is also involved. The maximum measurements confuse many untrained agents who are working as temps in the shipping places.

The 108 is supposed to be the sum of the length and the circumference in inches. Diameter times 3.14 plus length in inches. The best price is gotten when you deliver to shipping company office and send to business address on the other end.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2007 11:45AM by Bill Stevens.

Well ... what did I win?

Unfortunately, I have already found the new and exciting "postal math". All of my 6' bass rods that were cheap, cheap, cheap because they were under 84" total have tripled in price - but still not as exciting as breaking the 108" barrier.

BTW, FedEx Ground will take those tubes very inexpensively. Just pack them well - they use them for javelin practice.


Billy Vivona Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jim Gamble Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > Now it is length + height + depth +
> girth = total inches
>
> BINGO!!! Jim, you nailed it. As a result, my
> package which used to measure 98+4+4 = 106", 2"
> under the allotment, now measured 98+4+4+11=117".
>
> This made the package go from a shipping cost of
> approximately $20, to a total of....are you
> ready...get the vaseline & KY..
>
> ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT DOLLARS
>
> Yes, $128. $1-2-8. for an 8' tube.
>
>
>
>
> NERBS - North East Rod Builders

"The 108 is supposed to be the sum of the length and the circumference in inches."

REgardless of what I wanted it to be, or what you think it's supposed to be...it ACTUALLY is what Jim posted above. That means any of those nice 4" diameter tubes which are quite light, cannot be longer than 90 inches or they will be subject to the same punishment as I was. Where it's going has no bearing on anything with USPS, which is BY FAR the most convenient for me to use.

Dont you guys Know? This is what they refer too as "NEW MATH". Billy I think I woulda gone back to the shop and got out the dremil.

How about this. I was recently trying to get a package of returned goods sent from Ashville NC to here, Manila Philippines. It was a regular 25kg Promo Package with DHL, regardless of weight up to 25kg and as long as it fits in the box provided it goes on a fixed PROMO rate,and the same promo size and rate we regularly ship to Ashville every month. From here Manila, to there, Ashville NC, about 4 days and $168. FROM ASHVILLE NC USA TO HERE MANILA PHILIPPINES $753. Quoted, checked, requoted, rechecked, rechecked again then sent US mail for $84 and took about 10 days-6 days longer than DHL. I dread to think what any of them would charge for an 8' blank. UPS is one of the most difficult this end with a very lengthy and expensive visit to to 23 different offices (and payments) with a guide in customs on my last UPS recieved parcel-a box of fly tying materials !!!
Earl

Man that is rich. I would tell them where to go.

Just for comparison, I got quoted $142.50 to ship A COMPLETE RENZETTI LATHE from the US to AUSTRALIA!!!!!!

Well, not too far off what jumping on a plane and hand delivering could cost when you find fire sale fares.