I want to ship 3 or 4 rods from New York to Florida. I've never done this before, but I've heard horror stories. Can anybody tell me the best way to ship; pvc with caps, what grade or cardboard rug cylinder? Also, is Fed Ex better than UPS or what? What about insurance? Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks.

Shedule 40 with A glue on one end and a Threaded cap on the other Plenty of Bubble Wrap

Be sure to pad the rods inside the tube so they cannot move around, including front to back.
And yes, insure fully.
We like to use USPS Priority Mail, insurence and delivery confirmation.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

Like Ron I like the Post Office They seem to have less damage while shipping - Guess they try harder

I pack my rods with newspaper Duck tape on the ends

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2013 07:55PM by bill boettcher.

I agree, plenty of bubble wrap especially on the top and bottom of the tube and allow at least 1& 1/2" of space in the tube for the bubble wrap. Make sure the butt section is sitting taller in the tube than the tip section. The top several inches of the tip are the most vulnerable to breakage during shipping or transport.

After UPS backed a truck into one of my shipped rods (to a family member) and literally pinched the rod and PVC tube containing it in two sections between the truck bumper and loading dock, I stick with the post office and insure it for 2x it's value so I get paid for rebuilding the rod if it should get crushed.

Get a long piece of 1x2 and make it longer then teh rods, thi sway if they throw teh tube and it lands stright up and down, teh wood takes the brunt of it instead of the tips

There is an article in the upcoming issue of RodMaker that is very much along the lines of what Billy just suggested. It's almost bombproof. Almost.

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no matter who you talk to you will allways find a horror story , peole handle the package an if people handle it there be accidents , I like USPS , they have a very good name with me an i use plastic water pipe
one end closed off an a screew fitting on the other end ,

Bill,
If I am shipping a bunch of rods, I do the same thing as the fishing rod supply houses do. i.e. put all of the rods in a cardboard box, with good packing, put the cover on the box and ship it.

Basically a heavy cardboard box will work just fine for a rod.
If the packer does anything to break the box, it is likely that they would also have done the same thing to a PVC tube, rain gutter, or even 2X4.

A long box is going to lose an argument with a conveyor every single time. A conveyor does not even know if something gets jammed in the corner. The conveyor just keeps right on turning, snapping the tube, or box in half.

I have had close to 0 shipping problems. But one summer I had a broken blank with every carrier. i.e. Fed Ex. UPS< and US post office all broke blanks for me.
I had insurance on everything so it was not an issue had quick payment from the carrier.

As one of the other posts suggested - I always insure the rod for at least double my asking price for the rod, to be sure that I am adequately compensated for my time and trouble if I end up having to replace the rod.

Good luck and be safe
Roger

Get some of the hard angled cardboard that mudhole use its like steel unfortunatley its not forklift proof but not much is.

I do like BillyV does, it's worth the extra $20 or so to have it delivered all in one piece after you've put your work and time into it.