ISPM15 Wood Shipping Crates

[oliver]

Hello Everyone,

You'll be 100% right in saying that it is not worth the headache and that I am nuts. Yet, the project is not as insane as it may initially sound.

Can anyone recommend shipping crates or alternatives that would be suitable for shipping a couple of upright Victrolas by cargo freight?

U-Line does have a nice selection of crates. I'd have to buy crates that are too large and then take up the slack with a great amount of cushioning material as I'm guessing custom made crates would be too prohibitive.

Can anyone think of packaging alternatives for 2 uprights by international sea freight?

Thank you.

[JerryVan]

I'm sure that Raphael C. can lend some advice.

[Raphael]

Depending on the type and size of Victrola, I usually remove the motor board and pack separately. Then make a stack of styrofoam to go underneath between the legs of the unit and support it so the weight is taken off the legs. After that, pack the insides, shrink-wrap the entire unit, then blanket wrap. It should fit in a 24" x 24" double-wall box. I close off the bottom of the box, and lay the unit down so it goes in feet-first. Using a roller underneath to help, work it into the box as far as it will go. Now stand the box up so the unit is upright. Fill in the gaps with styrofoam, bubble wrap, etc. as necessary. Then take another double-wall box, same 24x24 size, and force it down over the outside. Usually it can be done without cutting the outer box, a good size mallet will help it along. When the box is far down enough to cover the top of the Victrola with about 2" to spare, add Styrofoam and close the box up. Initially using regular vinyl shipping tape, I then use Gorilla Tape around all the vital seams. Now after doing the second machine, and boxing up the motor boards, you have the first stage done.

Next, build a pallet to the size of the assembled boxes. Looks like 48" x 48" would do. I use ¾" plywood, but you need runners (I use 2 x 4's) underneath to allow for pallet trucks to move it. IMPORTANT: you must use wood with IPPC Pest Control stamps. Not easy to obtain, but the stamp on the 2 x 4's is like a license plate. It identifies who supplied the wood, and without this stamp the entire shipment can be seized and burned en-route. I buy my wood from a pallet maker, who for many years has graciously sold me a supply, but technically he is supposed to build the entire shipping crate. Most export pallet makers will not sell you the wood. By the way, plywood is exempt, so an alternative is to acquire an entire pallet with the stamps in place, and screw a sheet of plywood to it.

Once the pallet is built, generously apply Titebond or Elmer's Wood Glue to the pallet and wrestle the cartons onto the pallet. This will help keep the cartons in place, but you will still need a strapping kit to secure them further. For air freight this is a TSA requirement, I'm not sure about sea freight, never having used it for export. But either way, the straps are necessary to keep the cartons in place. I also try to glue the cartons to one another whenever possible.

Sounds tedious, and it is. I can usually do this in about an hour, having all the materials on hand. Building an entire wood crate takes a while longer, and for Victrolas I have not found it necessary. Double layers of double-wall cartons are almost impenetrable. The important thing is the prep work and packing inside. Good luck!

Raphael

[oliver]

Depending on the type and size of Victrola, I usually remove the motor board and pack separately. Then make a stack of styrofoam to go underneath between the legs of the unit and support it so the weight is taken off the legs. After that, pack the insides, shrink-wrap the entire unit, then blanket wrap. It should fit in a 24" x 24" double-wall box. I close off the bottom of the box, and lay the unit down so it goes in feet-first. Using a roller underneath to help, work it into the box as far as it will go. Now stand the box up so the unit is upright. Fill in the gaps with styrofoam, bubble wrap, etc. as necessary. Then take another double-wall box, same 24x24 size, and force it down over the outside. Usually it can be done without cutting the outer box, a good size mallet will help it along. When the box is far down enough to cover the top of the Victrola with about 2" to spare, add Styrofoam and close the box up. Initially using regular vinyl shipping tape, I then use Gorilla Tape around all the vital seams. Now after doing the second machine, and boxing up the motor boards, you have the first stage done.

Next, build a pallet to the size of the assembled boxes. Looks like 48" x 48" would do. I use ¾" plywood, but you need runners (I use 2 x 4's) underneath to allow for pallet trucks to move it. IMPORTANT: you must use wood with IPPC Pest Control stamps. Not easy to obtain, but the stamp on the 2 x 4's is like a license plate. It identifies who supplied the wood, and without this stamp the entire shipment can be seized and burned en-route. I buy my wood from a pallet maker, who for many years has graciously sold me a supply, but technically he is supposed to build the entire shipping crate. Most export pallet makers will not sell you the wood. By the way, plywood is exempt, so an alternative is to acquire an entire pallet with the stamps in place, and screw a sheet of plywood to it.

Once the pallet is built, generously apply Titebond or Elmer's Wood Glue to the pallet and wrestle the cartons onto the pallet. This will help keep the cartons in place, but you will still need a strapping kit to secure them further. For air freight this is a TSA requirement, I'm not sure about sea freight, never having used it for export. But either way, the straps are necessary to keep the cartons in place. I also try to glue the cartons to one another whenever possible.

Sounds tedious, and it is. I can usually do this in about an hour, having all the materials on hand. Building an entire wood crate takes a while longer, and for Victrolas I have not found it necessary. Double layers of double-wall cartons are almost impenetrable. The important thing is the prep work and packing inside. Good luck!

Raphael

Hi Raphael,

Thank you so much for your detailed advice and extremely helpful recommendations; I really appreciate your time! I did think about using several double wall boxes for each of the uprights but one machine is a VV-XVI and may not lend itself very well to this. I will resurrect the idea.

You bring up a very good point with the pallets and IPPC wood. What about the phonograph cases and cabinets that are not made of IPPC wood? Does that cause a risk for the shipment to be burned en-route? I would think probably not as shipping antique furniture is common practice. Just trying to have a complete understanding as i am new to this.

Why is my project not so crazy? I am slowly planning relocation across the Atlantic and have received quotes from several international movers for door-to-door service based on an estimated volume of 220 cubic feet and using LCL sea freight. Surprisingly not so bad. I own approximately 180 cubic feet of phonographs which I want to include in the 220 ft3 allotment. I figured the external horn disc machines should be easy, stacking up all the horns in one crate and boxing each case after removing brackets/tonearms, motors/turntables and boxing those separately. The uprights are more of a headache. I own nothing exceptional but the shipping volume concept is allowing me to be somewhat indiscriminate as I am now viewing phonographs more in terms of cubic feet than anything else...

Thank you,

Oliver

[Raphael]

The contents never seem to pose a problem. If you are shipping to Europe, be sure to manifest the phonos as “Antiques Over 100 Years Old” and that should also preclude any possible import duties.

I believe your VV-XVI should fit into the 24” cartons. If not try 25 or 26”.

Raphael

[Ben the phono man]

If it helps, dimensions of the 1913 vv-xvi is 49 ½ by 24 ½ by 25 ¼

[Raphael]

If it helps, dimensions of the 1913 vv-xvi is 49 ½ by 24 ½ by 25 ¼

In which case, I would use 30” x 30” DW cartons. That also means the pallet would end up 60” x 30”, with the motor board cartons riding atop the main units.

The most important packing issue is raising the Victrolas and underneath support. The legs are usually a weak point.

Raphael

[oliver]

That is extremely useful information. Thank you so much! It now all sounds very feasible and I feel relieved. So relieved in fact that I am now going to look into adding my 1972 Chrysler New Yorker to the shipment.

I sincerely appreciate all the help, knowledge, and extremely useful information.

Oliver

[Raphael]

Oliver,

That’s what this forum is all about. If you need any specific help down the road, just email me directly and I’ll be glad to help.

Good luck with your project!

Raphael