The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

RAK402 wrote:"I always ship machines with the motor removed from the case. That's a disc machine. In your case....I would ask the shipper/seller to remove the upper works and wrap and then the motor and deck and wrap. If possible....I would have the reproducer Carriage remove as well and wrapped."

I could not agree more!

I have had one Edison Standard and one Edison Home, heavily damaged in shipping. The Home received the worst damage-the oak case was splintered, the pulley shaft bent, the pulley shattered, and the carriage arm broken in two. I will never have a machine shipped to me with the motor attached to the upper deck again.

And yet another affirmation of that. I bought a Triumph from a seller who promised to send the works and case in separate boxes, didn't, and the result was a destroyed case.

Clay

You got one heck of a deal and can therefore justify the extra costs of shipping properly to avoid damage.

Those machines are quite heavy and even disassembled into major components, modules like the upper works and motor are quite heavy and yet fragile. I hear stories of the cast-iron motor frame of Triumphs being cracked in shipment, for instance. Cardboard boxes sag under the weight unless packed exceptionally well. Will the seller know how and be willing to do that? I once heard the analogy of packing bowling balls and raw eggs in the same box -- something is going to give -- guess which one? I would separate things into four boxes (and double-boxed at that): motor, upper works, case, and records.

To pack the motor and upper works, I would buy foam rubber padding from a carpet store, or cheaper yet, get used foam scraps from a carpet installer. That foam is the best packing material that I have ever used for heavy objects. Don't use bubble wrap for heavy objects!!!! The foam is easy to cut into exact size sheets to lay inside the box and build up layers. I would lay the motor or bedplate on a layer at least 3" thick and use as much also around the sides and top. I moved a whole collection cross-country in plywood crates lined with foam and suffered no loss, despite the Mayflower company dropping one phonograph off their van.

Instead of Fedex, UPS or USPS, I would talk to the Grayhound bus company about shipping. You could also anchor the boxes on top a wood pallet and have it shipped by by trucking company. Boxes get tossed around by hand, but pallets are loaded by forklift. That sounds like overkill, but the boxes would not be dropped.

Forum member Raphael shared great instructions how to safely ship large phonograph items. Scroll to the bottom of the page in this link: http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 02&p=82652

Andreas

I talked with the seller today, and luckily he has a collector helping him. He bought a collection and this is just one of the machines. I told him to remove the carriage and mandrel, then the motor. These will be bubble wrapped hard and double boxed. The case and cylinders the same. Shipping will be by Fed- Ex as he seems that would be the best. I hope this makes it. Should I leave the D reproducer in it?

Congratulations on your new machine, very beautiful, will further enrich the collection.