The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Looking for suggestions on shipping a large Edison horn. Help on packing and shipping would be appreciated.

Anyone going from Wayne to Iowa that could transport the horn would be appreciated. I can get it to Wayne.

Yhanks
Ken Danckaert

Hi Ken,
Large horns are an issue! I am assuming a 22" bell and 30" long, but here is what I can suggest:

UHaul Wardrobe Box. Can often be found free on FB

Create/cut one or two sheets to cardboard the same exact size of the INSIDE wardrobe box floor but do not place in the wardrobe box yet. This will act as a stiffener to avoid any crushing of the floor of the box (you can use ⅛ plywood if you have it.) You will need a large box to cut up for this step.

put down one layer of bubblewrap or peanuts on the wardrobe box floor. (This will act as a shock absorber for drops.)

Get a large trash bag and place the horn in it. twist tie it closed.

Place the horn in bag on the sheet of cardboard bell side down on it. and tape the bag with horn all around the perimeter to the cardboard sheet.

Place the horn with the stiffener attached into the wardrobe box. If it is cut the correct size it will slide in like a piston and rest on your shock absorber layer.

Fill the box (you will need tons of paper/bubble wrap/peanuts to the top of the horn.

Trim box down/fold and seal.

And now what? You have a huge light weight box. UPS wants to destroy it, FedEx want to charge you a fortune. I can recommend Greyhound Package service which means you have to drop it off at you local bus station and you client has to go pick it up at the other end. They give you a tracking number but provide no tools to actually track it. No time frame guarantee, but it has been 100% successful the few times I have used it.

I HOPE YOU FIND SOMEBODY WHO IS DRIVING AND CAN TAKE IT FROM THE SHOW WITHOUT ALL THIS PACKING!

John

Thanks,

Ken

It is priced by size not weight on big boxes and the post offices holiday rates start soon.

Try Pirate Ship for incredibly good rates for UPS on big parcels. Accounts are free, and you use it as needed. No minimum orders.
www.pirateship.com

I've also had good results with Pirate Ship.

Jerry B.

To further strengthen these big boxes, shore up each corner of the box from the inside with those cardboard angles that you find in a dumpster back of a furniture store--those things are amazing for shipping horns.