Rubber Banding item boxes when shipping... (1 Viewer)

[MarkeytMaker]

I can not emphasize enough about the difference of putting rubber bands around item boxes vs. not doing so. I would estimate that 9 out of 10 items I received as damaged are certainly a result of simply not banding the box/s with rubber bands. Usually it is the items placed loosely in a shipping box with newspapers or especially peanuts...the item box lid lifts just enough in shipping to allow the soldiers to battle among themselves...it is really frustrating when you buy stuff from people who clearly have been collecting long enough or been members here on the forum long enough that one would have thought by now they would have this figured out???

There is nothing more dis-appointing in this new hobby then seeing a perfectly good rare set of soldiers destroyed because of a simple lack of a rubber band or just plainly shipped poorly! Even worse is when you mention making sure you band the box/s and they don't do so....

There...I still don't feel better!!!

 

[mikemiller1955]

I don't think I have ever received a boxed set of figures with a rubber band around it...

I know I have never shipped boxes with rubber bands around them...

I pack tight around the box...with peanuts...

that's usually how they are delivered...

the figure box shouldn't move inside the shipping box...

it should be packed tight...

 

[glossman]

When packing figures for shipment, it is very important that each and every figure be immobilized so that there is no room for either displacement or dislodgement.

This critical step is best achieved by carefully embedding each figure in foam/sponge protective medium all round.

The chance of damage and breakage is pretty high if the figures can move and contact each other.

I have seen too many bent/broken barrels, bayonets, swords, lances, spears etc.

It is heartbreaking, especially if you have paid good money for the figures.

The protective medium can be wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in the shipping box with foam pellets.

After writing the shipping and return addresses, the shipping box can be taped up.

A final note: it is pretty time consuming to do "DIY" packing of figures.

Raymond.

**

 

[Wraith]

A final note: it is pretty time consuming to do "DIY" packing of figures.

Raymond.

**

But you do a first class job of it Raymond. I've still got the DIY packaging you did for me - absolutely bullet proof!

Simon

 

[Mister Dave]

Have to concur with Mike re: not always using rubber bands (unless the lid fits loosely on the box). Packing items properly for shipping should really alleviate the need for this. If contents of the shipping carton are essentially suspended in a solid mass of packing peanuts there is really no problem with shifting contents etc.....

MD

 

[Louis Badolato]

My piece of advice for anyone shipping a set they never took out of the box is check the packing inside the box before you ship. Sometimes the person at the factory or the toy soldier shop where you purchased an item didn't do a good job packing, and you may need to repack it. Seems simple, but being a dope, I didn't check the packing once, and ended up sending a nice old set to one of the members on this forum (good friend Marc a/k/a "Beaufighter") which got damaged in transit. It was my fault for relying on the packing done by a wonderful dealer I had dealt with literally for 17 years without a problem, but he must have had a bad day. The dealer kindly replaced some broken or missing parts from his own collection, and Marc had the figures touched up by a professional (and wouldn't let me pay for the repairs), but I learned a simple but important lesson: check every box and re-pack it securely yourself.

 

[MarkeytMaker]

Have to concur with Mike re: not always using rubber bands (unless the lid fits loosely on the box). Packing items properly for shipping should really alleviate the need for this. If contents of the shipping carton are essentially suspended in a solid mass of packing peanuts there is really no problem with shifting contents etc.....

MD

Sometimes a K&C box has a lid that doesn't fit as good as others...usually a lid that likes to float is because A) the foam is in backwards or B) the top foam was not strategically squeezed to open the foam for the cutouts for the soldiers below...this scenerio produces an already potential disaster if it's not packed tightly (properly)...banding is good insurance because even the best fitting lid can come loose if there is a large settlement in packaging or heavy items being shipped with lighter items causing disruption within. If the lid ever finds it's way loose just by about an inch than the soldiers are certain to turn on each other...sometimes mutiny occurs. I understand most people here have no troubles and pack their items well...there are those who ship items with less care and effort, such as a few pieces of krinkled newspaper and Wa...La done! Rubber bands are cheap and effective...if you are going to be a krinkled up newspaper or loosely packed peanut shipper then I think at minimal you should be knowing that rubber bands could be the difference between your old army group making it home alive or not.

 

[jazzeum]

When I think rubber bands, this comes to mind

 

[marco55]

I rubber band the boxes then tape bubble wrap around the box.I put bubble wrap on the bottom,sides and top.
Mark

 

[lancer]

Many of the early KC sets I purchased (green box and Silver LAH) came with multi rubberbands. These have all long ago dry rotted. If I was to mail them I would use new rubberbands as these boxes can open up because of the foam packing used. That said, securing closure with bubble wrap is a great system. -- Al