how do you guys ship slabs (i.e. nextstation w/ everything but a monitor)?
tried to search but didn't find anything.
-chris
Here is how I shipped my cube from Miami to New York, then to Nashville...
Anyways I went to the UPS store, and they just wrapped them in plastic, then packed it in boxes with styrafoam peanuts........
Really.
Now the monitor didn't work on the first day in New York, but after running for a day it started working again.. It had no issues on the way to Nashville... I suspect it had more to do with the temperature in New York, as I had it near the window and it was FREEZING.... lol a big change from Miami..
Anyways NeXT hardware seems pretty resiliant... Like any of the old unix boxes, they are pretty strong, the disks are the weak link in the chain on them....
The 'station that was shipped to me was boxed in an old gateway monitor box stuffed with newspaper and packing peanuts. I arrived just fine and worked right away. I have to ship it to iTomato and I'm trying to find a box big enough for it to fit in!
Edit: forgot to say that it was a system *with* a monitor. When shipping just the pizza box, a box large enough to contain it with a couple of inches of padding (eg styrofoam / packing peanuts etc) is good. Provided that the box is good and strong (ie so it doesn't burst open), and the packing is firm enough (so the content doesn't jiggle itself silly), the computer itself is really resilient.
I would not recommend shipping a monitor in a box stuffed with packing peanuts. A monitor shipped to me FedEx packed with peanuts was ruined in transit. All the gory details are posted here: "WTB N4006 Sony 17" color monitor" in "Classic Computer Marketplace"
I recommend a really solid cardboard box with expanding foam sprayed in to encase the monitor. Haven't done it myself, but I've gotten heavy, delicate electronics shipped to me in this way and it always works. Also, go for thicker cardboard. In my opinion a monitor packed in peanuts in a normal cardboard box is risky.
Quote from: "idylukewild"I would not recommend shipping a monitor in a box stuffed with packing peanuts. A monitor shipped to me FedEx packed with peanuts was ruined in transit. All the gory details are posted here: "WTB N4006 Sony 17" color monitor" in "Classic Computer Marketplace"
I recommend a really solid cardboard box with expanding foam sprayed in to encase the monitor. Haven't done it myself, but I've gotten heavy, delicate electronics shipped to me in this way and it always works. Also, go for thicker cardboard. In my opinion a monitor packed in peanuts in a normal cardboard box is risky.
I should have added that these were the expensive boxes they sold in the store, not something flimsy like the tp boxes...
Indeed, and the cardboard box my 'station was shipped in was originally used to ship a Gateway monitor. Only a fool would ship something that heavy in a lightweight box.
The cardboard box that failed was rated for 100 pounds. The monitor weighed less than 100 pounds.
for stations themselves and other pizza box like systems (sun, sgi) i have used old dell flat pannel monitor boxes. Some of the computers fit nicely into the included foam inserts.
When i was in minneapolis at the end of the 90s I bought 20 cubes and stations from marble.com in MA. They sent monitors and cubes double boxed. Ex: monitor bubble wrapped inside small box placed into bigger box with peanuts surrounding it. All survived, and most outside boxes had evidence of dropping (like squished corners) (UPS of course).
The last O2 I bought was packaged that way and UPS STILL managed to break the plastic base. I was annoyed at first since that was the only part of the skin not ruined. Then I found that it had been sitting in a pool of something oily (before shipping) and I couldn't have used it anyway.
I know it was busted during shipping because the outer box had a big ass dent in the corresponding corner, and all of the tiny fragments were still in the inner bag that held the unit.
I eventually got the O2 working, mind.
I used to ship components for a living, and this is what I recommend:
- Make a trip to your local computer/electronics store
- Collect whatever foam packaging material they will let you have (the best type is form-fitting, and covered in plastic
- Also get some dense foam strips to protect edges - of the component and the box!
- Wrap the component in plastic (saran wrap, plastic trash bag, etc) * be sure to dissipate the static by waving it around, rubbing it with your hand extensively with the other hand touching a ground*
- Glue, tape, or somehow affix the dense foam strips to the inside corners of the box - sufficient to absorb impact (it's fine if the box is deformed on arrival, the foam will have absorbed the impact rather than the object inside)
- Fill the bottom of the box with whatever foam material you have (newspaper just doesn't cut it unless it's STUFFED into the box to the point of bulging - then you must reinforce the box with tape)
- Insert your plastic-coated component
- Fill the remainder of the box with your foam material
- Close up, and tape closed
- Run tape around the corners of the box to keep blowouts to a minimum - some boxes aren't meant to travel through UPS, i.e., they are packed inside shipping cartons (3/8th " thick or better should be able to go it alone)
- Bonus tip: If your box is too tall, trim the top down rather than trying to pack it with newspaper or peanuts or something. 4-6" of space surrounding the object is good - less than 3" is dangerous, more than 6" is unneccessary.
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I have bought and sold several NeXTs along with hundreds of Cisco products, collectible computers, and specialized electronics gear. This info is from my personal experience.
I also recommend "Great Stuff" (used sparingly) and 3M spray adhesive for affixing foam to box internals.