ISO: Styro Shipper? FT: Something beer-y from Quebec?

groulxsome · Post by **groulxsome** » Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:38 am

Weird post, I know.

I have a friend in Newfoundland who has requested some (four) bottles on short notice and I don't have time to get a Styro Shipper mailed in from uhaul (I also don't have a car).

I'm currently on a train to Montreal and I'll be back in Toronto on Monday, so I was wondering if there was anything I could pick up that could be traded for four styro shippers on Tuesday in Toronto? Offer subject to availability!

Or, if not, any advice on how to ship four bottles without a styro shipper?

Sorry for such a weird trade... offer... thing.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:59 am

To ship without a styro shipper I use Lots of bubble wrap, lay bottles horizontally, pray the posties respect the Fragile and This Way Up labels. So far I haven't lost any bottles in trades or shipping for homebrew comps

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:10 pm

On a related note to this - I received a styro container to ship back to a friend, but the box is pretty beat up.
It's 16"H x 14"L and 9.5"W fits 6 bottles.

Having a heck of a time finding anywhere that sells a box of these dimensions...any tips? I don't need to buy a "kit" with the styro....

Andrenaline · Post by **Andrenaline** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:00 pm

El Pinguino wrote:On a related note to this - I received a styro container to ship back to a friend, but the box is pretty beat up.
It's 16"H x 14"L and 9.5"W fits 6 bottles.

Having a heck of a time finding anywhere that sells a box of these dimensions...any tips? I don't need to buy a "kit" with the styro....

I too would appreciate any ideas... I have a 12-bottle Uhaul styro shipper whose box is basically held together exclusively by tape. I've searched high and low for a box the same size, and even tried making one out of a large piece of cardboard, but the structural integrity is just not there.

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:20 pm

Go to the LCBO, get a good sturdy 6 bottle wine box.

Go to Staples and buy some bubble wrap and packing tape.

Take all of the flyers and newspapers out of your recycle bin.

Double wrap each one of your bottles. Tape them shut.

Put some newsprint on the bottom of the box, put your bubble wrapped bottles in the box, fill voids with more newsprint. Tape up your box.

Shake your box, if you hear glass, unpack and pack better. If you keep everything snug in your box you shouldn't have a problem.

The secret is add more newsprint rather than less. Make sure you have to jam that lid closed and hold it while you are taping it shut. Make sure that those bottles can't move.

grub · Post by **grub** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:48 pm

cfrancis wrote:The secret is add more newsprint rather than less. Make sure you have to jam that lid closed and hold it while you are taping it shut. Make sure that those bottles can't move.

this. The extra newspaper really helps mask the sound of sloshing liquid too, so cram it into every nook and cranny.

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 4:18 pm

Another little tidbit is if you hear sloshing of liquid. Add some dry macaroni. Just pour it in.

The rattle of the macaroni will mask the sloshing.

iguenard · Post by **iguenard** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:01 pm

Can't you just say its maple syrup if they question the sloshing?

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:02 am

iguenard wrote:Can't you just say its maple syrup if they question the sloshing?

yep, you could go that way as well.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:24 am

Andrenaline wrote: I too would appreciate any ideas... I have a 12-bottle Uhaul styro shipper whose box is basically held together exclusively by tape. I've searched high and low for a box the same size, and even tried making one out of a large piece of cardboard, but the structural integrity is just not there.

I am not sure where you are located but if you are anywhere near Mississauga I have 5 or 6 12 bottle shippers in my basement that are collecting dust. I would be happy to give you one.

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 3:17 pm

Good tips guys...I really should have thought about locating a nice, proper sized box at the LCBO.
I will keep an eye out next time.
I totally agree about packing things in tight, so no movement is possible...haven't had any delivery issues yet using the styros or just bubble-wrapped bottles.
Actually had a box bounce around from June to November this year, which eventually was returned to me (paperwork issue) and surprisingly after more than 5 months - all bubble wrapped bottles were still intact.

grub · Post by **grub** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:39 pm

iguenard wrote:Can't you just say its maple syrup if they question the sloshing?

depends where it's going. if you're crossing the border, you don't want to say anything food-related or they can say it needs to go through FDA clearance... had that the first time I shipped to the states and claimed it as "infused olive oil and marinades".

iguenard · Post by **iguenard** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:15 pm

grub wrote:
iguenard wrote:Can't you just say its maple syrup if they question the sloshing?
depends where it's going. if you're crossing the border, you don't want to say anything food-related or they can say it needs to go through FDA clearance... had that the first time I shipped to the states and claimed it as "infused olive oil and marinades".

TRUE!

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 9:37 am

I don't even bother with sending booze over the border now. I've had so many flagged because they xray pretty much every package now. If I'm trading in the states, I'll drive down to Ogdensburg and send it out from there.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:48 am

cfrancis wrote:I don't even bother with sending booze over the border now. I've had so many flagged because they xray pretty much every package now. If I'm trading in the states, I'll drive down to Ogdensburg and send it out from there.

Seriously? I have been sending beer through the border for the past year without any issues. Probably send 7 or 8 boxes through the border in 2013. What do they do after catching them in the scan? Send back to you or confiscate the beer?