Shipping a model

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kenmusket

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Greetings all. I have a completed model of a significant 1800's sailing ship which I intend to donate from my Australian address for display at an allied festival celebration in England later this year.
It is now securely crated, with box approx. 1m. W x 1m. H. x .43m. D., weighing 35kg.--- and ready to send, either by sea or air. With a big likely difference in freight price, and with dangerous conditions currently in the Red Sea area, I am concerned about the sea option.
I don't want the model to diappear!
With my recent inquiries to Freight Forwarding Co's I haven't found a good option, considering all issues..
Has anyone recent experience and able to suggest a good company to handle the freight issue please?
 
first of all welcome to the active part of the members.
sorry, I am not experienced in transport of a fragile box around half globus - it is a long way and everything could happen outside or inside the box - the freighters / postmen are not very careful when they handle a box
I hope the model is well fixed inside the box?
The Red Sea area is problematic, but more danger is sometimes, that the container ships are loosing containers during heavy sea......
I cross the fingers, that somebody have some experience in such a freight.....
Maybe in the meantime you could show us also the model, which you want to send to UK?
 
I wish you success, but man, the whole concept scares the "H E double hockey sticks" out of me.

FWIW, perhaps touch base with a larger museum, and try to see if you can reach their curator and discuss how they prepare fragile items for shipment. In my simple thought process, this is really akin to shipping artwork or fine ceramics. If it were me, economy would not be my first consideration. You need to find a shipper who specializes in this type of work and has experience and a good track record with it. I'd also suggest (perhaps in ignorance) that longer shipping times isn't a good thing. The longer things take to ship, the more they become exposed to handling and temporary warehousing. Handling is your enemy. The less of that the better. You'll obviously want to label the heck out of it with all sorts of "fragile" and "this end up" stickers, but again, that's not a guarantee it will be treated as such. Whether shipping in a sea-can (c-can), or palate freight by aircraft, you have no ability to control where your package will be located in regards to what it's beside or what's on top of it.

What I have seen with delicate items shipped internationally is that they are securely affixed to the base of a wooden crate by a mixture of screws and wooden braces and clamps. The whole shipping box is made of thick plywood and screwed together. That in itself provides the most protection as the item is unable to shift if the box is mishandled, and the container has a high degree of structural integrity. If it's constructed with a hinged lid with screw down latches, even better. The secondary consideration is that it may well be opened by customs, and at the end of the exhibit, I'm assuming someone has to repack it to ship back to you. I've had electronics shipped in this manner from China to Canada, and though the boxes seemed like overkill, they survived their journey via DHL.
 
I wanted to say DHL too or UPS. They will suggest how to crate it and by all means insure it for it's value and your work included. They will handle it all the way from pickup to delivery. It will most likely go by air anyway.
 
I've shipped three models from Hawaii to Scotland to California to Bahrain to California to Colorado.

I built plywood cases (which it sounds like you have). Then I wrapped yarn about five times around strategic spots on the hull. (see the diagram of your ship with ideas you could wrap yarn).

The yarn went through holes in the bottom of the case. I then put several layers of thick tape over the yarn on the outside of the box/case.

I stenciled: Fragile Wooden ship model. (UP ARROW) THIS SIDE UP

All made it through each move (and one even arrived upside down).

I DID NOT attach anything to the masts or sails, as I felt the stays would absorb any vibration or shocks.

Good luck...it's always nail-biting until you open the crate!!
shipping.JPEG
 
kenmusket said:
Greetings all. I have a completed model of a significant 1800's sailing ship which I intend to donate from my Australian address for display at an allied festival celebration in England later this year.
It is now securely crated, with box approx. 1m. W x 1m. H. x .43m. D., weighing 35kg.--- and ready to send, either by sea or air. With a big likely difference in freight price, and with dangerous conditions currently in the Red Sea area, I am concerned about the sea option.
I don't want the model to diappear!
With my recent inquiries to Freight Forwarding Co's I haven't found a good option, considering all issues..
Has anyone recent experience and able to suggest a good company to handle the freight issue please?
Click to expand...
I sent my model tugboat from Australia to England by post with no problems. I made a heavy duty cardboard carton to fit and set the boat in tea towels then packed it all round with polystyrene beads. Wrapped the carton with lots of gaffa tape and marked fragile and this way up on all sides. Cost about $30 to post. Arrived with just the prop off and a couple of bits of rigging to be re attached.

IMG_2506.jpeg
 
kenmusket said:
Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I'm thinking too many risks if sending by sea--but the model doesn't need to be there urgently, and there will be a big saving that way f I can find a good arrangement..
Photo attached, as requested--this one made by a friend.
Cheers.

View attachment 425996
Click to expand...
Is it this box you mentioned in first post?
I would suggest little more secure points as others mentioned before. Here you have photos of box that looks very sturdy and was successfully sent

USS Bonhomme Richard 1779 1:48 [COMPLETED BUILD]

Happy Birthday, Oleg!! Birthday-Cake Many more years to come!
shipsofscale.com
 
I have a very similar problem, Batavia has to be sent to Tasmania. It is inside the country, but on the other side of the Tasman Sea. The distance is about 1200 km plus the ferry between dry lands. I looked into different options. One would be delivered by myself - a tedious journey. I have been searching for delivery and insurance companies. The cheapest option for delivery (excl. insurance) would be about AU$ 1250 and I have to make the cradle for it. No optimal solution seems to be available...
János
 
janos said:
I have a very similar problem, Batavia has to be sent to Tasmania. It is inside the country, but on the other side of the Tasman Sea. The distance is about 1200 km plus the ferry between dry lands. I looked into different options. One would be delivered by myself - a tedious journey. I have been searching for delivery and insurance companies. The cheapest option for delivery (excl. insurance) would be about AU$ 1250 and I have to make the cradle for it. No optimal solution seems to be available...
János
Click to expand...
I guess it depends on where you're located in Australia, and you haven't mentioned where you're located. If you were in Victoria, I'd turn it into a four day long weekend trip and enjoy a day of sightseeing. I'm assuming the end destination is Hobart, but you'd end up arriving in Devonport, and then driving down from there. Not a bad drive actually, but I say that based on my experience from about a decade ago. I was just looking at the rates tables and cars are about $180 AUD each way, so even including fuel and accommodations you'd still come in well under $1250 AUD. Still some challenges, depending upon what you're driving for a vehicle. You'd still want to protect the model, but to a far lesser degree than you'd need to if you were shipping it using a courier.
 
seadeep said:
I guess it depends on where you're located in Australia, and you haven't mentioned where you're located. If you were in Victoria, I'd turn it into a four day long weekend trip and enjoy a day of sightseeing. I'm assuming the end destination is Hobart, but you'd end up arriving in Devonport, and then driving down from there. Not a bad drive actually, but I say that based on my experience from about a decade ago. I was just looking at the rates tables and cars are about $180 AUD each way, so even including fuel and accommodations you'd still come in well under $1250 AUD. Still some challenges, depending upon what you're driving for a vehicle. You'd still want to protect the model, but to a far lesser degree than you'd need to if you were shipping it using a courier.
Click to expand...
Yes, this is what I had in mind. I just checked the current rates and the return fee comes out to $1064 without a cabin (just a recliner). Plus the petrol cost for the 2000+ km journey (I am in Sydney). So the pure cost would be about $1400 without any stopover. And I could see Victoria and Tasmania through the car window...
János
 
janos said:
Yes, this is what I had in mind. I just checked the current rates and the return fee comes out to $1064 without a cabin (just a recliner). Plus the petrol cost for the 2000+ km journey (I am in Sydney). So the pure cost would be about $1400 without any stopover. And I could see Victoria and Tasmania through the car window...
János
Click to expand...
It's a good option, but yeah, a long drive from Sydney. As for the ferry, just take a pass on considering the cabin. The ride isn't long enough to need one, unless you're really bagged and need to catch some sleep. The drive in Tas is really picturesque, and on the way down (if you're heading to Hobart... consider stopping at the Penny Royal in Launceston. Penny Royal A nice place to overnight if you need to do so, and though somewhat targeted towards families, even adults can find a lot of really interesting things to do there. Allow at least a few hours if you choose to partake. However you choose to approach your shipping quest, I wish you success.
 
FWIW: I need to ship an Amati model of the Dorade from Florida to Buffalo NY. This is what I found. I checked companies specializing box who in crating and shipping fine-art and antiques. The quoted me $4100. Not an option for me.
I checked with UPS. $400. They gave me a good suggestion. The said build the box with a smaller top than bottom. Sort of like a pyramid shape. This will prevent anyone from placing the box on its side or top. I added handles on the sides and top to further discourage anyone from laying the box on its sides or top. Plus I’ll clearly mark. “THIS SIDE UP SHIP MODEL INSIDE. PLEASE HANDLE CAREFULLY. THANK YOU” ”hopefully it will arrive in good shape.
 
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