Shipping furniture

[artj]

I just finished a two drawer walnut side table for my daughter-in-law.  She lives in Montana and I have to ship it to her.  Would someone please tell me the best way to do this.  I was leaning toward UPS and having them box it.  Thanks for the help.
Artj

[Bibliophile 13]

First thing, you're going to want to knock together a crate for that. Nothing fancy--just cheap 1Xs from the home center and some plywood. Put padding all around the table, especially at all the corners, so nothing can move in any direction. I don't think I'd trust a shipping company to box up something like that for me.

[handi]

Another vote for crating. 
You may also want to look into an actual shipping company to send it with. I shipped a pair of huge book cases to my brother some years back, and it worked out well.

[BpB123]

If you are looking for a potential low cost, less flexible trade-off option, consider Greyhound Freight

You have to deliver it to the bus station and pick it up on the other end... but it is lower cost

(Note: I looked into this for moving my kids to/from college. Ended up not shipping items. I did make a 1drawer end table, but disassembled ... put it in a suitcase and reassembled on the other end -twice )

Hope it helps

-Brian

[briman87]

Yeah you want to crate it. I would not ship ups because I have had bad experiences with them at my work. They drove a forklift through the piece of equipment that was sent to us. And the sheered off a solid piece of conceded aluminum from the rest of the part it was mounted on.

Honestly I would go freight like R&L, A. duie Pyle, esties. I would build a crate on a pallet. Uline does sell some.

[joe1086]

It's been a while but we used to use the Greyhound package delivery and it was fairly inexpensive and much less handling. Still needs a crate.

No way I'd use UPS, FedEx or the like.

[gjohn]

I paid UPS to pack and ship a large easel I built for my niece. It arrived broken. I guess they must have dropped it off the truck. It was not a delicate part that broke. Now when I ship something I pack it myself.

[Alan S]

I hope greyhound is better now. In 1980 my brother shipped all his belongings to college that way, and nothing made it, or was ever located. I'm not sure he got anything for it.

[Handplanesandmore]

I just finished a two drawer walnut side table for my daughter-in-law.  She lives in Montana and I have to ship it to her.  Would someone please tell me the best way to do this.  I was leaning toward UPS and having them box it.  Thanks for the help.
Artj

How strong is it?

Could the edges stand this kind of test? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He3pkO0xmBs

 

Or this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM3SRG7D21Y

Simon

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

Just my advise but I personally wouldn’t have anyone “box it” but you. They will not put the care in to it that you would and you most definitely will have more resources to pack it better.

I shipped a nice high dollar scroll saw to a buyer years ago and had a privately owned shipping center pack and ship it. How it arrived was a joke. They put it in a big box, filled it with shipping peanuts and away it went. It arrived busted through the side box and damaged beyond repair. What a hassle and lesson learned.