Sending prints in tubes

[Pieter12]

I am going to mail some 11x14" prints in a 3"x18" mailing tube. Besides an outer layer of bubble wrap and tissue paper between the prints, are there any other packing or rolling tips? I plan to put a wad of paper or bubble wrap at both ends and tape the lids.

 

[Vaughn]

Roll up the prints so that they have a smaller diameter than the inside of the tube (wrap in paper and tape the paper so it won't unwind) -- if the tube gets caved in, the print still has a chance to survive. Or put them in the tube, then put that tube in a bigger tube.

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

My advice is: DON'T. I have NEVER seen a tubed print that wasn't damaged. When you try to roll it up, you will kink the print. I ship prints to my patrons in large flat boxes and have never had one arrive damaged in 27 years of doing this..

 

[Pieter12]

The gallery recommended a tube over packing flat. I'm guessing a large, flat box is more prone to mishandling. I do recall an instance of a shipper dropping a heavy box on top of a box containing artwork, piercing it through.

I'm going to try to find the heaviest gauge tube for shipping the prints.

 

[foc]

Unless your tube is very light and flimsy, you shouldn't have a problem. (the tube wall thickness is the one to look at).
I have used tubes for posting all sizes of prints , from 10x12 inch to 20x30 inch and over all the years never had a problem with a crushed tube.
My method was to roll the print image side in, from the short side, roll the print around the outside of the tube, to avoid kinks..
Hold the rolled print and using my fingers slightly tighten the roll at either end, put a sheet of paper around the middle of the rolled print and tape it and insert it into the tube. Then tape the tube end stoppers.
Always use a tube slightly bigger than the smallest side of the print. EG: for 20x30inch print use a tube 22inches long.

 

[halfaman]

Tubes is the best way to deliver large size prints from safety and also economical point of view. I have received several 20x24'' prints in tubes from labs, all in perfect conditions even in one case the tube was damaged.

Just use a good one like recomended in previous comments.

 

[tballphoto]

you can get shipping tubes from uline, pricy but better then the post office. You could beat your hamster to death with a uline shipping tube. Ones i have seen have been 1/8 to 3/8 inch thick walls. Better then a bannana box.

 

[Pieter12]

you can get shipping tubes from uline, pricy but better then the post office. You could beat your hamster to death with a uline shipping tube. Ones i have seen have been 1/8 to 3/8 inch thick walls. Better then a bannana box.

I have a problem with Uline's ownership's politics. Rather buy from another source, say Yazoo Mills.

 

[tballphoto]

I have a problem with Uline's ownership's politics. Rather buy from another source, say Yazoo Mills.

I would much rather purchase my things from a company like Uline. Consumers have the choice of who they support, but i only support companies that jive with my own experiences and with my own values and moral standards.

Sure there stance on drugs in the workplace may go against the "trend" these days, but i work in a factory, and you have never had the joyful expereince of dodging a drug addict on a forklift like i have.

 

[gone]

You could do the tube-within-a-tube, as mentioned, but the mailing tubes are really strong. I would expect no damage to anything. Just make sure the ends are triple taped, that's where any issues may come from, a tube losing it's end cap.

 

[Pieter12]

I would much rather purchase my things from a company like Uline. Consumers have the choice of who they support, but i only support companies that jive with my own experiences and with my own values and moral standards.

Sure there stance on drugs in the workplace may go against the "trend" these days, but i work in a factory, and you have never had the joyful expereince of dodging a drug addict on a forklift like i have.

Believe me, it is far more than their stance on drugs in the workplace that make me not want to support them financially.

 

[MattKing]

Please refrain from discussing politics in these threads - a thread on mailing tubes shouldn't have to be banished to the Soap Box.
It is enough to mention that you choose not to deal with a source because of their actions outside of the marketplace.

 

[Pieter12]

It is enough to mention that you choose not to deal with a source because of their actions outside of the marketplace.

Kind of what I was trying to do, treading lightly.