Shipping a calumet monorail 4x5 - suggestions

[djkloss]

Hello, I'm not sure where to post this thread, so I'm starting here.

I'm thinking of selling my 4x5 monorail. It comes in one of the old metal suitcases where it hangs up side down. I've heard you can ship suitcases, but I was wondering about something like this. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate some feedback so I can start downsizing.

Thanks in advance,

Dorothy

 

[MattKing]

I've moved this to the Large Format sub-forum, because that seems more appropriate than the Classified sub-forum that is devoted to operation of the listings on this forum.
Good luck with your query - I'm sure that questions about packing and shipping cameras are of interest to a few of us.

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

My Calumet cc400 came without the case. I was offered the case but I declined since there would be an increase on shipping. Mine came on a cardboad box with lots of foam nuggets.

Regards

Marcelo

 

[Don_ih]

Get newspaper or similar, stuff it in plastic bags, pack it around the camera hanging in the case so nothing can move. Wrap cardboard around the case, wrap bubble wrap around that, wrap that in cardboard and send it. The key is making it so nothing bounces around in the package.

 

[Don_ih]

However - I'd try to get a local buyer.

 

[grat]

Admittedly, I'm not familiar with the CC400, but my SC2 showed up disassembled and each of the parts wrapped-- front/rear standards were separate, the bellows was in it's own package, and the rail was in the box.

 

[Jay Schrotenboer]

When I got my Cambo Legand it came shipped in its heavy studio case packed in a box. That was from B&H’s used department, but I am sure it would not be cheap to ship all of that weight.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Hmm. I'm in the US, once shipped a CC-401 to a buyer in Eire. I unscrewed an endcap from the rail, ran the standards and bellows -- the bellows is permanently attached to the standards -- off the rail and put them all in a plastic bag, and put everything in a box. The rail just fit the box, one end was in the lower left front corner, the other end was in the upper right rear. Padded with, IIRC, plastic peanuts. It arrived in good order, the buyer was happy.

 

[xya]

Years ago I received Linhof Standard Monorail hanging in an old metal suitcase, shipped from Germany to the south of France. The standards were pushed to one end and the seller had put pieces of styrofoam to block everything from moving. Then he had wrapped the suitcase with cardboard, no bubble wrap, just cardboard. It arrived just fine...

 

[laser]

I have owned several Calumet 400 series cameras. It is easy to remove the rail.
1. Use an allen wrench to remove one of the black caps on the end of the rail.
2. Rack the front, back, and tripod mount assemblies off of the rail. BE SURE to capture the nylon insert (round slugs) that are pressed against the rail by the rail-locking screws.
3. After shipping reassemble in he opposite manner. It couldn't be easier.
Note: If you don't need the 16" extension cut the rail or buy a spare and cut it for field use.
Bob

 

[djkloss]

I've moved this to the Large Format sub-forum, because that seems more appropriate than the Classified sub-forum that is devoted to operation of the listings on this forum.
Good luck with your query - I'm sure that questions about packing and shipping cameras are of interest to a few of us.

Thank you Matt

 

[djkloss]

Thanks for all the great responses. I really appreciate this!

 

[M Carter]

If it's the plain-old SC-era Cambo/Calumet, they break down very easily if you want to ditch the case and ship the camera "fairly flat". Unclip the bellows from each standard and remove; remove the rail end-caps (they may have small set screws) unlock the standards and roll the standards off the ends using the friction knobs. You don't necessarily have to remove the tripod block from the rail.

Years ago I saw a soft case for the Cambo SC line, but it requires all-the-above steps to pack up the camera... kind of a pain!

 

[mgb74]

The problem is that if the case is to arrive unscathed, you have to have that in a box. So now you have this very large box. And since shippers charge by both weight and volume (actually they assign a volumetric weight for large boxes) you have a very big shipping charge.

 

[grat]

In 2021, I bought a 2x3 Speed Graphic, with case, a bunch of film holders, a couple grafmatics, a roll-film adapter, and a couple flash assemblies-- Shipping was $50 USD from Ohio to Florida.

 

[GKC]

I'd put the entire suitcase inside a tightly fitting unmarked carboard box, with all the innards well cushioned and secure.
Camera gear does attract thieves.

 

[Tim Stapp]

My first CC400 was an EBAY purchase. Came wrecked. Both ends of the box were perforated from the rail penetration. Knobs broken off, ground glass broken. Sent back to seller with refund.

Next CC400 purchase on same seller site. Fairly local seller, original owner. Retired Pro. First time the camera was out of his studio was delivering it to me. Still a fine camera. Not the most portable, but a fine camera with all necessary movements.

In my opinion, pay the extra and ship with the case. Well worth the extra cost.

 

[dabsond]

I was lucky to find one locally. It needed a few parts so I sourced a second on KEH, extremely cheap. They shipped it just fine. They are heavy though.