Shipping of an Enlarger

shoot6x7 · Jun 1, 2015

I just bought a Medium Format Durst Enlarger from a surplus dealer in California. Luckily my cousin lives in the same city as is willing to pick it up for me.

I'm going to give him instructions as to how it can be dismantled and hopefully he can source a shipping container and have it shipped to me.

I'm trying to figure out my options for shipping this 50lb enlarger from San Jose CA to Ontario, Canada.

Anybody have any experience ?

Thanks,
Ron

Old-N-Feeble · Jun 1, 2015

I can't help with specifics but what experience I do have with shipping leads me to believe it's gonna leave your wallet bruised, bleeding and crying.

bvy · Jun 1, 2015

If it can be dismantled, maybe it can be shipped in pieces? I got my Omega C760 from eBay, and it arrived safely, but I think it was mostly luck. Also, I believe it's a smaller enlarger than yours. With the 8x10 camera I had shipped, I wasn't so lucky.

Hatchetman · Jun 1, 2015

I'd disasemble the head, column, and baseboard. forget shipping the baseboard, make one yourself.

heterolysis · Jun 1, 2015

FedEx is pretty good within Canada in terms of price and not destroying your belongings (much better than Canada Post, where I work), but I'm not sure about their international services. I would definitely dismantle it though because some carriers price exponentially as the size increases. It would also pack more securely if taken apart---a lopsided load is never a good idea.

shoot6x7 · Jun 1, 2015

Thanks all,
The enlarger cost me $150 so I'm not too worried that shipping may cost a couple of hundred.

I called up my employer's customs broker and they suggested UPS or FedEx as a reliable shipper and to use their own brokers.

I fully intend to ask my cousin to remove the condensor, the head and the baseboard, then package them separately. I found an image online for what the unit looks like dismantled and boxed so i hope it'll be balanced.

Thanks !

gone · Jun 1, 2015

Go w/ FedEx. I have had terrible results w/ UPS, especially on damages. Doesn't matter how much you insure it for, they will turn down a claim every time unless THEY pack it at their stores, which costs a kings ransom.

They owe me $600 for two Epson printers. I should get the numbskull of the year award on those. They thrashed my first one when we moved from Hawaii to the mainland of the US, and then years later I stupidly used them to ship a printer I sold on fleabay and they ruined that one too. Never collected a nickle on either claim.

As mentioned, you can make your own baseboard a lot cheaper that what it would cost to ship it (and you can make it as big as you wish too). Try and put it all into as few boxes as you can safely manage, as shipping rates tend to really go up when you have multiple boxes.

palewin · Jun 1, 2015

Just a thought: while they seem to only handle 4x5 Durst enlargers and up, why not contact www.durst-pro-usa.com and ask for their suggestions on disassembly and packaging? I'm sure they ship equipment all over, so they should have some useful hints.

Sirius Glass · Jun 1, 2015

It would be less aggravation, more fun and less expensive to disassemble the enlarger and take a photographic road trip there and back.

removed account4 · Jun 1, 2015

... in the belly of a bus !
if you have your cousin crank the head all teh way down, and secure it, wrap it bubblewrap and stick it in a cardboard box
seeing it is the most important part of the enlarger ... then wrap the whole thing in bubbles or packing peanuts and stick int in a box.
if you have local trailways station near you, it is an affordable way to ship. people + luggage take priority and as long as it isn't a holiday week you
are shipping, it takes about a week / 2 weeks to arrive. i had a big camera shipped to me that way, saved me about 100$ in shipping costs,
and i wouldn't hesitate to ship something that way if offered. just make sure your shipper/cousin gets insurance, like postal insurance
it is piece of mind that if it gets lost, they have to do a trace, it gets damaged in transport because of inexperienced packing, you are covered !

have fun with your new toy, when it arrives !

john

Old-N-Feeble · Jun 1, 2015

momus said:
Go w/ FedEx. I have had terrible results w/ UPS, especially on damages. Doesn't matter how much you insure it for, they will turn down a claim every time unless THEY pack it at their stores, which costs a kings ransom.

They owe me $600 for two Epson printers. I should get the numbskull of the year award on those. They thrashed my first one when we moved from Hawaii to the mainland of the US, and then years later I stupidly used them to ship a printer I sold on fleabay and they ruined that one too. Never collected a nickle on either claim.

As mentioned, you can make your own baseboard a lot cheaper that what it would cost to ship it (and you can make it as big as you wish too). Try and put it all into as few boxes as you can safely manage, as shipping rates tend to really go up when you have multiple boxes.

This is my experience also. I once had UPS turn down a claim because they said the item was packed TOO well and couldn't possibly have been damaged in shipping... and this is with two very large forklift holes all the way through the box!!

At any rate, good luck with shipping your enlarger safely for a reasonable fee. John may be right about shipping via bus.

M Carter · Jun 1, 2015

Seriously, the only way a company can really insure this stuff is if they're responsible for the packing.

It's not the cheapest option, but certainly a good one for peace of mind. My local UPS does a good packing job.

Even so, I'd pre-wrap any breakable stuff (condensers, lenses) and anything that has delicate alignment issues. And also bag up things like heads - anything that you don't want filled with bits of peanuts!

Fedex sometimes has better international rates, I'd get quotes from both.

Sirius Glass · Jun 1, 2015

M Carter said:
Seriously, the only way a company can really insure this stuff is if they're responsible for the packing.

It's not the cheapest option, but certainly a good one for peace of mind. My local UPS does a good packing job.

Even so, I'd pre-wrap any breakable stuff (condensers, lenses) and anything that has delicate alignment issues. And also bag up things like heads - anything that you don't want filled with bits of peanuts!

Fedex sometimes has better international rates, I'd get quotes from both.

Sound advice, have the shipper do the packing and take full responsibility for the liability.

BrianShaw · Jun 1, 2015

I've done the bus shipping - Greyhound. Terminal to terminal in well-packed boxes. Was quick and easy. No damage and no worries.

John Koehrer · Jun 1, 2015

I've got no idea about cost, but Fedex and Conway will ship pretty much anything.
Doesn't hurt to get a price.

Bill Burk · Jun 1, 2015

I could be the first depot on the underground railroad... Your cousin could get it to me, and I could take it up North to the next station, if it's not too far.

removed account4 · Jun 1, 2015

Bill Burk said:
I could be the first depot on the underground railroad... Your cousin could get it to me, and I could take it up North to the next station, if it's not too far.

bill,

isn't the overland enlarger rail road ?

bdial · Jun 1, 2015

I shipped a MF Philips enlarger a few years ago. I used a bicycle box to contain the head and column, and shipped the baseboard separately in its own box, as I recall. Bicycle boxes are usually 3 layer cardboard and are quite sturdy, but easy to cut and resize for odd shaped, large items. I like to cut them apart so that opposite corners can be slid together like a pair of cropping L's
Makes for a very robust package. Usually you can get them for free from just about any bicycle shop.

All of the shippers have their failures, but UPS would probably be my 3rd choice behind USPS and FedEx. I'd also pay for the shortest delivery time you can afford so that the package is in their system for the minimum time. The theory being that it limits the handling it gets.

rthollenbeck · Jun 1, 2015

I like the plastic bag with the foam injected around it.

I maybe saying the obvious but. Remove the lens or lenes, remove the bulbs, remove the mirror/mixer, package all of this in into own packaging. Pay special attention to the mirrors to protect them. Take the tension off of the counterweight as much as possible.

Bill Burk · Jun 2, 2015

rthollenbeck,

That's a great idea, even if (or especially if) we're using the overland underground enlarger express:

Send the expensive stuff in small package separately maybe even FedEx... And the enlarger chassis etc... the cheaper way. If the glass gets destroyed/lost in transit, you can cancel the rest of the shipment.

rthollenbeck · Jun 2, 2015

I would put the smaller packages into the bigger box, ship them how ever you choose.

Luis-F-S · Jun 2, 2015

Make sure you ship the baseboard. Durst boards are not off the shelf, but made for the specific model.

shoot6x7 · Sep 29, 2015

Just as a follow up, I finally received the enlarger a week or so ago.

My cousin packed it in two boxes. The FedEx Golf Club box which help the column, then a second box which contained the baseboard, head, etc.

By FedEx Ground, the shipping cost was $300 and it arrived in pretty good shape taking eight business days.

Sirius Glass · Sep 29, 2015

Enjoy!!

Luis-F-S · Sep 29, 2015

Wonderful! Post some pics when you get it set up! L

Shipping of an Enlarger

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