Shipping prints

[fhovie]

What is the hot tip for shipping 11x14 and 16x20 mounted prints. I am weary of looking at flat mailers and boxes and figure i don't need to re-invernt the wheel when there is a wealth of experience floating here. I am thinking they should be sanwitched between two oversize stiffeners and sent USPS in the US? Where do you buy them and which ones work best??

Many thanks in advance -

 

[Aggie]

Do you have access to large pieces of old cardboard? If you do just cut it 4 inches wider on each length than the dimensions of the mounted piece. ie for 16x20 do 20x24. This gives you a good 2 inches on each side. then sandwich the work that has been covered by two pieces of archival paper between 3 to 4 layers of cardboard on each side. Use duct tape to cover all ends and sides. This gives you a stiff and well cushioned container that holds the work flat and safe. (I love duct tape)

you can go to your local large chai electronis store for the cardboard. They usually just throw it away. I bet there are other stores that have it also. I am a great one for using free things when I can get them.

 

[Les McLean]

I'm involved in organising exhibitions for a new gallery in London and have just received prints from the US from Chip Forelli and Richard Newman for two forthcoming shows, both were packed in between hardboard sheets about 2" larger than the prints on all 4 sides. They were shipped by Fedex and are in perfect condition.

 

[lee]

I have successfully shipped matted prints in styrofoam that is about 2" past the size of the matted photo's. See Les's post. I put the photo and mat in a clear plastic bag and tape it to one of the pieces and then place the other side on the pile and tape the hell out of it. This stuff I have used it sold in Home Depot and is wall insulation. It weighs nothing and has a silver paper covering. Comes in 4 foot x 10 foot panels. A little time with a knife and you are all set. You could add a piece of Masonite for stiffness if you thought you needed some extra.

lee\c

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I like the way I've received prints shipped from West Coast Imaging. They put an archival interleaving sheet over the surface of the print and put the sheet and the print into an archival sleeve and then tape that sleeve to an oversized sheet of corrugated cardboard with drafting tape, and then package it with two sheets of the same corrugated cardboard on top of the print, two under (four sheets total, including the sheet that the print is taped to), and box the whole package in a corrugated cardboard box cut precisely to size. If you've sent them disks, negs, or transparencies, they put them between two of the sheets of cardboard other than the ones directly protecting the print, also in protective sleeves, taped to the cardboard sheet.

 

[fhovie]

Much better ideas than I had! - Thanks - I'll go get some cardboard - My duct tape roll is getting weak so Ill get some of that too - Thanks!!

 

[lee]

Frank,
You might consider packing tape instead of Duct Tape. In my experience Duct Tape gets less sticky after it has been around a while. I like the packing tape found at UPS and FEDEX and can be bought at those warehouse office supplies and they fit those taping handles. Those seem to me to stay stuck longer.

lee\c