Bartertown.com

Over the last few years, I have sent several large packages of painted & based figures with little or no problems. Until now. My most recent trade did not go well, as the figures arrived rather battered and bruised. The other person and I have talked and smoothed things out, but it left me wondering how I could improve my packaging techniques.

My question for Bartertowners is this:

When you are shipping painted & based figures (Especially multi-based/element based figures) how do you package them to ensure the most safety and security for the figures?

Thanks

Sean

I'm curious as to how you currently package your items for shipment.

TBH, I have never shipped or received items who's paint condition mattered. For me, the concern has only ever been about making sure they get there in the same condition they left me as far as completeness/ unbent/ unbroken.

Nice sturdy oversized box
A bubble wrap coccoon sealed with tape for the individual figure.
Packing foam/ peanuts lining the bottom, sides, and top.

Neatly packed so no portion of a mini is touching anything other than bubblewrap.
Any and all space filled with the packing foam to cut down on shifting during transportation.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of much more that would need to be done.

gsmalcolmson wrote:When you are shipping painted & based figures (Especially multi-based/element based figures) how do you package them to ensure the most safety and security for the figures?

I recently received a substantial quantity of painted 15mm's on small unit bases; at first I was alarmed to realize that the sole packing material inside the box was puffed rice but I have to agree that it was totally effective. The only improvement I can suggest is a liner (cardboard, foam sheet or bubblewrap) for the box and enclosing the figure/puffed rice confection in a sealed plastic bag - these measures would drastically reduce the risk or level of dmage from the box being penetrated.

gsmalcolmson wrote:Over the last few years, I have sent several large packages of painted & based figures with little or no problems. Until now. My most recent trade did not go well, as the figures arrived rather battered and bruised. The other person and I have talked and smoothed things out, but it left me wondering how I could improve my packaging techniques.

My question for Bartertowners is this:

When you are shipping painted & based figures (Especially multi-based/element based figures) how do you package them to ensure the most safety and security for the figures?

Thanks

Sean

For standard miniatures:
place them end-to-end on a sheet and roll it. If you use bubble wrap or have miniatures that are fairly sturdy, you can layer them this way and then place that into a box. It is recommended either way that when placing this into a box, you secure it to something (cardboard sheet, box edge, etc).

For awkward miniatures (sounds like your subject):
use a bag filled with packing peanuts. Then place that into a box and tape it to a side or fill the box with more peanuts.

If all else fails, use common sense. What parts are fragile, what parts aren't, and what do you have on hand that could secure the figure in a box for shipping?

puffed rice???

Are we talking the puffed rice of cereal fame??

robynln wrote:puffed rice???

Are we talking the puffed rice of cereal fame??

Now that would be something.

robynln wrote:puffed rice???

Are we talking the puffed rice of cereal fame??

Yes.
I've heard of that before. It's exactly what some use.
Personally, I would never use it as, if the stuff got wet...


Yuck!


Styrofoam peanuts would be FAR better... and probably cheaper.

Personally, I'd consider it insane to roll a bunch of minis up in the same piece of bubble wrap. Not if they're painted and that is a part of the selling point. Even if they do not touch, they are more bound to wear.

When you "roll" them together, it puts more pressure on the minis towards the "center" of the roll. Even bubble wrap can rub the paint off of a mini under the "wrong" circumstances.

Each painted mini should be rolled individually in bubble wrap. Where you go from there depends on a lot of factors, really. Smaller minis can be packed LOOSELY together in, say, a small box which goes in your larger, main box. Larger minis should be put in a box alone... which would go in your larger box. Once everything is packed in individual boxes (the individual boxes should be packed with styrofoam to fill any empty spaces), those boxes would all go in your MAIN shipping box and the empty spaces between them should be packed with styrofoam peanuts and/or empty boxes.

That's what I did, back when I used to sell painted minis on ebay and for commission. I never had one arrive with a problem or complaint.


Eric

robynln wrote:puffed rice???

Are we talking the puffed rice of cereal fame??

No only do ypu get the trade...but add milk and you get a meal too!
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.......TASTEY

MagickalMemories wrote: Personally, I'd consider it insane to roll a bunch of minis up in the same piece of bubble wrap. Not if they're painted and that is a part of the selling point. Even if they do not touch, they are more bound to wear.

When you "roll" them together, it puts more pressure on the minis towards the "center" of the roll. Even bubble wrap can rub the paint off of a mini under the "wrong" circumstances.

Each painted mini should be rolled individually in bubble wrap. Where you go from there depends on a lot of factors, really. Smaller minis can be packed LOOSELY together in, say, a small box which goes in your larger, main box. Larger minis should be put in a box alone... which would go in your larger box. Once everything is packed in individual boxes (the individual boxes should be packed with styrofoam to fill any empty spaces), those boxes would all go in your MAIN shipping box and the empty spaces between them should be packed with styrofoam peanuts and/or empty boxes.

That's what I did, back when I used to sell painted minis on ebay and for commission. I never had one arrive with a problem or complaint.

Eric

No method of shipping is safe without proper implementation. As I said previously, if all else fails, use common sense. If you're a novice, common sense may elude you for a few minutes, but it should not do so long enough to send out poorly packaged goods. Part of common sense includes recognzing what's a "standard" miniature would be: a solid model. Classic dwarven thunderers are quite solid unless you take a hammer to them. LOTR Army of the dead? Not very solid, anything with a sword in that range is prone to breaking at the hilt. Though it tends in my experience to be a great problem for Army of the dead, nearly everything "human sized" has a tendancy to arrive bent in some way, shape, or form.

Do not roll/wrap/peanut-pack anything if you're being -paid- to paint something. There are no if's, and's, or but's about this, and no testimonials to the contrary will protect a seller. In commissioned-works instances use foam trays. Either pre-cut as we find in many current miniatures cases which are also available from many suppliers without cases, or custom made from materials which should be available at crafting and hobby stores. And when you put the model into the tray, be sure to put a layer of plain paper, wax paper, or non-stick plastic wrap between the model and the foam to prevent incidental wear.

If the paint job isn't a price point, try placing a bunch of things into a box, and shake it around. Do that a few times, looking at what happens to the contents each time you do it. That's how mail handlers treat mail. People can feel free to say "nu uh", however if it's not being machined (which is in some cases rougher), it's almost certainly being thrown about.

And though we all have many ideas about shipping, you can probably use your own judgement to figure out what you have on hand that you can modify to suit the necessary paradigm for shipping.

If a model MOVES, or anything moves AGAINST it, there will be "wear." Period.

The trick is to keep it from moving.
An individial model wrapped in bubble wrap is the single best way to ship.
Models in foam trays move. Wrapping them in something then putting them in a foam tray still gets "rub" damage.

Now, a well sealed model (at least 2 thin gloss coats & 1 thin matte coat) will have nothing to worry about if properly packaged. If it isn't well sealed, any movement is detrimental, as each movement could be the proverbial straw that breaks the camels back.

My main focus here is to keep your paint job in tact. Secondary is to keep them in one piece and unbent

The method I mentioned above is tried and true. It is the only way I shipped and every model made the trip EVERY TIME without problem. From small orders to large ones... There was never a problem.

Laying a mini in a tray, even with a protective layer of wax paper or saran wrap, will only cause wear damage to the mini as it shifts and moves within the cavity you put it in. Your minis never fit perfectly within the cafity and they move. Pack that cavilty further, to prevent moving and... Well, you might as well be wrapping them in bubble wrap. It'd be cheaper, too.

Eric

MagickalMemories wrote:

robynln wrote:puffed rice???

Are we talking the puffed rice of cereal fame??

Yes.
I've heard of that before. It's exactly what some use.
Personally, I would never use it as, if the stuff got wet...


Yuck!


Styrofoam peanuts would be FAR better... and probably cheaper.

Personally, I'd consider it insane to roll a bunch of minis up in the same piece of bubble wrap. Not if they're painted and that is a part of the selling point. Even if they do not touch, they are more bound to wear.

When you "roll" them together, it puts more pressure on the minis towards the "center" of the roll. Even bubble wrap can rub the paint off of a mini under the "wrong" circumstances.

Each painted mini should be rolled individually in bubble wrap. Where you go from there depends on a lot of factors, really. Smaller minis can be packed LOOSELY together in, say, a small box which goes in your larger, main box. Larger minis should be put in a box alone... which would go in your larger box. Once everything is packed in individual boxes (the individual boxes should be packed with styrofoam to fill any empty spaces), those boxes would all go in your MAIN shipping box and the empty spaces between them should be packed with styrofoam peanuts and/or empty boxes.

That's what I did, back when I used to sell painted minis on ebay and for commission. I never had one arrive with a problem or complaint.


Eric

MagickalMemories wrote:If a model MOVES, or anything moves AGAINST it, there will be "wear." Period.

The trick is to keep it from moving.

An individial model wrapped in bubble wrap is the single best way to ship.
Models in foam trays move. Wrapping them in something then putting them in a foam tray still gets "rub" damage.

Now, a well sealed model (at least 2 thin gloss coats & 1 thin matte coat) will have nothing to worry about if properly packaged. If it isn't well sealed, any movement is detrimental, as each movement could be the proverbial straw that breaks the camels back.

My main focus here is to keep your paint job in tact. Secondary is to keep them in one piece and unbent

The method I mentioned above is tried and true. It is the only way I shipped and every model made the trip EVERY TIME without problem. From small orders to large ones... There was never a problem.

Laying a mini in a tray, even with a protective layer of wax paper or saran wrap, will only cause wear damage to the mini as it shifts and moves within the cavity you put it in. Your minis never fit perfectly within the cafity and they move. Pack that cavilty further, to prevent moving and... Well, you might as well be wrapping them in bubble wrap. It'd be cheaper, too.

Eric

What have I recommended so far?
1: rolling.
2: peanut bagging.
3: foam trays with liners.

And in each case? securing the figures to prevent movement. So all that harping you did about how movment will damage figures? Ennnh.

What have you recommended?
1: wrapping models in bubble wrap, placing them into boxes, and then placing those boxes into boxes.

Sounds great on paper, here's the problem: you don't mention securing models once, and since you harp on how movement = damage, I have to ask: how do you keep your models from moving around using your recommendation?

MagickalMemories wrote:

robynln wrote:puffed rice???
Are we talking the puffed rice of cereal fame??

I've heard of that before. It's exactly what some use.
Personally, I would never use it as, if the stuff got wet...
Styrofoam peanuts would be FAR better... and probably cheaper.

As stated such a method would be a lot safer if a plastic bag box liner were used; I'd probably use secured layers of "egg-carton" soft foam sheets. That said small styrofoam pellets (not peanuts) would work just as well but be harder to get (& more costly?) - normal peanuts would be too large to support most figures and are more likely to cause wear?

Other methods work OK - occasional damage is pretty much inevitable if not in figure cases or equivalent - but the more work a method involves the less likely that it will be executed properly by the average trader, alas.

FWIW, when a sale of painted figures has included the option of buying their case at retail value I've taken it - while the seller has the responsibility of ensuring safe arrival of his goods I figure I've got no right to complain if I've made them re-pack using improvised methods!

Happy New Year!

BCI wrote:What have you recommended?
1: wrapping models in bubble wrap, placing them into boxes, and then placing those boxes into boxes.

Sounds great on paper, here's the problem: you don't mention securing models once, and since you harp on how movement = damage, I have to ask: how do you keep your models from moving around using your recommendation?

That's what you think I recommended, because you don't seem to pay enough attention to what anyone else has to say beyond what you need to in order to formulate a "witty" retort.

I was quite clear on how to keep them from moving.

I'll reiterate so you don't need to do any actual work.

First, you bubble wrap them.
Then you put them (the bubble wrapped minis) in a box. You pack multiple small items or one large item in your box (silly me, I DID presume the reader would know to use smallish boxes for all but the larger items).
Then you surround the wrapped minis with foam packing peanuts.

(That's the part that eliminates movement)

Once all of the individual boxes are packed, you pack them into a larger box, filling the open space in with packing peanuts and/or empty boxes.

Another silly elimination on my part, I also took it under presumption that anyone selling painted minis for cash would also know that loosely packed peanuts weren't good for squat. They have to be tightly packed.

Here's the quoted part of MY post on 12/31/2007 at 4:51 PM, where I spelled it out (granted in what I THOUGHT was necessary detail).

MagickalMemories wrote:Each painted mini should be rolled individually in bubble wrap. Where you go from there depends on a lot of factors, really. Smaller minis can be packed LOOSELY together in, say, a small box which goes in your larger, main box. Larger minis should be put in a box alone... which would go in your larger box. Once everything is packed in individual boxes (the individual boxes should be packed with styrofoam to fill any empty spaces), those boxes would all go in your MAIN shipping box and the empty spaces between them should be packed with styrofoam peanuts and/or empty boxes.

I sure hope this helps clear up what was, apparently, a lack of provided information.

Eric

Ok, show of hands...
Who else thinks BCI and MM need to just get a motel room and get it over with...
seems like every thread...


sorry for the O/T...

-Anglacon

Anglacon wrote:Ok, show of hands...
Who else thinks BCI and MM need to just get a motel room and get it over with...
seems like every thread...


sorry for the O/T...

-Anglacon

Raises both hands