Our Packing Process
You might be wondering how we're able to ship our collection of delicate vintage pieces of audio history safely. Well... it's not easy!
Despite this we feel that we've come close to mastering this art, especially given our recent purchase of a $10,000+ machine for Instapak chemically activated custom fit packing.
Check out our YouTube walkthrough to us pack an amplifier live:
Every once in a while UPS or FedEx will do something to a package that even an armored box wouldn't survive! These instances, however, are few and far between and overall probably less than 0.5% likely. Additionally, we fully insure 100% of our packages and are familiar with starting and processing carrier insurance claims on your behalf should the need arise.
The most difficult equipment to ship pretty much includes anything made by McIntosh. This is because they use glass for almost all of of their product faceplates, and their pieces tend be be extra heavy. Luckily, McIntosh still makes their original boxes for just about everything they've ever made - and they sure know how to design and build a box!
Their heavier pieces actually arrive with a piece of plywood that items are securely bolted onto, which prevents them from banging around inside the box during transit. They use the heaviest grade double-ply cardboard and also double box their pieces, with thick foam spacers between the two boxes. Since we have a nice supply of surplus McIntosh boxes, we will often use them to ship other heavy or delicate pieces from our collections. And if we don't have the proper box available, we will order one new for your purchase.
All of our items are shrink-wrapped first to protect against moisture and abrasions.
Pieces under 30 lbs will not usually need to be double boxed if packed properly. We use several pieces of Instapack expanding foam packaging to nestle between your purchase inside of a double-ply heavy-duty cardboard box, capable of holding at least twice the listed weight rating. Boxes are then sealed on all sides with water activated paper tape lined with a fabric reinforcement. We’ve had some plastic clear tapes fail in moist or hot environments, so this is a great solution. The packaging material costs do quickly add up, but to us it is worth the extra expense and effort to protect the precious cargo inside.
Heavier pieces in the 30-80 lb range are double boxed in double-corrugated heavy-duty boxes, with corner foam separating the two boxes, just like what McIntosh uses in all of their packaging. The 2” of cushioning between the two boxes allows the inner box to float slightly in place, and will absorb most impacts. It also provides a nice protection gap in case the outer box is punctured.
Items over 80 pounds (if we don’t have the original packaging) are safest traveling via freight. Same goes for speakers that are too large to box and ship safely. After shrink-wrap we begin protecting the item with heavy cardboard and Instapak expanding foam. We then strap the box to a pallet using strapping cord with crimped fasteners. Some items such as speakers that have the proper holes will actually be screwed down into a plywood sheet attached to the pallet, thus providing extra strength (as shown in the photos on this page).
We've had great success using freight services from several different carriers including Ward. Since the items sit securely on a pallet and are not tossed around, they tend to travel much more safely than if we were to use a common carrier such as UPS or FedEx. We rarely experience damage, the only risk is being punctured by fork lift blade, but this is rare and the heavy cardboard we use provides excellent protection.
Turntables are also tricky to ship safely - but we've really sorted out the process. After our final in-house test and calibration, we provide markings on the tonearm, counter weights, and anti-skate knobs so our clients can quickly get everything dialed back into the right settings without complication or guessing.
For our signature SkyFi customizable vintage tables, we provide a detailed video on final unpacking and assembly so you can easily follow along. Turntable platters and tonearms are usually removed and packed separately, often in a separate box, or together if the plinth is on the heavier side. Everything is secured with shrink-wrap to ensure that everything stays in place. We then use double corrugated boxes and Instapak expanding foam to make sure all pieces are snug and secured. It might be a bit of a pain to unwrap your purchase at the receiving end, but we think that you'll agree- it’s worth the extra effort.