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Warning: FedEx and Duct-tape...

Dominick C.

Dominick C.

Guest
Jul 2, 2012
860
945
Austin, Tx
Disclosures
I don't like mean people or mean comments....
#1
Bit of a rant, mostly a warning.

Having a bit of a nightmare shipping a couple of cabs. My house recently flooded and everything in my life is upside down. I sold a couple of prized cabs to help with some of the expense. As I can't find anything (everything is boxed up) I used a bunch of duct-tape to seal the boxes. I way overpack knowing the packages are likely to be mishandled. So with that in mind I basically wrapped the boxes in Duct-tape.

I ran over to a FedEx depot over lunch today, hauled in the boxes, and waited about 10 minutes in line. Immediately, when it is my turn, the agent advised me that they could not ship the boxes. Something about the scanners getting too much reflection from the duct-tape. I asked if they could just put them in another box, he said they were unforchunaltly out of such large boxes, so I asked if we could just wrap them in paper. He advised, that given the size, the paper would not survive transit... FML....

After just a little research FedEx makes it clear that Duct-Tape cannot be used. It lists it as a "no" in several places. I seem to remember hearing this in the past, but I never thought of it. I thought I was being smart...

So now they are back in the car. FedEx is not the only game in town, but I do not have time for any of this. Construction starts Monday. I think I am going to have to rebox them and get some packing tape. Either that or get even bigger boxes. Good news is that the packing tape will probably drop a couple pounds from the weight.

Hopefully this will stop someone else from making the same mistake.
 
#2
Dominick C. said:
Bit of a rant, mostly a warning.

Having a bit of a nightmare shipping a couple of cabs. My house recently flooded and everything in my life is upside down. I sold a couple of prized cabs to help with some of the expense. As I can't find anything (everything is boxed up) I used a bunch of duct-tape to seal the boxes. I way overpack knowing the packages are likely to be mishandled. So with that in mind I basically wrapped the boxes in Duct-tape.

I ran over to a FedEx depot over lunch today, hauled in the boxes, and waited about 10 minutes in line. Immediately, when it is my turn, the agent advised me that they could not ship the boxes. Something about the scanners getting too much reflection from the duct-tape. I asked if they could just put them in another box, he said they were unforchunaltly out of such large boxes, so I asked if we could just wrap them in paper. He advised, that given the size, the paper would not survive transit... FML....

After just a little research FedEx makes it clear that Duct-Tape cannot be used. It lists it as a "no" in several places. I seem to remember hearing this in the past, but I never thought of it. I thought I was being smart...

So now they are back in the car. FedEx is not the only game in town, but I do not have time for any of this. Construction starts Monday. I think I am going to have to rebox them and get some packing tape. Either that or get even bigger boxes. Good news is that the packing tape will probably drop a couple pounds from the weight.

Hopefully this will stop someone else from making the same mistake.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your flooding. Selling your gear to stay afloat painful enough without the indignity of getting sent home by a shipping clerk to repack. The kind of moment that can cause a man to snap, to be sure.

Guess we have finally found something that duct tape isn't good for.

Hang in there!
 
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#3
Brother, I'm living in a house that is a demolition/construction zone too because of a washing machine that flooded half the house. In that misery loves company, know that you have some miserable company in North Georgia.

Tile guy is coming Monday to get started on part of the work. I'm dreading moving everything from one side of the house to the other and then living in that mess for about two weeks.

Here's to hoping you are made whole soon and that this can become a "Remember the time..." kind of story.
 
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#4
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Fielding said:
Brother, I'm living in a house that is a demolition/construction zone too because of a washing machine that flooded half the house. In that misery loves company, know that you have some miserable company in North Georgia.

Tile guy is coming Monday to get started on part of the work. I'm dreading moving everything from one side of the house to the other and then living in that mess for about two weeks.

Here's to hoping you are made whole soon and that this can become a "Remember the time..." kind of story.
Click to expand...

Same deal, washing machine flooded half the house. Time for a complete remodel.
 
#5
Yeah, like the time we opened the crawl space hatch and water was up to the floor joists!
The new box we live in, next door to the old farmhouse(now a large storage building with warped floors/substructure) that got severe water damage, is about 5 feet above grade.

@Dominick C. : most any big box store will have "approved" packing tape. I've shipped a LOT of bass and gear(BOSE L1 bottoms, 2x10 cabs, etc) and STRONGLY suggest you spend the extra couple of $ and get the hand-held tape gun and rolls of both the normal and extra-heavy-duty packing tape. Use the strong stuff across box joints/closures and the normal stuff everywhere else.

PS: Print 2 or 3 shipping labels. One goes on the outside of the box, one goes on the top of the speaker cab(or in the bass case), and the third goes just inside the top of the box(first thing that would be opened if the outer label gets destroyed or peeled off). Consider these steps additional insurance.
 
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#6
I found another FedEx location just a little down the road. I called and they said they had boxes. I left work early and unpacked the cabs. Drove down to the other FedEx. When I brought the cabs in the story changed. Now they would have to make boxes, and they didn't have time until morning.

I am out of time and energy. I left them my credit card number and the cabs. They are going to box them and ship them tomorrow..
 
#9
I was once advised not to use duct tape at a UPS store because it would indicate that something was heavy, and potentially valuable, inside. It was not explained to me which individual in the handling chain would want to know 'what's inside', which was a bit unsettling. But using thick-mil packing tape does work out better, it's cheaper, lighter, and when shipping in the winter months I will sometimes mummy wrap the box for protection from precipitation. I also use 3M '77' spray adhesive on the flaps, primarily on the bottom, to shore those up. If you go that route, wear latex type gloves and do it outside, you don't want to breathe that stuff.
 
#12
I've been running around this for way too long... FedEx called today, they want $450 to pack and ship the boxes 5 hours down the road. I am going to have to find the time and make the trip myself, I just can't do that.
 
#13
"Guess we have finally found something that duct tape isn't good for."

I grew up in the HVAC (Heating, Ventelation, Air Conditioning) industry. I can't think of ANY thing that duct tape is good for. It comes apart after it gets hot, it leaves nasty residue, and it only sticks where you don't want it to. If anyone ever puts duct tape on any of my cables, they're in big trouble. There's a good reason to invest in real gaffers' tape.

j
 
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#14
I had the same problem at the Post Office years ago
Also, if you hva e the exact right box and it has a zillion addresses on it I thought spray paint would be OK
It’s not
They do make a paint for cardboard cartons to clean them up and it’s just the right color
Not so sure it would stick to duck tape though.

+1 about the mess of DT.
I use that Permacell stuff that pulls off clean.
 

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