Speaker Packing?


I need some help. I buy and sell all kinds of stuff on Audiogon but have hesitated to pack and ship full size speakers. Do FedEx or other shippers come into your home and pack/pick-up big items like speakers? Anyone have any experience with this. Thanks in advance.
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xjaymark
Not to contradict others but UPS Store and Kinkos/Fedex Office will box and/or crate anything you can schlep in there, but it is quite expensive. Rest of my comment above still applies.
I would use Wooden crates, make sure they are palletized, and use a freight company such as Yellow Freight. You are probably going to have to pack them yourselves - assume the worst and pack accordingly.

I've been on both sides of shipping heavy speakers and the above represents my best experience.
The one time I used Yellow Freight, about 15 years ago to deliver a large antique radio, they were only equipped to offload to receiving docks, and not to lower items to the ground on a lift at the rear of the truck. They told me this in advance, and I had to arrange for a local short-haul trucker to bring it from their facility to my home.

Regards,
-- Al
Lots of good comments above. I have done this a couple of times and I agree with Swampwalker, IME for big speakers, if they cannot be hand delivered, and you want them to arrive safely, box carefully then have them strapped to a pallet and shipped by BAX or equivalent freight shipper. You may consider the added protection of building wood boxes to go around the mfg boxes. I would use the simple 3/8 in. plywood boxes used by Lamm Industries as a pattern for a simplistic and inexpensive, but sturdy, wood shipping box. If you have a table saw and finish nailer you could have them done in an hour or so. Look up Lamm gear for sale here and there is usually a picture of one of their shipping boxes. You may need to drop your creation off at the shipper where they have a forklift to load it, then make sure your buyer has both help and at least a hand truck at his end since you cannot count on the delivery trucks to have lift gates, and they will generally not help carry them into the house.
The antique radio collectors use Greyhound to ship the consoles, very reasonably priced and they only get handled when changing buses, As long as they fit through the cargo doors. The downside is you need to drop them off at a Greyhound station and also need to be picked up there.