shipping of records

[akd]

give me a cost effective yet safe way of shipping my own collection of records

1.amount: around 1000 records
2.weight: approx 220Kg
3.distance: Kolkata - Guwahati - 1200 Km
4.preference: none, only want them safe and secured as they have cost me fortune and over a decade of time

possibilities are private packers and shippers, Gati couriers

pls give suggestions......

 

[malvai]

pack them nicely... put lots of old newspaper on the baseand the sides before you put the Lp's in the box... then more on the top. ensure that you stuff the sides etc with lots of old news paper (balled up) and ensure that the there is no room for movement inside.

Limit each box to 50-75 lps. not more.

Use any courier that delvers in Guwahati. they are all just as good or bad. trust me on this. at the end of the day, if any of them messes up, you get the same kind of responses!

 

[TaureanBull]

Best is to pack in boxes/suitcase and carry in person in train. Max one day lost. Probably cheaper too.

 

[omishra]

Boxes -
I suggest take boxes used for tea packing (clean it first)
Or
take ready made cardboard boxes 12"X12"X12", from scrap paper vendor.
or
low quality metal trunks for market.

Packing -
Put some thermo-col sheet and/or bubble wrap inside all edges. Put polythene bag with opening at above. Pack 70-100 lps in one box or more if box is bigger. Close the polythene pag properly. Leave no space inside specially corners. Stuff with newspaper wraps. Cover the top properly before closing boxes.
You can wrap these boxes individually into gunny cloth (whatever you call it) used for grain transportation. Stitch them properly from all side.

I transported Kitchen glass material safely from Pune-Bangalore using Indian Railways and above packing material - cardboard boxes lined with thermo-col, bubble wrap and stuffed with newspaper. Marked as household goods, They throw boxes everywhere and stack on each other. Keep this in mind for any transporter

 

[jimmy_tulip]

Limit each box to 50-75 lps. not more.
!

Irrespective of how you do it, I would strongly agree to malvai's suggestion.
There is no guarantee that mishap wont happen. however you would limit your damage to minimum . if one of the box gets accidentally dropped or misplaced.

Also keep in mind that its going to be rainy reason (assuming you would move in next couple of months). And from what I hear, is that it rany very heavily in Assam, so make sure your packing is water proof.

 

[denzong]

I agree with the suggestion of taking it by train. Although it would take more time but bring it with you.
Else the trunk idea is good too.
All the best and do let us know the final method and result. Will help others

 

[malvai]

you could pack the multiple boxes and put it in the cargo cab of the train that you are travelling in (under your supervision!) .... that way, when you get off in your home town, you can simply cart them in the same cab!

 

[entsurgeon]

but plz note that whatever box/case u use should have smooth surfaces. any projection/rib/spine protruding in must be covered flush using stuff ppl mentioned above.
dont use too big boxes as you have to pack stuff tight leaving no space for records to move. using many smaller boxes 50-75 lps each would be better than using 2-3 bigger boxes. (
350 lps each)
also tie 25-30 lps in bunches , cover them in newspaper layer and generously tape em over using duct tape.
u ve been given good advice in prev posts. i think this much shall help you through.

 

[vinay]

akd,

If i would be in your place, never i would use a courier, rather follow the advice to transport it yourself by train, your records will be much safer with great piece of mind. Indeed follow the packing advice which is given, but escort it by train.

These records are very precious to you, so you need to respect them better with a great plan of escort.

In my case, if my hard disk fails, i will not care much, because i can always download the movies again but you will not get your records back with ease and imagine the trauma if something goes wrong.

The precautions are better then cure, we all know, but we need to follow them at such times.

V.

 

[akd]

Thank you all for your suggestions, will keep all these in mind, lets see how safe I can bring them

@malvai
you said about carriers "they are all just as good or bad" - can't express better than that

 

[soulforged]

Hire me...pay me 30% of the LPs and I'll deliver it by person...

 

[denzong]

i am ready to do it in 20% hyeah: :licklips:
i can probably help to transport from kolkata to siliguri later on (thats foc hyeah)

 

[soulforged]

uh-oh...price war!!!

 

[issigonis]

>>>

1. Best option - carry them with you in your car
2. Next best option - in the train, in the cargo van
3. Risky option - courier

As to packing, malvai has given a comprehensive way. Ensure that the records ( or any objects to be transported for that matter) do not move w.r.t each other.

Regards, travel and arrive safe

 

[akd]

updates for the time being

sad part:
I sold out a few hundreds of LPs which I bought long back and didn't like at all and wanted to make use of the money so invested. After trimming my collection it became around 900 LPs.

excitement part:
Packed them in steel boxes with news paper and packing material. It was a hell of a task, my wife was spellbound, in-laws constantly wondered at my madness, two rooms were completely occupied with only 12"

final showdown:
called the GATI guys, at first they gave me a dirty look, but immediately jumed at the imminent business prospect, two young chaps took all the boxes in a near dark load shedding, next day came the invoice - whopping 225Kgs!! price quote was as expected very reasonable

consolidation:
arrived at my place, from outside it looked the boxes have undergone 3rd degree abuse, but I knew records are about paper covers and vinyl material which hardly break if you are cautious. I beat them hands down - packing was so immaculate not a single LP got displaced from its original position. Last saturday arranged them in racks with each music director stacked in a place.


Happy ending:
enjoyed quite a few LPs with the same pristine SQ as they gave me years back


projection for the future:
planning to start my 2nd innings of LP collection, but before that I need to focus on building a proper library type racks

BTW talked with DTDC, they simply surrendered by giving a quote comparable to hiring a chartered flight, at least GATI did the job, whenever I look at the racks I remember how long back I skipped lunch and reduced my expenditure to rock bottom just to save money so that I can buy records, long live vinyls

sorry for the emotional words, couldn't help it

Arnab

 

[entsurgeon]

brickbats to you akd
you ask for advice on forum but sell all those lps without asking us good samaritans first??
not fair not fair !!!

 

[akd]

brickbats to you akd
you ask for advice on forum but sell all those lps without asking us good samaritans first??
not fair not fair !!!

its because either you were never interested or have forgotten a few obscure, not heard hindi film OST form as early as 1965!! In fact I was relieved after the downsize, though could not fetch a meaningful sum, they all went from where they came a decade ago.

 

[omishra]

its because either you were never interested or have forgotten a few obscure, not heard hindi film OST form as early as 1965!! In fact I was relieved after the downsize, though could not fetch a meaningful sum, they all went from where they came a decade ago.

Man :sad:, I am collecting from K L Saigal Era...

 

[entsurgeon]

^^ i take it as my supporting point.

 

[Shivam]

One small tip here-
Use cling-wrap, the clear cellophane that is used in kitchens. Make stacks of 10-15 records in their covers and then cling-wrap them together from all sides. This prevents them from dust and from coming out of their covers even in the roughest of handlings.