'best' way to ship a print?

[back alley]

…can't remember if i asked this already…

what is the best /safest/most economical way to ship a small print…say, 8x10 or 8x12…both mounted & unmounted?

if you were to buy such a print how would you want it delivered?

 

[Paul Jenkin]

Ideally, flat. I had a board-mounted print done by "The Print Space" in London a few months ago and they used a couple of layers of thin corrugated plastic boarding (very light and extremely inflexible) and the print was received in perfect condition - despite the outer packaging having taken a bit of a battering.

I've had prints sent rolled in a tube and I've struggled to get them flat and mounted.

 

[RichC]

Ditto - flat, but rolled in a tube if there's no choice (eg large prints). If the print's important, sandwich it between hardboard or thin MDF (packages can be handled brutally!).

 

[Sparrow]

I send them in the cardboard tube they ship art prints in, a local framer saves them for me ... but then I'm cheap so my prints roll easily

 

[rwintle]

Sara Lando wrote a nice piece on what she does - perhaps not as cheap, but very solid.

http://www.saralando.com/blog-en/6110/shipping-prints/

 

[nongfuspring]

They're small, you should send them flat. If you can, put them between a layers of thin plywood, foamcore or similar, then tyvek.

For larger try not to use document/poster tubes if you can avoid it. Large diameter tubes (PVC tubes are a good option) are better. On the receiving end the prints should be laid out with nothing laid on top ideally overnight before doing anything with them to relax the fibers.

 

[Bill Clark]

After putting the prints into an envelope, WHCC shrinks the envelope on a piece of cardboard. The box is larger than the prints. They also put a lollipop into each carton! They also use some packing to fill the inside of the box.

Can't shrink wrap? Find a way to affix the envelope to a piece of cardboard that is as large as the box used for shipping.


I have bought shipping supplies here:

http://www.uline.com/index.aspx?pri...gclid=CPPn45HfuMACFahaMgod5FYAnw&gclsrc=aw.ds


Hope this helps you.

 

[Lauffray]

When you say flat, do you put it between cardboard or reinforce it somehow ?
Every time I've sent a print flat it ends up folded in the post before delivery :bang:

 

[Bill Clark]

If post folds try using a box to ship.

 

[Sparrow]