Packaging for shipment

[Monkeyboy]

Need some suggestions on how to package a bow for shipping. Thanks

[Pat B]

PVC tube/pipe. Wrap the bow in bubble wrap or loose bunched  news paper. It's has worked well for me over the years. I also send them USPS Priority Mail and do not insure. If anything happens to the bow they won't cover it. You get $50 insurance anyway with Priority.

[osage outlaw]

I use PVC pipe.  Not the thin wall stuff.  Or carpet tubes.  Wrap the bow really good with bubble wrap and slide it in the pipe.  Pad both ends before putting plugs or caps on it.  You want to have the bow secure inside.  Shake the pipe hard to test it out.  It shouldn't be able to move around inside.

[Eric Krewson]

Lately I have been shipping them in fishing rod shipping tubes. I got some from a friend at Dick's. These are thick, smaller diameter and much lighter than carpet tubes. These tubes only work for straight limb bows, not enough room for a recurve.

When I ship a bow I include a bill of sale with specs and the price with the bow, even if it is a freebie. I bought a book of sales slips, the kind with carbon paper, to make my bills look professional,  I mark the bill "paid in full". I do this to establish value and never pad the bill to anything above what the bow is actually worth. I do add the shipping cost to the bows value, it the USPS trashes my bow I want them to pay me back for the shipping cost I incurred. 

I have had one bow broken in half by the USPS, it was insured for the selling cost, the USPS settled my claim for the amount stated on the bill in a couple of weeks. The sales receipt enclosed with the bow made the claim ironclad.  I have shipped over 50 bows with good luck from the USPS and Priority Mail so far.

[Pat B]

Never thought of that, Eric.

[Weylin]

I pack them like PatB described. I do the insurance like Eric. (knock on wood) I've never had a shipping mishap yet. What I really hate about shipping bows is how much plastic I have to waste every time. I make this beautiful bow out of all natural materials and then I buy this huge hunk of plastic to ship it in. I make and ship a lot of bows and it really adds up. I really wish I could find a reliable and safe way to ship my bows that was also not filling up our world with more plastic. I know that carpet tubes are an option, but I don't really trust them completely to protect the bow.