Built this for my Great Grandson, Pictures tell that Story

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2017 02:42AM by Barry Thomas Sr.

That is heartbreaking. My sympathies to you.
The best reason for PVC tubing with a reinforcement stake. I suspect it would not have held up to the automated machinery though.

Wow... that's a bummer. Looks like you put a lot time into that rod.

not a surprise there as the PO line workers doesn't like round tube packages as they tend to roll off the conveyor and they have to sashay over and pick it up and place it in the right bin so they swing it like a bat or club .
It is always to make a 3- 12" triangle tents 1 on each end and 1 in the middle and tape them to the tube. and it will get there in one piece and not broken.
been a problem with PO and UPS to for quite a long time because it can fall off the conveyor and someone has to pick it up and special handling charges weren't paid to ship the package.

The best day to be alive is always tomorrow !!
Think out side the box when all else fails !!!
Wi.

Barry,
I am sorry for your experience.

However, I will say that unfortunately, things do happen. In one season, I have experienced blank losses from each of the big three. i.e. Fed Ex, UPS, and the US Post office.

In each case, I am assuming that the tube got caught in a conveyor. No rod shipping container will stand up to the power of a shipper's conveyor. The conveyor will win every time no matter the container.

All that I can suggest is that any time you either receive a product from a supplier or ship a finished rod - you always buy plenty of insurance, so any losses - including your labor will be well covered.

I also don't believe that it makes any difference as to the shape of the package. i.e. round, triangle or square. If something bad is going to happen to the package, it is going to happen.

Best of luck with your next build and may you move quickly on.

Good luck

That is so sad. They are the worst and I NEVER use the Post Office. I had a delivery from one of our sponsors and just happened to be looking out the window as the USPS truck dropped off the rod. As I walked out the door I immediately saw that the PVC tube looked like a hockey stick. I yelled at the driver because he couldn't get away fast enough, His attitude was, so what is the big deal ??? I refused the shipment after I made him see what they broke inside.........pathetic.

Of any shipment that is sent to me via USPS I would say 2 in 10 make it here undamaged. The opposite is FEDX so far, knock on wood, Not one rod has been damaged by them.

Hope your next rod for your grandson is a lot more pleasant experience.

Tom

Tom Wewerka Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That is so sad. They are the worst and I NEVER
> use the Post Office. I had a delivery from one of
> our sponsors and just happened to be looking out
> the window as the USPS truck dropped off the rod.
> As I walked out the door I immediately saw that
> the PVC tube looked like a hockey stick. I yelled
> at the driver because he couldn't get away fast
> enough, His attitude was, so what is the big deal
> ??? I refused the shipment after I made him see
> what they broke inside.........pathetic.
>
> Of any shipment that is sent to me via USPS I
> would say 2 in 10 make it here undamaged. The
> opposite is FEDX so far, knock on wood, Not one
> rod has been damaged by them.
>
> Hope your next rod for your grandson is a lot more
> pleasant experience.
>
> Tom


2 in 10 show up undamaged? I hope you've been in touch with your Postmaster. Personally, I've never had a problem with anything I've shipped or received via USPS. The only damaged items I ever received were through FedEx, and if they had been shipped in PVC instead of a triangle cardboard tube, they probably would have been just fine.

I only ship Fedex. I posted a rant a couple of years ago where I had shipped a rod to California that was to be raffled off in an elementary school fundraiser. It arrived snapped 18" down from the tip with damage to two guides; needless to say it never was used in the raffle. I shipped it in a PVC tube that time instead of a heavy cardboard tube like I usually use. I vowed never to use PVC again, but Roger Wilson replied that it didn't matter what you use if they get it caught in the conveyor, it's gonna get hurt. I agree. I now mark all my tubes, PVC or cardboard, with "Do Not Convey" in big bold letters. I don't know if they actually pay attention to the warning, but I haven't had anything broken since then. I was lucky to get Fedex to pay for the rod as I had it insured, so all I ended up losing was my time. Shipped another rod to southern California about a month ago and it arrived with the end opened up for whatever reason, but the rod was okay. Anymore I just cross my fingers until the customer gets their rod and hope it isn't compromised.

Jay ...I am serious as a heart attack. I have talked to my postmaster. With their track record I was thinking of insuring a blank for $1000.00 and sending to my son in Florida knowing it would be broken then collect the insurance. They can't even ship within the state of Maryland and not break them. Seriously I could go on and on with examples. There must be some kind of a conveyor issue in my area, it's sad.

After 12 years building and sending many USPS, UPS this is the First one Broken, and it had to be to a Child. his dad had to take it home so the boy saw the rod with his name on it

claim filed we will have to wait

It just happens far too often.

Barry, Always use PVC and splint the rod fore and aft by 3" and pack the end caps with spongy foam for cushioning.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Dennis,
Pvc works just fine for shipping rods.
Cardboard boxes work just fine for shipping rods - especially if you are shipping a batch of rods to the same address.
Plastic rain gutters work very well for shipping rods.
Three pieces of cardboard that are bent to form a triangle work very well for shipping rods.

Then, if you wrap the rod or rods in packing material, you will be about as good as you can do with respect to shipping the rods.

As long as the shipping companies do their job and don't feed the container through a conveyor, the rod or rods will come through just fine.

But, if the container, no matter the material, gets run through a conveyor, the container and its contents will lose every single time.

Good luck

I do hope it was insured...for twice it's worth. Hopefully it's just the blank. You can rebuild it.

Some might know this but since 2008 or 2009 Fed-x has handled all of USPS priority and express mail including packages except local. I retired from the USPS in 2012 and i worked Express mail including round tubes with rods inside. They were never put on a conveyer belt. The contract truck drivers handles packages in loading their trucks to take to the airport to turn over to fed-x then fed-x loads onto their plane flown to Memphis or one of their other hubs. Then unloaded off their planes taken inside processed again, then loaded into a container taken to and loaded onto another fed-x plane and flew to destination unloaded by fed-x employees then loaded on postal contract trucks by non uses employees then taken to uses distribution center to be processed again. So you can see all priority and express packages are handled more by fed-x than usps employees. I believe when the packages arrive in Memphis they are put on a belt.

Jay Lancaster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do hope it was insured...for twice it's worth.
> Hopefully it's just the blank. You can rebuild
> it.

No Jay Turned red Cedar Grips , And I was told they will keep the rod if we get paid

Well Barry, all I can say is its luck. Either you have it or you don't. Buy a power ball ticket for the next drawing and see if the luck is with you.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)