Safe way to ship a completed model?

So now that I have the business going and people are paying actual MONEY for my models, I have a quandry. I've built two models for friends that had to be mailed to them, one in BC and one in Atlanta. Both showed up with the wheels broke off, mirrors broke, and the T-Bird Turbocoupe had the front nosepiece fall off. :banghead:

I had shipped them in their model boxes,stuffed with newspaper and cotton. Clearly this was not the solution. Has anyone got a system downpat for doing this? What should I try?

maybe try packing them into foam or something?

the foam peanuts? I don't know where to get those...

I would say find a display case or something.. like the kind used in 1:18 diecast...Or, you could use a piece of wood or something.. Anyways, tie the 4 wheels in place, then wrap some masking tape over the middle of the body. And of course.. use a hard box for shipping..
Shown in following picture for more.. erm.. clearification...
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3529/207416zzz.JPG
Yellow band being masking tape
Red lines being erm.. the coated wire that is commonly use to tie wires..forgot its name lol.
Just be sure not to over tighten, just tight enough for it not to move when jolted or shaken...

I mean foam like you use to wash your dishes with, cut the piece in shape and place the model in it. Or try taping, or tieing the model onto the floor of the box so it wouldnt move and rattle while being shipped?

Once I had to ship a pretty big and heavy model with very spindley legs. I lined the box with crumpled up newspaper, to which I then added some paper towels that I tore into long strips and made kind of a nest. I wrapped the model in more paper towels and carefully set this into the the box and covered it all with more strips of paper towels and more crumpled balls of newspaper. I set the newspaper in a way that prevented the model from shifting around the box and it traveled about 1100 miles with no damage at all. I have done the same thing with a car model and the mirrors didnt even come off. Just make sure there is enuff of a buffer zone between the box and the model itself and it's prevented from shifting, even a little bit. Another time I had to send something delicate and I went to a local department store here and asked for some of that styrofoam packing stuff, (kinda looks like foam peanuts) and they gave me a box full for free, otherwise it just would have gone into the garbage.

Personally, I would avoid using paper towels because they have a slight roughness to it that can scratch paint.

I have shipped completed models wrapped in a massive amount of bubble wrap with no problems. My wrap ended up being about 3 inches thick all around the entire model, and don't make it too tight in case part of the wrap gets crushed, you want the wrap to absorb that force, not the model. Make sure your box is twice the size of the model so that the bubble wrap fits in snugly, but not 'stuffed' in. The reason for this is to give the model inside a little space to get banged around and still have a little room to move. The box could also get beat up a little, but you've got enough space around it that it should survive. The buffer zone is the key ingredient.

This is the last model I shipped, from California to Florida, and it made it 100% safe, so that should give you some idea of how effective the bubble wrap technique is.

http://www.bhop73.com/main/images/models/popups/commissions/rain.asp?pic=rain2

Wrap it in bubblewrap.

http://www.fast-pack.com/images/125bubble.jpg

Thanks for the replies... I think I'm gonna go with taping it to a base AND bubblewrap :p

Don't put the tape directly to the model. As we all know, tape will leave residue over a short period of time. Use felt under the tape and wrap that around the model. Good luck dude:)

When I ship a completed model overseas, here's how I do.

* But before that...
Weld as many parts as possible for stronger bonding of parts. I do that especially to the seats, and bumpers. I also use epoxy for the interior mirror part, instead of using clear glue. The inside of the bumper/body seam lines can be coated with superglue for extra reinforcement, too. (Locktite brush application type comes handy.)

* When the mode is finished...
I wrap it with Kleenex, and put it in a plastic bag (like a Ziplock). Wrap it with Bubblewrap, and put it in a stuffed box. Then, put the box in a stronger box, and fill the space with crumpled newspaper. That way, when the mailing box gets tossed around or dented (which happens so often), the newspaper balls should absorb the energy, and the model box should be safe.

Extra padding (and added shipping fee) costs almost nothing compared to customers' disappointment, which will hurt your credibility, so I suggest that you go extra on this matter.

I have used a 1/24 display case filled with cotton balls. Worked great. I just filled the clear plastic cover about half way, put the model in, filled it up the rest of the way then put the base on and tape it shut.

bhop, nice work with the rain mikamura figure! :D

i'd use bubblewrap too.

and in extreme cases, sort of make a foam surround that's contoured to the body and underchassis and wheels. then bubblewrap the whole shebang.