I buy transistor radios, so there isn't the weight like the heavier radios. I've seen packages arrive in a padded envelope, or wrapped in newspaper and peanuts. My biggest gripe is overuse if packing tape. You can reuse bubble wrap, but it's really difficult removing it from bubble wrap when shippers tape something to death. If it's in a box bubble wrap won't come apart if packed tight,so no need for a whole roll of tape. Which also reduces the chance of tape sticking to a radio. If you're going to go overboard,do it with bubble wrap.

There's also the type of radio to consider. Wooden radios usually have a better chance of surviving than brittle bakelite ones. One notable exception would be cathedrals---those are easily damaged as well

Yep AA5-style radios is what I been getting lately, makes sense why I am getting lucky.

no, not happy

packing or the lack thereof is the number one reason I rarely purchase a bakelite or wooden table radio on ebay.

one or two layers of bubble wrap and a box that just fits is always the way to go

steve

I've received a lot of radios and record players in pieces packed just like that Steve, no disrespect intended.

I took a big chance on a Philco cathedral a couple of weeks ago--thankfully this seller did a respectable packing job, and it arrived unscathed. I also got a Zenith tombstone that was well packed.

I learned the hard way to avoid ebay Plaskon radios at all costs---they've got about a 25% chance of surviving the trip. Chances are they already had minute cracks in them before they were shipped, and being jostled around finishes the job

the very few radios i received from ebay, i had direct communication with the seller via phone. we talked and i explained the double box, layers of bubble, peanuts, removing tubes, turning the variable condenser to mesh the plates, removing the knobs, and all that.

unless i have direct phone conversation with the seller and we agree to the packing method, or it is a local pkup, nope, just forget it.

i'm not dealing with the hassle, disappointment, and fussing around.

if they won't talk with me and agree on the packing methods and extra time for which i will pay EXTRA (and i have), forget it.

steve

Just got a power supply a few hours ago. Double boxed but only one layer of bubble wrap on the PS. Front panel, that is aluminum, was pushed in and one 6L6 was cracked. May be more damage but without two boxes it would have been a parts donor. We'll see what the seller has to say.

exactly johnny

for those are the exact reasons i now absolutely refrain from buying and shipping radios and fragile (not italian) electronics from ebay.

in the past, i probably bought 4-5 radios, ones that i could absolutely not live without and that included parts donors. each time, the seller was just as concerned with things arriving safely as i was. we agreed on the protocol for packing, agreed on the extra cost that i would pay, and all turned out well.

otoh, when i've contacted a seller with the question "how will this radio be packed", i now often get a reply something to the effect of "i know how to pack radios". then i ask about double boxing, extra bubble, and the offer to pay extra. if they won't answer my questions or they come back with a 'tone', i simply move on. i don't need the hassle as i will let someone else get the most likely to be damaged goods.

years ago, the last person who tole me "i know how to pack radios", that concept was an absolute joke. thankfully, i did not care about the damaged case since all i needed was a volume control and a few other proprietary hardware parts.

from the horror stories i often read about on here and stories i have heard from my inner circle of radio buddies, ebay and shipping radios is nothing but a PITA in more ways than just a couple.

steve

By far my biggest issue with ebay has been shoddy packing by sellers. Send all the packing instructions you want, they will tell you "yes yes yes" and then do it their own way anyway because "I never had one break before!". I never buy a bakelite set on ebay unless I know the seller is experienced and reliable.

yes, i've heard the babble all too well.

steve

At least you can put them in the red now and get a full refund plus the shipping cost. Of course they'll just blame eBay rules because it's not going to be their fault.

Best packaging I've encountered for small transistor radios are the "Indestructo" mailers from ULINE.

I shipped a Viscount 10-transistor about 3 years ago using one of the 6x8x5" indestructo boxes from Uline, and it arrived fine - in South Korea. The buyer sent me a pix of the radio and even in his broken English response, I understood he stood on the empty box and it held his "hefty" body.

This has been an informative thread. I plan to sell a few radios on ebay in the future. Nothing particularly valuable or rare. But I want them to survive the shipping. There's a new product out called "Instapak". I saw a seller promoting it in their auction. It is a bag that you activate and it expands to surround your product to provide a tight foam cushion. Looks like it might work pretty good.

Instapak has been around a long time, and it's pricey: https://www.amazon.com/Instapak-Quick-Bag/dp/B0185R54KK

I guess a Power Seller who uses these every day may not balk at their cost. Check prices on the other sizes. Whew...

There's also a gun machine that uses expanding foam. Just inject it into the poly bag and it forms a custom packing mold like the Instapak. Of course, it's ridiculously expensive and mostly used by big shipping outfits.

Most wooden radios which I receive are damaged one way or another, sometimes badly. For example, I just received an 8A232 which the seller just put relatively hard foam around the radio before putting it into a single box. I had told the seller how I wanted it packed, and that I would pay extra for it, but of course he knew better... Result: 2 split knobs, cracked cabinet and all of the white volume/tone discs broken up and several tubes rolling around loose. But this was actually not bad compared to many others.

I ALWAYS tell the sell how I want it packed. I ALWAYS say I will pay extra and wait longer - They usually wont do either, but some do.

This is how I ask for radio to be packed:

1. Make positively sure the chassis is screwed down tightly, or remove it and ships separate.

2. [Edited] Gently stuff the complete inside of the cabinet, and around the chassis with bubble wrap pieces.

3. Completely wrap the radio with no less than THREE layers of large-cell bubble wrap, taping it with several complete wraps of tape, so that it looks like a giant alien cocoon when done.

4. Double-box it. That is one box completely inside of another box (Yes, I received a completely smashed Zenith once which had a single box taped to each end of the radio...).

Optionally, in the case of consoles, I have a crate which I ship to the sell, along with a kit of tools and in some cases (like a 12A58) pieces to insulate and immobilize the dial and scale, and a step-by-step instruction book with big photos.

Like I said, rarely will a seller do what you ask, so after I receive a damaged radio, I go to eBay and send them messages and photos and sometimes get something back to cover the damage, and at least punish them some for not doing what I asked. However, when they do exactly as I ask, I have never had a radio arrive damaged.

Would it help to get the seller engaged first by asking something along the lines of... "Would you mind discussing how this one will be packed for safety" or "Would you please describe how this will be packed"?

Excellent idea Greg, except for the fact that most of them will get upset and tell you they know how to ship a radio and will do it their way, or they say they will ship it the way you told them to but they don't. A few days later the radio arrives damaged, almost without fail.

"I received a completely smashed Zenith once which had a single box taped to each end of the radio"

OK that's the topper. I did once ask a seller to double box, she said no problem. My bakelite phono arrived inside a box placed inside a much larger box, without any packing material AT ALL in either box, so it got the full tumble-dry treatment in shipping. This was long before the days when ebay would intervene in sales problems. "Caveat emptor".

the sellers who pack so pathetically need to be hit hard where it counts: in the pocketbook along with inconvenience of dealing with the buyer.

get a full refund and make them pay for return shipping.

let that happen once or twice and then the craptastic packing sellers will learn to properly do the job.

that goes for ANY item that they sell.

steve