SFR Mailing or shipping fly rods

[SurfnFish]

inexpensive hack, telescoping art poster tubes run under $20..my fave switch rod lives in one since it's factory tube went MIA at some point...make fine shipping tubes

 

[Otter]

I definitely recommend mailing them in a cardboard tube or box. I purchased a really nice older Winston IM6 built on a Fisher blank before Winston started rolling their own blanks online. Apparently the seller thought that it would be okay to just ship it in its original metal rod tube that he had just wrapped in paper and attached my address to. The rod showed up in its tube looking like a boomerang and the rod was broken. I was so disappointed. What a waste of an amazing fly rod.

I think the Cordura-wrapped PVC rod tubes that many rods come in are stronger than some aluminum tubes. I ship rods in those factory tubes, or I’ll use a $5 piece of Schedule 40 PVC, capped with those thin plastic slip-on end caps, taped shut. Then I put the tube inside a triangular or square cardboard box that I might make from a cardboard box, so the package won’t roll all over the place, and piss off the shipping workers. Somewhere I read that Canada Post charges more to ship a round tube than a triangular or square one. Maybe USPS does too? If the rod is ”valuable”, or travelling a long way, or by plane, I’ll use the heavier sched. 80 PVC tubing. Look up videos of airline baggage handlers literally throwing packages around.

 

[clarkman]

I always would print up my own labels at home too. Saves you from having to wait in line. I use shipstation (associated with PP) and you can see the different rates side by side.

It's also easy enough to make your own triangle shipper if you don't have any on hand.

 

[_WW_]

My local PO is a small one. There is no mail delivered from there and most of the traffic is folks checking their PO Boxes. Having a PO Box is the only way you can have the Clear Lake zip code as part of your address. Almost never have to wait in line except around Christmas.

 

[greenriver]

I was told that USPS and UPS charge more for tubes than boxes as the tubes have to be hand scanned, otherwise they roll on the conveyor.
Anyone experienced n up charge for a tube?

 

[_WW_]

I was told that USPS and UPS charge more for tubes than boxes as the tubes have to be hand scanned, otherwise they roll on the conveyor.
Anyone experienced n up charge for a tube?

Don't know about that...but the triangle boxes are free at the post office.

 

[greenriver]

I was referring to the postage cost not the cost of the box

 

[Wade Rivers]

I had the gal at my local PO order some more to keep on hand for me. I think she likes me because I bring my own packing tape!

<Insert inappropriate rod joke here>