Public Service Announcement: Pack Your Saws Well

[CountryRhodes]

I'd like to start out by saying that everyone makes mistakes, and blaming or embarrassing someone for mistakes they've made is never helpful. What is helpful, on the other hand, is using a mistake to learn from. This is not a thread for anybody who regularly ships saws (or anything, for that matter), but a thread for people who don't have much experience with packaging/shipping, and would like to see how NOT to do it.

Some time ago I bought a saw from a member here and they shipped it to me. I'll attach photos of exactly how I received the saw, but suffice it to say it wasn't pretty. After a close inspection I found that the only damage the saw suffered was a bent spike; no big deal. I didn't tell the seller anything about it because I'm a "live and let live" kind of guy. I don't fault the seller because they just didn't know any better (or had way too much trust in the package carrier service). I took the pictures of the box and saw as I found it, first on my front step and then as soon as I opened the box.

I would appreciate it if none of you super-sneaky Sherlock Holmes types tried to find out who the seller was. I'm sure they'll read this thread, and I'm sure they'll realize what they did wasn't the correct way to do things. That is NOT the purpose of this thread. The purpose is to teach someone the right way to do it, so that this doesn't happen as much in the future. I figure that the majority of people who ship chainsaws person-to-person in the country/world are members of this forum, so hopefully people who are shipping their first saws soon will see this and remember it.

View attachment 315142View attachment 315143View attachment 315144View attachment 315145View attachment 315146

 

[nmurph]

Well, it's a Stihl so I'm pretty much safe.

I can't get attachements to open, and I can't get them to open in a seperate tab.

 

[XSKIER]

I can't see the pics too good. Is it a MS 441 C-M MAGNUM? Either way, congrats on the new saw!

 

[SkippyKtm]

Well, it's a Stihl so I'm pretty much safe.

I can't get attachements to open, and I can't get them to open in a seperate tab.

Yep, I cant get the pics to open either.
Looks like Darin has more work to do, poor guy's been having fun lately...

 

[CountryRhodes]

Not sure how to make pics work...maybe one at a time? I don't know jack about this stuff

View attachment 315148

Nah didn't work.

The point is there is absolutely nothing in that giant box but the saw, bar, chain, and owners manual. All loose and all free to bounce as they please.

 

[nmurph]

Not sure how to make pics work...maybe one at a time? I don't know jack about this stuff

View attachment 315148

Nah didn't work.

The point is there is absolutely nothing in that giant box but the saw, bar, chain, and owners manual. All loose and all free to bounce as they please.

Yepo, rookie mistake. The seller should make that right.

I re-read the post and see that the damage was minor, you will be surprised to find how hard that spike will be to straighten.

 

[discounthunter]

lucky you didnt loose the bar or anything else.nice big hole in the bottom/side of the box.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Well, it's a Stihl so I'm pretty much safe.

I can't get attachements to open, and I can't get them to open in a seperate tab.

I couldn't get them to open either, thought it was my computer...

 

[mattinky]

Well, it's a Stihl so I'm pretty much safe.

I can't get attachements to open, and I can't get them to open in a seperate tab.

Mine's not working right either, pics won't open

 

[rms61moparman]

I've received them packed in everything from newspaper wads to bath towels (pretty nice towels too!) even some without packing BUT they were in a box that fit the saw!


Mike

 

[bootboy]

Whenever I ship a saw, I pack the bottom of the box with about 2-3" of news paper and then I proceed to pack the saw tight with more news paper, filling all the nooks and crannies. It's not tight enough until you can pick up the box, shake it vigorously and not hear or feel any movement. Then I sleep well

 

[Bill G]

I've received them packed in everything from newspaper wads to bath towels (pretty nice towels too!) even some without packing BUT they were in a box that fit the saw!


Mike

Hey Mike,

How about a garbage bag? I mean that is it........ a gosh darn hefty bag. It came from Canada to boot

On a side note are you coming to the Iowa Fall 2013 GTG?

Bill

 

[mike047]

I received a similar shipment from a EEBBAAAY seller. Big hole in the side, bar was gone. The extra chains and their boxes were stuffed back in the box by postal employees. Absolutely NO packing at all. Saw was undamaged but a POS. (stihl ms361)

Best boxes are Dolmar boxes stuffed with newspaper. Had one come with fiberglass insulation packing

 

[sunfish]

Unbelievable!

A lot of folks blame USPS for lost saws.

I'd guess over 70% of those lost saws are from poor packaging, smell of gas, etc... I ship a lot of stuff and learned long ago that the item/s in the box can destroy the box if not secure and properly padded.

In this case you and the seller are very lucky.

 

[stihl sawing]

Good Grief, i'm not an expert at packing but anyone with common sense knows that ain't right. He'd be hell working in the packaging department in a glass factory.:msp_ohmy:

 

[SawTroll]

Yep, I cant get the pics to open either.
Looks like Darin has more work to do, poor guy's been having fun lately...

Opens fine now, at least to me.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

I'v seen a few horror stories on here when it comes to shipping.
So when i make a deal on a saw,i ask about packaging.Then i give a quick rundown on a few tips if their method seems a little weak.
The last saw i got could of went around the world a few times and still would have been fine.The seller was an older gent,and i gave him a few tips while we talked.He listened to me and then added his touches.I let him know how awesome his packaging was and he was really pleased that i let him know that.
I had to watch 3 mint 650 homelites get auctioned off,and couldn't find anyone to pack and ship them.The only option was a trucking company,and they wanted $200.00 per saw,sorry way out of my price bracket.All 3 went for over $450 looked like they were never run they came with new 48" Homelite bars.Hope someone that likes old saws got them.
Thomas

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

You should feel lucky.

I had a 475 shipped like that and they busted the AV ear right off the crankcase.

Had a 372 come up missing out of the box. They found it about a month later.

 

[olyman]

I received a similar shipment from a EEBBAAAY seller. Big hole in the side, bar was gone. The extra chains and their boxes were stuffed back in the box by postal employees. Absolutely NO packing at all. Saw was undamaged but a POS. (stihl ms361)

Best boxes are Dolmar boxes stuffed with newspaper. Had one come with fiberglass insulation packing

postal employee, needed a bar........

 

[olyman]

Unbelievable!

A lot of folks blame USPS for lost saws.

I'd guess over 70% of those lost saws are from poor packaging, smell of gas, etc... I ship a lot of stuff and learned long ago that the item/s in the box can destroy the box if not secure and properly padded.

In this case you and the seller are very lucky.

bar was missing......