Does anyone out there have any methods for safe CRT shipping? I am thinking using a custom foam padded case may be the safest way to minimize possible damage. Something like the photo below except made for the tube(s)...

http://www.carrycasesplus.com/images/gallery/gallery_08.jpg

The reason I ask is I had a 23ЛК1Б picture tube shipped to me and it was damaged in transit. The CRT was enclosed in a custom built wooden box and it came intact, but a tiny piece of something was loose on the inside and it caused the damage you see to the photo below to the phosphor face. The CRT was boxed face down (at least that's how it was marked) so the piece just sort of rattled around on the face. Maybe that damage was just a fluke, but I think if it was mostly horizontal it might be safer. What do you guys think?

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w438/vts1134/Leningrad%20T-2/IMG_7019%201_zpskyu1mmij.jpg

Just a WAG here John, but if the tube had something loose inside of it large enough to cause that kind of damage to the phosphor, I'm guessing that either a) it had issues long before it was shipped, or b) it was knocked around enough in shipping to loosen the culprit up and cause the damage.
I've always just double or triple boxed them in cardboard boxes and held my breath. Packing peanuts and bubble wrap are your friends. There isn't much you can do to minimize shock. I've seen the equipment that most of the major shipping companies and postal services worldwide use; if a box can't survive a 6 to 12 foot drop onto a hard wooden surface, you probably shouldn't be shipping it period.

I've seen several original CRT boxes where they were face up. I suspect for exactly this reason. They only used some cardboard cross bracing.

Was the loose object inside the CRT? If not there are ways of polishing external blemishes off of glass...

I've never mailed a CRT, but if I did I'd use the same packing method the factory original shipping containers did*. The original method stored it face down on styrofoam corner bracing with cardboard bracing around the neck....I'd add a crap ton of packing peanuts to that, get inch thick Styrofoam sheets to cover the box with, put that box in another that J-U-S-T fits over the styrofoam, then consider triple boxing with peanuts...

*Have you seen one, if not I have one and IIRC pictures of it on one of my image hosting accounts.

Packing on it's side is just asking for trouble....The neck is the thinnest part of the envelope and putting force on it from the rest of the tube is practically asking for it to snap.

Perhaps you should make and test your own box for it, then mail it to the seller with instructions on how to re-pack it with the CRT.

This is just my personal opinion, but I ll take bubble wrap any day over packing peanuts. I find the packing peanuts can shift/settle a bit, but the bubble wrap does not and is more firm.

The bubble wrap in conjunction with pink or white Styrofoam sheets 1 to 2 inches thick from Home depot and double boxed. I have never had one broken. I would only trust the shipping to FedEx or Greyhound where possible.

Correction, I did have one broken once coming to me but it was sent by UPS, and nothing would have saved it based on the shape of the box was in when I received it.

Here's the basic concept that's worked for me 4 times to date, including a 21 rectangular CRT. It's basically the same method that manufactures used, plus some extra padding added around the bulb portion of the tube. You don't necessarily need to use soft foam, but you do want some significant thickness of shock absorbing material surrounding the face and sides of the CRT bulb(the heavy end). The key is to only pack around the bulb portion of the CRT, leaving the neck to float in the free space inside the cardboard gridwork. Ideally you want some compression between the front of the CRT and the rear cardboard grid that cradles the back funnel of the CRT. Absolutely DO NOT substitute foam peanuts for the packing material, as they will shift.


http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT201_zpsacuoat8w.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT202_zpsz13v4dzn.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT203_zpsztr6g65q.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing%20a%20CRT%204_zpsrq94cknq.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT205_zpst8biauvw.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT206_zpshdmmizmt.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT207_zps9dscn34b.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT208_zpskrmtdks4.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT209_zps0pzjahmu.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT2010_zpswemjihsa.jpg

http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/Kuehn/Packing%20a%20CRT/Packing20a20CRT2011_zps3gm4yre5.jpg?t=1475710130

The only one I sold and shipped I put styrofoam on the bottom of box, put 2 plastic bags around the crt, set the crt inside of box, sprayed can spray foam inside up to where the neck started. Let it harden and double box with nothing inside touching the neck. I read how to do this on this site somewhere. Worked good. When they get it they have to break the foam away. This was a smaller crt and it might be hard to do on larger ones.

John,

Follow Kevin Kuehn's recommendations. Basically this is exactly the way the 15GP22 box that you picked up at ETF is constructed. With the exception that I used a tri-wall cardboard with a round hole in it over the funnel to support the egg crate above it. Folsom and I shipped 2 15G's to France via FedEx air and the tubes arrived without any damage.

I would also use Grayhound whenever possible. All Greyhound packages are individually handled like the passengers baggage and ride in the luggage compartment under the bus. NIce soft air ride greyhound bus.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. The box that was constructed for the 23ЛК1Б got it here in one piece, aside from the damage to the phosphor. The loose piece inside the tube is minuscule, I can't believe it caused the damage it did. I'm afraid to use any method of shipping on a replacement that puts the tube face down. This tube isn't tremendously easy to find "around these neck of the woods" so I'd rather not make it "3rd time's a charm" if I can avoid it. I don't know how to shop it face up as the weight distribution would naturally make the box want to go face down. I think if I can get foam molded to the shape of the tube and put two in a box facing opposite directions then the box would naturally sit on its side.

Styrofoam transfers the shock, so is really of little value. Use foam rubber taped around the entire CRT and then box it. This will decelerate any impact gently.

.

We have shipped dozens of tubes from the museum, without damage to any of them.

I think it is important to provide some sort of protection for the neck that doesn't allow packing material to contact the neck, as Kevin's post shows.

Then, double box the tube.

just on account of the volume they handle. Have you ever seen the action at one of their shipping centers? They are throwing that stuff on the truck as fast as they can. Nothing gets special treatment. All their loaders are part timers too. And they know there is no future with the company.
I'd go with FedEx, DHL or somebody like that.

Agreed, avoid UPS. I've had over a dozen shipped to me successfully. The one or two that were broken were sent using UPS :( Many in original boxes which were just like Kevin shopped. You don't need tons of packing foam or peanuts.

Looking at Johns damaged CRT it appears to have been subjected to extreme vibration, possibly the result of many shaker sorting conveyors. Unfortunately the mass of a heavy plywood container may have contributed to that situation. One can only conclude that the CRT was not adequately shock mounted inside the shipping container. Also, there is no guarantee that a shipping container will stay in any preferred orientation during shipment, regardless of the package's warning labels, but there's a natural tendency for it to remain heavy side down.

...the CRT was not adequately shock mounted inside the shipping container...

The CRT was completely surrounded with foam, but in one section the foam was not very thick. This is why I think having the replacement(s) completely incased in soft foam, and on their sides will be the winner.


...there's a natural tendency for it to remain heavy side down.

Agreed! This is why I need to figure out a method to keep the container on its side. This one was shipped via a direct flight from Moscow to Houston, then trucked to Columbus, and then to Pittsburgh. A replacement can be shipped via more traditional methods (FedEx, etc...) because its dimensions and weight will be far less than the last shipment (which included the entire television).

I'm tellin' ya I've had CRTs (modern junk) resting on their side with their necks propped up fall off the prop, and snap the neck...An entire postal journey that way is a very bad idea.

Also a tube should never have debris big enough to damage the phosphor loose inside it. That debris had to be a defect...Hopefully not knocked loose from a rough ride.

A replacement can be shipped via more traditional methods (FedEx, etc...) because its dimensions and weight will be far less than the last shipment (which included the entire television).

Wow, didn't realize you were shipped the entire television.

I'm tellin' ya I've had CRTs (modern junk) resting on their side with their necks propped up fall off the prop, and snap the neck...An entire postal journey that way is a very bad idea.

Also a tube should never have debris big enough to damage the phosphor loose inside it. That debris had to be a defect...Hopefully not knocked loose from a rough ride.

If the foam is cut to exactly match the contours of the CRT then the neck will be under no greater stress than the rest of the CRT. This tube isn't large (although the neck is thin). I should also mention that 23ЛК1Б's are pyrex so they are stronger and lighter than conventional picture tubes. http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_23lk1b.html

Kevin's method is it. I put the CRT in the same position, added 2-3 inches of bubble all around with bearing at the funnel, not close to the neck in any way.
A within a custom-constructed a wooden box glued and screwed!

192708

I just sent a Zenith SS flat chassis and modules wrapped in a ton of bubble wrap and foam panels completely around the slightly oversized box.

It was delivered one state away by FedEx TOTALLY destroyed after being in their custody. Said member described damage consistent with a 9 ton truck running over it.


Shipping: $26

Value to VK member BEFORE shipped: Key to a Chroma-color Avanti restoration

Value to VK member AS delivered: :wtf:

Nice looking box, Kevin. I had a 15HP22 here a while back that John Folsom had shipped to New Jersey years ago in a box he had custom made that looked just like yours.

Don't forget, they used to send CRTs through the every day. The OEM cartons aren't nearly as high a quality as the one you or John made. But they were surely designed to be 'good enough.' I'm also pretty sure those cartons didn't stay "face up" or "face down" or whatever they were supposed to be during all of those shipments.

I store all my CRTs face up on the theory that if there ever is any non-fatal debris loose inside I don't want it damaging the phosphor.

-- Dave Sica

The question is ... will that Russian tube still work, if the chip is lying at the bottom
of the bell, or was it a necessary part of the gun? A fine example of Stalinist
technology.

I got a 5BP4 this morning from Fair Radio. It was packed in a non-box
made from random pieces of cardboard (five of them) taped together, barely
big ennough to contain the tube which was held in with crumpled packing paper!
Argggghh. However, it works like new (Finally! are really good one) and was
only $51. My TT-5 is now watchable.

The question is ... will that Russian tube still work, if the chip is lying at the bottom
of the bell, or was it a necessary part of the gun? A fine example of Stalinist
technology.

I got a 5BP4 this morning from Fair Radio. It was packed in a non-box
made from random pieces of cardboard (five of them) taped together, barely
big ennough to contain the tube which was held in with crumpled packing paper!
Argggghh. However, it works like new (Finally! are really good one) and was
only $51. My TT-5 is now watchable.
Remember, "God is just a prayer away". They were praying the tube would get to you undamaged. Fair Radio is still using that slogan.
Maybe we're doing something wrong! :sigh:

The question is ... will that Russian tube still work, if the chip is lying at the bottom
of the bell, or was it a necessary part of the gun? A fine example of Stalinist
technology.

I got a 5BP4 this morning from Fair Radio. It was packed in a non-box
made from random pieces of cardboard (five of them) taped together, barely
big ennough to contain the tube which was held in with crumpled packing paper!
Argggghh. However, it works like new (Finally! are really good one) and was
only $51. My TT-5 is now watchable.

That Russian tube might actually work as is (and just be less nice)...it is worth testing.

Holey cow that CRT actually made it to you in one piece?!?!...Buy a lottery ticket.
I had a Pioneer LD player shipped to me that way only it was an actual box, the crumpled news paper was far less than needed (you could tip the box and feel the player slide inside), and wet...The only good thing they did was put the player in a plastic bag. The laser pickup's motor mount, and the flexible PCB that was used as it's power cable were broken.
I thought it would make a good master card commercial:

"LD player on ebay: $0.99
shipping from Tx to Wi: $28
Super glue: $2
phono pickup wire: $3
Watching MacGuyver on a LD player you fixed like he would: Priceless" :D