Ferrous Beuler Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Anybody had any experience with having to ship big clunky stuff? I'm selling off two anvils and if I don't find someone local that means I'm going to have to ship them. I collect beer cans and trade cans with other collectors, I've sent them all over the world from here with my mail lady picking up the packages from my porch while I'm at work, she's a peach but I don't think she would be all warm and fuzzy about an anvil. Of course that's not possible because a couple of beer cans that don't weigh anything and can be carried in one hand is o.k. with her but I'm pretty sure the USPS won't touch an anvil. That means I'm going to have to find a shipper and get them sent to wherever they are headed once sold. Any tips on that? Which one should I go with and how does that work, do I take it to their depot or have it picked up here by them? I would certainly prefer to deal with just the buyer and not ship at all which would mean less headaches for me and much less cost for the buyer. I'm open to meeting someone halfway within 300 miles (150 miles one way) for half the gas which I think is a pretty good deal, for example if you want to buy one of my anvils and you live in central Ohio I'd be willing to meet in Erie Pa for half the cost of the gas I burn to get there. Any thoughts are appreciated if you've dealt with shipping something big and clunky like this before. Dan.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob JS Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I would just sell it under the condition that the buyer aranges all transport, let them worry about all that stuff (they will probably aready have it figured out in their mind by the time they make you an offer anyway) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jymm Hoffman Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Depends on the weight. UPS will take up to 150 pounds. I followed someone else's advice and have good success. I use banding (because I have it and the tools,) to strap a board on the top and on the bottom. I cut the boards to tracing marks from the anvil. I also use a Sharpie to write the to and from addresses on the face of the anvil incase this comes off the anvil. I staple the UPS label on the top board, then shrink wrap them. I use some packing tape to re-enforce the shrink wrap and to help keep it from coming undone. My UPS driver says they prefer these wrapped this way, easier to move than if they were in a box and they won't poke through since they are not in a box. Over 150 pounds, I use R&L Carriers : R+L Carriers Depending on weight, location etc. You may have to take to the terminal. R&L does not charge for a lift gate as many other carriers do. UPS also does freight now, they bought out Overnight Express. Both will pick up and deliver to some residential areas. I use the banding strap to strap the anvils to a small pallet and use very similar techniques as above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphonse Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 If I can add, I bought my 110" lb anvil on Ebay last year. The seller shipped it via UPS ground. It cost $71 from Wisconsin to Ohio. He did not do any packing to it other putting a a cardboard tube over the Horn and shrink wrapped the whole thing...it looked like a little pig in a plastic bag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmercier Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I've had a 125lb stake anvil shipped to me by just serran wrapping a shipping label tapped to the face and putting a few "heavy" stickers on it (as if it needed it) If they're heavier than UPS will ship,, just sell them with the caveat that the buyer arranges all shipping at their expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 i bought a anvil off ebay and it came fed ex .. was boxed up but just big enuf for the anvil ... wodden box with a this end down .. was nice shape shipping was 87$ from maine..good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reid Neilsen Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 (edited) As Hoffman mentioned above: If the stuff is really heavy... If you are shipping UPS Freight or a private carrier, you can see if the buyer has the ability to take it off a loading dock (ie, with a loader, tractor or forklift) If so, you can shrinkwrap it to a pallet and ship it to someplace that can accept delivery - like a vendor, store, farm and fleet store, farm co-op, etc. The buyer can make these arrangements with their guy to accept delivery and when it comes in (for a small fee probably) they can have it ready for him to pick it up. I have had anvils shipped to me this way before. Only pain in the neck part is that you are dealing with a thrid party. Edited May 14, 2009 by Reid Neilsen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cross Pein Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Have you considered using the tailgating section of this site? I understand that blacksmiths occasionally visit this site - Maybe even a few from N. Y. or Penn. need an anvil. This would be a great place to sell them locally. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted May 18, 2009 Author Share Posted May 18, 2009 Thanks everybody for posts, most helpful. Yes Cross Pein, the two anvils have been in the tailgating section for over a week, about a gazillion views but nobody is interested. I can't get pics onto my computer. With nobody here interested I'm going to ebay them after I email myself the pics from mom's house. Here they could have gone to fellow smiths at $2.50 per pound. On ebay I'm going to get whatever folks want to bid and likely more than here. I have one querry ffrom craigs list and am mailing that guy some pics. If he passes they go bye bye on ebay auction. Everybody here in IFI had first dibs but nobody contacted me. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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