Shipping telescopes, etc..

I recently shipped an average sized reflector telescope with equatorial mount. A tough unit to properly ship, two others had been damaged in shipment, including the last one that I had paid a shipping company to pack and ship. I contacted Westport Astronomical to see if anyone there could help me get the job done. They said, no, they let ups store do their packaging and shipping.

I got the boxes at Home Depot with a roll of bubble wrap, probably their prices are as close to wholesale as anyone. Next I got a bundle of styrofoam nuggets at Claytons, a huge bundle that barely fit in the middle seats of my station wagon. Then I went to FedEx where they let me work and get the item properly wrapped and boxed up, etc.. This took a good hour and a half. There should be a shipping section there with recommendations with all the concerns and options to prevent loss and damage. I would be glad to field questions on the issue. Experience is a hard teacher, better get pointers from others.

Packaging telescopes for shipping is one of those matters where the old saying, "If you want something done right, do it yourself", truly applies. When I package a telescope to ship, I approach it with the attitude that no one can do it as well as me.