In the near future, I will be selling some older one piece bows. What have you found to be a price range by USPS to ship? Shipping will be from Ohio.

Last time I sold a bow, I grossly underestimated the shipping cost. The buyer graciously offered to pay more for shipping.

Thanks and best wishes.

Depends where it's being shipped.

You can go to the USPS website and go to "mail and ship". There is a cost calculator based on actual package size, weight, and destination.

Have to add insurance in too. It could easily cost $18 to send a bow in the $350-$500 range. Without insurance and if the package is not over 84 total inches (length +width+height) I've shipped bows to friends for under $8.

I would suggest paying for insurance and signature confirmation. It is money well spent.

I have found that the postal employee (if using USPS) entering the data can greatly affect the price. They have various levels of shipping and the package type they enter can make a difference. I have shipped some as cheap as $11-12 and some as high as $30. I try to go to my local post office as the price there always comes in cheaper. I actually work just across the road from a post office but do not use them for shipping.

Insurance and add ons will affect price as well.

Keep the package as small as possible...every inch in width and height increases the cost dramatically.Cost depends on distance...Phil's advice on the 84" rule is crucial...don't go over or there's another big jump in costs.

Don't take it to the post office, it's much easier online, and cheaper as well. I just sent one to Texas for $18.00...a 60" box, and under 4#. You can go to USPS.com and calculate costs very easily, just use the right charts. Large envelope or box...Under 84" in length, and under 105 or something like that. Be smart about boxing them up...you don't need huge amounts of packing and big boxes. Most bows you get from a manufacturer have only a plastic sleeve and some brown paper. I use bubble wrap mostly and two arrow boxes..or similar.

As mentioned, they measure the length, width and circumference and add that up. Then check the zip code and give you a price. If measures too big you will pay an oversize fee.

I have mailed bows all over including Irag and Afganistan and never had a problem or felt I was over charged by going to the post office. I go to a building supply company get a siding box, cut it down to size and wrap the bow in bubble wrap good then fill the rest of the box with Walmart bags and send them off.

I usally have to make up boxes for shipping recurves and like it's been said try to keep your package under the 84" limit or you will be hit with an oversize surcharge.Where shipped to will greatly effect price.I just got a 62" recurve and insured for $200,but the box was huge and the shipping from NM to Ohio was #36.05 because it was oversized.I shipped a T/D recurve to Singapore insured for $300 just a couple of months ago and it was only $52.80.Keep your packages under the 84" limit

Sending a 64" one piece long bow in a carpet shipping tube USPS priority mail/insured $700.00-$800.00 Louisiana to Montana or visa versa is around $22.00.

I just got back from the P.O. a little while ago. two day priority delivery and $600.00 insurance was $28.50. I usually figure it will average about $25.00

I get things sent to me in Canada via USPS and Canadapost...it seems there is quite a bit of variation in shipping cost that simply does not make sense...I like George's idea of using the internet information and method because that is at least consistent...humans in Post Offices have varying degrees of knowledge and commitment to their job

DDave

Ive had them cost as little as$16 and as much as $55. They were being shipped from NJ. Ive been burned on shipping cost before it sucks.

Spider that's where I been at from Pa. to myself. Matt somewhere there about when things went to MI for some reason where higher from Pa. don't know why?

Key is weight and length I found. I've shipped a lot of bows over the years.

Cost me $50 to ship 2day air from AZ. To Ct. That included $800 insurance. Went Sat got there Monday. If I had sent it regular ground it would have been a week before it left AZ. A lot of stuff can happen in a week.

The biggest concern is it getting there in one piece.i have shipped probably about 20-25 selfbows. The insurance is a hassle. I crept getting tips broke. One was in three pieces when it got there.i have tried arrow boxes taped together . PiVC tubes. The only thing I have had success with is a crate made by me. It was 1x2boards with plywood screwed to each side with a little packing paper. I you have quite a few to send I recomend buying a sheet of 1/4" plywood and some 1x material . What ever thickness needed. Arvin

I ship about 1-2 bows a month by USPS and never have a problem. Priority 3 day delivery average about $18-$22 without insurance. My agent didn't recommend insurance due to the hastle of trying to collect on a claim and having to prove a value on a non-commercial item.

Have any of you guys ever collect insurance on a damaged bow from USPS?????

James

bows that are $300-500 shipped from east coast to west coast with full insurance are usually about $20-30 for one piece bows. Takedowns can be less if disassembled, wrapped and shipped in smaller box as part of the cost is the length+height+width of box or diameter of tube. Use the smallest box you can and still protect bows.

I prefer to use pvc tubes for shipping longbows and selfbows or recurves without too much recurve at tips. For recurves or takedowns I can put them in an arrow box...or if one piece in two or three arrow boxes taped together. I use the then bubble wrap around bows....and foam or other soft material in each end to protect tips.

USPS Priority is about the best I have used to be honest...

keep em sharp,

ron herman

Arvin, when I shipped bows to our troops in Iraq and Afganistan I used the house siding boxes as mentioned but with the bows going where they were going I went the extra step and took blue/pink insulation board , cut it to fit the siding box and then cut the design of the bow out of the middle using a sharpie and a razor knife. The bow sits in the foam. I then placed some of that thin house foam over the top and bottom ( to cover the cut out where the bows lay).

Not one bow was damaged and they were mailed to a war zone.

Rather than buying PVC tubes, go to a carpet store. They will gladly give you carpet tubes.

Jon, how big around are those carpet tubes?

I don't like round tubes. They won't stay on a conveyor and the more armored you make a package look, the more it seems the see how much it may take. The worst packages I received were round ones. A bow I received was damaged one time, but I think it was shipped that way. No visible damage on the box. That said, the seller got paid and I was refuneded in less than a week. If yoiu use online shipping there is a place to actually apply for a damage claim. I don't know why anyone would take the bow to the Post Office to have them do it with the ease of doing it yourself. And you have so many more options and means of recovery.

Jeramiah Retherford shipped mine to me in a tube made of PVC downspout material. Worked great.

jimreed they are around 4" inside or better.

Mailing anything is a crap shoot. I have had flat boxes damaged also. Just do what makes you comfortable and hope for the best.

I will say that we have one of the best mail carriers around and we thank her at Christmas time. Maybe those that get damaged mail should give that some thought!

Agree with Jon Stewart. Here in rural Pa., everyone knows everyone else and usually on a good basis. Our mail carriers are great folks and we give them a nice gift at Christmas time. A little appreciation goes a long way.

I don't think it the mail carrier . I think it is in the conveyer process. The tubes get stuck and the nice guy has to do some work and unclog the mess . At that point your tube gets thrown across the room only for the end of the tube to hit the wall and now the weight of the bow comes to rest on the tip causing damage!! Just my thoughts. I am not worried about cost as much as the bow getting there in one piece . Arvin

I dont use tubes and avoid relying on the folks at the post office, at the UPS stores or at FedEx Kinko's. I make my own rectangular boxes from refrigerator boxes and make sure the ends and at least on side is double thickness cardboard for crush resistance, then calculate and create my own labels at USPS .com. Never had a problem . Where you're shipping to, insurance and excess length or weight all make a difference.Most I paid so far was $33 for insurance and signature confirmation on a 66" one-piece bow shipped from East Coast to West Coast, usually between $12 and "16.

Thank you for the info on shipping prices and methods.

Best wishes.

$500 insurance plus shipping in Con. USA normally runs me $20 to $25 from Dallas depending on the bow length and weight of shipping carton. 68" and up are more expensive. That is another reason why I like TD bows. Good luck.

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