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R/E/P => R/E/P Archives => Brad Blackwood => Topic started by: Greg Youngman on January 31, 2011, 04:44:02 PM

Title: International Magnetic Tape Shipping
Post by: Greg Youngman on January 31, 2011, 04:44:02 PM
I'm about to start work with a European publisher.  He wants to send me a few 10½" x ¼" tapes.  My concern is how to minimize damage and any magnetic erasure along the way.  Any advice as to the best way to ship these would be most appreciated.

TNX, GY
Title: Re: International Magnetic Tape Shipping
Post by: Greg Reierson on January 31, 2011, 05:09:50 PM
Pack them with lots of space between the reels and the outside of the box. Bubble wrap around the reels in a box full of packing peanuts works well. The more space and cushion, the less likely they are to be affected by random magnetic fields and mechanical shock.





GR
Title: Re: International Magnetic Tape Shipping
Post by: Greg Youngman on January 31, 2011, 05:17:41 PM
Greg Reierson wrote on Mon, 31 January 2011 14:09

Pack them with lots of space between the reels and the outside of the box. Bubble wrap around the reels in a box full of packing peanuts works well. The more space and cushion, the less likely they are to be affected by random magnetic fields and mechanical shock.

GR


I follow you, and completely agree along with each reel in a large ziploc.  What is our best courier option these days?
Title: Re: International Magnetic Tape Shipping
Post by: Mark Donahue on February 01, 2011, 07:55:03 PM
I can tell you that the biggest risk to a tape in transit is getting lost, not getting erased.
The tapes we get from the different vaults are virtually all shipped the same way. A heavy double walled cardboard box, inside are all the tapes in a single poly bag and peanuts to protect the tape from angry baggage handlers.
DO NOT!!! mark the box as "fragile", "Magnet Material enclosed" or anything else. This will ensure the box gets lost or damaged.
In the states, all the tapes come UPS ground. All. To be honest, I don't remember how the last European tape was shipped, but it is usually either Fedex or DHL.

All the best,
-mark