Re: [ARSCLIST] 78 RPM Packing Advice Requested

[Richard Warren <richard.warren@xxxxxxxx>]

Hello All,

As someone who has been shipping 78-rpm records for over 40 years, I can
second many of the suggestions. Making the closest you can get to a solid
mass is an excellent idea; many people use strong cloth or fiber tape with
junk records and a couple of cardboard squares on each end of a group of
discs to help render the pack solid and the disc unmoving in transit. The
other old rule in addition prescribes at least one inch of padding between
the outside of the group of discs and the outer world. I've seen wadded
newspaper, cardboard, foam in squares or popcorns, and bubble-wrap used
safely. Boxing each group of discs and surrounding each group with a box,
then padding, then an outer box is also good. Many dealers use these ideas
(of necessity -- it's their income that's at risk), and all I've done is
imitated them. It's only safe to take shortcuts on these methods if you
yourself are going to be doing all the work.

Sincerely, Richard

At 11:14 AM 2/2/2004 -0600, you wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for the very helpful and informative replies.  I do
> have a couple of follow up questions:
>
> > Your best bet would be 11" x 11" x 11" boxes (or 12" x 12" x 12"), the
> > records packed vertically (standing on end) tightly within but without
> > bulging and then use crushed newspaper to pad, as you suggest.
>
> Is there any particular reason that 11" x 11" x 11" would be better than
> 10"x10"x10"?  The 10" inch box would certainly make for a tighter fit.  Is
> the concern based on the fact that, with a 10" box, the edge of the
> records would be touching the interior walls on all 4 sides?  The 10"
> boxes are about 20 percent less expensive than the 11" boxes - but since
> my main concern is that the records arrive in good shape, that price
> difference is certainly not my deciding factor.
>
> > You can leave the 10" records in the albums, but I cut all the sleeves
> > out
> > with an Xacto knife and tossed the cardboard outers and saved some
> > space and
> > weight.
>
>
> I am going to want to keep the storage albums as I have a feeling that I
> will have an easier time getting some of my money back by selling them
> than I will finding someone who wants the records that don't match my
> listening tastes.
>
> What is the best way to pack the filled albums?  Yesterday, I experimented
> with a 12"x12"x12" box and found that 10 inch albums fit very nicely
> inside. Obviously, I would want to make sure that the top edge of the
> albums all face in the same direction and that the box is oriented so the
> records are vertical.  My concern is with the safety of records that might
> be in albums that may have only 1 or 2 out of 10 sleeves filled.  I have
> not seen the collection in person,  so I am not sure what percentage of
> such albums there may be.  When I look at empty or nearly empty albums, I
> notice that the ends of the covers come together at an angel.  Completely
> filled albums, on the other hand, form a perfect rectangle and the records
> appear to be flat against each other. If a partially filled album were
> packed between a bunch of other albums which were completely filled, would
> the records in that album be at extra risk - or is the spine of the album
> cover designed to prevent that from happening?  Is it recommended that,
> once in the box, the spine of the album covers all face in the same
> direction as they would if they were placed on a shelf?  Or is it better
> to alternate the direction of the spine on each album?  I have never
> really trusted albums so I rarely use them.
>
> Thanks again for all the help.