Can You Over Wrap A Shipment?

sounds about right. I usually line the walls of the box with styrofoam or bubble wrap and then wrap each bottle in about 2 layers of bubble wrap and then fill the box with packing peanuts. I just sort of float the bottles in there so theres at least a few inches of peanuts between the bottles and the wall of the box. It ensures that there's no room for them to move around and I think it absorbs the shock of being tossed into the back of a truck, falling off a conveyor belt, or being hurled over the fence in your front lawn like a shotput.

 

^ LopeJuice sums up the general philosophy. To answer the original question - try unpacking one of your own boxes. If you end up with a frustrating mess of duct tape and torn bubble wrap, try a more reusable method next time.

 

So you're shipping only 12oz bottles, or will there be times when you do larger format as well? I find that my methods for packing differ for both. For large format, I can't recommend styro or cardboard shippers enough. Yes, its an expense, but it also relieves a lot of the stress involved as well.

Otherwise no, I dont think you can overpack. If you're not confident enough to drop your box on the ground from standing height, add more filling. Bubble wrap and packing popcorn are cheaper than replacing a box of broken bottles.

 

I try to stand bottles up if I can so the sloshing is less noticeable if there is any. I will also try to put a large garbage bag in the box before packing it as you describe as an added precaution. I use rubber bands instead of tape. I reuse as much material as I can and tape tends to ruin a lot.

Let MordorMongo give you some pointers. Have to say the boxes I got from him were some of the best packing jobs I've seen. His put mine to shame and I'm not afraid to drop mine from 6' and let them roll down some stairs.

 

No

 

Double box! Also, put the first box in a garbage bag, in case a bottle breaks, in the inside box, the bag will hold the liquid. The tape around the cap is not needed, I only tape around corked and caged bottles.

The bottles in the zip lock bag i think is debatable. It might hold some liquid, but most likely if a bottle breaks, the glass will cut the bag. If anything, maybe wrap the bottle with small bubble wrap, place inside zip lock bag, stuff space with newspaper. That way, if a bottle breaks, the bubble wrap should protect the bag from ripping, and the newspaper will help absorb the liquid.

 

The answer to the question in your title is "yes". You can absolutely overdo it on packaging, and I find it annoying when I get something where every bottle is wrapped in tape like it's a goddamn mummy. Even worse is when that's done with cans, do people not realize that a knife can pierce aluminum pretty easily? Overdoing it with packaging can make the odds a break increase, it just happens during unpacking instead of during shipping. If you're paranoid about your bottles and want to go the extra mile, use a goddamn styro shipper.

But it sounds like you packed fine, except the electrical tape around the top of the bottles. That doesn't do anything and is really annoying to take off, unless you fold over a tab.

 

I tend to go WAY over on packing up my trades. In no way I want the Fedex police to find out I'm shipping beer. And just like MordorMongo said, "it is MY fucking beer until it arrives to you".

 

When you are comfortable dropping it ten feet onto concrete that nothing will break, and even if manages to break, nothing leaks, then you are packed well. Anything less is underpacking.

 

Don't forget that you need to actually do this before you ship, just to verify that you've packed it correctly. Anything less is cutting corners.

 

I don't think you can over do securing bottles, some bottles I trade I cannot replace if they broke. So I now double box I put a 12 cube inside a 14 cube and use peanuts to surround the inner box. I then put in a trash bad as a liner, each bottle is wrapped with a Baggie then wrapped in foam. I then layer the bottles with extra foam in between . Nothing can move kills all the slosh and I believe you could drop it 20 feet and it won't break. They can lose it they can run it over with a truck, but that's the only way my beer doesn't get thru.

 

I can attest that Matt packs one hell of a box. I have re-used every ziplock bag and piece of bubble wrap he's sent me.

 

In theory overpacking is not bad as it ensures box makes it to its destination in one piece. But I would say you could pack less and still get same results. I don't pack like you do and have probably sent 75 boxes with never a problem. Yes, you overpacked. But kudos to you making sure you are ready to trade and be successful. Unlike some knuckleheads who dive right in the wrong way and create a shit show.

 

If you use fix-a-flat expanding foam to send your bottles in, you are packing too much. Had it happen to me; f' that night mare. If you aren't doing that, you can't overpack.

 

Unless you can bounce your box like a basketball, you haven't packed well enough.

Your box will fly down a series of conveyor belts at a high speed and more than likely smash in to other boxes and fall off.
The guys that load the UPS/FedEx trucks are part time help, they don't fucking care about your box.

Oh, but you wrote "FRAGILE" all over it in sharpie?! Consider it a target for some overworked, tired college kid who is loading a truck at 1 AM.

Ship less beer than packing material in your box. Don't try to maximize.

 

I tend to over pack boxes. Take my last trade for example, the main 2 bottles including a Rare were in a Styrofoam shipper along with one extra, the rest of the extras were packed around it. Also tripple boxed this one. Was it overkill? Probably but my box made it safe and sound.

 

Your job is to make sure you don't have to resend because of a break. Pack anyway that makes you comfortable and ignore anyone who says they are annoyed by over-packing. I'd like to see these people put on their profile that they prefer under-packing and will accept any broken bottles as a completed trade.

 

My only piece of advice to add on to the great advice already given above is to NOT use packing tape on bottles, to secure bubble, wrap, etc. Use the static plastic wrap to secure everything and anything inside the box - you can buy it at Wal-Mart or Target, or pretty much any shipping store. It is super easy to use and is fairly inexpensive for what you get. I use it very liberally to secure bottles for the first time before the plastic wrap and newspaper second-wrapping; and then I use it again to secure the bubble wrap and newspaper. It helps to makes sure your recipient can re-use all the packing materials. Nothing ruins packing materials quicker than using packing tape to secure bubble wrap. Over-pack all you want, just please stop using tape to secure wrapping materials.