Explain your packaging ritual/how you specifically pack your boxes

Discussion in 'Trade Talk' started by JamesShoemaker, Sep 12, 2014.

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  1. JamesShoemaker

    JamesShoemaker Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2012 Michigan

    One of the most interesting things about getting beer in the mail is seeing how other traders put their boxes together. I just had a cup of coffee, so my mind is fascinated with details right now.

    I ask, what's your packaging ritual? How do you pack your boxes specifically?

    I used to have a dedicated station for trading, but now I keep all of my supplies on the top shelf of a closet to be used as needed. I wrap each bottle 1.5 times in small-cell bubble wrap and then use three pieces of light-duty tape (easily removable, so as not to ruin the bubble wrap for future reuse). One piece tapes down the seam in the middle, and the other two secure the wrap around the top and bottom of the bottle. I then put each wrapped bottle in a plastic grocery bag and seal with an additional piece of tape.

    This type of packaging allows wrapped 12 oz bottles to fit pretty easily into a four or six pack holder, which secures the beers in the box, keeps them from moving around, and, most importantly, keeps them from striking each other. If I feel extra fastidious, I'll line my boxes with bubble wrap and then put a bottom-layer of crumpled newspaper or packing peanuts down. I then add beer, packing peanuts, newspaper, repeat, making sure to space everything as evenly as possible, keeping an even distribution of weight throughout the box and minimizing potential contact between bottles. Any non-beer items (usually coasters and stickers) go on top of the last packing layer. The box is then sealed at its seams and shaken lightly to check for liquid noise.

    I usually watch TV while I work and sometimes my girlfriend helps me out, occasionally commenting on how it's unfair that I'm trading four bottles for one bottle in return. I told her that ten Black Note is well-worth a DB Huna, but she didn't seem to understand. Women...

    tl;dr I'm super anal and OCD, and coffee makes me feel like sharing.
     
    #1 JamesShoemaker, Sep 12, 2014
    PeterP-516, jshusc, MistyS and 1 other person like this.
  2. JamesShoemaker

    JamesShoemaker Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2012 Michigan

    #2 JamesShoemaker, Sep 12, 2014
    creepinjeeper and cavedave like this.
  3. creepinjeeper

    creepinjeeper Initiate (0) Nov 8, 2012 Missouri

    Mr. @JamesShoemaker , what I am about to share with you, and everyone in this thread, will make you being "super anal and OCD" seem like a minor tick. :wink: (I am refixturing the bathroom right now and it is not going well. Need a break and this will be sooo therapeutic. Nothing like a trade, or even thinking about a trade to make one happy.)

    I keep my supplies in the garage, and bring them into the dinning room when it's time to pack. Grab a cup of coffee or beer, put on some tunes and get started.
    I take my inner box, tape all of seams inside and out. Line the box with a contractors garbage bag. ( @cavedave would be proud :slight_smile:) Line that with two long sheets of big bubble wrap where it forms a +. Then I start on the bottles. I wrap electricians tape around the bottle cap, leaving a tab for easy removal. Then I wrap the bottle in a sheet of newspaper and rubber band it. Place that in a ziplock and roll that in a 12" x 36" piece of small bubble wrap. Rubber band that and place in box. Repeat process, laying the bottles in the box alternating end. Once a layer of bottles is complete, I stuff newspaper by the ends of the bottles so there can be no movement. Place a sheet of big bubble wrap on that layer and repeat until box is full. Once the box is full, I fold over the excess bubble wrap from the +, tape it, then seal the garbage bag. Tape box shut, making sure to get all seams. Box, when sealed, will look like a four-square field.
    Then take bigger box and tape all seams. Dump a layer of packing peanuts in that. Place box of beer karma inside that and fill the spaces with packing peanuts. Seal box as before. This takes about 45 minutes to an hour and I feel I have done everything I can, other than bringing the box myself, to get that beer to my trading partner as safe as possible.

    It never feels like a chore, does it? To me the worst part of the trade is waiting for that box to arrive safe and sound.
     
    #3 creepinjeeper, Sep 13, 2014
    PeterP-516, breadwinner, TongoRad and 2 others like this.
  4. atpca

    atpca Pooh-Bah (1,652) Jun 10, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I throw shit in a box, add packing material until the bottles stops knocking when shaken.

    Really though, usually I recycle a bottle shipper (styro or fiber) and only wrap smaller bottles (12oz, 375oz) with bubble wrap to stop them moving about too much. Minimalist. Haven't lost a bottle yet.
     
    #4 atpca, Sep 14, 2014
  5. Srkolodn

    Srkolodn Savant (1,050) Dec 26, 2013 New York
    Trader

    If anyone has ordered empty bottles from a homebrew site like northern brewer, they send the bottles in like a cardboard divider that divides 24 bottles.. Has anyone used this to package their bottles for a trade?
     
    #5 Srkolodn, Nov 25, 2014
  6. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,884) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    If you don't pack the best boxes in the business, then I don't wanna see who does! Honestly, it's very impressive.

    I used to think I went a bit nuts (especially considering what has arrive on my doorstep), but I'm sure we both look at it the same way: peace of mind...priceless.

    The only thing it seems you do too much of is 'worrying' :grinning:.
     
    #6 TongoRad, Nov 25, 2014
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  7. JamesShoemaker

    JamesShoemaker Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2012 Michigan

    Dude, I know I'm a couple of months late, but grats on the Poobah. Very impressive, indicative of great advocacy.
     
    #7 JamesShoemaker, Nov 25, 2014
    TongoRad and creepinjeeper like this.
  8. Graffy

    Graffy Pundit (774) Jan 10, 2014 California
    Trader

    Styro Shipper - cant go wrong dont need to do anything to the bottles. Dont care what you do there is no better option (except maybe personal delivery)
     
    #8 Graffy, Nov 25, 2014
  9. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,884) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks! That last rung kind of took me by surprise, but I have to admit that it was pretty nice to see. My plans are to just keep on doing my thing, and whatever happens happens, but I really do appreciate the kind words.
     
    #9 TongoRad, Nov 25, 2014
    creepinjeeper likes this.
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