Sending diorama

gaspert

New member
Hi,
I was wondering if you have any experiences of sending more complicated miniature with post? Let we say like mini diorama, for example: http://www.coolminiornot.com/309334
Do painters such kind of dioramas send via post or is it the only possibility to pick it up personaly at painter? Namelly, I sent a lot of miniatures around the world, but ussually they were »only minis«. I was wondering what it would be with mini dioramas…
 

MAXXxxx

Well-known member
you can send it via post. Just have to be extra careful with packaging.
I know I got my 'mini' (well actually more than 1 mini on a displaybase, all being really small, so I feared they'll break) from the US without a problem.

Marking the item extra as 'breakable' at the post may or may not help depending on the mood of the people working there.
 

MAXXxxx

Well-known member
not really.
I've known a few frustrated postmen, who 'played football' with every package labelled that way, just to make sure it breaks.
 

lono

New member
The best method for something like that would be to physically fix it into a totally rigid container. Screw through the box into the underside of the plinth or whatever equivalent you can come up with. You'll usually be able to pick up decent rigid plastic boxes cheap at Poundshops (or whatever equivalent bargain emporiums they have in your country).
 

Chrome

New member
I guess that "breakable" sticker is a necessety.

not really.
I've known a few frustrated postmen, who 'played football' with every package labelled that way, just to make sure it breaks.

I work with mail and packages, people who do that should get fired on the spot.

But yes, those stickers are a complete waste of time unless you use a delivery service like UPS or similar since every package paid with regular postage is treated the same way as any other package and most packages won't even be seen by the people working with mail. Most is handled using machines and as long as the package fits the size and weight template they end up in the same container, no matter if it's a piece of fine china or a box of brake calipers. Every container fits roughly 450kg of mixed packages and sometimes the frail packages end up in the bottom of the containers and the heavy ones end up on top of them.

If you want a package to be treated specially you pay for it. We're not allowed to give certain packages the special treatment just because they look frail, it's up to the customer to specify how they want their service and different kinds of service have different costs.

My advice is to pay the extra postage for a "Recommended" package. That ensures that the package is not included in the regular stream of packages but is instead individually handled personally by a chosen employee at every terminal and the package is manually put into safety containers instead of being bundled with regular mail in containers keeping 2-500 kg of packages.

You always get what you pay for, the mail industry is no exception there.
 

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
The best method for something like that would be to physically fix it into a totally rigid container. Screw through the box into the underside of the plinth or whatever equivalent you can come up with. You'll usually be able to pick up decent rigid plastic boxes cheap at Poundshops (or whatever equivalent bargain emporiums they have in your country).
James is pretty close to the mark with this just make sure that any additional space in the box is taken up with a soft material to absorb any stress vibrations.
Seriously NOT Tissue paper, while it's soft on your little nose, on paint its as rough as sandpaper.
I recall a couple of the Paint Aid figures which were "supported" therein and needed some remedial repair work.
 
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