Shipping chainsaws

Tom Dunlap

Tom Dunlap

Here from the beginning
Administrator
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Retired in Minneapolis
There is a chance that I'll need to ship my chainsaws to a friends place in order to help him with some treework.

this has been done before I know. What suggestions can you offer?

Of course, clean the saws, empty fluids. Use air to clean crud. A bit of scrubbing to tidy up too. Bars off. Wrap in a couple of heavy plastic bags.

Anything else?

What shipper to use?

UPS/Fedex or maybe a motor carrier?

Are you 100% honest and tell them that you're shipping chainsaws or do you tell them that the box is 'tools'?

I'm going to have to ship climbing and rigging gear too so the total package might be heavy.
 
All of the above. Or just send your gear and ask a fellow Buzzer to come help. I would be happy to help with my gear if someone needed.
 
Tom after I drain the fluids and let them sit for an hour or so before putting the caps back on I wrap the powerheads in plastic bags so that the small of any residual gas is contained...USPS will not ship it if there is even a hint of odor...
 
Before I wrap them I'll spray them down with carb/brake cleaner then wash with soap. I might even add some fabric softener clothes to mask the odor. I know that the caps should be left off or at least loose in case the stuff is air freighted.
 
Near Yosemite...still in planning stages. I have an EHAP training on 3/16 in Anaheim then going to meet up with an old buddy. We used to lead wilderness trips together. Work and play trip if it works out.
 
I use the mail most times, never had a problem with UPS thou , drain saws clean them, wrap in garbage bag and I throw something in to help mask if any odor , tape the hell out of the box and tell them its a chainsaw , Shipped lots of saws and never had a problem
 
I ship lots of saws and I now use USPS exclusively. I ship Parcel Post unless the buyer is willing to pay for extras. PP will usually get there within a day or two of UPS or Priority.

Yes, drain and bag, then stuff the box very well with news paper. Do no use peanuts as they allow the saw to settle as it gets jostled about. I also use plastic bottles to take up larger spaces and then fill with newspaper.

Lots of saw shipping problems result from the bar digging its way out of the box. I take a section of newspaper and fold it tightly and then tape it well onto the end of the bar. Do this on both ends. I then add some reinforcment to the corners where the bar sits. I use duct tape for strapping. I can usually ship three saws per roll. I tape every edge and put a good layer across the top. I then use a Sharpie to write the address on the tape. I then use clear packing tape to cover the address and duct tape to hold the packing tape in place.

I know this sounds like a lot of work, but I have never had a saw fail to arrive completely intact.
 
Thanks for all of the tips!

The issue of shipping saws has been solved. I'll borrow what I need while I'm in California.

Today I start gathering climbing/rigging gear to ship. That will be easier,no stinky stuff!
 
Where is a good place to find boxes to fit the saw that are free. Local shop doesnt really have any I already sked him. I was just wondering cause im gonna be selling two of my saws.
thanks jason
 
Grocery store

Electronics store

Appliance store

Dumpsters

You could pay for boxes..but why????..from packaging stores

Craigslist

Freecycle

I shipped 80 pounds of gear from Sacramento to Austin on Greyhound. It cost $88 and took three days. Cheaper than flying it home.
 
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