How to Build a Sound Shipping and delivery Crate For Stained Glass

To ship a piece of glass, it wants to be crated and well protected. We build a crate around each and every piece of glass which we ship. It requirements to be a custom made in shape so that the glass can be adequately secured. The photographs that go with the write-up are of us building a crate for an eighteen" by thirty" window. We use the exact same techniques when crating greater home windows.

We start by laying out a piece of 1" thick, rigid foam insulation which can be purchased at a property enhancement heart.

Then we lay the stained glass piece to be transported on the foam. I align two facet of the glass with the edges of the foam.

Making use of a utility knife, I score the foam along the two edges of the foam that need to be trimmed.

I then break the foam at the score line by lining the score on the edge of the table and firmly urgent both ends. It truly tends to make a popping seem which will scare the cat or any small kids in the region.

Then I line up the resized insulation and lower an similar piece making use of the cut foam as a template. Whilst I'm chopping foam, I lower numerous strips the width of a two by 4.

Right here we have the "foam, glass, foam sandwich, completely ready for some wooden crating.

Here is the "sandwich" and two of the two x four sized parts of foam for the edges.

I place the foam edges close to the sandwich so I can consider measurements for the 2 x 4's I need to have.

Below you can see the sandwich, surrounded by foam and two x 4's

I take away the best layer of foam, so you can see what is taking place in relation to the stained glass.

I use pipe clamps to gently squeeze the frame operate with each other. The 2 x 4's only place slight strain on the foam which is holding the glass.

Now that the boards are lined up, the crate is all set to be assembled. I layer "squishy" foam below the panel and on prime of it prior to changing the leading layer of foam. This way there will be a slight amount of give when the panel is becoming transported.

With pipe clamps holding the wooden framework jointly, I use added clamps to squeeze the side boards so that they line up perfectly. This places a slight force on the glass so it will sink into the foam somewhat and keep held tightly as it truly is shipped.

I shoot a pair of complete nails into the body to maintain things jointly. There is small risk of hitting the glass considering that it is so much absent from the edge of the crate. Then I can get rid of the pipe clamps. No want to shoot numerous nails, just two for every joint, the aspect will hold the box together.

I fill the void in the prime of the box with scrap styrene foam, that other shippers send out to me.

Then I top it of with another layer of foam sheet. I want there to be a minor stress in the crate to hold items from having way too much perform.

I established a sheet of guidelines inside the box.
TO UNPACK YOUR GLASS Properly,
Very first PRY THE 1" Wide FOAM FROM THE EDGES ON One particular Facet AND THEN THE Best OR Base. THIS WILL Free UP THE FLAT FOAM SO YOU CAN Raise IT OUT, EXPOSING THE GLASS.
Idea THE GLASS Very carefully AND Gradually. GLASS HAS Tiny Energy WHEN LYING FLAT.
After THE GLASS IS VERTICAL YOU May possibly Have IT TO THE Location In which YOU WANT IT AND Hang IT FROM CHAINS BY THE RINGS Offered.

I then mark the parts of foam to get rid of very first talked about in the unpacking instructions.

Following I minimize plywood to the size of the body. Two parts are essential.

I set the best above the side with the directions, lower it into spot and line it up with the body.

Then I screw one" lengthy drywall screws all about the best to maintain it down.

I elevate the crate and carefully idea it above, generating confident to keep the exposed foam on the underside to keep it from shifting.

With the base of the crate going through up and the foam aspect exposed, I'm ready to connect the bottom plywood.

I set it in place and line it up.

Then use staples to hold it in area. I do this simply because I want it to be easy to just take the leading off of the box and difficult to consider the base off. That way, the customer getting the scenario will have a increased chance of accomplishment.

I create instructions on each facet of the crate, like, NO Step, FRAGILE GLASS, and DO NOT LAY FLAT. On the top, I incorporate arrows and the words and phrases: "Take out screws this facet and study instructions."

Then I take the crate to the UPS shop and hope they do not throw it or drop it as well hard. I figure if the driver isn't going to toss it down on its' facet and use it for a phase a lot more than once or 2 times, it's going to endure the journey.

Then I insure it for the retail value!

I obtained an e-mail from Debra Beatty, who adopted these directions when sending a window to Granada from California through snail mail (US postmaster ground) and it received there fantastic. But  www.glassgrab.com  have had instances where customers acquired their windows with a tiny break, I believe these instances have been simply because the packaging was so limited that there wasn't any give to the deal.