I'm concerned about scrapping, bending, folding and corner damage to the images during shipping.
The best thing I can think of is to roll the print and place it in a tube but I'm a little concerned about the print suffering scratch damage from rubbing against itself. What do you think of some kind of tissue paper or felt that you could layer the print in so the surface of print is not in direct contact with the back of the print? What about a plastic sleeve? Would that help or hurt?
What about matted prints? Is there any point in shipping matted prints? It seems like it would be difficult to avoid some damage in shipping. Seems more logical to just have them mat and frame locally.
I've used roll foam as a surface protector as well as (clean) garbage bags. Actually rolled with a paper or plastic layer is probably one of the safest ways of shipping. Be sure the print does not flop back and forth inside when closed up.
When I send framed prints (no glass or acrylic), not only do I protect the image surface, but use foam corners inside an adjustable mirror box that can be easily customized. Any U-Haul dealer with boxes in inventory should have those.
Inside the mirror box, I may place additional layers of carboard or foam to protect it.
We mail alot of prints... a few thousand per month. We get our mailers from Uline - by the pallet.
We use poly sleeves from clearbags.com for prints 8x10 and smaller, then flat mailers from Uline.
For larger prints, we'll use a pass of wax paper to start the roll of the print. Then sleeve it in poly tubing before putting it in a Uline tube.
Rarely - like only a few times a year do we have to resend prints due to damage. More common is simply that USPS lost our package.
Can't offer any suggestions/advise on matted prints, I have no experience with that.
I rarely ship prints anymore but, when practical, have them drop shipped from my printer (WHCC). Since I have never, ever received a damaged print from WHCC it suggests that their technique is sound:
1. print is sleeved in clear poly
2. print is then taped flat to an oversized sheet of cardboard (at least 1" border all around)
3. that "mounted" print is then packed into a flat shipping box
I used "Twist-N-Pull" tubes ,http://www.erdie.com/shipping-tubes.php, the 15/16 mil(.125) type and parchment cooking paper. If print is smaller than length of tube, I use foam at both ends to cushion.
Mailed over 100 prints from 11x17 up to x by 36" and above worldwide with not 1 problem. Tubes are extra heavy and strong as an ox. They have been abused and no print damage! Never been crushed but everything else.
I didn't ship matted prints. I always shipped insured!
ADDENDUM: I no longer ship large prints. Mpix takes care of those needs and does it well. Cost is less to me.
Dan
