packing a caseless tuba

Jeffrey Hicks · Post by **Jeffrey Hicks** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:30 am

I need to get a tuba from Dayton OH area to Fort Worth Texas. I know the best way is to use Greyhound. However it has no hard case and obtaining one is going to be hard as it is not a standard size horn in any way. Does anyone have any ideas how to pack it without it getting turned into tinfoil? Thanks.

Dean E · Post by **Dean E** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:35 pm

bloke wrote:- minimum 3 layers of bubble wrap: You should be able to pound your fist into ANY place and hit "air".

- a couple of long strips of the same bubble wrap rolled and taped into "snakes", and then taped to the outside circumference of the bell rim.

- an inflatable ball inserted into the bell throat so energy to the end of the carton is transferred to the strong bell "THROAT", instead of the very weak bell "flare"

- a carton that is at least 5 inches larger all the way around, and filled up around the tuba with those air-filled "packing pillows" ( clear plastic/air-filled/approx. 7" X 4" X 3" ). If no "packing pillows" can be scrounged, resort to the absurdly-messy/extremely annoying "peanuts".

I second all of that, and highly recommend using a double box.

Additionally, if the horn is valuable, a wooden crate could be built, which is what a thoughtful Tubenet seller had done before FedExing my horn from overseas.

There's also a method of foaming in place, which shippers of electronics use.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q ... ages&gbv=2

oldbandnerd · Post by **oldbandnerd** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 2:56 pm

What would be the result of using this stuff to create a nice foam barrier around the horn after you have sealed it in a bag and triple bubble wrapped ? It would only take a couple of cans. I have recieved shipped items that were packed in a similar way . But the foam was contained in a plastic bag .

Dean E · Post by **Dean E** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:56 pm

oldbandnerd wrote:What would be the result of using this stuff to create a nice foam barrier around the horn after you have sealed it in a bag and triple bubble wrapped ? It would only take a couple of cans. I have recieved shipped items that were packed in a similar way . But the foam was contained in a plastic bag .

1. Use NON-expanding foam, and keep the windows open. Expanding foam will continue to swell after curing (drying) has begun.
2. Use two or three split molds with a plastic barrier. Otherwise it'll be like digging into an avacado.
3. Look for a sale at one of the sellers of the foam. It's pricey.

Art Hovey · Post by **Art Hovey** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:05 am

I tried using that foam stuff to make a bell plug. The results were unsatisfactory. The foam only dries out near the surface that is exposed to the air. The interior remains gooey and sticky even after several days in the sun. I very carefully taped sheets of plastic to the inside of my tuba's bell, but the stuff oozed past the tape and plastic and stuck to the metal. I hate to think of what it would have done to a nice lacquer finish.
Bloke's advice is good.
Here is another approach:
http://www.galvanizedjazz.com/tuba/BigConn.html