sending heavy parcels (like over 30kg) within UK - pallet?

[foxy99]

Hi guys.

I'm trying to send someone a full set of Jag V12 pistons c/w conrods etc plus the liners. It all comes in at over 30kg then there's the packaging.

As far as I know Royal Mail, Hermes etc stop at 30kg.

Due to the weight of the items I have made wooden boxes up for them as didn't think cardboard would be good enough and each box (one for the liners, 1 for the piston assys) weighs just under 20kg which is fine but I have visions of the plywood boxes breaking open if flung around by the couriers.

So that got me thinking about a heavy item I received recently. Mondeo cylinder head on a small pallet. No probs. I dug out the postage label to see which firm carried it. It was UPS Standard and said 27KG at top then SHP WT: 27K SHP DWT: 18KG further down. So am not sure how heavy it was but was under 30KG which doesn't really help.

Confusingly the label also says 'This must be packaged in a CARDBOARD BOX or you will be charged'

So my plan was to put both boxes on the pallet. Doesn't look like UPS will take it as it's not cardboard but is it the right type of pallet? From what I see on pallet-delivery sites the pallets have to have 4 way entry. I'm pretty sure what they mean is it needs to be a standard size pallet not just something the looks like a pallet.

Anyone have any experience in this area?



Mondeo cylinder-head arrived on a little pallet. can I send other heavy stuff using same pallet?

[skkylinedave]

I expect they just shoved it in that and it was used as a box rather than a pallet . As far as i know UPS do not deal with pallet items and i have never seen a UPS truck big enough or doing so .

Can you not just pack it in two boxes and send it ?

The 25kg ish limit is there to stop people injuring themselves lifting heavy weights above that .


Carboard boxes will be fine , just tape all of the outside and have plenty of cardboard on the inside maybe 4 pieces thick and pack any gaps out so it doesnt move. We send all sorts of heavy stuff at my work and most is fine in cardboard boxes even on pallets if its strapped down and packed well .

[martinp]

Parcel 2 go will take parcels over 25 kg they have lots of options for shipping items

[foxy99]

cheers guys. it is in two boxes just now but I thought they'd be safer from damage if strapped to a pallet.

What I might do is wrap the wooden boxes in cardboard or bubble-wrap. Should make them more flingable.

I once sent a welder (25kg category) by post. Put it inside two cardboard boxes and it felt very well-protected.

Better than the next one I bought from someone. Arrived on a fruit-tray with some stretchy film round it. It worked fine tho!

[colnerov]

Hi, There's a member on the mig welding forum that owns/runs/works for a pallet courier company so give him a try. They can handle full and half size pallets and have a price calculator.

www.speedshift.co.uk/

Colin

[foxy99]

Here's some pics of the offending items. Strangely both boxes weigh 23kg. Light enough to post individually but both on a pallet might be better.

The boxes are actually made out of the crate I received a Jag V12 in. That came on a pallet and am sure it only cost £45...





12 liners


12 piston/conrod assys


46+kg ready to go



got this V12 engine on a pallet a few years ago and am sure it was only £45 'postage'

[dodgerover]

It's about £50 to get a pallet sent within the uk. I roped a quad onto one and they delivered it no problem.
Loads of options for pallet shifting on the net, it's worth buying a roll of pallet wrap and shink wrapping the entire thing though.

[meaningreen]

If you do be sure to use either a Euro or UK standard four way though (120 x 80 and 120 x 100 respectively).

Seems overkill for what could be done parcel post?

[foxy99]

Aug 20, 2018 7:52:35 GMT dodgerover said:

I roped a quad onto one and they delivered it no problem.

[slater]

You can do a mini pallet for about 40 quid last time I checked. Google it!

[foxy99]

Aug 20, 2018 11:08:10 GMT meaningreen said:

If you do be sure to use either a Euro or UK standard four way though (120 x 80 and 120 x 100 respectively).

Seems overkill for what could be done parcel post?

Yes meaningreen

Looking online when they talk about half pallets and full pallets that seems to be to do with the height.

I think the important thing is that the base is standard size and they can get the forks in to it. It's all about speed/ease of handling I guess

[foxy99]

Well to say I'm curse word ragin' is an understatment....

Took the parcels to 1st Post Office today (one that had parking near it) and it's curse word shut down.

Then on to another near by and went in first to check they could take heavy stuff, as it's a shop. Girl told me they can only take up to medium parcels. I had said it wasn't large in size just weight but she didn't really respond to that. I thanked her for her vague help ang got on my way.

Next stop Town Centre PO which meant parking in multi-storey then carrying the box through the arcade etc so I chanced it and parked on double yellows at some houses across the road meaning whole time in queue your neck is at 90 degrees looking for traffic warden.

Anyway eventually got the box on the special scales behind counter (23.5kg) and woman disappeared for an age checking compensation rules for excluded items such as car parts. I told her wasn't bothered about that (just get the curse word things on their way!) and she says 'that'll be £67'

I told her online it was saying £11 odd plus VAT. She said I'd missed decimal point out. I explained no I even upped it to 28KG etc to be on safe side,

She got out a bit of paper and started curse word showing me 23.3000KG for curse word knows what reason. I said thanks for your help and we eventually got the curse word thing back round the screen.

Got on my way to 3 curse word jobs I had to do. Got home to email from the guy who bought the stuff saying could he have a tracking number.

I tell him the parcels are still in my curse word car.

Go on Parcelhero website again. Put my details in about 5 times and every time it tell me same curse word price, Try 2.3kg and its much less

Go on Parcelforce Worldwide own site and put the details in and it comes up saying £30 - £50. WHAT IN curse word NAME IS GOING ON?

Have we got a situation now where the price varies depending on which site you curse word use despite the carrier being the same curse word company?

[petervdv]

I used Shiply which is a kind of marketplace for couriers and payed Euro 70,- to ship 4 wheels with tyres from the UK to Holland. If you are not in a hurry, you can get good deals there

Peter

[Good Scrap]

I've used couriers that advertise on eBay in the past, sent stuff to Europe for less than you're being quoted.

It usually works by you buying a standard listing, then messaging the to and from details and the collection date, they sort the rest with a mainstream courier. I've done it a couple of times with no issues.

[Good Scrap]

You can do 28kg for £14 it seems through post office

Or split it up to under 20kg parcels and send for £5.50 each

Below is a screenshot when I searched for 'parcel courier uk'

[meaningreen]

Have just sent a 19.5kgs parcel collected from home via ipost for £14, they do a heavier option that would cover your 23.5kgs for not much more.

[foxy99]

Thanks guys. I am getting similar options but it's the curse word curse word at the post office that isn't.

[slater]

Rule one of sendong stuff. Don't go the the post office.

[ontheedge]

Use FedEx if you want the best

[foxy99]

Sept 4, 2018 6:36:51 GMT slater said:

Rule one of sendong stuff. Don't go the the post office.

Hmmm. I'd say rule #1 could be go to the Post Office but pay for the service via an online broker

I say that because I bought the service via Parcelhero (£12.88 for each parcel). Printed off the labels at home. They show Parcelforce logo. I then took the parcels to the Post Office and they just scanned barcode on the labels and took the parcels and the recipient now has them.

So basically you're still using Parcelforce (which is good as they accept heavier parcels than some companies) but you're paying a much lower amount than you would at Post Office as the 3rd party (Parcelhero) somehow gets a better deal.

I could have actually sent them for under £8 each if I'd bought the service via Parcel2Go