Peanuts vs Bubblewrap

Before using either, wrap 1st in a good clean heavy soft absorbent paper (think industrial paper towel) material. Do not let either peanuts of bubble wrap actually touch the paint.

Use the finer bubble wrap in the next layer until filled and tape modestly snug into place. If space allows thereafter, more of the same.

I personally hate packing peanuts because they are messy and cause static. If and when I use them I put them in grocery bags loosely to fill the voids and make for a more pleasant unpacking.

Plus one.  I have very dark emotions when a package arrives with peanuts.  I think California is making peanuts illegal.  Hooray!

I know people who hate plastic peanuts, as do my town's recycler/trash people. Unpack something, and they seem to multiply and scurry all over the house, and cling to you like hungry black flies. (at least, they don't bite) Slit the top of a box, see any?, then spread a plastic sheet to keep them trapped.  Wonder how you could neutralize the static?

I have no issues with peanuts. I save them and reuse when shipping. Keep in mind that peanuts are color coded.

White= regular

Pink= anti-static

Green= biodegradable, place them in a bucket and add hot water. They will dissolve. You can pour them on your garden as fertilizer. 

The actual Item being shipped needs to be either in its protective box or wrapped in bubble wrap or foam, you can then surround with "peanuts" as a shock absorber or filler.   I had a someone ship a Turbocharger, they filled a box with "peanuts" and placed the Turbocharger inside.   Needless to say the Turbocharger was able to work its way to the base of the box and have no protection.

SPSF posted:

The actual Item being shipped needs to be either in its protective box or wrapped in bubble wrap or foam, you can then surround with "peanuts" as a shock absorber or filler.   I had a someone ship a Turbocharger, they filled a box with "peanuts" and placed the Turbocharger inside.   Needless to say the Turbocharger was able to work its way to the base of the box and have no protection.

yes, the peanute are a better shock absorber. Someone mentioned one of the carriers denying damge claims if there were no peanuts.

Secure in a box surrounded by peanuts in another box. Bubble wrap or solid foam transfer more energy.

I wrap with bubble wrap and then use peanuts to fill all the voids.  I also tend to slightly "pack" the peanuts so there's no movement.

If you're packing, and you think you're done, hold the box closed and shake in all dimensions.  If anything is felt moving, you're not done packing.  If it moves inside the packaging, it likely beats itself to death during shipment!  Whenever I get a repair or upgrade, I do the shake test.  I cringe when I feel it moving to any significant degree.  I also frequently find broken stuff when I open such a box!

Remember, even in the factory packaging, you may have to add some additional padding to keep it from moving.

SouthernMike posted:

I have no issues with peanuts. I save them and reuse when shipping. Keep in mind that peanuts are color coded.

White= regular

Pink= anti-static

Green= biodegradable, place them in a bucket and add hot water. They will dissolve. You can pour them on your garden as fertilizer. 

I did not know that, thanks for that bit of info. When I ship I use both peanuts and bubble wrap.

Custom cut some heavy corrugated cardboard to fit between the handrails and the hood to provide support to prevent crushing during shipment. Then wrap in a white tissue paper so that no packing such as bubble wrap can touch the painted surface. Then wrap the bubble wrap over the tissue. I’ve seen the bubble wrap attack the paint due to some sort of chemical reaction (like artificial worms melting into a plastic tackle box). Usinig an initial wrap of small bubble wrap first, with an additional layer of large bubbles over that is a good suggestion.

Bill in FtL

I do keep acid-free tissue for the first wrap, that's why 3rd Rail used to wrap all their stuff in tissue.

I would coat all metal with light oil. Then use those bed wetting pads.  Guys roll there trains in them. 

They absorb and block ..  And are soft. 

Then do your packing..

Suppose I don't wet the bed and don't have those handy?

What SPSF said.  If you use peanuts at all, then put the peanuts in their own box (or even plastic grocery bags) to stop the heavier, denser item from migrating through the loose peanuts to the edge of the box.  If nothing else, this causes the box to be off-balance, which increases its chances of being mishandled or dropped.

Personally I think tightly crumpled newspaper makes a MUCH better packaging material than peanuts, which are a huge nuisance IMO.

Ditto to above comment about flavors of packing peanuts. Thank you!...l should keep a list of all l learn on here...but l would get tired of writing..what will dissolve all of them...hydrofluoric acid?

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I do keep acid-free tissue for the first wrap, that's why 3rd Rail used to wrap all their stuff in tissue.

GRJ,

Where can one find acid free tissue paper, is it available at local stores or does it have be ordered from the web? 

Bill in FtL

I have used all kinds of peanuts for shipping and have never had a problem. I have shipped over 1000 packages that I have sold on eBay and peanuts give the best protection. 

The best is to make sure the whole package is tight with no movement. Never use paper as a packing material. Bubble wrap is good for item with no  individual box. Use the wrap with the biggest bubble you can find. 

Dave

colorado hirailer posted:

Ditto to above comment about flavors of packing peanuts. Thank you!...l should keep a list of all l learn on here...but l would get tired of writing..what will dissolve all of them...hydrofluoric acid?

Starch based (green) peanuts will dissolve in water. Polystyrene based (white/pink) peanuts will dissolve in acetone. 

Ted S posted:

Personally I think tightly crumpled newspaper makes a MUCH better packaging material than peanuts, which are a huge nuisance IMO.

Ted, newspaper doesn't do nearly as well, and even the USPS insurance won't pay off if you have packed it with newspaper.  Sure, the peanuts are sometimes a PITA, but they actually work really well for packing.

As far as bagging the peanuts, that's only necessary if you don't pack them securely.  If the peanuts are actually slightly compressed, nothing is going to move in the box.

SouthernMike posted:

I have no issues with peanuts. I save them and reuse when shipping. Keep in mind that peanuts are color coded.

White= regular

Pink= anti-static

Green= biodegradable, place them in a bucket and add hot water. They will dissolve. You can pour them on your garden as fertilizer. 

SouthernMike posted:

I have no issues with peanuts. I save them and reuse when shipping. Keep in mind that peanuts are color coded.

White= regular

Pink= anti-static

Green= biodegradable, place them in a bucket and add hot water. They will dissolve. You can pour them on your garden as fertilizer. 

I didn't know that.  Thanks for enlightening me.  I don't really like styrofoam peanuts for most of the reasons stated by those who also dislike them.  Styrofoam cups went the way of boom boxes.  It's surprising peanuts are still around.  

There are biodegradable peanuts.  They don't fly around like styrofoam does.  

Thanks to all who replied.  Moonman nailed it with his statement regarding transfer of energy.  

Ed