Shipping Rockets to Events

[Sailfish1957]

Has anyone had any experience in shipping rockets ahead to an event? I have two HP rockets that I want to ship to Colorado in August for the NARAM-65. They are LOC IRIS 4 and HYPERLOC 835.

I can break them down and the max diameter is 14” with fins.

No motors (of course), etc….just rockets, recovery gear and electronics.

Thoughts?

 

[tfish]

I have a buddy that ships his stuff..
Ross.. @ROhmen

 

[rcktnut]

Has anyone had any experience in shipping rockets ahead to an event? I have two HP rockets that I want to ship to Colorado in August for the NARAM-65. They are LOC IRIS 4 and HYPERLOC 835.

I can break them down and the max diameter is 14” with fins.

No motors (of course), etc….just rockets, recovery gear and electronics.

Thoughts?

 

[Tractionengines]

Shopping "stuff" to a hotel ahead of time is fairly easy. Just make sure you tell them, so they tag it with your reservation details when it arrives. (Give them sizes... an envelope is a lot different than a 4"IRIS.) They can also usually help with the pickup as well for the return trip.

The ISSUE is more than just motors cause problems... no e-matches, no igniters, no ejection charges (black powder) and no Li-Po Batteries (or some other batteries as well), etc...

It's been a few years since I shipped "stuff", so I can't give you specifics, as I don't want to misguide you. Just talk to a manager at a FedEx or UPS store. (The button pusher for the copier, is not going to know where to find the details you need to know.)

Mke

 

[Tractionengines]

More information from another thread last year...

Anyone can open a FedEx account

Anyone can pay $150 and take their online hazmat course and be certified to ship hazardous materials

Anyone can order for free all the required documents and labels to ship hazardous materials from FedEx

Anyone can call FedEx’s free hazardous materials helpline and ask advice on how to make their shipment DOT compliant

Is this process exacting and does it take time? Yes.

 

[Art Upton]

Nothing HazMat but I used to ship rockets and casings, electronics etc to FEDEX HOLD FOR Pickup, last time in Vegas. I flew to Vegas, went to the Fed EX by Walmart ; picked up my stuff waiting for me, and then drove to Pahrump to get ready for October Fest launch at Jean Dry Lake.

I bought the propellent from the on-site Vendor , Balsa Bill. "Here Art stuff another I205 in that Estes rocket and show them"

 

[bschultz32]

Buy a large golf bag shipping case; I own two, they're made by SKB, and they have served me well.



Fill it with your rocket and ground equipment, ship using UPS or FedEx Ground. From Michigan to places out west, cost is about $200 roundtrip. You have options; you can have the case held at the UPS store, or likewise at your hotel. In either case, call ahead, talk to the manager, get her buy-in to hold it for a few days until you catch up with it.

 

[teepot]

I've shipped golf clubs many times. Sometimes to a course. I call them and tell them they are coming and they will hold them until I get there. I have shipped clubs home by UPS. I also have an SKB hard case. I have seen how baggage handlers treat soft sided golf bag covers. I've sat in a plane and watched the bags being place on the carts. They throw the soft sided ones. Mine they pick up and set it down on the cart. SKB and others make a large variety of sizes and shapes of cases. Look at their site or on Amazon to find something that fits the bill. Long boxes can be bent. But not a hard case.

 

[ROhmen]

I have a buddy that ships his stuff..
Ross.. @ROhmen

Yup. Happy to answer questions.

 

[Art Upton]

Buy a large golf bag shipping case; I own two, they're made by SKB, and they have served me well.

View attachment 625637

Fill it with your rocket and ground equipment, ship using UPS or FedEx Ground. From Michigan to places out west, cost is about $200 roundtrip. You have options; you can have the case held at the UPS store, or likewise at your hotel. In either case, call ahead, talk to the manager, get her buy-in to hold it for a few days until you catch up with it.

View attachment 625642

Interesting the time I shipped to FedEx pickup in LV, Bob shown above I had not seen in like 6-7 years who is our area I ran across at October Fest on Jean Dry Lake...

 

[MClark]

I shipped a rocket from Az to Oregon. Walked into UPS Store and handed it to the clerk, not boxed. 4” airframe with fins, a return of a lost and found at BALLS.

 

[troj]

Al Bychek used to ship his rockets to/from Wichita every year, for AirFest.

He had a sturdy cardboard box he'd put them in, and ship it to the hotel. When he left the event, he'd ship the box back home.

I once shipped a rocket off for painting - made a custom frame of cheap 1x1 lumber, put foam in the open areas, then wrapped it in cardboard. Rocket went in, along with copious amounts of packing peanuts.

-Kevin

 

[Sailfish1957]

Buy a large golf bag shipping case; I own two, they're made by SKB, and they have served me well.

View attachment 625637

Fill it with your rocket and ground equipment, ship using UPS or FedEx Ground. From Michigan to places out west, cost is about $200 roundtrip. You have options; you can have the case held at the UPS store, or likewise at your hotel. In either case, call ahead, talk to the manager, get her buy-in to hold it for a few days until you catch up with it.

View attachment 625642

Interesting the time I shipped to FedEx pickup in LV, Bob shown above I had not seen in like 6-7 years who is our area I ran across at October Fest on Jean Dry Lake...

THANKS!!!!! This is the very best idea. I have a golf case and I might even check it in as baggage.