Most economical way of shipping medium rockets in continental US?

[BABAR]

I am not talking traveling with the rocket (in which case they may be oversized baggage)

I am talking shipping a built rocket (without motors or igniters) to another person say to Hawaii or across the US. Size say 3 feet x 1 foot x 1 foot. No rush.

I am guessing USPS, but wondered if anyone had better option?

 

[cwbullet]

USPS is usually the best option unless it is large (4 feet).

 

[Hobie1dog]

USPS, but..... If it's damaged you might as well forget it as my last claim took over a year to resolve and that was after I contacted my state attorney generals office about it.

 

[jderimig]

UPS will charge dimensional weight for around a 3x1x1 package, around 35#. A couple years ago it cost me ~$90 to ship a rocket to Nevada from Ohio in such a package. Probably more now. I made a crate for it.

USPS will be more (I priced $125 for the same trip)

If it has to go on a plane it would probably cheaper to stuff it in a duffle bag, buy a roundtrip ticket, check the duffle bag in baggage and deliver it yourself ( which I have also done).

 

[prfesser]

Some problems with UPS/USPS/FedEx/et al may be more local than system-wide. Our mail carrier has gone above and beyond to find a lost package, not once but several times.

Also, USPS now has "Ground Advantage" which is much less expensive than Priority or UPS, seems to be closer to commercial rates. They used to have a hefty charge for packages over 12" long but GA doesn't seem to have that surcharge, at least in my experience. You may have to use "Click-n-Ship" to get GA pricing, I don't know. I shipped two packages that were 40" long to the same address. USPS regular ground---before they had GA---was about $30; GA was about $16-17.

Proper packing is a MUST! Try to make a 'bulletproof' package. No crumpled newspaper, grocery bags etc. Save foam peanuts and sheets, air-filled bags, other lightweight cushioning material from packages you've received. Check new home construction; scraps from styrofoam insulating sheets may be free or might cost you a bag of donuts. Your package may be thrown or dropped ten feet; pack with that in mind. One recommendation I've read is at least 2" between the item itself and the box.

 

[jderimig]

Here GA for a 10lb 36" x 12" x 12" from Ohio to Reno.