How To Ship Ink?

[Brier]

I was wondering how people ship ink samples to others.

 

I'm hoping to get started with the ink sample exchange soon. However, I am unsure how people ship 5 mL plastic tubes filled with ink to each other. Specifically, I have the following two questions:

 

1. How do you all recommend packaging small, plastic vials of ink so that they will reach their destination intact and without earning the ire of the shipper. Is putting the vials in a plastic bag inside a basic envelope sufficient? Or is more packaging necessary? If so, how should I package them instead?

 

2. A U.S. specific question. Is it okay to mail the ink samples out by depositing them in an outdoors USPS collection box? If so, how many stamps should I use?

 

Thank you for any help.

[JefferyS]

The USPS removed virtually all outdoor collection boxes (except those outside of post offices) after 9/11 down here. A bubble pack envelope is how I get my samples from Goulet, and there hasn't been a spill yet (hundreds of little vials). Postage should be whatever the current stamp cost is multiplied by ounces. I think it just went up or is about to go up. I only do forever stamps now.

[wastelanded]

You can get padded shipping envelopes at the dollar store, as well as bubble wrap. Put the vials in a ziploc bag, one wrap of bubble wrap and into the envelope. I've sent and received ink sample across the ocean and no mishaps so far with the method.

[Rita_K]

You can get padded shipping envelopes at the dollar store, as well as bubble wrap. Put the vials in a ziploc bag, one wrap of bubble wrap and into the envelope. I've sent and received ink sample across the ocean and no mishaps so far with the method.

 

+1

I have found this to be a very reliable method.

[Brier]

Thank you all for the advice.

 

You can get padded shipping envelopes at the dollar store, as well as bubble wrap. Put the vials in a ziploc bag, one wrap of bubble wrap and into the envelope. I've sent and received ink sample across the ocean and no mishaps so far with the method.

 

For clarity's sake, Wastelanded, are you suggesting using the bubble wrap inside a padded envelope? Or using either bubble wrap or a padded envelope?

[wastelanded]

Thank you all for the advice.

 

 

For clarity's sake, Wastelanded, are you suggesting using the bubble wrap inside a padded envelope? Or using either bubble wrap or a padded envelope?

Well, the envelope has padding, but not a lot. That's why I wrap the bag in one layer of bubble wrap and then into the padded envelope. Then there's two layers of padding, and the package is still not too thick. That keeps the postage down.

[Brier]

Got it. Thank you for the clarification!

[amberleadavis]

Have any of us ever tried using a transfer pipette to ship?

 

I use the pipette to fill a vial, but I do have wasted ink. Also, the vial is comparatively heavy and they can / do leak.

 

http://www.connecticutvalleybiological.com/images/lw25001.jpg

 

I'd have to think about how to easily seal the end. Hmm...

[Brier]

Have any of us ever tried using a transfer pipette to ship?

 

I use the pipette to fill a vial, but I do have wasted ink. Also, the vial is comparatively heavy and they can / do leak.

 

http://www.connecticutvalleybiological.com/images/lw25001.jpg

 

I'd have to think about how to easily seal the end. Hmm...

 

 

That's a really cool idea! That said, isn't it really dependent on the recipient having a type of pen that they can easily fill using a pipette?

 

In terms of sealing it, maybe a dab of hot glue would work? That seems to work well for some people in sealing cartridges. Then again, that sounds like a recipe for the whole thing to spill mid-transport when the glue is knocked off.

 

In terms of wasting ink with the pipettes, maybe you wouldn't have that problem if you used a blunt tipped syringe to fill the vials instead? I've been using one to fill my pen from sample tubes and I don't seem to have any noticeable amount of ink that I can't expel from the syringe.

 

P.S. Those pipettes look really cool when filled.

[amberleadavis]

I have a blunt tipped syringe but I don't use it the same way.

 

Here was my thought process when I bought these....

 

I bought a bunch of bottles of Akkerman ink. I bought the pipettes and used them to transfer the ink to the 5 ml vials. The left over ink is a result of having transferred a liquid it's just a few drops. Many of us have the 5ml vials from buying samples from Goulet. The vials are heavier. It you could seal the pipette then the recipient could just put the ink into their own vial or into a bottle. It's just a thought. It would reduce the shipping cost. I may have to try this and report back.

[Brier]

Many of us have the 5ml vials from buying samples from Goulet. The vials are heavier. It you could seal the pipette then the recipient could just put the ink into their own vial or into a bottle. It's just a thought. It would reduce the shipping cost. I may have to try this and report back.

 

Ah, got it. In addition to reducing the weight to be shipped, I'd also been thinking of it in terms of the recipient not needing to transfer the sample out of a vial when they received it. If they had a pen that they could fill via pipette, they could simply unseal the pipette and expel the sample into their pen, taking a step out of the filling process.

 

Definitely let me know what happens if you try it. I'd be quite interested in hearing the results! Hope it works.