PLEASE... PACK THEM CAREFULLY!
The "Chamber of Horrors"
All itemns below were damaged in shipping by the Post Office unless otherwise noted.
RCA 45-EY. Never assume an item is insured. I did, it wasn't.
RCA 9EY36 "Roy Rogers". I asked for double-boxing and extra-careful packing but received neither. Top and spindle cap smashed in, big crack in side by knob.
I bought a second Roy Rogers, and after pleading for extra-careful packing and giving this link and detailed instructions for packing (which were ignored), the second one arrived with this big crack in the side. This one really hurts.:( Shipped by UPS.
Another broken 45-EY. The crack in the lower left front corner doesn't show up well in the picture, but the smashed-in turntable does Again, they apparently dropped ot on its top. Double-boxed, but NO space between boxes, so it did no good.
RCA 9-JY attachment. Note large crack and missing chunk in side near front. I asked for double-boxing and insurance, but got neither. Packed in a flimsy single box with little padding.
RCA 9EY3. It was double-boxed, but the inner box was barely big enough for the player. There was only about 1" of padding on top and bottom. Shipped by UPS.
(Photo coming soon...) MINT RCA "Alice in Wonderland" model 45EY26...case shattered
(Photo coming soon...) Nice RCA 3 speed tabletop radio-phono, smashed to bits.
Bakelite is far more fragile than it looks. It is very brittle. It does not flex and will chip or break if dropped or struck, much like glass, and is just as fragile.
PLEASE pack them carefully. Treat them as if they were glass. Double-box using sturdy boxes, and a big outrer box with plenty of padding inside and between the boxes. One major shipping company recommends at least 2-3 inches of padding on all sides between the outer and inner boxes, as well as around the item itself. On the early models with the RP-168 changer (gold turntable and tone arm, bakelite top), pack at least 3-4 inches above the top of the spindle to help prevent smashing it in if (or should I say when) the box is dropped on its top. Packing in thick (3+ inches) foam rubber also helps greatly. Bubble wrap really doesn't help as it can't absorb the shock that causes the Bakelite case to break or crack. Most of the above were wrapped in bubble wrap. Styrofoam 'peanuts' do not help either, as they allow the unit to move around in the box. Medium-density foam rubber, like you would use for seat cushions or upholstery, can be bought at a hardware or craft store, and I will gladly pay the extra expense. Newspaper wadded up into 'balls' also works well, but be sure to allow for 3" or so ABOVE the top of the spindle. Pack the newspaper balls in fairly tightly.
WHAT HAPPENS
The changer mechanism on the models using the RP-168 changer is attached to the Bakelite cabinet by three slender Bakelite standoofs that are part of the cabinet. These are only about 1/2" in diameter and break away from the thin Bakelite cabinet, sometimes taking a piece of the top with them. When the box is dropped on its top, the weight of the phonograph acts like a hammer, and since the spindle can't go anywhere (it's hitting the top of the box, which hit the floor), the inertia snaps one or more of these mounting standoffs. Sometimes it also cracks the cabinet and/or breaks a piece out of the top.
HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK OF DAMAGE
1. DOUBLE-BOX the phono. Use sturdy boxes. Allow at least 2-3" on all sides and on all sides between boxes. Allow 3-4" above the top of the spindle in the inner box.
2. Use foam rubber or newspaper balls. Do not use 'peanuts' or bubble wrap except between the inner and outer boxes. Pack newspaper balls fairly tightly, especially on top.
3. It is also important that ALL FOUR of the screws that hold the Bakelite bottom be in place and snug. The bottom will help to strengthen the lower part of the cabinet and help avoid cracks in the sides. These are ususlly standard machine screws available at any hardware store for a few cents each. On sets with fiber board bottoms this is not critical.
Here is another excellent page on how to ship an antique radio safely that has some more information on safe shipping.
Thank you for taking the time to look at this page.
