Any tips on shipping my kit over to Europe?

[Sep]

So I'm going to uni in Holland next year. And I'm gonna get my kit shipped over (surface mail) to Holland so I can play it at my parents' house on the weekends. I really want to make sure my kit doesn't get damaged or anything and I was wondering if you guys got any tips on how to achieve this. The movers are coming on saturday.

[keaton_86]

Bubble wrap and newspaper. Alot of it.

[Cocaberry]

Hardcases would be best for the actual shells but they would be ALOT more expensive than just bubble wrap and newspaper.

Get some kind of hardcase for the cymbals atleast though. And make sure there is a way to separate the cymbals within the case so they don't rub directly against eachother.

For the hardware just bubblewrap and newspaper should be fine. Make sure you separate the small parts (cymbal felts, sleeves, washers, hi-hat clutch, etc..) and put them in a ziplock bag so they don't get lost.

[Pikeymikey22]

Make sure, when packing up the hi hat stand, you give the tension rod protection. Some stands allow you to slide the rod all the way inside the body of the stand.
It's just one thing you really don't wanna bend.

[DxRocker]

Hardcases for the shells/hardware.

To save room, alternatively, you could completely dismantle the kit and place all your toms and snare inside your bassdrum if possible, protecting each shell with a bubblewrap. Then place the entire thing in ONE hardcase big enough to fit the bassdrum.

That makes 2 cases: one for the bassdrum and one for the hardware. Will save you quite some money (although both cases will be pretty heavy).

As for your cymbals, I'ld put them in a regular cymbal bag and take them with me on the airplane as handluggage. I know how the people working on airports throw with these things, regardless if it says "fragile" or not. I wouldn't want my cymbals to go through that.

If properly packed, your kit itself should not receive any damage.
I think the dismantling thing and putting everything inside the bassdrum (8" tom inside the 10", that inside the 12", etc) with each shell properly protected should be just fine.

[Carn]

where in Holland are you going?

[raz0r]

Hardcases for the shells/hardware.

To save room, alternatively, you could completely dismantle the kit and place all your toms and snare inside your bassdrum if possible, protecting each shell with a bubblewrap. Then place the entire thing in ONE hardcase big enough to fit the bassdrum.

That makes 2 cases: one for the bassdrum and one for the hardware. Will save you quite some money (although both cases will be pretty heavy).

As for your cymbals, I'ld put them in a regular cymbal bag and take them with me on the airplane as handluggage. I know how the people working on airports throw with these things, regardless if it says "fragile" or not. I wouldn't want my cymbals to go through that.

If properly packed, your kit itself should not receive any damage.
I think the dismantling thing and putting everything inside the bassdrum (8" tom inside the 10", that inside the 12", etc) with each shell properly protected should be just fine.
That does seem like a great idea. For some reason, that has never eer crossed my mind.

Holland is great, which uni are you going to?

[DxRocker]

I actually thought about it, cause they delivered my very first kit like that :D

Was one big box, the size of the bassdrum, wich had everything in it.
And an additional box with all the hardware.

[Carn]

yeah same here actually, thats how my sonor was in the box as well.

[The Wizard of Oz]

I'm pretty sure that bass drums are too big to be sent by the postal service, and that stacking the drums inside one another makes the entire package too heavy (atleast on a standard 5 piece kit).

[DxRocker]

I'm pretty sure that bass drums are too big to be sent by the postal service, and that stacking the drums inside one another makes the entire package too heavy (atleast on a standard 5 piece kit).

That's... a bit ignorant, no offence :)

You can sent anything you want via services like UPS, FedEx and whatnot.
Even rocket launchers if you have to proper forms :lol:

The heavier it is, the more you pay.
The more space it takes in the airplane, the more you pay.

If you spread your kit out in loads of cases (one case per drum and one for the hardware), you will pay a LOT more. The total weight will be heavier, since you will use more cases - yes, the case's wheight counts to - and you will use up more space on the airplane.

Whereas, if you take the heads of and place them all inside one another, that one case will be a lot heavier, but it will be only one case.
One big box with all your drums in it.

It will cost you a lot of money though, airtraffic services aren't exactly cheap, and there's the insurrance to think about as well.

Come to think of it... It might even be cheaper for you if you would just take your cymbals with you as handluggage and buy a new/used (cheap) set in Holland to play at your parents house. I don't know from where you will be shipping the kit, so you will need to check this first off course.
But if you are located in Australia or the US and want to ship to the Netherlands... then buying a cheap kit in the Netherlands will most likely be cheaper then ship out your main kit.

Don't forget that after that year, you will have to ship it back again!!

[Sep]

My dad's company is paying for 5 m^2 or something for me to move all my stuff. So the price of shipping/insurance isn't really relevant. And as I said, it's shipping surface mail, not air mail.

And I thought of completely dismantling the kit (obviously) and putting all the other drums inside the bass drum. I don't have any cases or anything but I think the drums should be alright with enough bubblewrap/newspaper around each drum.

That sounds like a good idea though to just take the cymbals with me on the plane in a cymbal bag. I'm gonna have to buy myself a decent cymbal bag, even though they're quite expensive out here.

Oh and Carn, I'm going to the RUG. (Groningen.) Where in Holland are you located?

[DxRocker]

ha, ok... must have missed that bit, sorry :p

I'ld still seriously recommend some kind of box to put your drums in though... Bubblewrap is good, but only that... I wouldn't trust it.

Keep in mind that those transports tend to get quite warm, wich causes condensation (or whatever the english term is, some kind of humidity) wich won't be good for your drums if they aren't decently protected.

A box, imo, is an absolute must.

[Sep]

I'm pretty sure the movers are gonna be supplying hard-cardboard boxes, or do you mean like a wooden box to put inside of the cardboard?

[DxRocker]

I'm pretty sure the movers are gonna be supplying hard-cardboard boxes, or do you mean like a wooden box to put inside of the cardboard?

Well, in all honesty, "I'm pretty sure they would..." would not be enough for me. And in 99% of the cases - they don't supply you with boxes.

They pass by your house and load whatever you give them - like you give it to them. Unless you have a special deal or some agreement that they will indeed supply boxes. By default, they don't (as far as I know). At least not the shipping services I have worked with (UPS, TaxiPost and FedEx), nore real "movers" you hire when you move to a new place.

They come with a truck and load whatever you give them, like you give it to them.

Just trying to help you out here and prevent some nasty side effects.
If possible, call them and find out if they provide boxes (if yes, ask about measurements so that it is big enough to fit the bassdrum). This is something you will not want to risque. You want the package of your drums to be completely sealed off, the more the better.

You may be certain for 100% that humidity WILL be big in there, especially if it is a long drive (like 1000+ km). That's like a cancer for your drum shells.

[Carn]

Oh and Carn, I'm going to the RUG. (Groningen.) Where in Holland are you located?

I live just below Eindhoven, near the Belgian border...so thats pretty much on the other side of the country.

[pitchfork]

Hardcases and bubblewrap, newspaper and shipping cartons.

Or strapped to a wooden pallet with loads of newpaper and bubblewrap (preference doubled)
Put some tissie round the bearing edges and use split hose to hold it on.

I dunno just be careful.

or drive over there with your kit in the back in a fiery red cadillac convertable and a huge suitcase of illegal drugs, beer and tequilla in the back with your eternie, you know, fear and loathing in las vegas style :lol:

[DxRocker]

or drive over there with your kit in the back in a fiery red cadillac convertable and a huge suitcase of illegal drugs, beer and tequilla in the back with your eternie, you know, fear and loathing in las vegas style :lol:

That sounds great!!

Although you don't need to risque it with all the dope. There's more then enough of that stuff in the Netherlands - legally. :smash: