Shipping SDA 2.3TLs from Cali to Mi

mole'
mole' Posts: 3,160
edited September 2011 in Vintage Speakers
so i have been trying to find the best way to ship these bad boys to Mi and keeping them safe.


i have no boxes or crates for them. im stuff making boxes for them. any ideas guys????
mole'
Post edited by mole' on
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited September 2011
    If I was to ship out SDA's I would get some of that hard foam insulation that's about 3" thick, wrap them 100% like a box then I would build a wooden crate for them, and after all that I would find or build a palet that they will fit on 100% and steel band it. I would also make sure the speakers are facing up on the palet..

    It's a lot of work but I wouldn't do it any other way...

    IMO if you don't take extra precautions this could turn ugly!!
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited September 2011
    Very carefully. I would not ship. They need to be driven and picked up.
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited September 2011
    thsmith wrote: »
    Very carefully. I would not ship. They need to be driven and picked up.

    +1 exactly
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited September 2011
    Really the only SDA's I would ship are the CRS's
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  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited September 2011
    damn......not sounding good for me

    $$$$
    mole'
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited September 2011
    More time than dollars.

    I would imagine 2 days in each direction.

    Could meet half way at a polkies house.
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,566
    edited September 2011
    I had mine shipped ABF freight truck in the original cartons, strapped to a pallet from CA to The Mars Hotel. They arrived in perfect condition.

    Since you don't have the cartons, contact Craters and Freighters. They will come to your house, crate the speakers and arrange for shipping. It's not cheap, but their record is excellent.

    As long as the speakers are packed properly, shipping should not be the concern that some folks make it out to be.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited September 2011
    If they go freight, they will make it on a pallet. Abernathy has built simple crates before out of pine if you are handy like that.

    You're going to pay to play, like Jesse noted, but going freight on a wrapped pallet is nothing like going Fedex or United Parcel Smashers. Outside of that, try to hook up a pony express.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • restanim
    restanim Posts: 227
    edited September 2011
    I’d also be concerned magnetic shift.

    Mike
    polkaudio

    Currently Own:
    RTA-11T Light Oak, Aug/2011 to present
    SDA-CRS+ Aug/2011 to present
    RTA-11T Black, Dec/2013 to present

    Previously Owned:
    SDA-SRS 2.3 May/1990 to June/1991
    SRS 1.2TL June/1991 to May/1995
    SDA-1C Aug/2005 to Dec/2011
    SRS 1.2TL Sept/2009 to Sept/2015
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited September 2011
    On a pallet, laid flat, unless they drive off a cliff, shift isn't a concern. It's the vertical motion that locks voicecoils.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • grimmace19
    grimmace19 Posts: 1,429
    edited September 2011
    Mole' remember the 70s... think of the 70s... then realize this isn't a good idea.
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,102
    edited September 2011
    F1nut wrote: »
    As long as the speakers are packed properly, shipping should not be the concern that some folks make it out to be.
    Agreed.

    It's not like we all drove to Baltimore to pick these things up when they were new. Polk put 'em in bigass boxes with styrofoam packing, and shipped 'em all over the country.

    About the only thing that changed in the meantime is the glue/magnet issue. Take care of that, and they should ship just fine if they're packed properly.

    I have heard--but not confirmed--that a three-inch jumper wire connecting the - and + terminals will help reduce driver motion in transit.
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  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited September 2011
    grimmace19 wrote: »
    Mole' remember the 70s... think of the 70s... then realize this isn't a good idea.


    ya, i remember that. the guy said to ship then via FedEx.

    so im gonna talk with FedEx on Tuesday and see what they offer.
    mole'
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,566
    edited September 2011
    They are too large for FedEx Ground. You could try FedEx Freight, but I believe they do business to business only. Seriously, check with Craters and Freighters.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,566
    edited September 2011
    About the only thing that changed in the meantime is the glue/magnet issue.

    IIRC, only the earlier driver magnets are glued in place, the later driver magnets are riveted making it a non-issue.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited September 2011
    *facepalm*
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited September 2011
    F1nut wrote: »
    They are too large for FedEx Ground. You could try FedEx Freight, but I believe they do business to business only. Seriously, check with Craters and Freighters.

    i will check them places out but he said FedEx ground would ship them.
    mole'
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited September 2011
    Oh, they will try. Succeed? Let us know.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited September 2011
    RuSsMaN wrote: »
    Oh, they will try. Succeed? Let us know.



    ill be sure to put 2k worth of insurance on them.
    mole'
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited September 2011
    F1nut wrote: »
    IIRC, only the earlier driver magnets are glued in place, the later driver magnets are riveted making it a non-issue.

    I was not aware of that Jesse. Good info.

    That said, it would explain the reason my 3.1TL's made it safely from southern California to Salem, Oregon while strapped to a pallet (on their sides:eek:). I told the person that shipped them to have them strapped on their backes to the pallet, but I believe they were more concerned about the drivers being damaged. So, they were strapped on their sides on a pallet with the drivers facing each other. They made it fine though. None of the magnets came apart and shifted. It must be because of what Jesse stated above, because none of the drivers were JBWelded.

    To be safe though, I would lay them on their backs on a pallet with a sturdy board wide enough to cover both speakers (to protect the drivers/PR) and cover them with A LOT of soft material (like those furnature pads you get with the U-Haul rental or something similar) then strap them to the pallet with multiple straps. Then ship them freight. I would think they would get there OK. Just make sure they are insured though (that goes without saying).

    Greg
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited September 2011
    The basket and first silver plate next to the basket are the only two pieces rivited, the magnet and the other silver plate ( the one with the sticker MWXXXX ) are not rivited and can still shift locking up the voice coil..
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  • decal
    decal Posts: 3,205
    edited September 2011
    F1nut wrote: »
    As long as the speakers are packed properly, shipping should not be the concern that some folks make it out to be.
    Schurkey wrote: »
    It's not like we all drove to Baltimore to pick these things up when they were new. Polk put 'em in bigass boxes with styrofoam packing, and shipped 'em all over the country.

    Thank you Gentlemen, finally some voices of sanity. Speakers are indeed shipped safely all over the world everyday. How do you think the dealers get them? My Tyler Acoustic 7U's were shipped from Hawaii to Florida by FedEx Air with no problems what so ever. Now back to some more pressing issues, anyone know where I can buy black paint? :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
    If you can't hear a difference, don't waste your money.
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  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited September 2011
    decal wrote: »
    Thank you Gentlemen, finally some voices of sanity. Speakers are indeed shipped safely all over the world everyday. How do you think the dealers get them? My Tyler Acoustic 7U's were shipped from Hawaii to Florida by FedEx Air with no problems what so ever. Now back to some more pressing issues, anyone know where I can buy black paint? :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

    :biggrin::biggrin:
    mole'
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,490
    edited September 2011
    I had a pair of SDA-SRS shipped to me through Craters and Freighters. Looked something like this. Thick solid foam board all around and between the speakers and double walled corrugated box all around the outside. These guys know what they are doing. As others have said, this is the best way to go. In some ways it's actually safer doing this than transporting the speakers locally in the back of an SUV or truck. FedEx Ground is really not an option with speakers this big, and would probably be even more expensive than using a freight company if they weighed less than 150lbs each when boxed up. The buyer should foot the bill if he wants the speakers. Not like any more are being made!

    corrug-gallery-2.jpg
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