Packaging & shipping a dedicated film scanner?

Packaging & shipping a dedicated film scanner?

I have a Nikon Coolscan 9000 ED film scanner is excellent condition that I am considering selling. Being that it is something of a specialty item, I feel that I would probably have to market it nationwide in order to get a decent price, and the prospect of shipping it is daunting to me. (In an ideal world, the buyer would be close enough to pick it up.)

I have all the original packaging, and can package it just like it was originally shipped, but I fear something happening in transit anyway.

I know insurance is a must. Any suggestions beyond that?

Wrap it in bubble wrap twice. Get box larger then the unit and bubble wrap. Layer the bottom of the box with packing peanuts. Put unit in, and fill the sides and top with peanuts. Movement is the killer when shipping. When you tape it up, give it a shake; does it move around? Yes - add more peanuts No - you're good to go.

I worked at FedEx, and have personally shipped thousands of things from antique wood radios to 200 fluorescent light tubes (not in original packaging), and have never had a damage claim.

I have used the spray foam. Spray the bottom of the box, before it sets place a cookie sheet on it that comes up to the top of the box on all sides then lay object on top of the cookie sheet and press lightly so that the foam forms around the bottom of the object. Next fold the rest of the cookie sheet over the top and down the side of the object, fill the sides with foam. Place a second cookie sheet on top and up the sides past the top. Put foam on the top ( do not fill the foam expands) once you have enough foam in fold the cookie sheet over the top layer put the lid on, paper wrap and send.
To open all one has to do is pull the top layer out and get the object out.
I have done this a few times sending liquids in glass containers and never had a problem

wow. i'm dying to get my old 9000 ED out again.

i am pretty sure there were screws that needed to be removed after it was originally shipped. Those screws kept the important interior parts in place during shipping.

I have no idea how to ship it. After 5 or so years i decided I'd just keep it forever.


BTW, anyone know about new Mac OSX drivers for this thing? I have an old G4 that still has all the right software, but i'd really like to hook it up to my new(er) macbook.

My biggest worry is something moving inside the unit itself and/or the bulb breaking.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #16102779
My biggest worry is something moving inside the unit itself and/or the bulb breaking.

exactly.

do you know what you can get for it?

i just kind of assumed there were much better scanners for much less money now.

I shipped mine out (5000) from Florida to Iowa (on loan) and it came back the same way with no problems.

I have the same unit and the original packing that it came in. Mine came originally from the other side of the country and was in perfect condition when it arrived so I would think that if you do have the original packing you should be fine. If you have any worries about this then I would simply put this box inside another box that would have enough room for styrofoam peanuts or bubble wrap around the original. That should suffice even if the handlers do throw underhand.

I would just insure the package, it wont be cheap but absolutely worth it for the piece of mind, just pass on the shipping charges to the buyer.

there is nothing you can do to be 100% sure it will arrive damage free, you can take it to a ups store they will ship it for you and then they are responsible for any damage.

If I were going to package it I would double box it, the scanner in a box surrounded by packing peanuts on all six sides, then that box placed in another box surrounded by more packing peanuts on all 6 sides.

hes gone wrote in post #16102800
=he's gone;16102800]exactly.

do you know what you can get for it?

i just kind of assumed there were much better scanners for much less money now.

Nope. Film scanners are very few and far between. Plustek is essentially making the only dedicated film scanners for under $1000 these days. Epson has some scanners with film cassettes but the one(s) that have the proper Dmax of a film scanner cost $700. I have not tried Epsons' V500 or V700 to see how focus goes since a flatbed scanner (what the Epsons are) are designed to not focus on anything since items are to be laid on the plane of the glass while the film will be above the glass a bit.