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Author Topic: Big postage hike  (Read 1477 times)

Offline Pat Johnston

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Big postage hike
« on: January 21, 2023, 10:32:28 AM »
I just experienced the new postage increase for this year. I was sending a rolled drawing to WV (from Idaho) which had one plans sheet, a couple of 1/16” doublers and a 1/4” cheek tripler for a total weight of less than a pound. The usual cost for Priority was about $12.50, but there was an additional $15 for the package being 36” long. The total was around $27.50. No doubt I will have to investigate UPS for shipping kits and plans. For all you guys getting plans and kits, this could be bad. Anyway, I’ll check UPS to see if they are competitive and keep everyone posted here.
Pat Johnston
Idaho Skunk Works

Offline Dan McEntee

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2023, 10:34:42 AM »
  WOW!! More than doubled!! This is related to the price of diesel and jet fuel!!

    Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee
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Offline Dave Rigotti

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2023, 11:42:21 AM »
The surcharge for packages longer than 22" has been in effect for about a year now.  Maybe redesigning the longer lengths to be under 22" might be beneficial?

The shipping charges for all carriers are a fact of reality.  We can no longer reminisce about the good old days of $2.95 shipping.  We NEED to get used to it.

Now if only Amazon carried ALL my hobby needs........
Dave Rigotti
AMA 66859
Chesterland, Ohio

Offline Bill Morell

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2023, 12:17:26 PM »
Thanks Joe.......
Bill Morell
It wasn't that you could and others couldn't, its that you did and others didn't.
Vietnam 72-73
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Offline Craig Beswick

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2023, 12:20:06 PM »
  WOW!! More than doubled!! This is related to the price of diesel and jet fuel!!

    Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

More about price gouging since the Covid BS Dan and the crappy deal they have made with Amazon!

Craig
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"The Ninja"

Offline Peter in Fairfax, VA

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2023, 12:37:07 PM »
As discussed previously, go to pirateship.com for estimates. And the result is as you say.  Ups for over 30" or FedEx.

Offline Phil Spillman

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2023, 02:48:33 PM »
How about just folding the plan and using an envelope? That's the way MAN and FM always did it and come to think of it Man and MA as well! Roll them out when they come and put them in your own tube!

Phil Spillman
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Offline Steve Haynes

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2023, 03:19:19 PM »
No Doubt folding the plans is the least expensive way to go, however not the best quality for the end user.

  As a designer who has both sent and received drawings for almost 40 years, I understand and commiserate with everybody regarding postage and shipping rates overall.

  The other year I received a couple sets of rolled up plans (from a well known provider) that were then purposefully rolled then folded in half to fit a 24" tube for lower shipping cost, and I was utterly shocked that anyone would do that to a beautiful set of plans.

  I called the service and respectfully shared my professional thoughts (I was kind of incredulous, but wanted to solve what I thought was a problem) and to his credit he went out of his way to buy the larger shipping tubes to ensure the higher quality.  He also mentioned that other customers didn't mind the folder/rolled up plans.

  In the end, the buyer of the plans has two choices, fold 'em and save money, or pay the expense for full rolled up plans.
  Note: The folded plans can be ironed out to smooth out the wrinkles carefully.   I once received a 1/4 scale set of Fokker DVII plans that were crushed in a USPS triangle tube, which badly wrinkled the plans.  I reversed rolled them loosely for a couple of weeks to smooth them out.  Ya do whatcha gotta do : - )

  Take care everybody, Piano man

Offline Pat Johnston

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2023, 06:36:51 PM »
Right. Folding drawings is a reasonable solution for drawings, but is a little tough for balsa kits. I’ll keep looking at this issue.
Pat Johnston
Idaho Skunk Works

Offline Air Ministry .

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2023, 07:53:03 PM »
I thought it said ' big Postie bike ( Wishfull thinking ? ) My recomendation , Unbeatable sevice . Swiftly and With Style ! .



Might justify the increases !

Offline Dennis Leonhardi

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2023, 08:03:39 PM »
As discussed previously, go to pirateship.com for estimates. And the result is as you say.  Ups for over 30" or FedEx.


Exactly, Peter.  The Postal Service was in earlier years generally much less expensive than UPS.  There's been a big change in that scenario.  Remember though, UPS will not deliver to P O Boxes.  I have experienced a couple of substantial charges using Pirate Ship and UPS after the shipment went out, but that's life.  I find Pirate Ship very convenient to use.

Dennis
Think for yourself !  XXX might win the Nats, be an expert on designing, building, finishing, flying, tuning engines - but you might not wanna take tax advice from him.  Or consider his views on the climate to be fact ...

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2023, 09:43:48 PM »
Pat, as I asked Walter Umland a few years back if he thought of short kits, like folded plans and laser cut parts only.  All hardware and wood to be supplied by the purchaser.  I have already constructed several kits from merry ole England that were short kits.

Now just this week I sent another package a gentleman in Canada which had 2 engines , one with a muffler.  It was only half the cost of an engine I sent about 2 weeks ago to the same person.  Cost on it was $40.00 plus dollars.   Same post office different clerk and this package I just sent weighed twice as much. D>K
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Offline Dennis Leonhardi

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2023, 10:04:20 PM »
HINT ON SHIPPING ENGINES, ETC.

Here's another advantage of Pirate Ship: USPS has what's called a Priority Mail Cubic Rate or something to that effect.  Suppose you're shipping via Priority Mail engines & parts that weigh 3 pounds in a box 7x7x3 - that's a fair amount of weight for a small space and qualifies, in many cases, for that lower rate.  Pirate Ship will automatically offer the lower rate where applicable, but I've never seen that rate on Postal Service rate websites, and eBay doesn't offer it to Sellers printing labels on the eBay website.

Just another advantage.

Dennis
Think for yourself !  XXX might win the Nats, be an expert on designing, building, finishing, flying, tuning engines - but you might not wanna take tax advice from him.  Or consider his views on the climate to be fact ...

Offline kevin king

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #13 on: January 24, 2023, 09:26:49 AM »
2 rolls of Polyspan 44 dollars. Shipping to Canada 44 dollars. UNREAL.

Offline Wayne Collier

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2023, 09:24:13 PM »

Remember though, UPS will not deliver to P O Boxes.

Dennis

Actually they do. UPS surepost. They deliver to the post office and the post office takes it from there.

FedEx used to do the same. It was called smart post but I don’t know if they still do.

Also, as a service provided to PO Box customers, most post offices will accept packages shipped to the physical address of the post office with the PO Box listed as the unit number. (Similar to suite number in an office building)

Wayne Collier     Northeast Texas
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Offline Peter in Fairfax, VA

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #15 on: January 25, 2023, 07:12:24 AM »
Wayne does an excellent job of describing addressing a UPS parcel to a USPS POB.  You look up the street address of the PO, then address the parcel like this:

John Doe Unit <box number>
<Post Office Street Address>
<City State Zip>

This method has worked for me in the past, though my preference is to ask the recipient for a home or work address, leaving USPS out of the equation.

thanks again for bringing up this detail,

Peter

Offline Joe Ed Pederson

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #16 on: January 25, 2023, 10:30:01 AM »
This is a UPS story.  Last night I wanted to order from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty a 2 foot by 2 foot piece of .050 Aluminum 2024 T-3 and 20 1/4" x 1/4"  x 36" spruce sticks (they call the capstrips) and 16 oz (8 of hardner, 8 of Resin) T-88 epoxy.  The total was $108.

I got to the point in ordering where they calculate shipping and UPS Ground was $58.xx.  UPS was the only option they offered.  I then canceled the order.

Joe Ed Pederson

Offline Dave Rigotti

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #17 on: January 25, 2023, 10:41:14 AM »
So where are you going to get the stuff you want instead?  AS probably needs to add extra shipping protection (as in crate or heavy boxing) due to the spruce.

This is a UPS story.  Last night I wanted to order from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty a 2 foot by 2 foot piece of .050 Aluminum 2024 T-3 and 20 1/4" x 1/4"  x 36" spruce sticks (they call the capstrips) and 16 oz (8 of hardner, 8 of Resin) T-88 epoxy.  The total was $108.

I got to the point in ordering where they calculate shipping and UPS Ground was $58.xx.  UPS was the only option they offered.  I then canceled the order.

Joe Ed Pederson
Dave Rigotti
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Online Dave_Trible

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #18 on: January 25, 2023, 11:21:05 AM »
That doesn't sound right.  Just received yesterday from Aircraft Spruce a gallon of clear dope and a gallon of retarder.  The material was something like $136.00.   The UPS ground was $25.15......  Weights a ton more than your order Joe Ed.

Dave
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Offline Peter in Fairfax, VA

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #19 on: January 25, 2023, 11:51:47 AM »
Dave,

If you read this thread in detail, you'll see that a lot of folks "run the numbers" on pirateship.com to see rates.  What we find is that today's shipping marketplace charges by dimension, not weight.  Carriers call this "dimensional weight."

For example, 36x12x12, even if it weighed 1 lb, is $45 from 22030 to 90210. Coast to coast.  Bumping up the weight to 30 lb, same rate.

In contrast, 10 lbs is under $15, if small in dimension.

Some folks think this happened because of Amazon.  A lot of paper towels being shipped.

Peter

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #20 on: January 25, 2023, 01:01:31 PM »
Maybe 1/2A should make a big comeback....

Dave
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Offline Rusty

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #21 on: January 25, 2023, 05:29:29 PM »
I thought it said ' big Postie bike ( Wishfull thinking ? ) My recomendation , Unbeatable sevice . Swiftly and With Style ! .



Might justify the increases !

Nice Honda. 

Offline Joe Ed Pederson

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #22 on: January 25, 2023, 05:57:52 PM »
So where are you going to get the stuff you want instead?  AS probably needs to add extra shipping protection (as in crate or heavy boxing) due to the spruce.

Dave,

Fortunately, Wicks Aircraft supply is just 30 miles or so past St. Louis, in Illinois, so I'll combine a trip to Wicks with a trip to St. Louis.  I'll just do without the 1/4 spruce sticks and use basswood cut from 1/4" basswood sheet.  Wicks carries some plywood, but apparently doesn't carry spruce anymore. 

By the way, my thin kerf 72 tooth ten inch table saw blade has a kerf that is just a little wider than the kerf on a Micro-Mark miniature table saw.

Peter's post may explain why the UPS Ground charge was so high.   I asked for 36" length spruce sticks and the aluminum I ordered was 2' x 2'.

Joe Ed Pederson
Cuba, MO

Offline FLOYD CARTER

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #23 on: January 31, 2023, 07:14:23 PM »
I pay outrageous prices for anything shipped.  Amazon pays almost nothing!

_Pretty soon it might be cheaper to hire a taxi to carry your packages cross-country.
89 years, but still going (sort of)
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Offline Pat Johnston

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #24 on: February 02, 2023, 09:40:28 AM »
Getting back with the full report. I compared the price of USPS to UPS from Idaho to Texas. UPS was about two bucks cheaper, but involved a slow boat, I suspect. My 36” box has an extra charge of $15 from the post office. With that, I went on the PO click-n-ship site and downsized the box until the shipping cost changed. Here is the poop. A 30” X 12” X 4” box only has a $5 add-on cost. With that, U-line & Staples sell that size box. Moral to the story is to stay under 30” long.
Pat Johnston
Idaho Skunk Works

Offline Gerald Arana

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Re: Big postage hike
« Reply #25 on: February 02, 2023, 09:52:48 AM »
  WOW!! More than doubled!! This is related to the price of diesel and jet fuel!!

   TType at you later,
    Dan McEntee

Yes Dan. And we can thank You-Know-Who. HB~>

Jerry


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