Fabuloso!! Make Your Own Comic Mailers!8570
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Here's quick tutorial to make a mailer from re-used (free) materials you can find around the house or locally. You'll need a nice sharp box cutter or exacto knife and a sharpie or similar marker. Let's start with a box made of nice sturdy cardboard.  My favorite is FABULOSO (you'll see why momentarily), some laundry detergent sold by BJ's Wholesale. You can find these near the check-outs with other boxes that are provided to shoppers instead of grocery bags.  The best part about the Fabuloso box (other than the thick rigid material) is that it has a heavy insert.  This insert is easily divided up into 5 rectangles like so, with minimal waste.    Now onto the main box. Best to start by breaking it down flat.   You actually can get a smaller piece from a flap (#6) but this is slightly smaller than a comic so should only be used as extra reinforcement from bending lengthwise.  The back of the box can be divided up into 3 more pieces.  The sides and front into 3 more reinforcement prices. These have slight bends in them, but I'll get to why that's ok momentarily.  All said and done 12 pieces of reinforcement. Minimal waste.  One of the best things about this box is that you'll get pieces where the currougation runs lengthwise and transverse. This is good because the strongest reinforcement is when you pair both kinds up, which creates a "lattice" or sorts, cross crossing. Very strong!  I ship in stacks of 4. As you can see with this box it provides a solid amount of rigidity.  Stack of 12 squares (2 Fabuloso boxes). Now onto packing the comics.  **HIGHLY RECOMMENDED STEPS*** PLEASE USE PAINTERS TAPE when securing the comic to the board (without the fold in this case). Other kinds of tape will be difficult to remove the comic, and could result in damage. The painters tape holds nicely to the cardboard while removing with ease. PLEASE FACE THE COMIC DOWN when taping it to the board. PLEASE ONLY TAPE THE TOP AND BOTTOM with tape to the board. Maybe the side opposite the spine is ok, but why risk it. If you tape the spine, even with the comic face down...IT MAY BEND THE SPINE during shipment...so don't do it.  Lay the next board (without the fold) on top of the comic. Again, USE PAINTERS TAPE to secure it the the board below. Now you can safely tape all 4 sides, corners, whatever you want.  Now, if you're using the fabuloso box, you can sandwhich the two inner boards with the ones that have a fold in them. These pieces are mainly to keep the inner boards from folding in half. The inner board should be strong enough to resist bending along the length such that these folds don't pose risk the package. 4 boards is better than two. Also now you can use packing tape safely, if desired (since painters tape is expensive).  Now the wrapping. I like to re-use plastic mailers that usually are for clothes or other flexible items. They stretch with good resistance to tearing and shipping tape adheres really well to it. But you can wrap it in paper or a bubble mailer...just be sure to tape the corners well so the cardboard doesn't tear out.  And there you have it. I can usually get the contents (one book) under 11 oz. I think that's on par, if not better than, the gemini mailers...and unless you add additional reinforcement inside those comic mailers, I think this offers better protection. FABULOSO!!!! |
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no1lufcfan private msg quote post Address this user | |
Nice Presentation  |
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MezComics private msg quote post Address this user | |
| This is genius. | ||
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 I live in RI and Rhode Islanders eat chili with beans.
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esaravo private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Drogio - Thanks for sharing this! I might have to see if my local BJ's has any of those boxes and give this a try. I might even leave the "extra" cardboard on pieces 1 and 4, and possibly cut pieces 10 and 11 wider, so that I could score the overhang and use it as an extra layer on the top and bottom of the comic, and/or more protection along the sides, without adding too much weight. Weight is very important, and if you can keep the package below 1 pound with multiple layers of protection, that's a big plus (if you do not own a good digital scale, buy one!). Note: I once received a raw comic in the mail that was packaged between two pieces of cardboard. The bag holding the comic was not properly secured to the cardboard, so the comic shifted/turned during shipping so that portions of the top and bottom corners of the comic stuck out from the cardboard - a great way to promote severe bending. |
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ZosoRocks private msg quote post Address this user | |
| been doing this for years too - nice with you sharing! To take it step further - convert the plastic outer "mailer" with a "document mailer" [12x10] (nice and stiff outer packaging to hold the cardboard & comic inside.) One thing this will does is keep the inner cardboard and comic sturdy and durable if for any reason the "driver enthusiasm" with delivery occurs - if you catch my meaning....LOL Good luck! Tim |
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 I bought a meat grinder on amazon for $60 and it's changed my life.
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kaptainmyke private msg quote post Address this user | |
 Nice write up. The only thing I highly disagree with is making cuts at folds. This is an unstable sheet of cardboard and is not sufficient to withstand bends and spine ticks. Mailing comics through the postal system can be tricky. 1 spine tick can cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Of course, this doesn't matter if you're shipping a $5 book to a friend or a modern day filler issue. But, still. Safest way is to double box, of course. Ebay actually has the cheapest value per dollar when purchasing shipping supplies than anywhere else, besides repurposing recycled shipping materials. I wrote this a few years ago and it is the best way I can explain how to ship comics for maximum value per dollar and when trying to attain that 9.8. http://bit.ly/2Rd0UvH |
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @kaptainmyke, What I did not do a good job of pointing out is, if you choose the pieces with the folds for the outer layers (top and bottom) definitely alternate the folded sides such that each side (left and right) has only one of the four layers of cardboard with a fold at most. I also agree this Method is for inexpensive comics where you’re trying to maximize profits by eliminating expenses. There is always risk; and I’ll point out 95% of eBay sellers don’t even use more than 2 sheets of cardboard, and it’s cardboard half the thickness I use at best. So If you’re shipping $50 comics regularly than maybe investing in Gemini mailers is a much better way to go... but those need internal reinforcement too if your shipping single books inside them as the middle of the container offers little to no resistance. I’d like to ship everything in Gemini mailers, but I don’t do enough volume to cover the amount I’d need to buy to keep the costs down. I offer returns, so If the usps damages it it’s on my dime to take it back. I take responsibility for how I package, regardless of how usps handles them. Therefore I’m vested in the safe travel of the item. So I do not ageee my method is unstable, but I will agree double boxing adds another layer of protection, and I have taken this packaging and put it inside a priority mail box on occasion when I pass he $50 mark for content value. It also gets increasingly challenging when you have multiple comics...i use Gemini for those if I have them available. |
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
Packaged up another tonight. This was a $10 comic with free shipping. I paid $1 for it, so I'm just looking to move it for a little profit.  THis pick just shows what I meant by alternating the folded pieces to opposite sides, but the middle two are solid pieces (I staggered top, middle and bottom to better show the detail).  I also tape the ends of the folded pieces so that they are less likely to bend.  Very rigid support. Hope that helps clarify what I was saying in the post above. |
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
 FABULOSO!!!! |
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
 NOT so Fabuloso.... This is a new one...not only were these in old bags with backing boards spewing acid, but they shoved a few wadded up pieces of newspaper inside, just to make sure those spine ticks have a real shot a breaking color. These were advertised as "MINT". Which in and of itself should have been a warning....I admit...and the person had 2 total feedback.. So I may have to go easy on this guy and help explain how to ship comics the FABULOSO way... |
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 I'd like to say I still turned out alright, but that would be a lie.
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flanders private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Drogio  |
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BrianGreensnips private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DrogioYeah, You need to give this guy a dose of Fabuloso education. |
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
| i should also have taken better notice of he “half price books” stickers...aren’t hose stores like heavily discounted...basically comics are treated like they’re dollar bin material? | ||
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