Best way to send an old Solid State to USA

Hey,

I have a Old Stern Solid state here in Melbourne (its pretty much in project condition)

That I need to send up to someone in the US in New York.

There is no rush.

I am looking for an economical way to send it.

 

As mentioned it's not in great condition, I don't want it to get banged around but its painted the wrong colour and needs cab work, so i don't really want to spend more to get it there if MINT machines need to be packed a certain way

 

What do people do? Do they make their own boxes so they can ship it upright? Or can i Just strap it on a pallet really well?

Will a solid state fit in a JJP/Stern box?

Which company do people use?

 

I searched before posting, but I'm not very good at searching, so if there has been a similar thread recently please feel free to link me!

 

Thanks!

I'd go to an importer and grab a pinball box off them. The only difference in how they were packed in the box between new and SS was the head sits on top of the front on the cabinet on the SS rather than at the back because of the hinged head on new. Foam between the back glass and the playfield glass and that is about it. They arrived here like that standing on there butt with a couple of straps around the box holding the ends closed.

This might be dumb but how do you get the backbox to stay at the front of the machine (versus the back) if its vertical?

Sit it end up on a pallet, wrap it appropriately with foam, bubble wrap and cardboard, then strap it down to the pallet with 1-2 racket straps. The cost is done by the volume (cubic metres). Just make sure none of the pin over hangs the pallet to minimise the chance of accidents

 

 

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BTW I have a pallet if you need one

 

 

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What Manny65 said. That’s how I shipped my Atlantis from Europe to here. It was perfectly fine. Just keep in mind it will be non stackable, so you might get charged a bit more.

This might be dumb but how do you get the backbox to stay at the front of the machine (versus the back) if its vertical?

 

Rachet strap

 

 

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Try Pack and Send. You never know. They ship stuff everywhere and when I've gone into our local shop I'm amazed at what people have bought in for them to safely wrap/pack. they have shipped stuff to the USA and NZ for me but I've done the packing.

You want LCL freight (less-than container load). Get a skid that is the size of the machine. Pack it on its end, ratchet it down with plenty of wrapping. As others have said, it’s non-stackable, so you have to pay for all the air above the pallet, cut it to size if you can. It’s the difference between paying $800 and $1800.

 

I can’t give you any recommendations because all of the freight companies have ripped me off at one point or another. They are a law unto themselves. My favourite was being stung for $800 this year because I wanted to pick up a game rather than have them deliver it, also $800.

 

My honest advice is unless this is a very good friend it won’t be worth the effort on what sounds like a boat anchor anyway.

You want LCL freight.

 

this, but...lcl isnt economically viable under 400kg cubic.

 

it might end up overalll cheaper to send it air unless you know a guy exporting who is willing to bodge the paperwork ( every consignment in the container is meant to have its own, so therefore entry fees etc ..)

 

make sure you get a door to door price.. the actual freight component of lcl is only a fraction of the total bill.

 

doesnt sound worth it to me either.. you'll want a 1k+ aud budget even with a decent freight account.

@Ryza whats the title? there may be someone here willing to buy this clunker instead of someone paying freight that's worth more than the game. Just a thought.

This might be dumb but how do you get the backbox to stay at the front of the machine (versus the back) if its vertical?

 

They used to have a cardboard box that sat over the neck and laid on top of the playfield glass up to the head as a spacer so the head had no where to go if the box was inverted. This box did have the legs clipped in it at that stage. The legs were later moved into a box that loosely traveled inside the cabinet and the upper box was replaced with a cardboard frame that become the suitable head spacer.

The legs them moved from inside the cabinet to a box that traveled beside the pinball but still inside the machine's box.

By that time, the heads were now being hinged so the box or spacer went from the bottom of the head to the top of the head much like they travel these days.

Just a bit of history.

@Ryza whats the title? there may be someone here willing to buy this clunker instead of someone paying freight that's worth more than the game. Just a thought.

 

My guess is it's a Cosmic Princess as it's the only Stern SS that you would not easily find in the States as they were only manufactured in OZ.

My guess is it's a Cosmic Princess as it's the only Stern SS that you would not easily find in the States as they were only manufactured in OZ.

 

My $10 is on his less than spectacular Quicksilver, they bring silly money these days in the US.

You want LCL freight (less-than container load). Get a skid that is the size of the machine. Pack it on its end, ratchet it down with plenty of wrapping. As others have said, it’s non-stackable, so you have to pay for all the air above the pallet, cut it to size if you can. It’s the difference between paying $800 and $1800.

 

I can’t give you any recommendations because all of the freight companies have ripped me off at one point or another. They are a law unto themselves. My favourite was being stung for $800 this year because I wanted to pick up a game rather than have them deliver it, also $800.

 

My honest advice is unless this is a very good friend it won’t be worth the effort on what sounds like a boat anchor anyway.

 

You've obviously never been to a good freight company. Coming from someone whos family owns a freight company;)

 

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In all honesty I can say its probably not worth it to send overseas for one machine.. youll be paying a lot more then you bargain for. Like others have said air would be the fastest and probably safest option but it will cost you more $. LCL obviously less expensive but more risk although less expensive. Youll wanna ship DAP or FOB just depends how much responsibility for the cargo you want until it reaches the shore in USA.

I can do you up a proper quote Monday so you can see what your in for if you like. Unless he wants to cover a majority of the shipping cost to get it there:unsure

Ask Greta - she might suggest a sail boat and charge an offset carbon tax. Would take 1 month to get there.

My $10 is on his less than spectacular Quicksilver, they bring silly money these days in the US.

Yes. It's quicksilver. Yes I know the guy well. I owe him heaps of Favours. And yes he is desperate for the machine so this is happening and I'm not selling it locally.

 

And I'm selling it for bassically nothing. So the freight cost is OK as long as its not air freight costs.

 

 

Similar QSs are going for 4k usd over there.

With freight it will hopefully cost less than half that.

@Manny65 I might take you up on that offer. [emoji16]

You've obviously never been to a good freight company. Coming from someone whos family owns a freight company;)

 

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In all honesty I can say its probably not worth it to send overseas for one machine.. youll be paying a lot more then you bargain for. Like others have said air would be the fastest and probably safest option but it will cost you more $. LCL obviously less expensive but more risk although less expensive. Youll wanna ship DAP or FOB just depends how much responsibility for the cargo you want until it reaches the shore in USA.

I can do you up a proper quote Monday so you can see what your in for if you like. Unless he wants to cover a majority of the shipping cost to get it there:unsure

Sure. Would love a quote

My guess is it's a Cosmic Princess as it's the only Stern SS that you would not easily find in the States as they were only manufactured in OZ.

 

Only machine I have sold into the USA is a Hankins Star Wars empire strikes back so that could be a possibility

Just looked it up on ipdb. She's a real beauty. Gorgeous.

You've obviously never been to a good freight company. Coming from someone whos family owns a freight company;)

 

 

Had some of the largest freight companies rip me off (kuehne+nagel for example). Keeping in mind I'm a small customer, not someone who runs an account, so its easier to hold my stuff to ransom - and they frequently do.

 

Going out is no problem, it is coming in where the drama happens.

 

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Yes. It's quicksilver.

 

Similar QSs are going for 4k usd over there.

With freight it will hopefully cost less than half that.

 

Is this a Pokemon thing (gotta catch em all)? Can't remember if Dan ever owned one. @Dedrok?

Had some of the largest freight companies rip me off (kuehne+nagel for example). Keeping in mind I'm a small customer, not someone who runs an account, so its easier to hold my stuff to ransom - and they frequently do.

 

Going out is no problem, it is coming in where the drama happens.

 

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Is this a Pokemon thing (gotta catch em all)? Can't remember if Dan ever owned one. @Dedrok?

 

Didn’t ever see one, doesn’t mean it’s not there somewhere.

 

 

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