How can I pack a printer in checked baggage?

Question

My grandparents' HP OfficeJet 8710 costed $250 CAD (after tax, Environmental Handling Fee, and delivery), but they foolishly discarded the packaging which could've been reused to cushion the printer. Its dimensions are underneath; it's too big to fit in a carry-on. Shipping the printer separately wastes money when they're allowed 2 free checked baggages and need to fill only one, while the other's empty. I'm assuming that:

1. the printer mustn't be placed nakedly in checked baggage, without cushioning.

2. the Fragile sticker fails to adequately enough to protect the printer.

3. they'll remove all ink cartridges before the flight.

4. They'd prefer to cushion without foam peanuts, to avoid adding unnecessary mass:

In your case, since you have an ink jet and are intent on traveling with it, I'd try to brace the printer head from moving with towels (that you're happy to discard if ink gets on them). Take the ink cartridges out and put them in a ziploc bag (as they may leak). And then double-box the printer using plenty of clothing and/or packing peanuts.

Answer 1

The best means to transport this specific piece of equipment is to request a replacement shipping container from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). I got one from another company in about 24hours (My cost was pro-rated with the repair. Yours will be billed directly. It's as good as the original and it has no advertising as the original must have had.) The no-name look may be better for you.

It will be less costly and more effective than trying to re-invent the best box for the most fragile parts. It will be counter-productive if your printer arrives with something broken that must be ordered, and installed somehow by you or a service technician.

Failing that is a trip to a UPS store where they will box your printer with sufficient shock absorbing material to protect it based on the destination-that, for a well-deserved fee.

Don't forget to insure the package and contents for loss and/or damage.

A new one is about C$ 179.00 now. When you subtract the shipping fee, that's how much you'll save by the packaging being discarded. (If it costs $80 to ship, you've saved $100 for a used printer and opened, partly-empty ink cartridges that are ~ C$ 250.00 to replace, new.

Foam peanuts and bubble-wrap add little or no costly mass to the shipping weight for the protection they afford. The problem is the size of the resulting package after the weight has been taken into account.

Good Luck.