Shipping a Longbow in a Tube

Having said, and demonstrated through pictures, that shipping via cardboard box has risks, and that shipping by tube, while not totally fool proof is much safer, here is, step by step, how I pack a longbow into a tube for shipping.

Materials needed:

one drainpipe

three kinds of tape: duct tape, masking tape and clear wrapping tape

tape measure

saw

cardboard

bubble wrap, packing fluff or newspaper

magic marker

 

OK... there we go...

 

 

masking tape, clear packing tape and duct tape

 

 

3" drainpipe. Some folks use pvc rather than this plastic drainpipe. Pvc can be quite heavy, which is going to increase postage. This drainpipe is light and costs less than $5 a length at the local Home Depot or Lowe's. As it comes it is too long... trim it.

 

 

For general use and re-use, trim to 72"... The circumference of the tube is 11". Length of 72" plus circumference of 11" gives you 83"... just under the post office's limit of 84" before they declare it an oversize package and charge you a higher rate. To be honest, you can cut to 71 1/2" if you want a little extra leeway. The reason for going this long is that these tubes tend to be reused as we archers swap and sell bows around. This length will safely handle 70" Hill longbow... just.

Mark a circle around the tube so you cut fairly square. You can use most any kind of saw. I use a rigid backsaw, but a hack saw or whatever will work.

 

You are going to need to close the ends firmly enough that the pointed end of a bow won't find its way out. I'm blessed with a woodshop, so I use 1/4" plywood. A couple or three thicknesses of cardboard is OK, too.

I keep a scrap from a previously cut circle around, to use as a quick pattern. Here i've drawn two circles that will come pretty close to a perfect fit in the pipe ends. If, after I saw them, there is any kind of edge bulge or something... the belt sander takes care of it.

 

OK... my circle is cut and I've tried it so I know it fits. I lay it on a piece of duct tape...

 

and I fit it into the pipe. The duct tape is holding it in at this point.

 

 

And then I criss cross it with another piece of duct tape...

 

and then I criss cross the other two axes to provide complete coverage.

 

 

Finally, I complete the seal by an end wrap-around, to hold the tape flaps down.

 

The next step is to protect the bow ends. To do this, cut double thicknesses of cardboard to bend over them.

 

Here is a protected end. You do not need to get tape on the bow to hold it on. Right now it will slip off, but when it is in the tube it won't.

 

The next step is to pad the riser, so that there is no damage to the finish if the riser rubs on the inside of the tube. I have used upholstery padding, but bubble pack or an old towel does as well.

Note: my experience has been that between the end padding and the riser padding, the middle of the bow limbs never touches the tube. However, if you're at all nervous, there's nothing wrong with wrapping the whole bow in an old sheet or thin bubble wrap to provide additional protection. The only thing to watch out for is getting the riser section too thick, so that it doesn't fit into the tube.

 

 

 

OK... here I have stuffed some crumpled newpaper into the tube end... not too much, but enough that when the bow is rammed all the way down, it will bottom out on the plywood or cardboard tube end sealing piece and provide padding/cushion for the bow end.

 

 

I have shoved the end to the bow into the tube, pushing the wad of paper ahead of it. I'm fitting the padded riser into the tube...

 

I have fitted a cardboard end protect to the end of the bow, just as I did on the other end, and shoved the bow all the way in. I followed this with some more crumpled newspaper. The next step would be to seal this end the same as the other one.

Note: I didn't do this in this instance, since this is a demo run... the bow inside, a 68" Rogue, has to come right back out and get hung back up...

 

and the final step is to attach your mailing label, which you will cover with the clear packing tape after yoiu have the address on it.

Note: Do not write on the tube. These tubes, as previously mentioned, get re-used quite a bit, and after a couple of shippings, someone usually has the job of scrapping or peeling off the labels, but that's better than having to cover up some permanent marking.

 

Take your packed bow to the Post Office. They handle long packages, some private shippers will not, or will charge you as much as twice what the Post Office does. I generally ship a bow this way, with s much as $500 insurance, for about $30. I usually go Priority Mail.

Hope this is helpful...

Captain Dick