How should I pack an Imac G3 (Apple Blueberry) for shipping?

[King Minor]

I am shipping one and don't want it to break. How would you recommend packing it.

 

 

[Needfuldoer]

[ Moved to Off Topic ]

 

I'm going to assume you're shipping it with a carrier like UPS or FedEx.

 

I tinker with and trade old Macs, and the iMac G3 is one of the trickiest to ship and get to its destination in one piece. The inner plastic frame the picture tube attaches to is thin and brittle, so even if it's perfectly intact when it goes in the box there's a chance it will break or chip en route.

 

 

For the best chance of it getting to its destination in one piece, you need to overpack the crap out of it. Bubble wrap alone won't do, but wrap the whole thing in at least a couple layers just to keep stuff out of the vents. You need cornstarch packing peanuts and a box that's at least 6 inches larger than the iMac in all directions. Pack it tight enough so it jiggles a bit but won't work its way through the peanuts to an edge.

 

If you can, double box it. Wrap the iMac in bubble wrap, put that in a box, seal that box, then put that box inside of another box, surrounding it on all six sides with a few inches of packing peanuts. (Don't neglect the top and bottom. Too many people forget about them, leaving the item unprotected on that side.)

 

Insure the package through the courier.

 

None of this will be particularly cheap, but it will have the best chance of survival this way.

 

You could also have the courier pack it for you (at a FedEx Office or UPS Store), but they probably won't use enough padding.

 

Those two-part expanding foam pillow things don't have enough "give" to protect an iMac G3.

 

[jaslion]

For shipping or?

 

Like a cardboard box and wrap it in many layers of bubble wrap.

 

These things are quite sturdy

[King Minor]

2 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

[ Moved to Off Topic ]

Thanks.

[atxcyclist]

It’s hard to add anything over what @Needfuldoer has posted, but to reiterate it all: Several YouTuber tech channels have lost older iMacs and similar all-in-ones in shipping, so be extremely thorough and take the advice when shipping them. 
 

My old G3 iMac has several hairline cracks in the case just from moving it in a van, I was lucky that it didn’t get broken worse. 

[King Minor]

On 5/16/2024 at 3:53 PM, Needfuldoer said:

[ Moved to Off Topic ]

 

I'm going to assume you're shipping it with a carrier like UPS or FedEx.

 

I tinker with and trade old Macs, and the iMac G3 is one of the trickiest to ship and get to its destination in one piece. The inner plastic frame the picture tube attaches to is thin and brittle, so even if it's perfectly intact when it goes in the box there's a chance it will break or chip en route.

 

 

For the best chance of it getting to its destination in one piece, you need to overpack the crap out of it. Bubble wrap alone won't do, but wrap the whole thing in at least a couple layers just to keep stuff out of the vents. You need cornstarch packing peanuts and a box that's at least 6 inches larger than the iMac in all directions. Pack it tight enough so it jiggles a bit but won't work its way through the peanuts to an edge.

 

If you can, double box it. Wrap the iMac in bubble wrap, put that in a box, seal that box, then put that box inside of another box, surrounding it on all six sides with a few inches of packing peanuts. (Don't neglect the top and bottom. Too many people forget about them, leaving the item unprotected on that side.)

 

Insure the package through the courier.

 

None of this will be particularly cheap, but it will have the best chance of survival this way.

 

You could also have the courier pack it for you (at a FedEx Office or UPS Store), but they probably won't use enough padding.

 

Those two-part expanding foam pillow things don't have enough "give" to protect an iMac G3.

 

Thanks, for the advice, from what I know it arrived safely.