Cardboard blanks for shipping comics - Anyone know of a good source? 1 1

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Cardboard blanks for shipping comics - Anyone know of a good source?

Hi all,

 

Does anyone know where I can buy cardboard sheets (8.5 x 11 inches if possible) for shipping comics? I tried ordering some from amazon and they were packed in such a way that none of them made it to me flat. Office Depot said they could order some for me, but the minimum order was HUGE. Where do you get yours?

 

Thanks all

[Eddragon]

I've ordered from these places:

https://www.papermart.com/brown-corrugated-sheets-pads/id=4652

https://www.uline.com/BL_1853/Small-Corrugated-Pads

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Thanks Eddragon!

[tomo]

I just go to Costco and grab the flat sheets that the manufacturers use when shipping pallets of cartoned goods.  There are usually flat sheets (3' or 4' square) between the layers on the pallets.  I can often grab 2 or 3 when ever I go.  I fold them in thirds and put them in my cart.  I then cut them up when I get home.  A little bit more labor, but a free source of cardboard is always good.  Depending on what the product is, sometimes you can get a really nice double corrugated piece.

I've talked with the manager at my location, and was told as long as I don't go too crazy taking cardboard out by the cartloads, then they usually don't mind.  They do recycle the cardboard and sell it to China, so they probably wouldn't appreciate someone cleaning out the store one afternoon.

[Bird]

I have my LCS put aside the cardboard from their diamond shipments and cut it up myself. I do this every few weeks and it is no hassle at all.

[GM8]

If you need to buy it then go for it.  It does save a little time.  However, there is plenty of free cardboard around.  I usually wait until I see a neighbor throwing out a large TV box.  They have a coating on one side that provides extra strength.  Measure with a tape measure and pencil out the entire side.  Cut.  Easy as pie.

[phtmEVENstrngr]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I went ahead and bought from uline. Great ideas on hitting up costco though.

[musicmeta]

16 hours ago, Eddragon said:

I've ordered from these places:

https://www.papermart.com/brown-corrugated-sheets-pads/id=4652

https://www.uline.com/BL_1853/Small-Corrugated-Pads

Knew about Uline but not papermart..Thanks..Nice to know.

[chevalmeow]

15 minutes ago, musicmeta said:

Knew about Uline but not papermart..Thanks..Nice to know.

Same here.

I will keep Papermart in mind.  Comparing the 2 for 8.5" X 11" (100 pieces) comes to a big difference in price for me.   Uline = $44.55 while Papermart = $23.91.

Thanks!

[Jimmy Linguini]

15 hours ago, Bird said:

I have my LCS put aside the cardboard from their diamond shipments and cut it up myself. I do this every few weeks and it is no hassle at all.

This is what you should be doing.


There is no excuse for paying for cardboard when your LCS throws away 10 large, very sturdy cardboard boxes, every week.


In my experience its much thicker than the Uline stuff.

[Bird]

3 minutes ago, Jimmy Linguini said:

This is what you should be doing.


There is no excuse for paying for cardboard when your LCS throws away 10 large, very sturdy cardboard boxes, every week.


In my experience its much thicker than the Uline stuff.

And who cares how many you use when they are free...I use 3-4 layers, 2 on each side. Yes it is a lot of cardboard but getting it there intact is the goal.

[divad]

4 minutes ago, chevalmeow said:

Same here.

I will keep Papermart in mind.  Comparing the 2 for 8.5" X 11" (100 pieces) comes to a big difference in price for me.   Uline = $44.55 while Papermart = $23.91.

Thanks!

The original PaperMart link poster . . . 

(Cut my own now though, as I'm down to about 3 sales per week.  At higher volume, it's worth buying them.)

[divad]

2 hours ago, GM8 said:

If you need to buy it then go for it.  It does save a little time.  However, there is plenty of free cardboard around.  I usually wait until I see a neighbor throwing out a large TV box.  They have a coating on one side that provides extra strength.  Measure with a tape measure and pencil out the entire side.  Cut.  Easy as pie.

Except that it reduces your hourly rate to about buck and a quarter

[Hey Kids, Comics!]

$19 for 100 shipped to your door.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-8-5x11-Corrugated-Cardboard-Pads-Inserts-Sheet-32-ECT-1-8-Thick-8-1-2-x-11-/141572492925?hash=item20f660ce7d:g:mxoAAOSwDNdVy6iO

[FN-2199]

29 minutes ago, Hey Kids, Comics! said:

$19 for 100 shipped to your door.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-8-5x11-Corrugated-Cardboard-Pads-Inserts-Sheet-32-ECT-1-8-Thick-8-1-2-x-11-/141572492925?hash=item20f660ce7d:g:mxoAAOSwDNdVy6iO

Thanks. It looks like they finally got some 200lb test sheets up on eBay. I could only find the flimsy stuff for the longest time.

Edited May 29, 2017 by FN-2199
spelling

[Action252Kid]

My way is somewhat expensive but safe/time-saving for less expensive/single book orders.  I use the 9x12 Uline boards (one on each side of the book, taped down) (https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-3384/Corrugated-Pads/9-x-12-150-lb-Corrugated-Pads) for $.31 each and then their 9 1/8" x 12 1/8" easy-fold mailers (https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-327/Easy-Fold-Mailers/12-1-8-x-9-1-8-White-Easy-Fold-Mailers) for $.61 each and it's a perfect fit and very secure.  It's an extra dollar and change per package, but it saves me so much time not having to cut up cardboard, and you can ship a single book via First Class securely without fear of damage.. and you can get a sandwich of maybe 6-7 books in there and it's a really sturdy 2 lb package.  Not for everyone of course, but if you are shipping a lot of stuff, it cuts out a lot of the parts everyone hates doing (cutting boards, crumpling newspaper, packing peanuts, etc.).  

[GM8]

3 hours ago, divad said:

Except that it reduces your hourly rate to about buck and a quarter

Sure if you only make $4.25 to start!

[eastcoaster]

Just ordered the 12x9 corrugated sheets from Papermart. They'll make shipping raw comics easy.

[Robot Man]

I just cut it myself from boxes from work. There are always plenty sitting by the trash bids in the halls. I cut them down to a manageable size and use the paper cutter at work. The boxes are usually very good double wall thick because heavy computer equipment are shipped from Asia in them. I also cut them to 9" x 12". Offers more protection to the edges and they fit in standard envelopes and boxes. I'm an old hippie I guess. I believe in recycling and I'm "thrifty" by nature...

[Bird]

I cut it myself as well. When I am out of cardbaord the local LCS gets some every Tuesday!