[Random tips] About packaging methods for finished GKs

There are some people who are rather flushed on the X timeline about how to pack the finished GK, so it is good to refer to those.

◗ The method of packing may vary depending on whether the recipient can assemble the kit or not

What you should consider when shipping a finished GK is whether or not the recipient has the knowledge to assemble a garage kit. The method of packaging also depends on the kit, so there is no general rule that says this is the best way to pack the kit.

For example, if the kit was painted as an example, the sculptor has knowledge of assembly, so it can be sent in a disassembled state to some extent. 

However, if the commissions comes from a general customer who does not have assembly knowledge or tools, it is not a good idea to send the kit in disassembled form. 

It is ideal to send the kit in an assembled state if possible, as it is common for the kit to be damaged due to straining during assembly. 

but, it is also true that some kits have a high possibility of damage if they are not disassembled. (I once sent a kit in an assembled state, ignoring this, and it was wrecked...) We have to deal with this situation on an individual basis, using our experience and knowledge.

◗ Ideally, I would like to have the ⁰ assembly done only the last 10% of the time.

My personal ideal is to ask the client to assemble the figure to the base and install parts such as hats, etc. after it arrives at the customer with 80-90% of the gluing and assembly done. If that is the extent of the work, it should be able to be handled as it is often the case with PVC finished figures.

◯Simple but effective packing methods

Here is an example, but for the most recently build Tim and Lavi, I decided to send them in a completely assembled state.

Normally, I would use a urethane sponge to pack them, but both of these two figures were posingly difficult to do so, and I was afraid it would damage their hair when customer took them out. So I decided to wrap them in vinyl sheets with cardboard as an underlay.

I use masking tape to hold them in place, but I think it would be fine to put a soft string through the underlay to hold them in place. Then pack them individually into boxes.

 Air buffer material was used at this time to avoid creating spaces on the top, bottom, left and right sides. In some cases, urethane sponges can be used, or even dry paper. I think it is good to use what you have on hand or what is easy to obtain.

If you can pack them individually, put them together in one box at the end. (as the customer was the same person for both pieces).

 You can ship the packaging separately, but you don't have to worry too much as they are individually packed with cushioning material and whatnot.

In this case, I filled the gaps using the further paper I mentioned earlier. It would be easier for the customer to understand if you make a note of what you are putting in the individual boxes.

The gap is then tightly filled to the top and sealed using cloth tape.

When shipping overseas, hand-painting an arrow mark on all sides of the box and writing something clear such as 'UPSIDE' may reduce the likelihood of transport accidents. When shipping overseas, there are things to worry about, such as boxes being thrown about in a messy manner, but if they are securely fastened as described above, this will provide some peace of mind.

They were safely delivered to the USA!

 ◯Packing using urethane sponge

The Botan was completed just a few days ago, but we made it less time-consuming to assemble than when I built the example.

 The main unit was packed singly, with the ammo box and mines in the space in the lower left-hand corner.

I can pack the SSRB without waste by using urethane sponge with a cut-out. The SSRBs installed on the machine gun would be difficult to assemble and glue, so I made sure I glued them first so that I could just put them on the shopping cart.

 The rest can be summarised roughly as follows.

In this state, the work is carried out to fill the wasted space respectively. I use the same air cushioning material and urethane sponges as we did for the Tim and Lavi earlier.

We have finished packing each in individual boxes and put them together in one box. The acrylic base is heavy, so it is placed at the bottom of the box.

Air buffer material is laid down to eliminate the space at the top.

The same arrows and UPSIDE notes are written here as well. If you put everything together, the EMS shipping costs will exceed 4 kg, so it will also exceed 10,000 yen, as a matter of course. Ideally, for commissions from overseas, it would be ideal to estimate after calculating this area as well.

As for This Botan here, it has not yet arrived, and I will add any developments.

◯The case of direct delivery of GK in Simple Posing

In addition to asking a delivery company to deliver the product, you can also directly deliver the product yourself. For example, in the case of Ayami's finished products, which I helped her with before, I prepared a portable aluminium case and packed it with urethane sponge because it was a direct delivery.

The ribbons are safer with them removed, so that's how I did it.

 The product was transported to the site in this state, assembled and then displayed in an acrylic case.

I felt that this would make it easier not only to carry but also to take home to some extent.

◗ Packaging cases where transport accidents have occurred

Finally, there have been cases of transport accidents. There have been several transport accidents, all of which were caused by leaving a space halfway through.

Most recently, with Nightingale, it was necessary to open a space for the convenience of the syringe, but this proved to be a bad thing.

This was not able to withstand the shock of transport and was wrecked. So it is waiting to be returned by the customer for repair.

In this case, I reflected that it would have been better to tie the body to the box with a string and fix it... Or have only the arms installed last. Nevertheless, looking at the damage, I decided that it was not that difficult to repair. However, it was definitely a bitter experience for me personally. After the repairs, I will use my reflections to find packaging that will allow for safe delivery.

◗ Accidents will happen (ideally, the possibility should be eliminated as far as possible)

Most transport accidents can be attributed to the packaging. What kind of packaging should be used for garage kits depending on the situation? As we said at the beginning, it is difficult to make a general statement as the packaging of garage kits differs considerably depending on the situation.

We can't deny the possibility of a major accident if we use the same packing method the next time just because we were able to do it well with the previous method (said by someone who has done it, so there's no doubt about it). With that in mind, we should always be looking for a packing method that suits the kit.