Preparing an R2880 for shipping

I need to ship an R2880 soon via Fedex Ground within the USA

The shipping instructions in the manual are clear - just tape up the ink flap and external flaps and keep it horizontal.

I obviously can't guarantee which way up Fedex or anyone else will load it for shipping.

Removing the cartridges seems a bad idea unless it is directed by Epson as I simply don't know the consequences.

Equally leaving them in with the printer at some wacky angle may result in an inky mess arriving at its destination.

Advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Dave

 

Your safest bet is to strap it to a small pallet and then the courier can’t turn it upside down, that’s the only sure way of it been transported the right way up, otherwise the printer will get messed up and useless..

 

You should tape the printhead carriage into place so that it cannot disengage from the idle position. Do you have the original packing material/box available ? And there can be a problem with the waste ink container, ink may leak from there if the printer is held in an unusual position for a longer time - e.g. vertical. Palletizing the printer would prevent that but will raise the shipping cost significantly.

Edit;

 

Thank you.

Just because I could, I called Epson and they said I had to take it to an authorized service center to get the ink system purged.

So I called the local authorized service center and they said they have many printers in this family shipped in for repair by standard methods (Fedex / UPS) with ink cartridges in place and do not see ink leakages.

I then called my contact at Fedex - I ship a lot of easily damaged stuff as my business is restoration of vintage audio gear, but orientation of it isn't a problem if it's packed properly - they said that in their experience the handlers respect Fedex "THIS WAY UP" labels.

So I'm going to follow the combination of all advice - except the pallet, but use Fedex "THIS WAY UP" labels for that part.

I don't have the original packing, but have copious quantities of the right material to ship turntables and tape recorders of all sorts. The manual describes how to secure the printhead carriage, so I will make sure that is done.

I will report back in due course.

 

Shipments like yours arrive in good order in most cases but

such labels don't really mean very much - same of 'Fragile' - the top of the box is where the bar code label is placed - millions of boxes run through dispatch centers/hubs on the way to the recipient, and these locations work fully automated - all boxes get the same (quite rough) handling regardless, and you only have a delivery driver on the last mile or somebody at a transporation belt (un)loading a truck, he does not have the time to look for such labels nor any option for a non-standard handling when such labelled box shows up.

 

@Ink stained Fingers, I reckon you’ve hit the nail on the head regarding handling..