USPS it is. I’ll find out the charges tomorrow.
Maxwell, I promise I’ll get that outfit to you one way or the other.
Life, is the time He gave you to determine where you want to spend eternity.
Lotech Joe
Ohiotuber, EVERY rod I have either received or shipped has been packaged in a section of PVC pipe with caps securely taped. Available at just about any BIG BOX or local plumbing/hardware store.
Jim
Have to add my 2 cents on this one…
USPS has lost a few packages of mine. Even with insurance - they simple claim it was delivered and denied my claims. One of the packaged was a full rod kit from Dan Craft 
I try to use UPS as much as possible now. I have much better luck with shipping rods. FWIW
[This message has been edited by KRC (edited 27 January 2006).]
There is one thing to remember when mailing thru United States Postal Service [USPS], go “Priority Mail” which is "Air Mail, take 2 or 3 Days for delivery.
“Parcel Post” is “Surface Mail”, goes thru a Bulk Mail Processing Center, and it goes out by Semi Truck with the next full trailer full of mail.
For Oversea Mail, thru the [USPS}, you are dealing withe “International Postal Union” [IPU], which is a Postal Union of all countries in the world. There are different rates and conditions for shipping, depending on the country you are mailing to. The rates reflex, the amount revenue of mail going to that country, and the amount of revneue of mail coming from that country.
Different Services are available to depending on the country you are mailing to.
If there is insurance, make sure to use the Numbered Insurance where the package will have a number assigned to the package, versus Unnumbered Insurance.
There is also Delivery Confirmation, which can also give the package a number that is tracked, as the package goes through the different Processing Centers, and the Delivery Station. This you can keep track of on the internet through the USPS internet site.
Never use a custom label as the address label, because these are removed when the package clears Customs. Have a To and From on the outside of the package as well as inside the package, if there are mulitple items boxed within the Shipping Container, do the “To and From” on those packages also.
Parcel Post that is return, you have to pay areturn postage fee.
Priority Mail that is returned, has no return postage fee.
Use Sealling Tape, to seal all flaps and edges of the flaps. Then use Strapping Tape to secure the container on all axis of the box, with one complete wrap around the container with the tape overlapping.
Normally the rates through USPS are lower, because as they are a Independent Office of the US. Governement (off the tax roles), and can only charge the cost for mailing the package.
Thanks Parnelli,
Somehow I knew I could count on your for the info I needed. I’ll be sending the rod USPS.
Life, is the time He gave you to determine where you want to spend eternity.
Lotech Joe
Joe, Joe, Joe, All ya had to do was call me. Now that I’m retired it is once again safe to ship via USPS, BTW there is no special fee for anything to go through customs. Customs may charge a fee upon delivery to Canada but that is paid by the recipient upon delivery not by the sender at the time of mailing.
Yes Parnelli, I too, like you and RW am now but a washed up, cast aside, no longer contributing member of the Postal Service, good for nothing else but standing in the water waving a stick. Ahhhh but we are truly blessed.
Cary Morlan
Living my dreams one day at a time
I guess I would think that its common sence to ship a rod where ever it may go if its of value somebody is gonna want it …insure it !.If it takes a month longer to get there its worth it . I was involved in a rod swap last year that went south when an empty tube showed up at my house .The other guy sent his rod priority mail no insurance .The tube was opened and the rod removed.Tube was then taped back up and delivered to my house.US post office said that it was sorry and nothing could be done about it as it was not iusured… This guy was out a Sage SLT a $600.00 rod.I know I felt pretty bad … imagine what this guy felt like .
The more time I spend around people the more I like my dog.
Mike