posted 09-04-2012 07:35 AM ET (US)            

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200478117_200478117?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Fuel%20Transfer%20%2B%20Lubrication-_-Auxiliary%2C%20Transfer%2C%20%2B%20Skid%20Tanks-_-20670&ci_sku=20670&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

posted 09-04-2012 01:55 PM ET (US)            

Please send me an email if you are interested and post here, if you have, as I don't check it very often.

Here are two photos:

http://s810.photobucket.com/albums/zz30/gilahernandez/ Whaler%20Items%20For%20Sale/?action=view¤t=fueltankcloseup.jpg

posted 09-05-2012 03:31 PM ET (US)            

For the purposes of using them on your boat, the OD are:

18 and 7/8ths inches long
14 and 1/8 inches deep
13 and 3/8 inches high

One tank is still boxed up, and that is what I used to get the quote to ship them to Seattle. The box dimensions, for shipping, are:

20" x 20" x 16"

UPS does not make a box designed for the tank dimensions, this one was closest. U-Haul makes an 18" x 18" x 16", which was 7/8ths of an inch short, for the length, and did not allow for protective packing materials.

Interestingly, TWO different UPS locations DECLINED a Home Depot cardboard box for shipping, stating that they accept UPS and U-Haul grade boxes only. They were also very weird about the packing tape, from Home Depot, but had no comments when I came back with the preferred box and Staples packing tape.

Oddly, there may be some validity- the HD box with their tape sits in the same garage as the sturdier, UPS box, with Staples tape. The HD tape has completely come loose from the box within weeks. The UPS box looks like the day I packed it up.

Replied to your email.

posted 09-06-2012 08:02 AM ET (US)            

I run into this quandary shipping ammo all the time.

posted 09-06-2012 10:50 AM ET (US)            

I just ran the numbers through the FedEx Ground rate calculator and it is $16.25 for each box ($32.50 total) from San Diego to Seattle. Points further east will probably be a little more.

Lizard's problem is she is not making the box small enough. At the size she lists the price nearly doubles.

Remove the fuel fittings and caps and tape them to the ends of the tanks to minimize the size, cut the boxes down, tape them up and away you go.

posted 09-06-2012 01:00 PM ET (US)            

Tom- you have made a few incorrect assumptions. I know how to package a box for shipping, for several summers I helped a buddy out who owned a surf product company, shipping. Furthermore, I sell a lot of stuff on ebay and craiglist, never really encountered a packaging/shipping dilemma until the tanks. In fact, I shipped Jeff an RPS that I had laying around and I suspect he will tell you it was packaged appropriately and arrived in good condition.

I did try cutting a box down and customizing it. At the end of this project, I felt that the modified box did very little to protect the tanks. I had already removed the fuel caps, but not the fuel fittings (there was a reason that was discussed with the potential buyer), and secured them on ends of the tanks in the recess.

When I brought the cut down box into UPS, it was rejected. When I brought a Home Depot box in, to two UPS locations, it was rejected. I never considered Fed Ex Ground, but these are the prices and requirements as set forth by UPS. You can NOT have TWO dimensions equal to or greater than 18" with UPS or it is automatically dimensionally quoted. The length of the bare tank exceeds that requirement. The depth of the tank, with adequate padding came to 18.25 inches, with 2" bubble wrap around the entire perimeter of the tank. When I tried 1" of bubble wrap, I felt that the tank was vulnerable to a dent.

Yes, the box I ended up with is bigger and results in dimensional weight charges rather than standard weight charges. The result is the items are securely packed, which was as important to me, as a reasonable shipping cost. This was the ONLY way UPS would allow me to insure them for their value, I saw that as my best option. I don't have the advantage of customized boxes like Mirax likely has, for shipping.

Finally, (and Jeff had the same experience) every order I have received from Hall's Nautical came packed with much heavier foam, which added to the weight and subsequently, the cost of shipping. The boxes were bigger than what the products MIGHT have been squeezed into. I felt Hall's made the correct choice and I paid for it. I am frugal, I am not cheap.

posted 09-07-2012 10:00 AM ET (US)            

- MIRAX sells fuel tanks and ships them inexpensively and has done so for many years.

- Lizard has been trying to sell a pair or otherwise extremely desirable aluminum MIRAX fuel tanks for over two years and has failed to do so.

posted 09-07-2012 02:31 PM ET (US)         

The dimensional weight standard for oversized/underweight packages was 108". It may have even changed to 120" but I can't claim that as fact. This measurement is determined by measuring the smallest circumference and adding the length of the longest side. Larger than 108" it is charged as an oversize package. Less than 108" it is charged on actual weight.

At least that's the way it worked for the three years I worked at UPS and the following couple of years when I was shipping packages for the largest customer of UPS in this state.

Frankly, I would ship the connectors separately and slap a label on the tank itself and call it good.

Even at the OS rates the prices you are giving seem way out of line based on my personal experience.

FWIW. We use FEDEX now.

Is EVERYTHING you do always so difficult?

LOL

posted 09-07-2012 06:45 PM ET (US)            

Both UPS locations that I went to in SD gave me the same direction on dimensional weight, they did not discuss total inches, they discussed dimensions. Anything with 18" or greater, in any 2 or 3 dimensions is dimensional weight.

I did try cutting down a box and was not satisfied with the protection it offered an aluminum tank. I don't care if I really sell these tanks. I was not listing them, I was responding to someone looking for tanks. I have not been actively selling them for 2 years. After the last attempt, I was over it.

I believe at the time that they buyer preferred UPS, but I could be wrong. As I said, I never checked with Fed Ex.

If anyone is interested, now that it is out there, please feel free to contact me. The tanks are in SD, I will be in CT, but family in SD can ship for me.

dist6b- sorry your thread got hijacked, I was simply trying to give you some background info on my tanks.