We are packing a milspec lantern to send it off to it's new owner in Taiwan. It had no box, so I went to the liquor store and asked if they happened to have a box from a magnum of champagne. They did and it came with the formed styro-foam insert. Just a little carving on the foam and we have a very good box for shipping (Coleman size anyway) lanterns!!!
Sounds like s good tip. I'll have to check out what's available here. It'd be a shame to have to buy a bottle, just for the packing.
Buy it, drink it or best said, share it, and then use the box for a lantern. Sometimes I used PVC pipes like the ones used on sewages. They are very strong and will preserve the lantern to be flattened on the vertical direction. The bad part is they are heaviest than a carton box and for big lamps are lanterns will increase a lot the shipping costs. Juan
Over the years I have received or sent hundreds of lanterns through the mail and when globes were sent fitted into the lamps we lost 50% in breakage. About 5 years ago we started to send lamp globes in coffee cans inside the main boxes and have lost none that way. ::Neil::
Thanks on the coffee can tip guys. It turns out that the local liquor store just isn't selling that many magnums! The one champagne box we used on the milspec was the last one I've seen there.
