Posting Letter to the USA

[Erfolg]

I am trying to send a letter to the USA. The weight of the paper is approx 10g

The problem comes from the size, or that is how it seems. The paper is 450mm long or 45 cm in Post Office speak.

I bought a C3 envelope which is in Post office speak is 324mm * 458mm.

Great I thought, until I look up the post charges to the USA, by the PO, their the maximum size letter appears to be 350mm long. Which is no good for me. Treating the letter as a parcel it suddenly becomes very expensive at over £26.

As a 100g tube, less than 90 cm it becomes £5.25. I have a tube which is 70cm * 5cm dia, which seems to fall within this category.

Given it is a pain in the posterior for me to trek to the almost local PO, I would like some certainty as to what to do. I would also like some reassurance that my interpretation of cost is also correct.

I tried DHL, where I could get a bargain price £92 shipment.

All of this makes the HK charges seem like peanuts for the parcel that they ship.

Any guidance out there?

[Cuban8]

I'm intrigued. Why such a physically large letter? A photo perhaps? No way of sending it electronically and then having it printed (friends/relatives) and delivered locally if your recipient is snail mail only?

Edited By Cuban8 on 13/08/2018 16:59:52

[Erfolg]

It is the size of the registration Numbers and letters. It is the length rather than the width that is the issue.

One of the transfer producer wants more than the cost of many kits or ARTF , to copy existing but old transfers, hence a USA supplier is very much lower in total charges.

It just seems that UK post is perhaps the most expensive, and complex pricing regime that it is possible to device.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

So what is it you're trying to send, Erfolg?

Is it full size artwork for someone to produce transfers from?

[Erfolg]

Chris

I am trying to send the original "Set of Transfers" that came with my "Coverite, Black Baron" Gee Bee Model D.

The reason being is that the kit is about 40 years old. It has taken me that long to get around to building it. I have very recently built a "Sterling Kits", PT19.

This came with a Transfer set. The kit was not as old. The Transfers disintegrated when I tried to use them as normal. The ones that I salvaged, were given several coats of water based Varnish. The roundels on the top I painted on, those were the ones i lost, in the attempt to place on the wing.

It is after this experience that I have decided to get another set made up by scanning and then printing out again. In this era not a big deal operation if you have the gear.

You perhaps can imagine my surprise to be quoted over +£100, for one set, copied before postage.

Just you know what I want copying. 

Edited By Erfolg on 13/08/2018 20:10:40

[McG 6969]

Carl, please why don't you consider having them printed yourself the way a few visitors tried to assist you?

- cut the largest one - with the large reg numbers - in 'half'.

- get the parts printed on clear or white cheapo inkjet transfer paper.

- get the prints covered with two layers of satin/gloss varnish.

- cut them out & apply to your Gee Bee

Simples & very cheap IMHO

Cheers

Chris

[Erfolg]

Mc

I have in the past produced transfers using my home printer, using clear and white transfer water slide paper. The white went well, the clear not so well. All fixed using WBV sprayed on, using several coats. It could well be that many are a little more skilled than i am.

Callie as recommended by some do seem to offer moderate, affordable prices, by a person who seems to know what she is doing. This is based on a number of customers on this site.

My frustration seems to be a UK based issue, where the PO behaves like a Government run business, , charging prices of a Private Monopoly. But then DHL are even more expensive, although they do not seem to do letters, in reality.

Gnashing teeth, I have had far bigger transfer sheets with ARTF models.

Edited By Erfolg on 13/08/2018 20:36:07

[Rich too]

Surely you can get these produced in the UK?

[Flyer]

As another thought, would it be better to scan the decals and then email them Erfolg?

Would save you a fortune is posting.

Regards

Ade

[McG 6969]

Hi again, Carl.

I've been reading a lot of positive words regarding Callie's work.

Hence I can understand your desire to have it made by her.

What you can do, is cutting your originals in two. For example between the second '1' and the '0' for the reg sheet. Doing the same with the other sheet of transfer.

Callie will have no probs with scanning and getting it back together in her publishing software.

The advantage is that you can send it in a plain normal A4 envelope which should be a lot cheaper.

But then Ade's proposal is even better/cheaper and at least you still have your 'originals' at hand.

Cheers

Chris

 

Edited By McG 6969 on 14/08/2018 07:48:05

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Yes scanning, photographing or even photocopying are the obvious solutions here - then the "postage" is free!

One thing I would do if you go down that track Erf: draw a 10cm (or 4 inch as they are American!) horizontal and vertical lines somewehere on the decal sheet. These will act as a scaling feature to ensure your new decals are the right size and you don't end up with a "Spinal-Tap Stonehenge" moment!

BEB

[SR 71]

Have a word with. Callie at Callie graphics she is so helpful you may be able to email them, she is fair with he pricing and can do anything with graphlcs

[zz]

Hey Erf,

As others have replied, you are going about this the wrong way. I have been a customer of Callie for a long time, without regret. And will continue to do so.

If you write to Callie ,scan the art work you need, and supply the scale you need or supply the WS and length of your model, Callie will do the rest. She will advise the cost inclusive of post and P and the approx date it will in the post to you.

If you wish, as I have done, to ask her for a template of the decals so you may measure them on your model and advise any adjustments prior to finalising tour order and making payment. And she has done that for me. All probably less that the figure you quoted.

Can't say anymore.

[Tim A]

Erfolg, Just email the photos above include details of the plane i.e. model, scale and wingspan. Bobs your Uncle Callie will produce a great set of graphics for you. She has done it for me on two occasions now by this method, one for my TN P51B from a scan of a 1/72 3 view plus the above details.

Plus it wouldn't surprise me if she already has the same or similar on file.

[The Wright Stuff]

Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 14/08/2018 09:12:28:

a "Spinal-Tap Stonehenge" moment!

Classic. It truly spans generations!

[Erfolg]

I have a price from Callie.

She does have an Jpeg image of the items.

I had agreed to send the originals.

What i did anticipate the issue of viability as a letter, from the UK. I guess the USA postal system is more realistically arranged from a cost and what is a letter, standpoint than the UK.

On another side issue, my wireless printer/ scanner, is not connecting to the PC to send scanned images, although it is quite happy to receive data from the PC. Does anybody have any idea what the issue is. I have tried to sort the issue from time to time, getting nowhere. In the distant past it did communicate 2 ways. It is a Epson stylus SX425W.

It does have a slot for a card, without looking at the instruction sheets, at present I have no idea for what.

As to why not the UK, one sees the work as a contribution to their pension pot, another has issues that prevent considering the job until a bit later. I guess we are a small market, so there are not many businesses out there who are interested.

[FastFlyer Smyth]

Plug the blue USB cable in Erf and try and reinitialise it that way, You can of course print/scan through a cable connection if the worst comes to the worst.

[Geoff S]

Don't know about your printer/scanner Erf but when I scan something on our Hewlet Packard (also connected wirelessly to my PC) it offers options as to where the scanned image should be stored. One of the options is to save as a file - .jpeg usually but I think other file options are possible.

The scanner s/w installed on my PC controls the scanner.

I got the registration decals etc for my Gypsy Moth done by Pyramid Models and they're fine. I just specified the letters, the colour and the size.

Geoff

[Martin Dilly 1]

Maybe a bit late, but Hermes would charge £16.99. I use them for UK packages and they are very much cheaper than what's jokingly called the Royal Mail.

[Erfolg]

Geoff

I have tried a USB cable.

It seems that I probably could benefit from a new printer/scanner. Th issue then becomes which one, at a price that is sensible with respect my uses and requirements.

With respect to the post office, a lot seems to depend on who you speak to and how they choose to interpret there rules. In respect to a large letter, it can be considered to be a parcel, then its dimensions and type. the second is a s a tube, again being a parcel. Again the tube needs to be quite small diameter and length. As a parcel you have to declare the contents and take responsibility as to what is in it. I guess this could be a USA governmental requirement. The price for either then came out at slightly less than £5.

I have spent an awful lot of time and effort on the postal issue, seems fraught with size and designation issues. Much at the mercy of the PO person.