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Mystery of the perfect condition box


stepnmud#33546

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Not wanting to be involved in another thread on damaged goods. My brother collects these 1/8 scale versions of pedal cars sold by Hallmark. Brother Dave also likes to send these pedal cars as gifts to his brothers and sisters. Dave is also a retired US mail carrier and has lots of stories of odd shipping problems. He recently sent via USPS me,a 1941 tow truck Hallmark pedal car that was inside the custom styrofoam packed box and then double boxed to help protect from possible damage of rough handeling. Upon opening the package that appears to be in perfect condition, I found the little truck was busted in 5 places with broke off wheels,axle and frame. Have no idea how this would be possible to do that kind of damage inside the double boxed insulated from shock that should have survived any kind of rough handeling. Him and I discussed this over the phone on just how this could have happened and do not have a clue as to how the little truck was broken. One possibility is maybe someone carefully opened the box and dropped the Hallmark truck and causing the damage and resealed the contents back in the box with no visable tampering. Since then I reboxed the thing and sent it back to Dave, but still the mystery remains, maybe aliens intercepted it and did reverse engineering. No loss on my end,but curious how it happened.

 

http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/Kiddie-Car-Classics_c_393-1.html

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I'm a packaging engineer, so I deal with broken items from transit testing all day long. Transit damage can be caused by shock, vibration, or compression.

 

Shock is the most common damage mode. Impacts to corners and edges will crumple the carton, but if the shock orientation is perpendicular to a flat surface of the carton, there will not be any visible signs of damage to the carton. Flat impacts also transmit the most shock to the item since there is no "crumple zone" as on corner and edge impacts.

 

Vibration damage will also be "concealed", but this is more of abrasion to a item or loosening of electrical connections.

 

Compression damage is rarely concealed. The carton will almost always show the evidence of compression damage.

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It is a little known secret that the USPS is experimenting with Transporter Technology. Sometimes a transporter accident occurs.

 

The term transporter accident is a catch-all term for when a person or object does not rematerialize correctly.

 

 

It's true. I got rifle once that had a fly's head. :lol:

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Good 'un, UB~! :lol:

 

By the way... not at all uncommon for rifle or shotgun stocks to be broken in transit... allus a good idea to remove the stock before shipping.

 

Was once on a road trip in my then-new '73 Super Beetle, and it ate Hank's .444 Marlin. Rifle was in a case in the luggage compartment; when we stopped and opened the lid the danged stock was snapped off right at the wrist - and we'd hit no major bumps along the way. The lad was MOST unhappy and even said a few uncomplimentary things about Volkswagens... :rolleyes:

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It's true. I got rifle once that had a fly's head. :lol:

 

That's a cowinkadink, cuz I once killed a fly with a rifle barrel sticking out of body. :lol: Just sayin'

 

Big Jake

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