Just so you understand what UPS did to Andrew Watson's custom built shipping container, here's what the box looked like when he sent it from Burlington, Ontario three days ago. This is not my box, just an exact copy that he makes for every one of his shipped wheels.
It is as strong a box as he can build according to the UPS regulations. If he made any more of that box, it would have to be secured to a skid, and cost twice as much to send anywhere. He's very proud of his boxes which have so far brought 216 wheels securely to their destinations.
Until now.
This is what the wheel looked like when it arrived yesterday.
Where did the box go?
It would appear that the original box had been damaged in some way, which Andrew assures me must have approximated the impact of a Mack truck or hurling the thing from the top of a moderately tall building onto a sea of stalagtites. He knows because he did the American Tourister treatment to one of those boxes when he first started building them, and made nary a dent in it.
And the UPS people thought this would be a way to disguise their little problem.
The box is still there, sort of. You can see that someone taped the top of it to the new box, with all the shipping information still on it.
And inside the carton, the wheel was still secured to what part of the box they didn't mangle initially, although the crowbar they used to pull what was left of the original container apart did a bunch of extra damage.
The true damage was to the wheel itself, which suffered a structural crack in the table that compromised the rigidity of one of the legs and the incredibly important drive wheel support.
and they crushed the crank, which killed the trueness of the wheel.
Andrew and I are awaiting UPS's decision in the matter. Anyone who works for UPS who sees the photos is of course mortified, but no one can tell us exactly what happened, or why they charged Andrew for Hand Care, when they obviously threw the thing around like a testy gorilla with some play luggage. Just fyi, when I opened the package up, all the "fragile handle with care" markings and the "glass" stickers were oriented upside down in way they packed the new box.
More when I have something to share.
Oh, this sucks in the worst possible way. I'm so disappointed for you and Andrew, after all his hard work! I hope the issue with UPS can be resolved, but I have faith that the wheel can be repaired!
Posted by: Danielle | February 07, 2009 at 04:58 PM
I'm crying....and it's not even my wheel!
Posted by: Tameson O'Brien | February 07, 2009 at 05:15 PM
What a tragedy and waste of craftsmanship. You must be so very disappointed.
Posted by: Gale | February 07, 2009 at 05:19 PM
I'm so sorry this happened to you.
Posted by: Carole | February 07, 2009 at 05:32 PM
What a horrifying sight. Commiserations.
Posted by: Caro | February 07, 2009 at 05:39 PM
That is just awful. You must have felt sick. Poor you and poor Andrew. All that anticipation, work and money for nothing.
I do hope it gets sorted out very quickly.
Posted by: Emma | February 07, 2009 at 05:39 PM
I am so sorry. All that workmanship and care wrecked by someone paid to look after it. I might go off and have a little sob on your behalf.
Posted by: Caroline M | February 07, 2009 at 05:41 PM
Wow, sounds like a horror story already.
Posted by: Julie | February 07, 2009 at 05:45 PM
Oh my gosh... that is just nauseating to see. What a terrible shame. My sympathies to all involved.
Posted by: Angie | February 07, 2009 at 05:52 PM
I have no words. Except that I hope they have to pay out the nose for the damage they did, and that it's possible to replace the damaged parts and make your wheel that you've waited so very long for whole once more.
Posted by: moiraeknittoo | February 07, 2009 at 06:02 PM
omg. what a shock. All that wait and a damaged wheel arrives. I am so very sorry. UPS did something similar with a drum carder of mine, but that is nothing compared to a custom wheel.
Posted by: lisa | February 07, 2009 at 06:08 PM
I'm just sick. speechless.
Posted by: Heather | February 07, 2009 at 06:08 PM
Absolutely horrible!
Posted by: jennifer | February 07, 2009 at 06:24 PM
No, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!!!
Posted by: --Deb | February 07, 2009 at 06:37 PM
This is just awful! I am so sorry that this beautiful wheel was damaged...what a tragedy.
My company uses UPS for all of its shipments and we've never had a problem of this magnitude. Luckily UPS always finds or pays for missing or damaged packages. I hope they'll do the same for this!
Posted by: dontcallmebecky | February 07, 2009 at 07:03 PM
eeee gads!!!!
Posted by: pixie | February 07, 2009 at 07:06 PM
I gasped numerous times while reading this post. I've been waiting with you for this wheel - the anticipation! - and the pain and anger I feel right now must be over the roof for you. Just terrible. Hope there is a silver lining here.
Posted by: Mandy | February 07, 2009 at 07:06 PM
One can only hope that the person responsible gains a new orifice...and not the one from the wheel. That is un-f-ing believable!!!
Posted by: pumpkinmama | February 07, 2009 at 07:28 PM
Crap. take them to court. Put them in JAIL. That is so wrong in so many ways.
Posted by: denny is VERY sad | February 07, 2009 at 07:54 PM
Unbelievable. I feel so badly for you. And, I second Pumpkinmama.
Posted by: Judy | February 07, 2009 at 08:00 PM
Oh my, this is so so terribly wrong. I am so sad for you and Andrew.
Posted by: Shelagh | February 07, 2009 at 08:02 PM
Horrible. I'm so sad for you.
Posted by: Kris | February 07, 2009 at 08:37 PM
What idiots! I am sure they will reimburse you, but we stopped shipping UPS years ago, for far less. (they couldn't get their act together for delivering when they said they would.)(you miss a days work, and pay, and the shipment you need to sign for doesn't show altho' it was promised on that date, well that's not a happy-making situation.)
We've been happy since with Fed Ex but I am sure not everyone is. It seems to be the way things work.
Posted by: mstalwart | February 07, 2009 at 08:39 PM
This is absolutely heartbreaking! So sorry for you.
Posted by: Alison | February 07, 2009 at 08:42 PM
Undeniable Probability of Sueing the b*****ds that did this to your wheel. Make sure you get a couple of affidavits from people other than Andrew who fully understand the workings of a spinning wheel and can explain with absolute authority WHY this damage is so devastating even though it might look like a "little surface crack in the wood and some scraped off paint that shouldn't affect it that much". I'm talking schematics, reference material about the technology of spinning, you name it. Heavy hitters.
Speaking from experience, only mine was with a blatantly obvious hack job some guitar builder did to my once-pristine Ibanez Destroyer when he attempted to route out the body for a new whammy bar (the kind that you could pull up on like Steve Vai did that required a recessed well behind the bridge). Let's just say, the router slipped. That, and the bare, exposed wood on the flame maple top was never sealed, painted, or otherwise "finished". He just ripped a hole, screwed in the whammy bar, and charged me for it. And an entire CLASS of luthiers took one look at it and turned green. The whammy never worked right, the tuning was funky, it was hideous and it ruined the value overall But I lost the case because I didn't have sufficient evidence that the damage was anything more than cosmetic, and because I was a GIRL, and the builder was a MAN, and because I'd contracted with him to do the work, they believed HIS authority over mine even though anyone with eyes could see it was ruined.
I still have my guitar. My Ibanez Destroyed.
Posted by: Jeanne B. | February 07, 2009 at 08:49 PM