[TenTec] Orion shipping

[Grant Youngman]

> I had mine shipped DHL two day air, which cost $90.00 but the 
> box and the Orion II both arrived IN PERFECT CONDITION.

Has anyone actually had their Orion/II damaged in transit?  

Tight knobs aren't much of a problem, even if shipping has something to do
with it.  I think you would see obvious marks on the shaft from the setscrew
if the knobs were moved by an impact in shipping.  Mine arrived tight, but
the shafts had just one little spot under the setscrew.  I hear reports of
holes in the box, but I haven't heard reports of any "kit" Orions arriving
with mangled displays or cabinets, etc.

I know shipping damage happens, but the only serious damage I've ever had to
an item INSIDE a box sent UPS was when it was heavy, big, and packed in the
the ever popular Mailboxes, Inc. method of a thin cardboard box and a load
of nothing but foam peanuts to protect it.  I've never had damage to an item
shipped in commercial-quality pack.  My old IC-781 went back and forth to
ICOM via UPS several times in the original shipping carton with nary a spec
on it -- although there was a nice puncture in the carton once.

On the other hand, you could probably triple box something in fitted foam
with double wall cardboard and 12" of clearance all around, and some fool
will figure out how to stick a forklift tine all the way through it :-)

Grant/NQ5T