Sending vintage hardware for repair, selling it, or buying it online all comes with one shared risk: transit damage. Couriers treat parcels roughly regardless of what the labels say, and vintage hardware — particularly boards with aging solder joints, CRT monitors with glass tubes, and brittle plastic bezels — is far more fragile than it looks. This guide covers everything you need to know to pack vintage hardware properly.
Anti-static bag for any bare PCB
Every bare circuit board must go into a metallic anti-static bag first. This is non-negotiable — one static discharge can destroy chips that have survived decades. Standard plastic bags generate static rather than dissipating it; they are not a substitute.
Wrap with bubble wrap (bubbles in)
Wrap the item with the bubble side facing inward — bubbles touching the item, smooth side out. This positions the air cushions to absorb impacts directly. Use multiple layers; aim for 50–75mm coverage on all sides for a complete computer case.
Secure and tape the wrap
Tape the wrap securely so it cannot shift in transit. Pay particular attention to corners and protruding elements — ports, power buttons, drive bays — which are the most likely contact points in an impact.
Place in inner box with tight fit
The item should not move inside the inner box. Fill any gaps with additional bubble wrap or dense foam. If you can hear it shifting when you shake the box, pack it tighter.
Double-box with cushioning between boxes
Place the inner box inside a larger outer box with at least 50mm of foam or bubble wrap on all sides between the two boxes. The outer box takes the handling abuse; the cushioning between absorbs impacts that would otherwise reach the inner box.
Use new or near-new boxes
Old boxes that have been used multiple times have compressed edges and weakened walls. A fresh box provides substantially better protection. Never reuse a box that has visible damage, soft corners, or crushed edges.
Label, photograph, and insure
Document the item before packing with photos from multiple angles. Use tracked shipping always. Add insurance for anything of significant value — standard carrier insurance is often minimal for vintage electronics.
Anti-Static Protection for PCBs and Electronics
Any bare PCB — a motherboard, expansion card, Amiga board, or any circuit board removed from its case — must be in an anti-static bag before anything else happens. This is non-negotiable. A static discharge during transit can destroy chips that have survived decades of operation. Anti-static bags (the metallic pink or silver ones) are cheap, widely available, and essential.
Don't use standard plastic bags as a substitute. They generate static rather than dissipating it, and they offer zero protection against ESD damage. The metallic anti-static bags work by forming a Faraday cage around the contents; plain plastic bags do the opposite of this.
Packing a CRT Safely
⚠️ CRT Packing — Non-Negotiable Rules
CRTs must always be double-boxed — no exceptions. The glass tube is extremely heavy (often more than half the monitor's total weight), the neck is fragile, and the shadowmask inside can be permanently distorted by impact. A CRT shipped in a single box is an accident waiting to happen.
Ship CRTs screen face down where possible. Minimum 100mm of foam on the screen face; at least 75mm of clearance around the neck. Use foam corner guards to protect the corners — a common impact point that can crack the bezel or worse.
- Screen face — The screen face needs the most padding. It's the largest flat surface and the most likely to receive impacts. Minimum 100mm of foam or bubble wrap on the face, with additional corner protection.
- Corner protection — Foam corner guards or thick foam cut to fit the corners prevents the corners (a common impact point) from being driven through the packing material.
- Neck protection — The electron gun neck at the back of the CRT is particularly fragile. Ensure it has at least 75mm of clearance from the box wall and solid foam support around it.
- Orientation — Ship CRTs screen face down if possible. This puts the heavier tube supported against the screen (the strongest part) rather than the fragile neck.
- Double-box always — Without exception. A CRT in a single box is an accident waiting to happen.
Do Fragile Labels Actually Work?
Fragile labels provide minimal real-world benefit. Studies have shown that parcels marked "fragile" are handled no more carefully — and in some reports, slightly more roughly — than unlabelled parcels. Label your parcel fragile anyway (it costs nothing and may occasionally help), but never rely on it as a substitute for proper packing. Pack as if the fragile label will be ignored entirely.
Australia Post vs Couriers for Retro Hardware
| Australia Post | Couriers (StarTrack / TNT / Sendle) |
|---|---|
| Better for smaller parcels under 5–10 kg | Better for large, heavy items (CRTs, towers) |
| Generally more careful handling for small parcels | Automated sortation can be rough on odd shapes |
| Size and weight limits apply | Better size/weight flexibility |
| Express Post adds priority flag | Faster transit for interstate routes |
| Recommended for boards, consoles, small computers | Recommended for CRTs with appropriate packing and insurance |
| Standard insurance often low — check before sending high-value items | Transit insurance available — essential for valuable hardware |
Tracking and Insurance
💡 Insurance — Don't Skip It
Always use tracked shipping. For anything of significant value, add insurance. Standard carrier insurance is often minimal; for high-value vintage hardware (a working PVM, a recapped SE/30, a Sharp X68000), specialist transit insurance is worth the cost.
Photograph the item thoroughly before packing — multiple angles, existing damage documented. If a claim is needed, this evidence is essential. Some carriers will reject claims without photographic proof of pre-shipment condition.
What Not to Do
- Newspaper as cushioning — Newspaper compresses to almost nothing under even moderate impact. It provides the illusion of packing without the protection.
- Plastic bags — Not anti-static, not cushioning. They generate static and provide no impact protection.
- Loose packing — Any movement inside the box means the item is impacting the box walls or other items during transit. Tight, secure packing is the goal.
- Reusing soft, damaged boxes — Old boxes that have been used multiple times provide substantially less protection than new boxes.
- Skipping the anti-static bag for bare boards — This one cannot be stressed enough. One ESD event can kill chips invisibly, causing damage that only manifests weeks later.
When in doubt, over-pack. The extra bubble wrap costs pennies; the cost of transit damage to irreplaceable vintage hardware can be enormous.