If i wanted to post a fragile gumpaste figure, how would i go about packaging it to minimize or eliminate the risk of something on it breaking?

Has anyone done this and maybe give me some tips? or even anyone with any good ideas feel free to put them down.

Thanks if anyone can help

Post as in mail? Hmmmm, bubble wrap and backing peanuts?

I wound if the UPS store website would have ideas and suggestions for shipping fagile things?

http://www.ehow.com/how_2070326_mail-fragile-items.html

Maybe some that have packed cake displays for shipping can give you some more information on it.

thanks texas and yeh like posting as in mailing as a parcel just in the same country

I was thinking about maybe getting 2 pieces of foam and cutting out a hollow shape of close to the figure so it fits snugly between the two pieces? I dunno how hard that would be but that is how little crystal figurines you buy from a store come packaged anyway

Thought i'd come back to this thread and ask a question hopefully someone can answer. If i wrapped my gumpaste figure in bubble wrap will that soften it cose it can't 'breath' if you know what i mean and if that is the case would wrapping it in tissue paper (wrapping tissue) first help prevent this?

i beleive that if it is 100% dry then nothing short of dunking it in water will make it go soft.... it is still in a dry environment.
xx

This might be way off the wall, but what if you cut a depression in foam, then surrounded the figure with rice to stabilize it then covered with more foam. I wonder if the bubble wrap would protect little projections...What is the figure like? My goodness, the more I type, the dumber it sounds. Yeah, Elise, it probably is best to contact UPS for advice.

My family runs a pottery business and we've shipped fragile things for years.....here's what we do:
Wrap the figure in a double layer (or more) of bubble wrap (a layer of tissue first certainly wouldn't hurt) - put a layer of packing material (styro-peanuts/shredded paper, etc.) on the bottom of a box that is several inches bigger than the bubble wrapped item you are shipping. Lay the bubble wrapped item on that layer of packaging material. Then surround the item with more packaging material - overfill the box slightly so that when you close it and tape it, the item can't shift around inside the box. Once you've taped the box, shake it. If you can hear it move, there isn't enough packaging material inside...open the box and add more. Once you don't hear it move when shaking, package that box inside a larger box (it should have 2 or more inches of clearance all around the first box). Put your packaging material on the bottom of that box, set the first box in and stuff all around and on top with packaging material. Close the 2nd box and shake....you shouldn't be able to hear the first box move inside the 2nd one.

Good luck!

Great thanks guys!

MilkMaid: The figure I will be posting is a bigger version of the bear in my avatar with the plaque base etc.

I was going to cut a section out of the middle of a piece of foam that would take up the whole box and put a bubble wrapped figure in the middle and then the other piece in other slots of the foam as i reckon it would be best disassembled for post and then the other person can put all the pieces together. But i have to drive a bit to get the foam so thought i could find another way

Mjoycake: Thank-u! that is what i was thinking too wrap the figure in bubble wrap, and then wrap the plaque base in tissue between 2 pieces of cardboard and then bubble wrap and then fill all around them with the packaging peanuts.

I may be over thinking it but i want to be safer than sorry lol

sounds good....just be sure to put LOTS of packing between the bear and the plaque....wrap them so they're twice their own size in bubble. Like you said...better to be safe than sorry.!