Bringing back a telescope (n8i) on an ariliner?

Get it shipped to Northern Ireland if you can and drive...

Check out this add,
www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=386750
wouldnt you love to bring this back home.

Dave L --

Funny you should mention it. Your microfocuser came off just such a beast (actually, the GPS version). So you do have a little piece of it...

Dave B --

The 16" comes in 4 boxes: 210 lbs, 92 lbs, 63 lbs, and 13 lbs. I shipped it DHL for just less than $1600 (~1300€). I then had to pay duty (~4%) and VAT (21%). That was for door-to-door shipping. I imagine it's a bit cheaper if you drop-off or pick-up at an airport. (But the door-to-door service was great -- DHL even sent a driver out to pick up my check to customs to get it cleared faster.) You can get an online quote from www.shipping-worldwide.com .

The OTA box had a dent in it about 4" deep with the cardboard torn along the bottom of the dent. The dent & tear also went through the inner box (Meade double-boxes their OTAs), but the scope was untouched inside.

I guess the moral of the story is the original packing boxes/molded foam are a *lot better* than just bubble wrap or peanuts. I imagine they could even take airline baggage handlers (but I'd still ship it if it were me).

-- Jeff.