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I have now re-created the glass and shipped it again. When I re-fired the piece, I went to 1410 and held 15 min. The piece was double boxed, and the outer cardboard box was lined in wood. It was highly insured, which probably kept UPS handlers on their toes. The box had up arrows to show how it should be handled and positioned. Went by trucks. and.. ta-da! made it safely!

I am soooo relieved. I have some heavier pieces to re-create and ship soon, and will probably opt to wooden crate them. Will go with a trucker that is not UPS. The client is open to paying for the higher shipping costs.

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Bonnie Rubinstein wrote: It was highly insured, which probably kept UPS handlers on their toes. The box had up arrows to show how it should be handled and positioned.

Bonnie, you are a trusting soul and you got lucky this time. This feels like telling a kid that there's no Santa Claus but UPS doesn't care about insurance or arrows once you hand the package over.

The only remedy is to pack it well (and insure for full retail value), so well that they can't deny your claim after they run it over with a forklift.

I know I got lucky this time, Marty. Very lucky. Going forward, with large flat work, I want to crate in wood, and will preface this with clients. I am alittle more trusting of the shipping slumped, smaller work with UPS, as per my experience.

I do wonder if it ever got near a fork, as they were moving it by hand from truck to truck. And insured it for $5,000..that is what I was told would ensure better handling.

Sorry that I never did finish this thread!

I did end up working with a UPS shipper.. who carefully used a wooden support and a box within a box, with alot of either foam or peanuts, I don't recall right now. But the wooden structure he built, I believe, held it in tact safely..and the glass arrived and is installed.. I am thankful!

If your only firing to 1385 (tac fuse) then your overall panel thickness variations will certainly play a part in how your piece will stand up to handling and shipping. Sounds VERY risky when left to others care!
Don

To clarify-

I have been fusing to 1410 and holding if I am shipping..so the thickness is consistant.
I did use an professional art shipper for one shipment: wood crate, a-frame, etc.. sent by air...which worked great ,but was very, very costly.

Had to ship 2 more pieces later on to another client. The client did not want to pay that high price. With that in mind, and with them knowing it was a risk, I did work with a UPS man that was very careful, and had a thinnner woden frame around the well-packaged, double- boxed glass. And that worked well. Insured, of course.