Going International

Although I write about vintage sewing machines and all kinds of sewing topics in this blog, I have a business of buying, refurbishing, and selling these sewing machines, too. The average sales are about one per week over the course of the year, possibly on the uptick this year, but it's all done locally. Until now.

In a prior post about a cool cabinet I refinished the top on and supplied it with a different sewing machine, I showed the original sewing machine, a Domestic 725:

Domestic 725

It's rather cool looking, a bit like art deco, no?

1939 home called Monte Vista in San Antonio

Imagine my surprise when I got an email from John who also admired this sewing machine and said he more than admired it, he wanted to buy it. I have yet to ship any sewing machine although I've received a few in shipments so I know how it's done. Here's the kicker: John lives in Scotland. I not only get to ship my first sewing machine out but it's international to boot!

Many emails go back and forth while try to figure out how to do this as painlessly as possible. Fortunately, USPS has you do all of it online, only having to get the correct weight from the post office which I can easily do from the post office at work. John will pay, I will ship, all will be happy but not yet. Here's how the packing up goes:

• Wrap accessories up in bubble wrap, tape package together (was in two parts).
• Wrap knee controller and power cord in bubble wrap, tape package together.
• Wrap entire upper arm and bed of the machine in bubble wrap, nesting accessory packages on the bed and filling in space with bubble wrap. 
• Pack bubble wrap into base, continuing to wrap and tape.
• Wrap sharp corners with firm Styrofoam packing material and overwrap and tape.
• Wrap more bubble wrap around entire head, taping firmly.

Sewing machine head wrapped with controller in front

• Place in box and fit more bubble wrap into sides and bottom. Add wrapped controller/cord and paper manual. Include address of sender and destination on piece of paper.
• Tape box shut and firmly tape.

Box 1

• Place box inside of a larger box.
•  Place firm foam rubber around sides, filling in any space with firm fiberfill.

Box 1 with foam padding inside Box 2

• Tape box securely.

Now it's finally ready to get weighed but it is still under 30 pounds on our home scale. Whew! It's ready to set sail going to a country I've never been to. Sail away, Domestic 725: John awaits your arrival!