Just how big?

[GSS]

Are good friend RB Astro is building and sending me a custom copper moduled vape mod with a M140 that he and Lifetime planned out:cryyy:
RB has only seen snow once in his life and only high up in the mountains and never ever experienced having a snow ball fight or making a snow man
Hypothetically how big would a styrofoam box have to be to send him a tightly packed snowball from the upper east coast US to AU?

 

[grainde]

Nice thought! But I highly doubt you could ship it to Aus. Aside from the fact you'd have to pack it with something like dry ice to keep it cold, which wouldnt be practical and would mean that it would have to be sent as dangerous goods. You mustnt fill in a dangerous goods declaration though as its not actually a dangerous product In all likelyhood however the Aus customs would block it as you may be importing microbes/insects..Im guessing if they did allow it theyd have to test it to make sure and it would end up as water by the time it arrived! Aus customs controls hiking boots for dirt up on entry...:gun: :beer:

 

[BowtieGuy]

GSS, I think what you're saying is that you want it to have better than "a snowballs chance in hell" of making it there intact, and not just a box of ice water!
I don't know what it would take, but I'm sure someone here can help.

I can just see Australian customs reading the shipping label and saying "a snowball, yeah right, let's open this baby up"!

 

[GSS]

:crackup: Bowtie Yup.
Iv'e asked him just what he might need from the US other than laser related as with AU customs no laser related anything has a chance:can:
RB like many here just wants to give me something nice as wants nothing in return:beer: And yes labeling something "snowball" would definitely make authority's think I stuffed something in it

I had read something years ago about a snowman could survive 100 years in a styrofoam box the size of a 1 acre building??

 

[Encap]

:crackup: Bowtie Yup.
Iv'e asked him just what he might need from the US other than laser related as with AU customs no laser related anything has a chance:can:
RB like many here just wants to give me something nice as wants nothing in return:beer: And yes labeling something "snowball" would definitely make authority's think I stuffed something in it

I had read something years ago about a snowman could survive 100 years in a styrofoam box the size of a 1 acre building??

Maybe if you cut the snowball in half and mail it in 2 packages, each half separately, declared as moisturizer and a snowball would have a chance of no problem getting through AU Customs?

 

[RedCowboy]

I order Omaha Steaks sometimes and they come frozen in a pretty high density.....that is more than a typical store bought thick Styrofoam box about 2 inches thick with dry ice and wrapped in that clear plastic wrap.

Or you could pack thermos bottles with snow and seal in a cooler with dry ice.

 

[GSS]

Maybe if you cut the snowball in half and mailed it in 2 packages, each half separately, declared as moisturizer the snowball would have no problem getting through?

:can:

LOL!..how about a snowman in 3 pieces, the head first:eg:

RedC, a thermos of snow:thinking::beer:

RB, had a company send a unit in 2 packages:shhh: and still got grabbed?

 

[CurtisOliver]

Never mind the apparent stuffing of something. Ever watched Border Security/Force. That would be a biological hazard over there. A no-go through customs. You can't take a bottle of water onto a flight these days. And
that would technically be completely regarded as foreign material.
Nice thought though. That makes one very interesting hypothetical question.

I love the snowman idea. :crackup:

 

[Crazlaser]

Hey GSS, consider that if it does make it all the way there, the snow will no longer be soft but more like ice if it stays compacted for two days.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Yep. Nice to see you back on again! :beer:

 

[GSS]

Hey GSS, consider that if it does make it all the way there, the snow will no longer be soft but more like ice if it stays compacted for two days.

Good thought as the thought was memories of a children's snow ball fight, not a ice ball to the face

 

[CurtisOliver]

That is true.

 

[paul1598419]

Wanting to do something nice for RB Astro is a commendable thought, but I doubt that an actual snowball would make it to him intact. My understanding of the shipping rates to Australia is that they are insanely expensive. Maybe another idea would be better here.

 

[RB astro]

hehehe... nice thought Pete, but yeah doubt Aussie Customs would allow it through.
I may get a chance to visit the snow fields with my family again one day.

Honestly though guys, all your friendships are enough for me.
I'm honoured to call you all, "my friends"

:beer:

 

[RedCowboy]

Oh, I wasn't paying attention.
There are so many ways to conceal something, especially if it is not something a dogs nose can smell. Just use your imagination.

 

[Benm]

Hehe, shipping a snowball would be a pretty cool thing to do just for the heck of it. For content declaration 'water' would actually suffice since snow is nothing more than water and air.

Packaging and keeping it cold would be a problem. I'm not sure of the transit time and ambient temperature, but to keep something frozen for a week takes roughly a 50x50x50 styrofoam box, with 5cm thick walls, filled with dry ice pallets. This box can not be hermetically sealed as the evaporating CO2 must have a way to escape it.

I'm not sure if you can send this by airmail though. In europe we use boxes like that to send things like biological samples, enzymes and such around the continent but that all goes by road and/or train afaik.