Packing & shipping a neon sign?

[MPTech]

I figured someone here would have this knowledge.

I just bought a neon beer sign from a guy and he's asking me how he should pack & ship it so it doesn't get damaged.

Obviously a wood crate would be ideal, but a lot of cost & expense.
It's about 3 foot long and almost a foot wide.

I thought of packing it in a box and sticking a couple 2x2's (lumber) in the corners.
Wrap it in bubble wrap or what?

I've never shipped anything like this before. I think I will definately spring for insurance, but how does it need to be packaged so it is covered?
Are there any stickers or markings that can be added to the outside that will be honored by the shipping vendor?

I once had a Tiffany-style poker light that arrived in many many pieces, thank heavens the store took total care of shipping another, but I don't want to get this in pieces and I don't want to have to deal with the seller on it either.

[patrickl]

I bought one that was covered in a huge box with padding all around. Still, I didn't feel like getting it broken and shipment was pretty expensive so I went to pick it up (a few hundred kilometers away).

[MPTech]

Well, a feww hundred Kilometers is a pretty good trip, but this one is almost 2,000 miles away. Not really an option for me.

[JackTucky]

wrap the tubes in foam.  Try to fill every open are with peanuts.  wrap that in bubble wrap.   put it in a box.  fill with peanuts. 

put that box in a bigger box.   fill the empty space with rigid foam.

pray.

*edit*  I've bought several NIB neons and they all had some sort of wood holding them in the middle of the box.  I would pay for the person to take it to kinkos or ups and have it packed professionally, along with paying for insurance.

[MPTech]

Thanks JackTucky, i was thinking of the box in box and some sort of wood or paneling in the box.

I'm also going to call UPS and get an estimate for packing it. The insurance if a DEFINITE.

thanks again, that's the kind of feedback I was looking for.