Shipping costs on 9' Spear shafts?

[Brynjolfr Hrafnsson]

All right, I *really* want to order a handful of 9' spear shafts from Icefalcon, we are a newer land and located pretty far from most events where we might be able to buy them face to face.

Problem is, of course, the shipping surcharge. How much are we talking? Is it still prohibitively expensive if we divide it three ways?

Failing mail order are there any sources closer to Northern Minnesota? Are these things made specifically for SCA folk, or do they come from some industrial product line we just adopted?

[Duke Icefalcon]

They are about $18 each to ship out. Larger orders can be shipped via Yellow freight and the shipping comes down.

I will be at Estrella, Gulf Wars and Pennsic with them if you want to wait for face to face.

Cheers!

Ice

[Brynjolfr Hrafnsson]

If I order 4 of them, is it an $18 surcharge for the whole package, or for each spear?

Sorry to be asking all these questions here, I really appreciate the quick reply. Just trying to make sure I understand the costs before I bring this order up at fighter practice this week.

Thanks!

[D.Z.P.]

Just thinking outside of the box but you might be able to have him cut them in 1/2 and just make them takedown spears. Even with the increased price for cutting them down and the added price of the materials needed to do the takedown thing you should still come out way ahead on the price as opposed to shipping the full length ones.


And this way even people with small cars can fight with a 9' spear.

I am not sure what the local rules are wherever you are from but here are the Society rules. The highlighting is mine.

D. Fiberglass Spears
1. Fiberglass spears shall not have a cutting or smashing head.
2. Fiberglass spears shall be constructed with pultruded fiberglass shafts with an outside diameter of no less than 1 1/4 inch (31.75 mm) and no greater than 1 5/16 inch (33.38 mm). Minimum manufacturer specified wall thickness shall be 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) and the minimum measurable wall thickness shall be 3/32 inch (2.38 mm).
3. The end of the shaft which will have the thrusting tip attached must be covered with a schedule-40 PVC cap with an interior diameter the same as the outside diameter of the shaft (1 1/4 inch [31.8mm]). The thrusting tip will then be attached over this cap.
4. All fiberglass spears must have a thrusting tip a minimum of 3 inches (76.2 mm) in diameter or cross-section. Additionally, these thrusting tips must be constructed so that there is a minimum of 3 inches (76.2 mm) of resilient material in front of the PVC end cap and shall provide progressively resistant give under pressure without allowing contact with the PVC end cap.
5. Shafts may be spliced using a fiberglass rod or tube with a sidewall of 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) of the same or equivalent material, having an outside diameter of 1 inch (25.4 mm) and a length of 8–12 inches (203–304mm). Only two splices will be allowed per spear shaft. Each end to be spliced shall be cut square and clean of cracks or frayed fibers. The rod shall extend at least 4 inches (101.6 mm) into each spliced end. One or both of these two methods shall secure the splice:
i. Epoxying both ends of the fiberglass rod before insertion.
ii. Epoxying one end of the fiberglass rod before insertion and thoroughly taping the splice over with fiber tape.
6. The butt end of the shaft shall be smooth and free of cracks or frayed fibers. The butt shall be taped over or otherwise sealed. If a weapon is completely taped, a marshal may require that one section be untaped enough to determine that pultruded fiberglass has been used in the construction of the shaft.
7. Total spear length shall not exceed 12 feet (3.658 m).

[AElfricGreensword]

I ordered from AIN Plastics. They delivered it one of their locations that happened to be near where I work, so I was able to pick it up.

http://www.ainplastics.com/ainp/index.htm


they may have an office/warehouse in the Twin Cities.

[Duke Icefalcon]

If I order 4 of them, is it an $18 surcharge for the whole package, or for each spear?

Sorry to be asking all these questions here, I really appreciate the quick reply. Just trying to make sure I understand the costs before I bring this order up at fighter practice this week.

Thanks!

I think it will be cheaper to order them 4 at a time. The shipping should ba bout 10 each at 4. If you order them and it is much more, I would not ship them until I talked with you first.

Cheers!

Ice

[losthelm]

ask around with other local groups/baronys about putting in an order for both spears and ratan.
the more people you have in the cheaper per person the shipping gets.