Here are some tips for packing and shipping to the observatory.
Preparing Your Equipment
On an SCT, run the focuser to a mid position so it’s not all the way in or out, and snug the mirror locks (not cranked down like you’re torquing a lug nut)
On refractors, rack the focuser in and lock it if possible.
Anything that slides or rotates should be immobilized before it goes in a box.
Remove anything that sticks out or can act like a lever — focus knobs, electronic focuser if it’s easy to remove, guide scope and brackets, etc.
Remove the flat panel, if present.
Label and remove cables. If they're well labeled, you can bag them together. Or you can bag them with the piece of equipment they connect to. Anything you can do to help us reassemble it the way you want it will be appreciated.
Remove the imaging train and cap the rear port of the OTA. Cap the objective/corrector/front of the scope.
Disassemble your imaging train. Cap the camera.
Remove filters from your filter wheel and ship them in the boxes they came in. Make a note of the position of each filter in the wheel and provide that to the observatory so we both know what is in each space.
Packing
Bubble-wrap everything.
Pack boxes tightly. Fill empty space with more bubble wrap. All parts of the OTA should be supported regardless of the orientation of the box.
Consider dropping in a couple packets of desiccant with the camera and OTA if you have some available.
Using a few smaller boxes is better than trying to fit everything in one or two large ones.
Pack your OTA and mount in the boxes they came in, if possible, so that you can make use of any custom foam or packing material. We can store your original boxes at the observatory for you so that we'll have them if/when it comes time to ship things back to you.
Pack counterweights and any other heavy objects separately in their own box. They should be padded to prevent them from moving, or they could break through the box.
Consider double-boxing items that are especially fragile. Pack them securely in a small box, then wrap the small box in bubble wrap and pack it in a bigger box.
Make sure your name is on the outside of every box and on each of the components of your system. There's no such thing as too many labels.
If you're re-using a box, remove or cover any bar codes or labels from the previous usage.
Shipping
Use pirateship.com to get the best rates.
We recommend insuring each box.
Do not request a signature. The observatory is very remote and doesn't have a porch, let alone porch pirates. UPS/FedEx will make no effort to find someone if they need a signature. If one of us doesn't happen to be right there when they deliver, they will leave.
Ship to: Your Name, AstroPeak Observatories, 6595 N 1600 W, Beryl, UT 84714-5120.
UPS or FedEx is best. US Postal Service will also work, but it requires us to pick your boxes up at the post office and will add to your delivery time.
Fill out the inventory list on your dashboard at astropeak.space. For each item, include the tracking number for the box it is in. We'll scan your boxes as they arrive and notify you when we've received everything in your inventory list.
As a general rule, keep a list of everything you send us.
If you have specific instructions about assembling your rig, include those in your installation ticket. You can include pictures of how you had it set up at home if that would be helpful.