The box pictured here is a double walled (3/16 inch) box. Much stronger than the typical cardboard box, but costs almost twice as much. This is not the same thing as a moving box. All of the styrofoam used here has been coated with acrylic wax and the cut edges sealed gently with a propane torch to keep the styrofoam from flaking off.

There is an inch of styrofoam on the bottom with a 1 inch thick cut out for the turntable platter. Better to have the weight of the platter on the bottom of the box.

This is another shipping box for a turntable. Making one takes about an hour. Making 2 takes about 90 minutes.

There is another layer of styrofoam on top of the platter. Notice the notches that were cut out so that the packing materials can be removed without damage.

Civil engineers state that triangles are very strong structures. Cutting out 2 styrofoam triangles hot glued to a folded piece of cardboard makes for a very protective shield for a very delicate cartridge and diamond needle. Once the cardboard is folded and secured to form a prism shape it can withstand a fair amount of force.

The turntable sits on top of the shielded platter and has side padding which rises about an inch above the tonearm pivot. The counter weight, cartridge and dustcover hinges are invidually wrapped in padded material and fit nicely toward the rear side of the turntable. Secured in such a way as to not bounce around during shipping. Notice that the tonearm is secured to the tonearm rest. Don't depend on the tonearm lock to keep the arm secure.

The cutout for the platter insert is now used to sit on top of the turntable. A hole was made in the center to keep it from drifting during shipping. The other piece of styrofoam sits on top and is level with the side pieces. This includes the extra one in the back of the turntable.

Another piece on top of the turntable and is supported by the underneath side and middle pieces. Again the notch makes it easier to remove.

The dustcover sits top side down will be less prone to damage. The side pieces will keep the cover from bouncing around. The securing pieces are not a tight fit for good reason. Same goes for the turntable side pieces.

The pads seen here are called "air pillows". They serve a specific purpose : they allow cushioning between the top of the box and delicate items below. Bubble wrap is not a good substitute for these pillows. There are a few things that will make this container complete besides packing tape. One, it might be nice to wrap the turntable in plastic to keep out moisture. The box also needs "Fragile : Handle With Care" labels on at least 3 of the sides (not including the bottom). And lastly, big labels identifying the container would be nice to apply to the box after it reaches it destination. You don't want anyone knowing the contents of the box during shipping, but you do want the box labeled afterwards since someone might be tempted to throw it away and you will need this box again one day.