rccardr 

Hunh.
We keep sending and receiving packages and mail on a daily basis.
No delays, stuff just keeps on showing up as and when expected....

natterberry 

Some of my stuff is quick as ever, but I’ve had a lot of strange reroutes and delays.Packages don’t seem to be getting scanned as often, either.

Current status:

2cam16

It's pretty much a toss-up with USPS right now. I've had stuff from Asia arrive in no time, and yet I'm still waiting on a package from Florida going on 3 weeks now. Last scan it was in SoCal but that's it.

noglider 

Same here with a few -- very few -- exceptions.

Pompiere

Regular mail seems to be running okay, but twice now I've had small packages delayed in the regional sorting center in Detroit. One from Velocals and the other from Nashbar. Each one had a tracking number that showed it moving along smoothly until it reached Detroit. Then they languished for at least a week before making the 90 minute drive to my local post office.

USAZorro

Before I departed Florence, KY (suburban Cincinnati) 14 months ago, I noticed some inexplicable parcel routings that sometimes caused packages to reach a nearby location and then do a full square dance between 2-3 locations in the vicinity before becoming exhausted and landing on my step. Based on anecdotal evidence, things have gotten worse recently - and uniformly so.

aceves

No updates as of today 8/18/20. Same status as highlighted by @natterberry yesterday. Still waiting...

aceves

Chr0m0ly 

Apologies for my delayed response! I have been camping out of cell range, and I neglected to inform the Thread O’ Crap (series 8)

BUT thy name hast been applied to the Lyst o’ Crap, as requested.

I was not able to hit link your name to you’re profile, but I shall have another go onced I have a computer within mine grasp!

Mad Honk 

So I am seeing postal carts with packages piled high waiting for 9 days to be sorted. This is likely why the BOC has been delayed. Too bad our leaders aren't working for the BF members very hard. Smiles, MH

natterberry 

It’s alive.

Status is showing out for delivery today.

USAZorro

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" *

* unless management decides it's inconvenient.

aceves

Alrighty!! BoC has arrived!!

Here is the box, kinda beat up.




Here is a shot of the inside.




And here is my take. Good for some projects I am working on.




It will be on its way to @USAZorro tomorrow. I transferred everything to a new box and added some good crap, so hopefully some crap recipients down the line will add this crap to their bikes!

Thanks everybody!!

aceves

USAZorro

Update...

aceves got the box off in a timely manner. Box tracking as of a few minutes ago follows:

Tracking History

August 25, 2020
In Transit, Arriving Late
Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility.

August 22, 2020, 1:05 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
SACRAMENTO CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

August 21, 2020, 11:55 am
USPS in possession of item
SACRAMENTO, CA 95813

Note that the latest update was yesterday, and there's no indication that the box has left Sacramento following it's arrival 4+ days ago, The updates initially said the box would be arriving on the 24th. Apparently, it will be no earlier than tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm thinking that Flat Rate "Priority" may mean that it's priority is behind every other form of mail - with the possible exception of media mail.

Might not be a bad time to let your elected officials in Washington hear from you.

Will provide updates when I have them.

USAZorro

Ka-Thump!

Only a week later than initially projected, but it came today. The carrier even was nice enough to bring it around to the covered porch so it wouldn't get rained on.

Obligatory photo obscuring addresses: Not sure whether aceves put the straps on or not, but it's a good idea - even if beyond my in-house technology skill set. Apparently, USPS work force is aging, or there's been a lawsuit concern. Honestly, the box only felt like it was 32 pounds.



The teaser - important note - the wonderful acrylic cover has sustained a critical hit. It's not completely obliterated, but it isn't the same. I've heard horror stories about the wait times for ordering plexiglass, and I don't have any on hand, so going to try sticking some stiff cardboard to it.




As a recipient of numerous boxes, I have to note that the ratio of completely useless to decent is a bit on the high side. I promise I will nudge the trend the other way. This said, I feel fortunate to have found a few items that will unstick at least two of my projects. There's a bottom bracket that's the perfect dimensions. Huret Shifter and RD are perfect for my obscure Eriol build.



Here's the recipient of the BB transplant. Think it will end up as my wife's favorite - but it will have competition:



Box will be departing for Illinois either tomorrow or Wednesday.

noglider 

Hi @Chr0m0ly -

Kindly update the first post of this thread, including the received dates and spelling the word "received" correctly. Thank you muchly.

noglider

crandress 

Officially, the Crapmaster does not make spelling errors, however he spells it is correct...

hokiefyd 

Dear Crapmeister/Crapmaster/however he or she prefers: please add me to the Esteemed List. I have participated before and agree to abide by the rules. Thank you!

Mad Honk 

A quick note to those who receive the exalted Box 'O Crap. The liner is made of a reasonably stiff but still bend-abe Aluminium sheet. The liner can be installed in a new box from the PO. A few taps on the metal or even a pair of pliers should straighten the dents and dings to the liner. We straighten the race car body with body hammers and even dead blow hammers, so don't be afraid to straighten the box liner. Even sign it if you choose, I did! Don't worry too much if it looks a bit abused, as it is only there to protect the contents of Crap. When it is damaged beyond recognition I will proceed to replace the BOC liner when the BOC comes back around to me. The post office doesn't treat the packages very kindly as they are tossed into shipping totes around the postal system. When the box liner is in good shape it does protect the contents and does indeed keep the BOC in a nice square shape. Please repair the liner as needed as it really does keep the "crap" from being damaged, and makes the boxes last longer. Thanks for the help, Smiles, MH

aceves

Hi Members,

To answer USAZorro's inquiry about the BoC straps - no, I did not add those straps to the box. USPS probably looked at it and decided to reinforce it? Good to know the BoC made it safely to the next crapper!!

Looking forward to playing in the future!

aceves

USAZorro

Box Update:

In my excitement - no - make that my frenzy to select and post, I failed to notice how out-of-sorts the metal liner had become (no doubt as a consequence of postal folks feeling challenged to show this beast of a box who's boss).

Mad Honk made some excellent design choices, but I see that the potential for such abuse was not accounted for. I discovered the extent of the damage as I removed the liner from the spent box with the intent to insert it into the fresh box I had gotten. Amongst other apparent injuries suffered, it seems to have been dropped square on one of it's corners (which might also explain the plexiglass damage).



In addition to the rounded corner, the caulk seals have blown out. In order to get it to fit into the new box (and hopefully survive beyond one more trip to the prairie), I need to make some repairs.


Fortunately, I have tools to remove the rivets, a set of collision hammers to (hopefully) flatten the metal of the box, and a rivet tool to re-attach new rivets and to add reinforcement to the two caulked seams. What I lack though are rivets and appropriately-sized angle pieces. I apologize for the delay, as without this damage, I would have posted the box a few minutes ago. Optimistic me thinks I can get it moving again tomorrow, but experienced me is thinking Saturday is more likely.

Wanted to update everyone so that there's at least an explanation for the delay.

ascherer 

Y'all are awesome.

Mad Honk 

USAZ (or is it "Zeek the Barber"?),
Good on ya for doing the repairs! If you don't have the rivets and the angle pieces, pick them up at a local hardware store and then send me a note for the costs and I will reimburse you for those costs. I guess at this point in time maybe a bit of aluminium angle maybe 1" X 1" to do the repairs to the broken lower seams. Had I known the PO would do that kind of damage I likely would have used some heavier gauge aluminium. But the older linings were never that tough and lasted quite a while. Looks like I will need to produce a number of liners to replenish them as the PO destroys them. Smiles, MH
BTW the "Zeek" story was from WGN, a station in Chicago that produced a show called "Fractured Flickers" . They would use old silent films to make new story lines and add voice overs. The show was a 30 minute clip and they got into some sort of trouble for copyright use. Hans Conreed did most of this work and when it died it became Sherman and the Professor series on the Rocky and Bullwinkle show. More useless information that is appropriate for the BOC. Honk

Mad Honk 

I have communicated directly with USAZ and the box seems to have been the recipient of the postal worker's displeasure with the latest changes to the postal worker's work load. MY carrier told me they went through a three week process where they were subjected to early morning meetings, and shortened prep times before starting the routes, elderly recipients were delivered late prescriptions, and shortened days of delivery were the result of the changes. Late mail became the normal. After the House hearings everything went back to normal, Go figure??? I still think there is little concern for the boxes shipped by the USPS, as I have witnessed the way boxes are treated. It is Zeek's conclusion that reinforcements should be done to the BOC and I concur. No one wants the crap to be damaged. Smiles, MH

USAZorro

Definitely not Zeek the barber, lol. USAZorro dates back to the 1994 World Cup. I've been a soccer player since High School (can anyone set me onto an over 60 or over 50 league on the east coast)? My then-employer had the contract to supply IT services to the tournament that year. I had been following chat, and noticed that (it being an international event) the first two questions asked were, "where are you from?" and "who are you rooting for?" Sadly, when it comes to men's soccer, it is a rare thing for the men's team to do much more than make the tournament. In 1994, Mexico had a much more impressive team that year, so I chose USAZorro as my name to cut down on having to answer those first two inevitable questions. Since I haven't left the country, and do have a core value of seeing people who may not be wealthy or powerful treated fairly, I've held onto it.

I appreciate the MH box and the kind offer to re-imburse. I do have my eye on 1" Al angle irons. (gmta) I'll leave the design and construction of subsequent boxes to the willing and able, but to date, I've drilled out the old rivets, and applied an assortment of techniques to persuade the original container back to a much closer approximation of it's original shape. I do have yet to acquire the angle irons that are apparently necessary to assure survival. I will get those tomorrow. but after the stage of the Tour (which is sacrosanct). I will absolutely have this posted on Tuesday when the Post Office opens after the Holiday.

My apologies again for the delay.

postscript - having never lived in Chicago, I know only that WGN are call letters of a station there. What I have picked up though, is that there was a local Chicago television show called "The Beat!!!" (the three exclamation points are critical), which featured local musical acts (predominately Soul and R&B). Aside from a very brief "liberty" excursion from Great Lakes in late December 1981 when the wind-chill was well under -60, and a two day orientation there when I first joined IBM in September 2000, and made the error of getting pizza soup at Pizzeria Duo, and had a much more enjoyable meal at an establishment on the Navy Pier the next evening, my data-dump on all things "Chicago" is concluded.

Mad Honk 

OK, so no Zeek. I can understand, I will send you info about me and IU soccer and the 7 time conference winners. Smiles, MH