How to pack a Thinkpad for shipping?

[axur-delmeria]

I'm going to give a Frankenpad T42/R52 to a friend, and it needs to be sent via courier.

It has to be packed and boxed properly (of course), but I have no experience in this regard.
I don't have the original box and other materials, just the laptop, battery, and AC adapter.

May I ask for advice and pointers from those who have had their Thinkpads shipped?

Moderator edit: Moved from the T4x-section.

[RealBlackStuff]

Get a lot of bubblewrap, the bigger bubbles, the better.
Wrap it twice around the length, then twice around the width of the laptop.
(three to four times each sides for smaller bubbles).
Put it in a sturdy carton box, then if possible/available, put that box into a next bigger box.
Fill the empty space between the boxes with either more bubblewrap, or with packing chips.
Put good packing tape on all the edges of the outer box, and across any flaps.
Good luck.

[Medessec]

I second the bubblewrap. Make sure you cover the corners ok- leaving the corners exposed was the undoing of one of the first sales I made on this forum.

If you don't have bubblewrap and don't want to go buy any, you can also use newspaper and crumple it up, so it's kinda cushion-y. But this can scratch up the rubberized surface of some Thinkpads- make sure using a material that prevents scratching. Also, make sure the newspaper is very cushiony, and that it doesn't compress easily as the laptop bounces around in shipping.

Bubble wrap is very highly recommended though. At where I live, you can buy a spool of the stuff about this big: http://images.uboxes.com/media/extendwa ... d48188.jpg for about $15.

[Saucey]

As the others said, bubblewrap is best, and adding 'peanuts' to fill in the empty space in the box is great as well.
Crumpled newpapers works great if you don't got the time for bubblewrap or if its not available from the place where you are shipping it.
I've always thrown away bubble wrap and boxes I got from packages, but once you start shipping it's best to keep that 'junk' stored.

[axur-delmeria]

Thank you for the suggestions! I'll buy the bubblewrap tomorrow or the day after and send the laptop next week.