View Full Version : Mailing fuel cannister
For your amusement,
I'm trying to see if I can get the local post office to mail a fuel cannister:
I'm at the getting the run around stage
(A) before I read the white blaze article I went by the PO and asked and got the "of course not" answer
(B) 4 weeks later, armed with copies of publication 52 (today) I walk in with the cannister.
1st person, says they don't know and refer the question to the register next to them with the more experienced employee; heck no.
I mention the publication, they see the square flammable gas symbol on the cannister and point to a glossy poster on the wall that says if it has this symbol you can not mail it. Even more experienced employee walks by and is asked, same poster response. My mentioning that I have this publication from the USPS website doesn't get me anywhere. One employee does mention that I could talk to the PM, but they have left for the day (it was fairly late in the afternoon; 4pm ish)
(C) next step phone the ask USPS number and see what they say,
see if I can talk to our local PM,
if neither of the above works, try the e-mail contact number.
Naturally, my cannisters were mail ordered and shipped to me; though by UPS and not USPS. So I may try asking them if they will do it.
You will also have trouble taking one aboard an airline. These problem I have no more, I have been happily using a Sierra Zip Woodburning camp stove for years.
They can be shipped ground/parcel post with the appropriate labels and packing.
Check this site...
http://gottawalk.com/shipping_fuel.htm
Yes, as does the information provided here on white blaze states.
This is a more recent document than the link provided here at whiteblaze
http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/dmm300_landing.htm (http://http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/dmm300_landing.htm)
This is a Jan 2006 document.
The question is going to be, can I get my local PO to actually do it and how long and with how many trips will it take.
Stay tuned.
hikerjohnd
04-15-2006, 07:59
Yes, as does the information provided here on white blaze states.
This is a more recent document than the link provided here at whiteblaze
http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/dmm300_landing.htm (http://http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/dmm300_landing.htm)
This is a Jan 2006 document.
The question is going to be, can I get my local PO to actually do it and how long and with how many trips will it take.
Stay tuned.
Hmmmmm.... seems to be a dead link.
Footslogger
04-15-2006, 10:26
I mailed well over a dozen of the propane cannisters to my wife during her thru in 2001. Mixed them in with other stuff and marked the box ORM-D. Never had any problems with the US Postal Service and the packages always arrived as expected.
To me this is one of those "forgiveness versus permission" things. If you ask the average postal clerk, who doesn't backpack and who thinks he/she is familiar with the regs you're likely to be told that it's not allowed.
Just read over the reg yourself and follow the instructions.
'Slogger
http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/601.htm
try this one
Footslogger,
You are no doubt right about the forgiveness issue,
However, I bring the package into the PO, and they ask "is there anything hazardous . . .", I have to say yes, unless I'm willing to lie, then the questions start. And they point to the little informational poster on thewall that says you can't mail an item that has the flammable gas label on it.
BTW, I don't blame a clerk for not knowing all the regulations, particularly for oddball items.
I guessing, but being Easter it will be a while before I can test this, that I'm going to have to get the PM to tell the clerks that I can do this, assuming the PM is willing to look at the DMM (Domestic Mail Manual)
Footslogger
04-15-2006, 11:14
Well ...the way I look at it, the cannisters were shipped to the retail outlet where I bought them so it only makes sense that is it OK and safe for me to send them elsewhere. As long as you clearly mark the box as ORM-D you are following the USPS's own regulations and are within the law.
'Slogger
KirkMcquest
04-15-2006, 11:28
For your amusement,
I'm trying to see if I can get the local post office to mail a fuel cannister:
I'm at the getting the run around stage
(A) before I read the white blaze article I went by the PO and asked and got the "of course not" answer
(B) 4 weeks later, armed with copies of publication 52 (today) I walk in with the cannister.
1st person, says they don't know and refer the question to the register next to them with the more experienced employee; heck no.
I mention the publication, they see the square flammable gas symbol on the cannister and point to a glossy poster on the wall that says if it has this symbol you can not mail it. Even more experienced employee walks by and is asked, same poster response. My mentioning that I have this publication from the USPS website doesn't get me anywhere. One employee does mention that I could talk to the PM, but they have left for the day (it was fairly late in the afternoon; 4pm ish)
(C) next step phone the ask USPS number and see what they say,
see if I can talk to our local PM,
if neither of the above works, try the e-mail contact number.
Naturally, my cannisters were mail ordered and shipped to me; though by UPS and not USPS. So I may try asking them if they will do it.
Why don't you just put it in a box and mail it, like everybody else?
Why don't you just put it in a box and mail it, like everybody else?
Jeez, you're just asking to go to jail or have to pay serious fines if you get caught doing that or god forbid, your container actually does cause an accident. Right? Shipping a hazardous container on the dl seems to go beyond the "Don't ask don't tell" method.
I should point out that now it is a challenge and point of honor, to see if I can get the PO to recognize its on regulations. I would definitely mark it ORM-D, I think the risks are too high and the ethics are a tad borderlinish
SuperTroll
04-17-2006, 10:05
Back in '71 I asked a friend to check into mailing me some canisters to my APO overseas...instead of doing the checking, he just mailed them...end result: 1500 dollars fine per canister (He mailed 5).
Run the risk if you can afford it.....
Scene II
I called the local PO today and talked to PM.
The local phone book listed an 800 number, after going through about 5 phone menus I was forwarded to the local PO number and the PM answered.
He immediately knew roughly what I was talking about and confirmed that you may mail them. He did say that he would try to mention this to a supervisor but admitted that I may have to ask the clerk to speak to him when the time comes to explain why the hazardous material, being a flammable gas, may be mailed. He also admitted that for the most part clerks are trained to say no when they are in doubt. (trained may be too strong of a word)
Incidently he told me an amusing story about PO's in SD. For some reason, due to power outages, the PO had a need to get cannisters of gas to outlying PO's for butane torches. They got them shipped to the main office in packages of 12; I'm guessing these are the long skinny tanks that are used for a portable welding torch.
But due to the regulations to mail them to the outlying offices they had to repackage in single tank units to get under the 1L maximum for mailing.