Most shipping stores will have the proper box for the bass drum. Usually it's a 26 in box. You are on the right track with nesting. Just remember that unless there is at least 2 in difference between the drums they won't fit inside each other. For example, a 12 inch Tom won't fit in a 13 inch Tom, but depending on the depth sometimes you can stack them both inside the floor tom.

I went to a UPS store to ship a cymbal I bought. The guy said he has shipped drums many times and the person was alway pleased. He packed my cymbal very well.

If you're worried about them packing it right I would say don't let the new guy do it, let the more experienced person pack them up.

Spooky - I've shipped a ton of drum kits and I'm a great packer. They always get there in one piece.

For the 22" bass drum, you'll need a 26" cube box.

Nesting method:

1. Take the top head off of the bass drum and the floor tom.

2. Remove all legs, spurs, tom mounts and wing-nuts that may be protruding from the drum shells.

3. Wrap both toms completely in bubble wrap. Make a cocoon for them, like the drum is floating in a glass bubble.

4. wrap the outside of the bass drum the same way and then line the inside of the bass drum shell and the floor tom shell with bubble wrap or polystyrene.

5. Line the inside of the shipping box with bubble wrap. (Tape it in place.)

6. Place the bubble wrapped bass drum into the box, bottom head down, with the open top of the drum facing up.

7. Place the wrapped rack tom into the wrapped floor tom.

8. Place the wrapped floor tom into the bass drum.

9. Cover with more bubble wrap or *foam shipping peanuts (*we call it ghost poop!) and place the (removed) bubble wrapped hoops on top of the floor tom. Bass drum head and tom head can then go on top of that.

10. Tuck the bubble wrapped hardware, legs and other loose parts into any crannys you can find.

11. cover the whole deal with another sheet of bubble wrap and a piece of cardboard.

Just make sure any cavities are filled with packing peanuts or balled up newspaper. Any kind of extra cushioning you can provide. The kit will get to where it is going in one piece. I send drums out floating inside a bubble of wrap. Even if the box is damaged, it'll take a lot to penetrate the protective bubble wrap as well.

Hope this helps...

John

Holy cow John. Exactly what I needed. You get the gold star

Thanks mang.