# Bottle Crates - What Kind And Where Do You Get Them?



## ironxmortlock (11/6/07)

My Grandfather has these fantastic bottle crates which have separate, full-length dividers between the bottles. He's pretty sure you can't buy or find these anywhere anymore and as his pride and joy, he guards them with his life. h34r: 

I'm currently using some milk crates and some old wine boxes to store and move my bottles but neither of these are really up to the task. I was wondering what kind of crates you have used or have found to work best with tallies and where you got them from.

Thanks,

M
:beer:


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## SpillsMostOfIt (11/6/07)

A friend of a friend (of a...) stores his wine in wooden crates his father made up before they invented beer and hardwood cost less than a thousand dollars a linear metre. I use cheap plastic crate-like things and hate them.


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## WildaYeast (11/6/07)

I've been on the hunt for a while. Have been using cardboard fruit boxes -- the black ones that are big but not very deep. 

I use 500ml green glass bottles (San Pelegrino water). I love them as a whole bottle fits into my pint glasses. I have to deal with a few more bottles than you would for tallies, but less than stubbies (~46 bottles/23l batch). 

I use two boxes -- one for a lid. They're OK, but crap to move. I can get 40 bottles into the boxes, so not quite a full brew.

More recently, have been storing my full bottles in my fermentation fridge. Ross made a comment that made sense to me. We fuss about fermentation temperature, but storage can be a different issue. Keggers tend to treat their brewed beer better -- it gets refridgerated. If you store bottles in a shed and subject them to light and or variable temperature, can't be great.

That aside, I finally found a great solution for my bottles -- at least the empties. Ikea has these wooden crates, about the size of an orange box. They're plywood with metal pieces for the corners and the handles. They can be stacked securely as the legs fit snuggly inside the box below.

They are deep enough for my 500ml bottles, which are a bit taller than a long neck. Not sure about comparison to a tallie. I can get about 42 bottles into one of them I think. The boxes are $35, not cheap, but I reckon they'll last a long time (and no milk crate guilt). I also bought a bit of clear shelf liner at Ikea for the bottoms to provide a bit of padding.

I've been finishing them with estappol (a long process as there are so many pieces), but I think they'll be worth the effort if they hold up for years. Will try to remember to post a picture when I get them done. (My wife and son can't understand why I would pay so much for boxes, just to put bottles in, and which I then have to finish and assemble...).

BTW, if you are in Ikea, the kitchen section has a timer thermometer with a stainless steel probe. Cost is about $16. I've bought three now. One is on my fermentation fridge so I can see the temp from the outside (it doesn't work, I just keep it cool with ice blocks made from milk bottles). Planning on using the other two for mash tun and hot water supply.

Cheers, Brian


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## 0M39A (11/6/07)

i've been borring/buying (lol) milk crates for my storage means.

i can aquire all different sorts, but i find that black ones (probably means nothing) work the best for me.

light blue ones dont quite fit 13 tallies in them, but the black ones do perfectly. can move them about and they dont even jingle around at all. the light blue ones on the other hand still have space after you fill with 12 tallies, but dont quite have room for 13. have been slotting a couple of stubbies in the gaps to fill them up.


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## HeXa (11/6/07)

I use milk crates stacked about 4 high... dark blue ones that fit 13 tallies snugly.

Had two bottle bombs last month.... they obvious jumped up as the caps were very dented, but no damage to surrounding bottles even though they were packed so tightly.


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## matti (11/6/07)

Dumpster days are the best place to find crates and any stuff.
If you have scrap wood and hammer and nail.....
Sometimes a good old garage sale.
The only unfortunate thing is that you have to get rid of all those vinyls in the box LOL


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## ratchie (11/6/07)

polystryrene broccoli boxes hold 18 tallies


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## boingk (11/6/07)

This is another part of the reason I like to use Coopers 750ml PETs at the moment. I've got 150, so 5 batches worth - usually one carbing, 3 or 4 aging, and 1 or 2 drinking. Plus another one in primary/secondary haha! The other part is that I can't really find any decent 750ml roll-cap bottles  

The boxes they come in are great - not too awkward to handle, hold half a batch each, minimal bottle movement, lightproof, and are a convenient size to stack around the place [I should know, I've got 10 boxes of them in my dorm room!].


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## ironxmortlock (11/6/07)

boingk said:


> The other part is that I can't really find any decent 750ml roll-cap bottles



Coopers tallies are great bottles and it's also a great beer. Next time you buy beer, buy Cooper's.


So it seems this isn't an issue just for brewing noobs. :unsure: 

I'll post some pics of my Grand dad's crates tomorrow for your drooling pleasure.


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## boingk (11/6/07)

ironxmortlock, I don't buy beer at all now. I've made an aim to do self-sustaining brewing and have met my mark, haha. Plus, commercial beer is expensive! <_< 

Also, since I'm in a dorm and have to travel home at the end of the year for 12 weeks I've got to haul all my crap back with me [thank god I own a Valiant - what a beast it is!]. So plastic doesn't break and doesn't weigh anything making it a good option for my needs as well as being boxed and available.

And yes - post those pictures! I'll have my spatter-guard ready for the occaision.


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## Doogiechap (11/6/07)

When I was bottling I just bought a about 10 of those cheap plactic tubs from Bunnings at $8 each. Cheap Bottle Bomb Insurance and great for soaking nasty bottles in. And great for storing other stuff in WHEN you succomb to kegging. It's just a matter of time....  
Cheers
Doug


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## TidalPete (12/6/07)

I make mine. 10 tallies to the case.

:beer:


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## ironxmortlock (12/6/07)

TidalPete said:


> View attachment 13159
> 
> I make mine. 10 tallies to the case.
> 
> :beer:



Nice, very neat and tidy! :super: 

My camera is out of batteries so I'll have to delay the pic of my Grandfather's crates for now.


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## bonj (12/6/07)

TidalPete said:


> I make mine. 10 tallies to the case.



Pete, mate! Is that a real brewery? It looks too neat and tidy! With bamboo blinds and everything. 

Top work on those crates. They look nice and sturdy.


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## Chad (12/6/07)

I currently use 3 large containers which I picked up from Bunnings a few years back. I think the brand is Hi-Tab and they hold about 24 tallies each. They are strong, light protecting, completely enclosed in case of bottle bombs and stackable. The only problem is each container is very heavy when full.

I am in the process of looking for some containers half this size which meet the same criteria. It's proving to be very difficult.


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## TidalPete (12/6/07)

Bonj said:


> Pete, mate! Is that a real brewery? It looks too neat and tidy! With bamboo blinds and everything.
> 
> Top work on those crates. They look nice and sturdy.



Bonj,

Now that I am into kegging I plan to sell nine of those crates full of clean, sealed bottles (90) as soon as I empty them in a few weeks or so. 
Any Coast or Brissy brewers interested? PM me.

:beer:


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## ironxmortlock (12/6/07)

As promised, here're some pics of my Grandfather's beer crates.











I went down to bunnings and bought a container. It fits 16 tallies imperfectly and it's not stackable. It looks like I might have to make something. Here are some plans I made up for the world's strongest beer crate. The main pieces are 90X35mm structural pine while the separators are made from 100X11mm pine planks. Based on bunnings prices it should cost about $15-17/crate. It's just a matter of having enough time to make them.










Top View





Detail

M


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## 0M39A (13/6/07)

ratchie said:


> polystryrene broccoli boxes hold 18 tallies



happened to come upon one of these today (such is the joy of living at a residential college whilst studying at uni).

the one i got takes 19 tallies snugly.

will be keeping the eyes peeled for more. could even make a good poor mans esky for when we have intercollege sports, and i cbf dragging my good esky home with me. just leave it behind, not like it cost me a cent


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## bconnery (14/6/07)

IRONxMortlock said:


> My Grandfather has these fantastic bottle crates which have separate, full-length dividers between the bottles. He's pretty sure you can't buy or find these anywhere anymore and as his pride and joy, he guards them with his life. h34r:
> 
> I'm currently using some milk crates and some old wine boxes to store and move my bottles but neither of these are really up to the task. I was wondering what kind of crates you have used or have found to work best with tallies and where you got them from.
> 
> ...



I store my bottles in big flat ones I got when I bought them from someone, they hold around 24. 

I also have some of the ones like your father has. They are possibly the single most useful bit of equipment I have and they also never leave the house  . Perfect for tranpsporting bottles for washing and when full. 

I use some cheap wine shelves I got at the markets for other bottles too. 

Milk crates are great as long as they are full, wine delivery boxes as long as nothing is wet. 

Those plastic ones with dividers are the best though.


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## Barramundi (14/6/07)

IRONxMortlock said:


> As promised, here're some pics of my Grandfather's beer crates.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




used to have these when i was a kid they used to come home delivered with lemonade in them ....

your carte design looks good but at $15-17 a go i think id be using milk crates or brocolli boxes


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## shawnheiderich (19/6/07)

I use a 55L blue tub(24 Bottles) that I found at work....  i have about 15 of them and use 5 for my beer bottles, 750 mil ginger beer (PET lid).and the rest for storage in the garage. I have also found that the six pack wine carriers from Coles, Wollies ect are good for storage and carting beer to fridge friendly parties and bonus they are free... you just need to ask.


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## Chris (19/6/07)

IRONxMortlock said:


> As promised, here're some pics of my Grandfather's beer crates.



They look like the Woodes swap-a-case's that were at petrol stations everywhere up to a few years ago.

I used homeless milk crates that were left out in the cold. They stack and are easy to lift.


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## Hairy Maclary (23/9/07)

I bottle all beer in Fosters/VB/MB/Carlton Draught long necks. Use the cardboard boxes that they come with at the bottlo. Just head up to your local and ask them to hold on to a couple of the boxes for ya. If they cut them cleanly they can even leave the flap on the top so you can keep the light out. Only problem is you must keep them dry otherwise they are as useful as tissue paper.


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## crozdog (24/9/07)

IRONxMortlock said:


> It looks like I might have to make something. Here are some plans I made up for the world's strongest beer crate. The main pieces are 90X35mm structural pine while the separators are made from 100X11mm pine planks. Based on bunnings prices it should cost about $15-17/crate. It's just a matter of having enough time to make them.
> 
> M



Great drawings, what did you make em with?

IRONxMortlock 90X35mm structural is overkill. You're making a bottle box, not a house!  Have a look at the old fashioned timber fruit/drink crates. They were made of cheap pine max 1/2' thick & varying heights. find a good timber yard to get better prices on your wood.

I mainly use milk crates as they hold 14 longies nice & snuggly. I like em cause I can fit a brew in 2 of em; they don't fall apart when wet; they aren't too heavy when full; they stack well & are readily available B) . Those plastic divided crates were usually used for soft drink.


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## ham2k (25/9/07)

I could do with a few of these:
http://andrewhammel.typepad.com/german_joy...ulous-self.html

That being said I do actually have 3 bottle crates painted with a german brand which hold 20 bottles (like this: http://www.dwplastics.com/crates01.htm). They are fantastic and have easy carry handles. If anyone knows where to get these legitimately  i'd be very interested.


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## brettprevans (25/9/07)

cospak sell crates etc - link. you could possibly modify something from them.


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## tk75 (25/9/07)

Ask your local milkbar or even try the supermarkets...I just asked the owner of the local milkbar and he now puts a couple of milkcrates aside for me. I fit 16 x 640ml bottles perfect.


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## ham2k (26/9/07)

ham2k said:


> I could do with a few of these:
> http://andrewhammel.typepad.com/german_joy...ulous-self.html
> 
> That being said I do actually have 3 bottle crates painted with a german brand which hold 20 bottles (like this: http://www.dwplastics.com/crates01.htm). They are fantastic and have easy carry handles. If anyone knows where to get these legitimately  i'd be very interested.



Today i struck gold my friends. Upon picking up an order at some loading docks, i was told that they were not interested in these and either I take them or they dispose of them.





Very pleased with my score. they don't hold long necks though, these are designed for 500ml bottles. I bottle predominantly in 330ml stubbies so this suits me perfectly. I'm getting rid of all my milk crates now.

:super:


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## ham2k (27/11/07)

*I have about 12 of these to give away.* 

*Pick up is Greendale in Western Sydney*. The crates hold 500ml bottles but generally no bigger. 750ml PET bottles don't fit. Stubbies are obviously a really good fit. Holds 20 bottles.


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## amita (27/11/07)

TidalPete said:


> View attachment 13159
> 
> I make mine. 10 tallies to the case.
> 
> :beer:




looks lika party packs to me!!!  

cheers well done,
amita


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## brendanos (27/11/07)

If anyone in Perth is interested in crates suitable for slim (330 mostly) bottles, drop into the International Beer Shop in West Leederville - we have hundreds of them we want to get rid of. Many of your favourite belgian brands to choose from. I work there on Saturday arvos, but if you mention it to anyone else in the store they'll know what you're talking about and be happy to sort you out.

Cheers
Brendan

P.S. Seriously, help us get rid of them!


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## randyrob (27/11/07)

BEER CRATE SPA!!!!!!!!!


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## chovain (27/11/07)

brendanos said:


> we have hundreds of them we want to get rid of.



For the sake of those in other states, what kind of stores should we be looking out for to be having the same troubles? Is it a particular brand of beer or distributor that ships in crates?


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## ham2k (27/11/07)

Mark Chovain said:


> For the sake of those in other states, what kind of stores should we be looking out for to be having the same troubles? Is it a particular brand of beer or distributor that ships in crates?



I got my stash off a wine & beer distribution centre. My understanding is that they got returned after the beer got sold and the loading dock was left with them. I first saw them in September and I picked up the last of them last week. They were to be destroyed otherwise.

As i said before if anyway wants some of my crates (~12), they are free to a good home. No takers so far tho.


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## braufrau (27/11/07)

Yeah! What Mark said! I'd love some but I'm in SA! What are my favourite belgian beers that come in them?
Westmalle?


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## brendanos (28/11/07)

braufrau said:


> Yeah! What Mark said! I'd love some but I'm in SA! What are my favourite belgian beers that come in them?
> Westmalle?



Yes! I'm sitting on a Boon crate atm. The list is so exhaustive I don't know where to start. My recommendation is to find the best independant beer shop in your state and ask them politely if they have come across any or have any they want to get rid of. Or find the distributor's sticker on your favourite trappist/abbay/artisinal/ecclectic european ale and give them a buzz. You might be doing them a favour... maybe. Avoid widely distributed beers as they generally package in cardboard, or at least for export. G'luck?


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## Florian (24/2/10)

All german beers come in these handy plastic crates, at least in Germany. Don't think they ship them overseas. They do them in different sizes, mostly 330ml and 500ml, and different shapes and colours. You actually buy your beer in them in the shops, you pay a deposit for the crate and a small deposit for each individual bottle. Once you're finished you return them and collect your deposit or transfer it straight away to your next crate. 
Would love to bring some over on my next trip in April, but unfortunately they are a bit awkward to travel with...
Am really hoping I can pick some up in the Brissy area one day.

Florian


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## planner (24/2/10)

IRONxMortlock said:


> As promised, here're some pics of my Grandfather's beer crates.



Recently found a soft drink distributor that was closing down and throwing out these crates (yellow ones). I went in there wallet in hand intending to pay $5 each. Turns out he was more than happy to swap them for HB, 1 tallie for every 10 crates. I was like a kid at xmas loading them into the back of the ute, and didn't have to hide or do it at night. Now Dad, my brother and I all have enough crates for beer storage. 

Must be time to release all those milk crates back into the wild.

Planner


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## rendo (24/2/10)

I wish I saw this post 2 years ago  Could do with a few of these



ham2k said:


> *I have about 12 of these to give away.*
> 
> *Pick up is Greendale in Western Sydney*. The crates hold 500ml bottles but generally no bigger. 750ml PET bottles don't fit. Stubbies are obviously a really good fit. Holds 20 bottles.


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## notung (9/12/10)

I'm loving the look of these wooden crates, which somebody was advertising on the US homebrewtalk forums.






Here was one of their customer's crates:










I would really love a set of these for my brewery!


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## scbmanner (9/12/10)

For those living in Perth, you can get them free from the International Beer Shop in Leederville. They usually have a bunch hanging around from their well packaged international beer deliveries.. They're happy to give them away as they're taking up precious beer selling space.... Most of them only fit <350ml size bottles though...


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## ekul (9/12/10)

I was at a garage sale a few weeks ago because they'd advertised some brew stuff. There was a bench capper there for $3. I said 'thats a cheap capper, they sell for $50 you know' and she said "yeah and comes with some bottles as well'. Now i didn't really need anymore bottles after picking up 10 empty cartons of james squire but i asked anyway, and she led me to a cleaned pile of tallies, all in those really old plastic crates that iron mortlock has pictured. I gave her $5 and walked away with 120bottles in those fantastic plastic crates (10 of them!), plus a bench capper that i have already lost and don't need because i already have two of them. 
They were her late husbands and she didn't brew. Poor bastard would be spinning in his grave i reckon!


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## dcx3 (9/12/10)

I just nick the council's recycling tub's they work great and there free LOL


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## Florian (9/12/10)

I picked 4 of these beauties up the last time I was in Germany. Obviously without the bottles. Love them as they're so easy to stack. I hadn't even thought of it and it was actually SWMBO's idea to take them in our luggage, as she didn't like the random selections of bottles all over the garage.


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## FreeBaseBuzz (9/12/10)

I'm not suggesting anything regarding acquiring these but..

Coles and Wollies now transport fruit and vege in these fantastic black FOLDABLE plastic crates! 
Solid as a rock, they stack, and fold down to be only around 1.5cm high when not in use.
They also fit 40 500ml bottles perfectly. 

found a link
http://www.viscountplastics.co.nz/news___c...oldable_crates_


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## notung (11/12/10)

FreeBaseBuzz said:


> I'm not suggesting anything regarding acquiring these but..
> 
> Coles and Wollies now transport fruit and vege in these fantastic black FOLDABLE plastic crates!
> Solid as a rock, they stack, and fold down to be only around 1.5cm high when not in use.
> ...



I too like the 500ml bottles. Perfectly drinkable size. These crates look good but don't look very stackable with bottles in them.


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## bond (13/9/11)

any recommendations where to look in Melb?
thanks


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## Yob (13/9/11)

bond said:


> any recommendations where to look in Melb?
> thanks




cough... if you ask out the back of any coles or woolies there are usually shed loads of them... cough.. dont forget to ask though


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## komodo (14/9/11)

coles online delivers in them too and occasionally will forget to take them.
That said from SCA you can buy a pair for something like $10 in a range of colours

I like the "slades" type crates. I reckon my old man had a few when I was younger. I should go look in his shed. 

Surely there is a market for someone to produce a product? You can buy packs of brand new bottles from LHBS why not a stackable crate to store them in too? Or is it that homebrewers are gerneally too tight to pay for such a thing?


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## Wolfy (14/9/11)

Komodo said:


> I like the "slades" type crates. I reckon my old man had a few when I was younger. I should go look in his shed.


We got 1/2 dozen of them from the council kerbside cleanup, they're good in that there is a spot for each individual bottle, but blog-standard milk crates are smaller and hold more bottles.


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## Wolfman (14/9/11)

Went around and picked up a dozen from people putting them out for hard runbbish this morning.


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## bond (14/9/11)

bond said:


> any recommendations where to look in Melb?
> thanks



heh - I meant the beer crates with the divider in them :icon_chickcheers:


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## freezkat (14/9/11)

bond said:


> heh - I meant the beer crates with the divider in them :icon_chickcheers:


you folks have these in town? cwcrate






They are corrugated plastic, flat shipped and you assemble. They block light from getting in. Waterproof, super rugged.


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## Spork (14/9/11)

freezkat said:


> you folks have these in town? cwcrate
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I haven't been able to find them. I emailed the manufacturer in the US.

Here is the reply:

Dear XXXX
Got your message sorry it took so long to respond we were on a long holiday this past weekend.



Anyway, we would love to be able to sell you the cases however the shipping cost is outrageous.

We have not found an inexpensive way to ship internationally. 



Example to ship 8 of the cases to Australia would be around $450.00 U.S. dollars its insane but that is what we are stuck with currently.



Sorry for the bad news!



Cheers,



Phil Chaffee

C&W Crate Company

www.cwcrate.com

Ph. 616-245-2728


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## freezkat (15/9/11)

He's full of crap. Let me work on this from my end of the pond.

File storage boxes (banker boxes) work also. Just slip 4 6-pack carriers in there. Works nice.

here's another idea. I know it doesn't have dividers.


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## Spork (18/9/11)

Prototype #1. 1.5 cheap as fence palings were harmed in making this crate.





A touch flimsy, and although the design would stack I'd prefer the crates to interlock somewhat to make a rock solid stack. I'm thinking make the bits around the outside lower down, sat 1-2cm from bottom, and make a second lot around the outside coming 1-2cm above the top of the crate will interlock nicely but the weight will still be borne mostly by the bottles themselves right through to the bottom which will rest on the floor."Stay tuned...


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