Mike, NOT Flat Rate boxes, but PRIORITY Mail boxes; there's a difference. Go to the USPS website.
I recently bought a particular pick-up roller assembly from Trainz on the Bay. It was $6.60 and shipping was $4.74. It was send in a small package. I didn't have any shipping charges complaints.
However, due to shipping charges I sometimes buy more items than I might need to save on possible future shipping charges. Or, I might actually buy another item to average down on shipping charges. I just bought the Menard's REA boxcar, but I added the REA van on a flat due to combined shipping.
Alan
modeltrainsparts posted:Mike, NOT Flat Rate boxes, but PRIORITY Mail boxes; there's a difference. Go to the USPS website.
Thanks mtp! I’ll pick some up Saturday, I did not know they had priority boxes, I need to pay more attention when I am in the post office. 😎😎
Really no more than everything else on the market.
towdog posted:With the flat-rate boxes, can you just walk into the post office and take some home to use later? That's my only problem with them. I don't want to have to bring my item to the post office only to have to package it there.
Pack it at home and do a ship and click. Thats what I do My letter carrier picks it up at my door.
I've shipped a ton of stuff in "composite" boxes. However, note that the shoebox is NOT a flat rate box, just a free box.
I'm sure joining flat rate boxes to make a bigger box would be a total "no-no" in the eyes of the USPS. 
If you use PayPal Ship Now! to generate postage, you can send stuff First Class, up to 4oz it's only $2.66 for a package. Here's a chart from a shipping company, it's the same rates with PP Ship Now. In addition to that, you will get a discount for Priority over USPS standard rates. What's not to like?
Melvin P posted:Pack it at home and do a ship and click. Thats what I do My letter carrier picks it up at my door.
Cheaper with PP, and I also schedule pickups at the door.
