Anybody have experience shipping just a few 4' or longer lamps in the US?

How do you package? What courier do you use?  What does it cost in general? 

Thanks 

HI.

I dont live in the US, but I can tell how im usually done the packing. If I needed to send small quantity(I have kept 3-4 lamps for maxium at this practice)I have packed those inside of cardboard tubes, like this: http://www.whitenightcape.com/image/putki.JPG I have get them at local textile stores for free. First I have wrapped bubble wrap around the fluorescent lamp so much that its barely fits in the cardboard tube. every lamp has its own tube(but long cardboard tube could hold couple smaller lamp, when inserted sequentially, remember to put some bubble wrap between them) Then I have filled empty space at the ends of the cardboard tube, sealed the ends with tape, and finally bind all cardboard tubes together(if more than 1) with plastic packing band or tape. Im not sure if this is the cheapest possible way to send fl lamps but I have never had any broken lamps in that way. and atleast in Finland, under 90cm long tubes can be send as a tubular maxi letter wich is little cheaper than standart packed.

Also, cardboard tubes are great for transporting more valuable lamps in car.