Preserving your crap

[The Keeper]

So we had a downpour last night and I got about 10 gallons in the basement window which will need to be attended to. Sadly, it cascaded over three cartons and I've spent the last four hours seperating wet kits from dry and drying out the wet ones. There was about a dozen incidences of decal decimation but I've got aftermarket for most still I'm not a big fan of water damaged box art.

I suppose I should get to the point. If you live in a humid climate and you've got A LOT of kits in your stash you'll want some pallets or risers to keep your storage cartons off the floor. I keep most kits organized by manufacturer in 2 foot cube cartons. The kits are stored on the long edge to keep the boxes from 'dishing' and getting that dilapidated look. Basement is normally dry but if yours is always wet or humid you'd probably be better off using the attic (mine's full of kits too.) Don't let your cartons touch your storage walls because when the weather changes and the walls get moist, the cardboard will wick up the damp.

If you're using an attic, try and keep it ventilated during hot weather. Continual exposure to excessive heat will wind up warping plastic.

Now if you're a prolific builder and not waiting for retirement like me you should realize that keeping your stash in good shape is important because you may wind up selling stuff off that you've lost interest in. Always consider your stash is resaleable.

Hope that helps...

[stevehnz]

Good advice given here. Sorry to hear of your strife, my heart goes out to you for that. My stash which is mainly intended for retirement is under the stairs to the basement, stored in numbered apple cartons. Cool, dry & off the floor enough to keep it above burst pipe level. If the water gets any deeper than that then I guess the stash won't be my #1 worry. Definitely #2 though. :lol:

Steve.

[Tankcommander]

Last Summer Hurricane Irene hit had 2 feet of water in the basement. After the freezer, washer, dryer. furnace, and hot water heater got back in order I attended to the stash 40 plus kits were submerged as well as all my tools. Boxes total loss as were decals. I was able to save most of the instructions though, had them hanging on clothes lines through out the basement. It was mostly armor kits and ships, bigger boxes on bottom shelves that were affected. They are all in big ziplocks now. The high point was the grant from FEMA to repair and clean the basement. So I feel your pain.

TC

[Bonehammer73]

No major climatic events here (knock on wood) but I moved my stash to the garage and it has a problem with pipes bursting from time to time. No flooding but wet walls, however anything cardboard is at risk of damage.

I started buying clear plastic boxes, like Ikea's SAMLA (not those actually as I think they make poor use of space):

I add a few packs of dessiccant and wrap avana tape around the lid. If the pipes around the garage burst again, I'll tell you how it went.

The only problem with this approach is the economy - each box costs like a 1/72 kit!

[ross blackford]

:D,G'day Keeper,

I too am a keeper of too much crap. Going on 1000 kits if not more in my stash. Bonehammer's idea of using plastic storage boxes is one I'm going to have to try out as all my kits in my garage are in large cardboard boxes that aren't impervious to water. That's a great idea you've come up with there Bonehammer, and might I say typical sensible female logic.

Another advantage over cardboard boxes is that you can see in an instant what's inside the plastic boxes. I've never seen the Ikea boxes and at Ikea's prices in Oz I don't think I want to.

We have an auto parts store chain here called Supercheap Auto which sells those boxes in various sizes fairly cheaply so it looks like I'll be filling the back of the station wagon with some next time I go there. Then I'll have to have a good clean out of the garage (it needs it believe me) and then as I can afford it I'll buy more of the plastic boxes and as I sell my stash off I'll be able to use those boxes for something else, caravan parts maybe.

,

Ross.

Edited July 30, 2012 by ross blackford

[hacker]

nothing wrong with a healthy stash. At one time I had 365 aircraft build all in 1/72 scale plus about 300 more yet to build. As with all things in life crap happens. My first marriage ended (glad to get rid of her and some of the in laws) and I ended up renting a storage unit to keep all my stuff that was left over from the marriage including my stash and references. But alas there was a fire started by some idiot in the next unit and I lost it all. I was taking stuff out from time to time slowly but the it was not enough. No storage containers would have help me here.

Putting a bright spin on this I figure what the heck I can start fresh and with all the newer better models coming out I could end up with even better builds and better unbuild models in my stash. I have also managed to get some of my reference materials back and even managed to replaced them with updated editions of the same books

[The Keeper]

Wow! Fire, floods, glad to see I'm not alone here.

Here's what decals look like when you don't teach them how to swim. Heller Arado 96

The plastic boxes sound great but too expensive at this level. Maybe I can find some waterproof bags to sleeve the cartons. Additionally, when you're trying to dry stuff out the refrigerator is a great help, works on electronics too!

Hope that helps,

The Keeper