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Hello ARC,

So it looks like I am going to have to store my model collection, both built and un built, for a couple of years...  Does anyone out there have any advice on how to pack them up for the best chance of survival?  Thanks!

 

Todd

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Hi Todd,

 

The un-built kits I have are stored in the garage in Large moving boxes that are taped-up very well.

I have them about 1 foot off the ground so the boxes will not get wet if there is any water spilled around them & a few inches away from the wall.

The cold & heat hasn't affected them in any way.

In sunny So. Calif..

 

As for the built kits; others will have to chime in on that.

 

HTH

Andrew

 

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If there is a chance of high humidity, even if only temporary (drying clothes) or seasonal, I would strongly suggest to store the unbuilt kits in plastic containers with a good lid. Buy something with a brand name so that you can buy identical boxes in the years to come, makes the storage and stacking of the boxes safer. I at first went the route of using cardboard moving boxes, stored unbuilt kits in the 4 digit range in our basement and had and still have to check they yearly for mold and foxing. Had to dispose the boxes of some kits, most of them HobbyBoss, followed by Revell and Italeri. Date of purchase made no real difference, but I got the impression that cardboard boxes with tightly packed kits had more often mold than boxes with kits that had a little bit of air in between them.

 

Cheers

Thorsten

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On 6/18/2017 at 1:39 PM, Kaibutsu said:

Hi Todd,

 

The un-built kits I have are stored in the garage in Large moving boxes that are taped-up very well.

I have them about 1 foot off the ground so the boxes will not get wet if there is any water spilled around them & a few inches away from the wall.

The cold & heat hasn't affected them in any way.

In sunny So. Calif..

 

As for the built kits; others will have to chime in on that.

 

HTH

Andrew

 

 

This is good to know, as I also live in So. California, and was worried about storing kits in the garage, especially the heat.  I do have a question - do you store the decals with the kits?  That is what I would be most worried about.

 

Stacey

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2 hours ago, zeus60 said:

 

This is good to know, as I also live in So. California, and was worried about storing kits in the garage, especially the heat.  I do have a question - do you store the decals with the kits?  That is what I would be most worried about.

 

Stacey

 

Hi Stacey,

 

Most of the kits stored in the garage are still factory sealed and the others are open. I left all decals in with the kits.

They still look okay, but before I use them I'll probably coat them with MicroScale's liquid decal film. 

 

Hope that helps

Andrew

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6 hours ago, Kaibutsu said:

 

Hi Stacey,

 

Most of the kits stored in the garage are still factory sealed and the others are open. I left all decals in with the kits.

They still look okay, but before I use them I'll probably coat them with MicroScale's liquid decal film. 

 

Hope that helps

Andrew

 

I'm think I may remove the decal sheets before storing the kits.  Right now they are all inside, but I'm planning to do some remodeling, and may need to move them outside.

 

Stacey

 

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I'm not a big believer in leaving kits sealed. One, you don't know if anything is missing and two, you can't fondle it.

 

When I buy a kit the second thing I do is cut a piece of parchment paper the same size as the decal sheet and put the decal and parchment in an appropriately sized zip-loc bag, with the parchment paper on the printed side of the decal sheet. This protects the sheet from humidity and potential damage from silverfish. Silverfish seem to be attracted to certain types of ink and/or adhesive. For this same reason I don't put post-it notes on things in kit boxes - silverfish love post-it notes.  I may not build the kit right away so it is essentially "in storage" until I do build it.

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I used a large size moving cardboard box since  the late 70's to store my models.  I use the foam/plastic peanut shipping material, lay a layer down place my larges model  shake the box until the peanuts swallow it up then place more peanuts and models until I fill the box, I have had as many as 17 models in the boxes, moved them all over the country stored them in a metal building outside in Louisiana for over 15 years at the longest time without opening the box. then when ready to open I lay an old shower curtain down and pour out the peanuts taking time to easy the models out when they appear through the shipping peanuts....When done I put the peanuts back into the box. I have found ever small Landing gear door that comes unglued, never lost a pito tube, or prop blad.

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