Long term Storage - What to use

[jenius]

I'm actually getting pressure from the wife to toss the boxes?!?

Crazy or what, eh?

You're too old to collect toys anyway. You should put them in their boxes and ship them to me, let me worry about how to store them.

[mmmgggsss]

Hi everyone!!!! I'm new here (Noobs). Before i ask my question i want to thank everyone here that make this wonderful website for the macross fan. Nice Job!!! Well, I was navegatin in the forum and i saw this topic. An interesting topic.

I had a wooden cabinet in my closet and i store all my toys there. Somebody said that they wrap the toys with pallete wrap and use silica bags prevent moisture.

Do you think is a good idea to wrap the toys wtih pallete wrap and store it in the cabinet, and put some silica bags inside???

Do the silica bags cause any chemical damage to the toys???

Any suggestion , opinion???

I appreciate your help. TGhank!!!

[Fortress_Maximus]

Interesting, are your windows the older metal ones and not the doublepane glass ones? Also the proximity of the window to your closet will definitely affect the temperature in the closet.

You know, it's the damnedest thing about the moisture in my house, I sometimes think it's because I keep the windows in those rooms closed all the time that they get the moisture. Maybe they get moisture because the temperature outside is cold and the house is pretty toasty inside and it causes a condensation effect? Clearly I'm just pretty clueless about it. The windows are double-paned and seem to make a great seal when closed but the closet is in pretty close proximity to one. As a result of my discovery I placed all my most valuable boxes in a plastic tote with a desicant package. As an experiment I put a ton of MPCs in a big garbage bag and taped it sealed shut and left that in the closet where the old cardboard box was.

Side note, my biggest fear about earthquakes won't be the stuff I have stored (unless there's a fire) but rather all my display cases! Man, if those took a tumble it'd suck but I think the more realistic problem would be that the toys would fall over, bump the door open, and then fall to the floor.

407192[/snapback]

I keep my windows closed 100% of the time and I don't even have the doublepaned windows like you do. However, I think one reason why I might not have your situation is due to the fact my closet is cold. Not refrigerator cold, but it's one of the cooler rooms b/c I don't let the outside sun come in and I keep the bathroom door shut if I use the shower to avoid steam buildup. Window blinds help but I don't recommend drapes b/c in my experience, it just cooks the room. If you can relocate the items to a part of the building that has zero direct sun, it should help avoid moisture build up. As such, if your main storage is near say the bathroom, kitchen or a mixture of natural light sources that affects the temperature ... I'd consider finding a way to regulate the temperature inside that specific storage room. Have you run temperature and humidity tests yet? Try visiting a wine store and getting one of those readers for moisture and temperature build up.

As for earthquakes well you know that display cases need to be firmly secured with brackets. So when the earthquake does occurs the entire case will not land on you or your loved ones. Once secured, the items inside at most will get rattled and I imagine only crushed if something else falls on it and/or the roof or floor collapses. Both are possibly scenarios during a large fire, but at the point in time, I hope you'd be safely away and not concerned about the cases or toys within.

Edited June 13, 2006 by Fortress_Maximus

[LORD KUNGFU]

perhaps lord kungfu will share with us what he does, since he owns hundreds and hundreds of toys all locked away in a warehouse somewhere. He probably has some great ideas on how to pack them for long term storage.

407187[/snapback]

for me its easy since everything is kept in there original shipping containers/boxes. My 2 main storage facilites are near ridgecrest way out in the desert. Hence, why I do not have pictures of all my stuff. Im not about to drive 3 hours one way to take pictures of a bunch of boxes so that you all can worship me. Moisture is a not a factor since its all desert climate. Dry as hell. My only real concern is the heat. Maybe in a few years if I decide to sell off my exorbinant(SP) amount of valks, they may be melted or deformed due to the heat. But being the business man that I am, I would capitalize on my misfortune and sell the valks as super deformed 1/48 scale, and charge triple the current price. Genius I tell you.

Lord K.

[eugimon]

well, that was worthless. thanks for nuthin kungfu.

[Skull-1]

Don't forget rat poison.

[Vermillion21]

I'm actually getting pressure from the wife to toss the boxes?!?

Crazy or what, eh?

You're too old to collect toys anyway. You should put them in their boxes and ship them to me, let me worry about how to store them.

407429[/snapback]

Ha ha ha ha

[Vermillion21]

You forgot that you also have some stashed away at Area 51 aka "Dreamland" 

Hilarious .....

[robodog562000]

I keep my boxed toys wrapped in old t-shirts in plastic totes.

[Macross73]

I keep my boxed toys wrapped in old t-shirts in plastic totes. 

407741[/snapback]

...and this keeps your shirts case-fresh?

I dont see the benefit unless your shirts smell like cardboard and thats your intention. I guess the shirts do add a protection of padding but so do other packing materials.

[kanata67]

I keep all my boxed toys on bookshelves in a dedicated room. it's only the piles of loose stuff I keep in tupperware I occasionally have to move out to the carport when I need some inside space... like when mom decides to have a family gathering at my house without letting me know that everybody will be staying at my house . Tomorrow is going to be fun .

you can buy large cans of desicant at grocery stores and some flower shops. You use it for drying herbs, mushrooms, meat, etc. If you are concerned about moisture you can also use a silica packet and vacume seal it inside tupperware. One it's vacume sealed moisture can't get in. Excessive heat could still be a problem though.