Best Storage Methods
Post new topic Reply to topic Page 2 of 31, 2, 3
Author


Active Collector

Posts: 25
Joined: Jan 16, 2012
Last Visit: Oct 30, 2017

Post Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:59 pm 
 

Gnat the Beggar wrote:Anyone want to go in with me on one of the Magazine sized 1000 bag listings?


A good idea, however, I am in need of the full 1,000.

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 762
Joined: Dec 31, 2005
Last Visit: Jan 26, 2024
Location: Dallas, TX

Post Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:20 pm 
 

Grug Greyskin wrote:
The shiny side should face the module.  The coating is calcium carbonate which will absorb acid that will migrate from the comic or module.


Thanks! Speaking in generalities, will this be a significant effect, or are we talking very minimal degrading? Also, is this worry completely absent with shrinkwrapped material? That is, is it possible for the acids to leach through the shrink?

I'm trying to weigh whether it's worth opening up maybe a thousand bags to verify the correct board position.

  

User avatar

Prolific Collector

Posts: 260
Joined: Feb 25, 2003
Last Visit: Jan 10, 2021

Post Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:02 pm 
 

Likely the shrink itself is doing more damage than which side of the board is facing it. Shrink wrap was never meant to preserve items over decades.

  

User avatar

Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 632
Joined: Mar 17, 2008
Last Visit: Feb 08, 2024
Location: Evergreen, CO

Post Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:07 pm 
 

Sea-to-sky-games wrote:
Thanks! Speaking in generalities, will this be a significant effect, or are we talking very minimal degrading? Also, is this worry completely absent with shrinkwrapped material? That is, is it possible for the acids to leach through the shrink?

I'm trying to weigh whether it's worth opening up maybe a thousand bags to verify the correct board position.


It isn't really a "worry," assuming you have acid-free boards to begin with.  If you have the old school, brown on one side white on the other, you definitely want the white side to the product, otherwise, it is not that significant.  Better yet, replace that old board with an acid free version.

Discussion of acid from the product is primarily involving newsprint (like comic books), I am not sure it even applies to rpg stuff, but the shiny side is the "proper" product facing side.

Not sure how shrinkwrap comes into play in all this, but it is not really an archival material, so ironically, for long term storage one is probably better off unshrinking stuff and storing in mylar w acid free boards.

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 762
Joined: Dec 31, 2005
Last Visit: Jan 26, 2024
Location: Dallas, TX

Post Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:27 pm 
 

Thanks all for your counsel.

Of course, my enthusiasm for finishing off my shrink collection just dropped a notch : )

  

User avatar

Sage Collector
Valuation Board

Posts: 2478
Joined: Nov 16, 2002
Last Visit: Mar 28, 2024
Location: Ohio, The land without sun

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 9:00 am 
 

Unless the SW is too tight and warping the item, I would suggest keeping it on.  The item is usually worth considerably more that way, due to the "Shrink Factor".  I made the mistake early on in my collecting days of removing some items from SW and immediately bagging/boarding them, because I thought that it would be better for the item long-term.  Over time it's really not been a factor.  The SW doesn't seem to cause any adverse affect or damage.  But, I would still bag and board items too, since the SW is usually not sealed well.

With some of the older items that were packaged in ziploc bags, I do recommend removing and bagging/boarding them though.  You can then retain the original bag along with the item or, if it will fit, place it back in the ziploc bag.

  

User avatar

Sage Collector

Posts: 2589
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Last Visit: Mar 11, 2023
Location: Seattle, WA

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:15 am 
 

Sea-to-sky-games wrote:All my stuff is in bags and boards. I'm wondering if it's worth going through hundreds of items to make sure the "proper" side is facing the module.


No.



Grug Greyskin wrote:Discussion of acid from the product is primarily involving newsprint (like comic books), I am not sure it even applies to rpg stuff, but the shiny side is the "proper" product facing side.


And this is why.  There just isn't going to be enough decay in the paper of our RPG items to matter which side of the board is touching the paper.  The paper quality is completely different from old comics, and if not left in adverse conditions (direct sunlight, moisture, etc.) they will age like books, not newsprint.  Even modern comics don't really have this problem.  (Some independent zines and such could have lower quality paper - use your own judgement in that case.)

Realistically, the bag protects against moisture and insects while the backing board is a stiffener, so your books stand straight.  In this case, the acid absorption is just a bonus.


And yes, I know individual items could behave differently from what I've described, but overall, RPGs are not browning and turning brittle like comics from the same era.


Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

  


Active Collector

Posts: 25
Joined: Jan 16, 2012
Last Visit: Oct 30, 2017

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:21 am 
 

Do Dragon and Dungeon magazines need to be boarded or just put in sleeves and a good magazine box.  When stored upright in an appropriate number in magazine boxes after being placed in a sleeve, they don't seem to be prone bending.  Further, sometimes I like to be able to see the back of the magazine, not just the cover.  Am I off base on this?

  

User avatar

Sage Collector
Valuation Board

Posts: 2478
Joined: Nov 16, 2002
Last Visit: Mar 28, 2024
Location: Ohio, The land without sun

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 5:49 pm 
 

It's really a matter of preference.  I like to board everything, just to stiffen them up.  The boards also tend to keep the bags tighter to the product, if sized properly for the item.

  

User avatar

Long-Winded Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 3643
Joined: May 30, 2007
Last Visit: Mar 27, 2024
Location: USA Georgia

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 6:34 pm 
 

DD.Collector wrote:Do Dragon and Dungeon magazines need to be boarded or just put in sleeves and a good magazine box.  When stored upright in an appropriate number in magazine boxes after being placed in a sleeve, they don't seem to be prone bending.  Further, sometimes I like to be able to see the back of the magazine, not just the cover.  Am I off base on this?


Boarding also means few mags/modules fit in the box.  If you fill the box completely, boards are not really necessary in my opinion.  However, I personally board all my modules, even though I have a box full.  It's all personal preference.

One other thing; if you are planning to sell some of these Dragon magazines, then realize once you bag and board them, the bag and board are worth almost as much as the mag in many cases.  There are jokes around these forums about how people have used old Dragons for packing material.  I am especially referring to issues after 130 or so, but lots of people on these forums would draw the line much lower than that.


Truth is worth finding and life is too short to work for money.

  

User avatar

** Banned **

Posts: 1213
Joined: Aug 04, 2009
Last Visit: Nov 02, 2013

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 6:48 pm 
 

DD.Collector wrote:Do Dragon and Dungeon magazines need to be boarded or just put in sleeves and a good magazine box.  When stored upright in an appropriate number in magazine boxes after being placed in a sleeve, they don't seem to be prone bending.  Further, sometimes I like to be able to see the back of the magazine, not just the cover.  Am I off base on this?


The problem I've found with boarding magazines is that with the thicker ones (Dragon mags in the 30s on up), they tend to fit too tightly in the bag. You're bound to do damage to the covers around the staples if you take them in and out of the bags even a few times.


Ithaca Dragon
-==(UDIC)==-

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 762
Joined: Dec 31, 2005
Last Visit: Jan 26, 2024
Location: Dallas, TX

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:02 pm 
 

benjoshua wrote:One other thing; if you are planning to sell some of these Dragon magazines, then realize once you bag and board them, the bag and board are worth almost as much as the mag in many cases.  There are jokes around these forums about how people have used old Dragons for packing material.  I am especially referring to issues after 130 or so, but lots of people on these forums would draw the line much lower than that.

I've been hearing this a lot, but where are these cheap Dragon magazines? I could use some!

[missing 57, 61, 62, 65, 69, 126, 132, 136, 167, 169 :D]

  


Active Collector

Posts: 25
Joined: Jan 16, 2012
Last Visit: Oct 30, 2017

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:23 pm 
 

Thanks for the advice! I am not looking to try to make money (doubt I could anyways)  I am no master ebayer.  I would like to expand my collection and help others do the same.   I do have a lot of multiples in great shape that I will post in the classifieds preferably for trade when I get organized.  Respectfully, DD.Collector.

  


Active Collector

Posts: 25
Joined: Jan 16, 2012
Last Visit: Oct 30, 2017

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:36 pm 
 

MetamorphosisSigma wrote:
The problem I've found with boarding magazines is that with the thicker ones (Dragon mags in the 30s on up), they tend to fit too tightly in the bag. You're bound to do damage to the covers around the staples if you take them in and out of the bags even a few times.


What size bags are you using?  I am leaning away from boards, but for Dragon and Dungeon mags, would it be better to buy a bunch of the thick magazine version (8 7/8" x 11 1/8") instead of the normal magazine sized bags (8 3/4" x 11")?

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 413
Joined: May 07, 2007
Last Visit: Aug 03, 2021

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:40 pm 
 

DD.Collector wrote:
What size bags are you using?  I am leaning away from boards, but for Dragon and Dungeon mags, would it be better to buy a bunch of the thick magazine version (8 7/8" x 11 1/8") instead of the normal magazine sized bags (8 3/4" x 11")?


Ack valid point, I forgot to mention the difference. I ALWAYS buy the Thick bags. You want the Thick bags. For truth. My bad, I should have remembered and told ya earlier. :)

Zen

  


Active Collector

Posts: 25
Joined: Jan 16, 2012
Last Visit: Oct 30, 2017

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:43 pm 
 

No worries Zen.  I really appreciate the advice and everyone's patience in answering my OCD questions.

  

User avatar

** Banned **

Posts: 1213
Joined: Aug 04, 2009
Last Visit: Nov 02, 2013

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:01 pm 
 

Zenfinite wrote:
Ack valid point, I forgot to mention the difference. I ALWAYS buy the Thick bags. You want the Thick bags. For truth. My bad, I should have remembered and told ya earlier. :)

Zen


Yeah, buy the bigger ones. I've used both, and still have a mixture. Even with the larger ones, though, I still hesitate to use boards. I'd like to do so as a stiffener, but some of the thickest magazine issues only fit comfortably without the board.


Ithaca Dragon
-==(UDIC)==-

  

User avatar

** Banned **

Posts: 1213
Joined: Aug 04, 2009
Last Visit: Nov 02, 2013

Post Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:04 pm 
 

DD.Collector wrote:I really appreciate the advice and everyone's patience in answering my OCD questions.


Don't worry about you're questions/concerns, they're pretty tame for around here, for you've embarked on a journey into the Empire of the Obsessive-Compulsive.


Ithaca Dragon
-==(UDIC)==-

  
PreviousNext
Post new topic Reply to topic Page 2 of 31, 2, 3