How to store the stash, tools and paint for an indefinite duration

OhOh wrote:

Well, My wife and I are three months away from the arrival of our first child. This will cause many changes to our lives - and one of those is the loss of my modelling space... now to be known as the nursery. Any recommendations for the best way to store the stash and paints (I guess I'll find other uses for the tools).  I was thinking of simply plastic bagging the kits and then packing them into strong cardboard boxes and putting them in the loft - any known risks to this? Is the bagging necessary or over-doing it?  Would the overhead space in the garage be better than the loft (the loft will have high summer temperatures, but the garage will drop down to freezing in the winter). As for the paints - I'm guessing to keep any glues, paints, solvents etc away from the stored kits (I've seen what the fumes can do to unprotected styrene) but again are their any risks if I bag'n'box them - or should I be looking for a metal paint locker or something more substantial? Will temperature extremes have a lasting effect on the paints? The plan is - and my wife has sanctioned this one - to get myself a shed in the garden and kit it out with a decent fume hood, lighting and overhead storage.... my guestimate for the time to completion of this plan is about 18 years.... and three months.  So anything I put into storage could be there for a year or two. Any advice gratefully accepted, Kevin

1st...congrats on the new baby!!! i hope you'll be very happy and make the most of it!! not sure, but if you have access to any plastic totes/boxes those would probably work better than cardboard! DO NOT put them somewhere where it gets really hot...you wont have anymore kits if you do (they warp and melt). that plastic boxes will also keep moister and any water from getting to the kits!

as for the paints...your idea of the metal box/locker is your best bet or even the same as above with plastic boxes. temperature will affect them greatly!!! i would put them in a closet or perhaps a shelf somewhere in a comfortable room setting. so just be aware that no matter where you put them, that they aren't in sunlight/cold for long durations (more than a day or two) or you will see the results when you go to use them again!!! its more the heat than the cold...direct heat will "bleach" the paint and cause moister to accumulate inside ruining them...the cold isnt nearly as bad! just my

Been there.  In fact, I'm still there.  I used to have a nice modeling room until my first child was born.  I have two children now.  I've also been a stay-at-home dad for 5 years.  I still model daily but my work is done at the kitchen table now.  I use a mid-size tackle box to hold my most used tools and glue.  I use a flat board (18 inches by 10 inches) to protect the surface of the table.  My paints are stored downstairs, out of the reach of the kids.  My spray booth is also downstairs.  It breaks down flat and I used to store in the closet when not in use.

Hopefully, you can still find time to model, if only 15 minutes a day.  The first couple of months can be pretty hectic with a new baby.  Afterwards, everything will fall into place and I'm sure you'll find time.  Don't give up just yet...

-Jesse

After many children, I still take time to model. I think the greatest draw on my modeling time was becoming a first time homeowner. Before that, I lived in military housing the last 20 years.

My youngest child is now a month away from age 5. He helps me build, although I have switched to more kid friendly kits like the Speed Racer, Star Wars, Batman kits.

Thanks for the advice guys,

it sounds like the stash will end up in a couple of big plastic tubs in the garage loft - it doesn't get as hot up there.     Paints and tools I'll find a way to store in the house - there are a couple of deep dark cupboards that I can I use.   

 

It is kinda reassuring to hear that there can still be time for a bit of modelling - I may keep the 1:144 kits (and a few 1:700 submarines) in with the paints and tools for those 15 minutes of quiet time.

 

And thanks too for the congratulations - now back to a paint job rather larger than my airbrush can handle; can anyone suggest a good colour scheme for a nursery?  I'm guessing soft-edged, pastels, minimal initial weathering and space for aftermarket decals later :-)

 

Ta,

Kevin

 

kevin...depends on whether or not you having a boy or a girl as far as what paint colors to use! . but, you've got the right idea...again congrats and good luck!

Kevin, another tip: Get a binder and some plastic pages that you can stick whole sheets of paper in. Take all the decals out of your kits and place them in the plastic pages. Make sure you mark which kit the decals go to. Keep this binder inside on a book shelf somewhere. This way, your decals will be able to last as long as your kits!

Hi RadMax,

thanks for the reminder - I usually sleeve all my decal sheets as soon as I get back from the store. All part of the experience of drooling over the latest purchase, taking spure and box photos for the records and general check that what's in the box is what should be in the box. I don't usually keep them in a seperate binder. Instead I make sure they're on the bottom of the box before they get added to the stash; that way the sprue is on top and the decals are lying flat. No problems so far - but then the oldest layers of the stash are only 4 years old.  I'll probably make sure the sleeves are all sealed before I move the stash into the loft - can't be too careful.

 

Thanks again,

Kevin