Models and moving

I've spent about 30 years moving every 3 to 4 years with models. In college it was easy to load up the fragile stuff, but cross country and overseas moves were often a challenge.

I took those opportunities to "retire" the display builds. Usually when I placed the kits in moving boxes, those boxes were rarely opened (other than to see what's inside) and my current crop of kits became my display kits.

My most heartbreaking move was in 2001 from New Jersey to Massachusetts. It was basically a day's drive and I had asked for a couple of small moving boxes from the movers. In one medium box, I had carefully set several in progress kits. In the other smaller box I placed my entire collection of paints, spray cans and other hazardous items movers will not take. Both boxes were clearly labeled "DO NOT PACK" and set aside.

The movers took the heavier paint box and placed it inside the box with the partially built kits, crushing my models.

Most of the times I've moved with built kits, they just don't survive the move whether they were crushed or had most of the detail parts off. I just start anew when I get to my next duty station. I just don't have the heart to toss any of my wounded warriors and always plan on fixing them someday.

Well, at least it's only across town. I would go with Doogs idea of just putting them in the backseat and driving them over there. Unfortunetly, my last move was out to Guam, so I had to use "proffesional" movers. I practically had to reassemble my models!

Well some good Ideas I'll keep them in mind when I move good thing it's just across town not country. I have been smart enough to save the shipping boxes they came in so I might just put them in those boxes with the peanuts and hope for the best. 

I use plastic (ie Rubbermaid and the like) bins of varying sizes and put the models (1-3 per bin) in there with foam peanuts.  Breakage if any is limited to ordnance, canopies and the like, relatively easy to fix with a quick dab of CA when I unpack.  Since I've moved a few times already due to the military, I haven't minded the very minimal investment in the bins since I've used them all a few times.

Some good information here. I have used the foam cradle method that Fermis used and have also stretched rubber bands across boxes to trap and suspend the winds of aircraft kits. Armor is a little easier as they can be screwed to a board that is then screwed into a box. Just give it some thought but by golly don't throw anything out...

When we travel to contests, we use those "under the bed" plastic boxes with a layer of the wallboard type hard foam insulation on the bottom. The models are held in place with the large colored toothpicks stuck into the foam at various spots along the sides of the models arranged so they won't move in any direction. Have not had any mishaps yet. Have found a lot of other guys at the contests doing the same thing.

Jim

That's what I did, too.  Lots of plastic bubble wrap and styrofoam peanuts, in oversized boxes.  Most survived with minimal damage.  I had a BIG old wooden / tissue model that I could not find a box big enough for, had to pay the movers $125 to have a subcontractor build a custom wooden crate for it.  It survived just fine,  Hated to pay the price, but the thing was a prized model I built over 50 years ago.

When I moved from the Midwest to New Hampshire I placed each model on a plastic bag and packed them in boxes with foam peanuts. They survived with just a few pieces such as rockets, etc. coming loose.

When I moved, half way across the country, I packed em with packing foam (sponge-like stuff). I used them to craddle the models.

I cut the "craddles" to fit snug on the fuse. sometimes you'll have to put a foam block under each wing on bigger model, or a block at either end, just to keep things from shifting.

I used pretty big boxes, with multiple "shelves". I placed the bottom layer of models in, and used hard styrofoam "pillars" to hold up a sheet of cardboard for the next layer. some boxes had as many as five layers. Out of 113 models moved, I only had to reglue one popped off canopy, 2 fuel tanks, and 1 landing gear......pretty dang good!

These two are on a second shelf, going to a contest.

I haven't been able to find this foam anywhere, since my supply ran out, but I did pick up some foam padding from a fabric store, that is about the same and works just as good. It comes in a roll (it's green) and is about 1" thick. A 2' x 2' piece oughtta do a good 70-80 models.

I used Elmers glue to hold the foam.

I just moved...fortunately just across town...but I had great luck laying down the wife's yoga mat (an older one) in the back of the car and setting the aircraft on it. Drove slow, tried to limit abrupt movement, and everything survived perfectly.