Storing kits (is there a proper way)?

I live in the damp pacific north west.
I have found that if you remove the decals from the kit and place them in a three ring binder with plasic pouch pages you will be O.K.(keep the binder in the house)
I have stored my kits in boxs in my garage for many years with out problem.
It does get hot here but the kits are holding out well.
HINT: store your kits on their side in the boxs.If you store them flat the weight of the top boxs "will" warp the kits on the bottom of the stack.
Another HINT:Keep your best kits in the house .This way you will be sure that happens to your favorites.

The decals will be affected by the humidity in the garage. When you remove them from the box you can store them with a desicant (the do not eat packages that come with most electronics), they are made to remove moisture.

Thanks for all the replies on this matter. I am fortunate enough to work at a place with several shrink wrapping machines. The kits that had been opened have been re-sealed. (You know those kits you win on eBay, just have to make sure everything is complete)

The garage gets warm in the summer months but, not REALLY hot. We keep the garage door open with the kids getting their bikes in and out. It is the cold winter temps I am concerned about.

PS.... thanks to those who offered to "store" some of my kits I have a few but, not as many as some people here.....step up to the plate here Black!!

Loveland. Chat me up sometime. Don't know how you feel, but IMO Boulder sux. Lots of wierd folks (aside me) but .... Bah. Boulder has gone to X-Files now ...

P.S. Colo native; born and raised.

Hoser - Denver, in the Wash Park neighborhood. Lived in Boulder for almost thirty years until it got spoiled. Really miss that awesome playground of the Rockies literally at my back door. Are you a mile high yourself?

Just some more about decals: It is changes in heat and humidity that destroy the decals. So not only store them in ziploc and and airtight container, but try to keep them in a constant-temperature room that is preferably cool (not cold), and away from sunlight. If you take these precautions the decals should last a good many a year. I built an F-14 about 12 years ago that had been sitting in the basement for years and the decals were unprotected. I've got brown spots on the Tomcat as a constant reminder for me to protect decals from now on.

DJ

LOL!! Great idea, Merlin!

Erock, I have plenty of storage - just send me your kits. I promise I will take *real* good care of them!


Seriously, cold should not affect them but heat and moisture are a problem. The tips you've got about sealing your decals is great advice. To get the air out of the ziplocks, put the bag inside a book, close it and seal - you should be good to go.

P.S. Stinger - 'Whar 'bouts in Collorahda?'

I was afraid this question would come up and I would have to face the facts about my own storage. I can see where cold would not necessarily affect plastic, but will parts warp under the heat of a garage in the summer? What if they are still in their boxes on the sprue trees? They are not under any direct heat souce such as sunlight, but rather the overall 'hot zone' of a typical unventilated garage. Is there some amount of pre-stress in plastic that would cause it to return to a 'memory ' state under extreme heat, or is it just that the softened plastic will succumb to gravity? My only alternative storage would be in a dingy unfinished basement, but maybe it's worth the trek through 'The most daiynjerous spida's in ahll ov Collorahda' to keep them safe. Help, before they are all ruined.

Agree 100% with DJ .... storing them in an unheated garage will not hurt the kits in any way, but the decals are another story.

Sell some of your old unwanted kits or stop buying new kits.

When storing kits, it is important to protect the decals. I put all my decal sheets in ziploc bags. You want them properly sealed, and it's probably a good idea to squeeze all the air out. Even better would be to put the decals in ziploc bags and then put them in an airtight "tupperware" type container.

DJ

Hey Erock,
The only thing that I can say that would solve your problem is to move into a BIGGER house.....
Ya know I never really thought about it before. My unbuilts are stacked on shelves in my basement(its set up for heat and AC). You may want to give a shout to Blackwolf aka Steve.
His dad use to store some of the unbuilts in the garage which would not fit in their basement......
I'm sure he would have a better idea into what your asking.
Flaps up, Mike

I'm not sure if that would really be a problem, Eric, but I wouldn't want to chance it.
What I would do is move all of your wife's clothes out to the garage. Explain to her that there is almost no likelyhood that any of her dresses will warp.
Then, move all of your kits into the closet area previously occupied by her stuff.
Then you don't have to worry about it.
Glad to be of help.