Hi,

A bit of advice on the storage of loose vintage Star Wars figures would be appreciated.

I was storing them in zip lock bags until I'd read an article about the possibility it could damage the paint.

I've now moved them into these small plastic cases, like a small star case but only enough room for a loose figure, which are held together by a join at the bottom and then clip into place like a star case. Bought a few from a guy on eBay but have no idea what they are called. Any ideas?

Anyway, would this be relevant storage for protection of the figures! They're in a case and then stored in a box away from sunlight.

My worry is I have a complete set of the potf2 range and the the majority of the Indy figures in ziplock...

Thanks,

Gary

storing action figures in plastic ziploc-type bags is a good idea.  As long as you don't use the vast majority of bags out there. I use ones that are made of Polypropylene for storing small items they are acid-free, archival-quality plastic bags.  

The vast majority of plastic zip-bags, especially those purchased in the grocery store, Walmart, are not meant for long term storage and should not be used as the plastic used in those types is acidic and over time will break down and possibly damage the figure.

The cases you have are often called SMALL BLISTER Display Cases and are a good way to store figs as well but they are not cheap.

You also want to keep your figs out of direct sunlight as this will damage them, Most collectors and museum curator type people will say the area your storing in should be at a constant temp with minimum humidity, this of course is vertually imposible but I wanted to mention it. But you do want to keep them away from heat sources like baseboard heaters etc.

These are the types of bags I use so you know.



Here is a link to where you can get baggies from you want the Ultra Clear line ones
http://www.gtzip.com/nav-ziplock-uc.html

Hope this helps

Here's a thread from a couple of years ago that is worth reading: http://www.imperialgunneryforum.com/t3931-storing-your-loose-collection-tips?highlight=storing+figures

Hi,

Thanks for the advice and links to other forum threads!

I have around seventy kenner figures all near mint/mint in those small blister cases - thanks for the heads up on the name, I've found a seller who does ten for ten dollars in the states. I'm in the UK. The only problem with these is that you can't fit all figures in. Still think they're the best option though, though they do take up space. You can stack them so I've just got them stacked in an amazon box...

Indy and potf2 are all in zip lock bags. I have no idea if they're acid free though.

Thanks again,

Gary

Good info Larry and Steve   

I've got a lot of my loose figures in plastic zip bags, but I'm not sure if they are acid free  
I'll have to make sure I get some acid free bags ASAP, thanks for the heads up guys  

Gary, can you send me the link to the small blister cases please mate, to have a look at ?
Any idea if that plastic is acid free  :scratch: 
Cheers Andy  

I forgot about the link here for storing figs etc I also forgot to mention the hole punch in the sealed bags sorry about that

arohk wrote:

I forgot about the link here for storing figs etc I also forgot to mention the hole punch in the sealed bags sorry about that

No worries Larry, it's great that you replied.  

Andy,

Not sure how to transfer the link via the ipad app. but if you search protective bubble clamshell and widen your search to worldwide they will come up. I have just the standard size which doesn't quite fit some of the ewoks, gammy guard, emperor - due to the width etc but you Cana slightly wider size I have ground that will accommodate those larger figures.

Now, my query was related to your question which was... Are these clam shells free from acid too? I have no idea to be honest.

They stack on top of each other so they lie flat and fit nicely if you store them in a box. Plus, if you're a loose collector like me I think it shows the figure off a little better.

The seller in the states is doing ten for around ten dollars. That's below the $15 dollar limit for customs too so should be fine to order.

Found the link! However, as a new member I'm not allowed to post it. Do a search on the above and it'll come up no problem.

Gary

Let me know of you find it,

Thanks, gary

cantina_patron wrote:

arohk wrote:

I forgot about the link here for storing figs etc I also forgot to mention the hole punch in the sealed bags sorry about that

No worries Larry, it's great that you replied.  

Larry, I would not know about my zip bags possibly containing acid without your post, so cheers mate  


Gary, Thanks for your help mate, I'll check it out   

No worries Nico glad I could help to let fellow collectors know. So far I have had no issues with the bags showing any sign of damaging the figures or my stamps which are in smaller ones.

Hi,

It was dcsportscard ... The image had luke bespin as an example.

I've not bought from him mind, I bought around sixty from a guy on eBay who was getting rid of his.

Wasn't even sure what they were called until it was mentioned by arohk above. They're great for storing figures. Not sure about the acid situation though.

My personal messaging isn't allowing me to reply.



Gary

here you go Andy, this guy is in the U.K, he ships fast and his prices are pretty reasonable   

his baggies are acid free too   


http://www.vintagestarwarscollectables.co.uk/Star%20wars/displaysupplies/Displaysupplies.html

Nice one Chris! I'll be ordering some of them!

No problem Gary   

the sellers name is Paul, I've bought quite a few 'Protech' star cases and display stands from him over the last few years and he's always been great to deal with.

Nice one Chris, that's great mate  

Got an order on the way   

I have to admit that I'm in the baggie camp. None of my Vintage are stored in the store bought kind, but a LOT, and I mean A LOT of my modern figures are. Here is one thing I did learn though, that will help. Do not completely seal the bag. Leave a small gap on one corner, or just don't close it at all. This allows enough airflow that if the bags do off gas, they don't damage the figures. I've had some of my modern stuff in this type of bag for 7 years, and they are still doing well. Eventually, I'd like to get some of the non acid type bags like I use for my Vintage, but that would cost quite a bit of money. I may just remove the figures, and leave the weapons and accessories in them instead. At least the stuff will stay sorted.

I find Vintage display quite well LOOSE. 70 figures is an impressive number. They shouldn't be stuffed in an Amazon box. Find a shelf and set them free! Post a pic, too!   

Thanks for the info! I'd love to set them free but waiting for more space and the full set. I was hoping to pick up some figures on here that I don't have but haven't had much response.

Photo wise wasn't sure how to upload from an ipad.

Gary

Just picked up a few hard plastic nails/screws organizer storage cases from home depot for under $5 each that look like they can be organized to hold at least 12 figures. I plan on lining the bottom of each figure space with some type of acid-free soft material and maybe drilling a small "breather" hole in each figure slot. I think this type of case is a great way to store loose figures & still be able to enjoy viewing them easily.

So what do you guys think of this method? Pros/cons to this? Need a pic of this storage container?

[QUOTE=Tim_McShane;19593820]Having worked in museum collections management for 25+ years, I can tell you the myth of a "museum standard" was thoroughly debunked by the Canadian Conservation Institute (a world-leader in conservation science and research - Canadian Conservation Institute - Home) in the 1990s. "Magic setpoints" like 50%RH and 17 degrees C are chosen more for the comfort of humans who work with collections, rather than anything "optimal" in those numbers for material preservation. Not that those are bad numbers, but they are difficult to maintain year-round in many environments; also, it's much more important to maintain a constant environment that worry about any particular number.

For RH, anything in the range of 35%-65% is acceptable. Lower than that, certain organics will start to become brittle. Any higher, you risk mould growth. Daily fluctuations should be kept to a minimum; damage is known to occur with a 10% change over 24 hours.

Temperature plays a role in two ways. 1) Like any reaction, the chemical processes of material degradation work faster at higher temperatures, so cooler is better. 2) There is a direct inverse relationship between temperature and RH (as temp. increases, RH drops), so maintaining a stable temperature is important in maintaining a constant RH.

The difficulty in working with modern materials is that plastics can conceivably contain hundreds of chemical compounds, in varying proportions. We know the characteristics of "pure" plastics such as ABS, PVC, HDPE, LDPE, polyurethane, polystyrene, etc., but once you start mixing them for particular purposes, it becomes very difficult to know what you're dealing with, or how it might age.

As for lighting, absolutely avoid direct sunlight and unfiltered fluorescent lighting. Incandescent lighting is reasonably OK, so long as the light source is far enough away from the 'artifacts' that the heat the bulbs generate is not heating the display items. Many museums are starting to work with LED lighting. LEDs can have a harsh edge to the light, but this can be moderated with some filtering; I haven't heard of any specific conservation concerns from LEDs that isn't common to all light. And, yes--ALL light will cause damage; if you can see a thing, light is damaging it. You may not notice the damage in your lifetime, but the damage is cumulative, and irreversible--some one will notice at some point down the road. So, for maximum longevity, keep light levels to a minimum--preferably, completely absent unless you are specifically viewing your collection.[/QUOTE]

I used zip locks for years until they started changing the colours of some weapons.

Those weapons made of the same plastic as a chewie weapon began to change colour and become more transparent. This took about 6-7 years !!!!

IMO Star Cases are the way to go. The only problem I have experienced with them is with a Ledy Ree Yees .

My 2cents worth