See my custom CGC storage unit...

[Bronty]

Isn't wood the worst possible archiving solution for paper? Far worse than polybags or most other types of man-made plastic? I thought wood was inherently highly acidic.

 

Pine contains resin acid - not sure what it does to paper or plastics, or how much/little it takes to do damage. Interesting catch...

 

I do love the container - very cool.

 

I'm under the impression that any type of wood, paint, and varnish all break down and off-gas faster than just about any plastic does. Some woods break down slower than others, but they're all acidic as far as I've heard. As is true of other types of acidic storage items (polybags, cardboard comic boxes, unbuffered acidic backing boards, etc), it would only matter and become visible on comics in the form of darkened pages over the course of decades. Some of the worse woods might cause a noticable difference in less than a decade, although I vaguely recall that pine degrades comparatively slowly yet still isn't what conservators call "archival" due to the acid it does release over extended lengths of time.

 

I agree though, the craftsmanship is killer.

 

I don't think its much of a concern?

 

a) overstreet used to recommend cedar chest storage in the 'preserving your comics' section of the guide, not that long ago either, as a good alternative to comic boxes. (they may still but I don't buy the guide anymore).

b) we're not talking about the comics directly contacting the wood.

c) can't imagine off gases would be an issue - the unit has open tops which would allow the gas to escape, and the comics are all in cgc cases, which would keep the off gases from the pine out.

d) anecdotally, I've heard collectors storing comics in direct contact with corrugated cardboard - to find the pages were still white 30 years later.

 

In my somewhat uneducated view the single greatest thing you can do for your comics is to keep them inside the house (not in the garage, not in the attic) so that the temperature and humidity levels are relatively constant.

 

Keep your books in a cool, dark, dry and stable climate (closet, etc) and you will have great books for many years.

 

I'm sure he could keep those books in that pine box and have them be just fine even if they were in there (gasp) raw as long as the climate was stable and relatively good.

 

[As a side note. I think off gases (and therefore microchamber paper) are only concerns when you have a sealed environment like a cgc case. ]

[peewee22]

That all it does is sit on the floor? Least with cardboard boxes you can stack them up, these look too bulky and unstackable.

 

While you're looking for that Adventure number 210 in your stacked boxes, I can perk coffee, go to Krispy Kreme, and pull mine from the upper left bin..

[Bronty]

have you thought about a lid of some kind though? Seems like the light exposure would really add up over the years with an open lid system like that.

[peewee22]

have you thought about a lid of some kind though? Seems like the light exposure would really add up over the years with an open lid system like that.

 

Yes, but it does stay mostly dark in my office.

 

I just like the open-endedness of the unit.

 

Since the books are stacked vertically and direct light is not on the case fronts, I can't see light being a problem for many, many years.

 

The guy can construct a lid if I want one.

 

 

[sckao]

 

It costs about $50 per square foot to rent space in San Francisco. (Commercial)

 

I think many people are just seeing the efficacy of a smaller footprint, and a more vertical structure. (Like a filing cabinet that holds slabs.)

 

Yours is a very nice retail-type display box though. (thumbs u

 

 

 

 

[peewee22]

Thanks dude. Yes, it does have a retail appearance.

 

One thing is I can store books as a set (ie, the lower right bin is Showcase 4 up (missing a couple). Upper right bin is Brave and the Bold. And of course they are filed numerically within the bins. Knowing this, I can pull B&B 25 quickly (without sweating bullets).

 

I separated the bins with the 3/4 inch pine slats to provide more stability between the bins. I figured 50 books stacked together may cause stress on a book sandwiched deep in the bin. (thumbs u

 

Oh, and no Marvels allowed.

 

 

[comicdonna]

Oh, and no Marvels allowed.

 

[sufunk]

Dont get me wrong, i think its awesome either way but why dont you want to stand it vertical ?

[peewee22]

Dont get me wrong, i think its awesome either way but why dont you want to stand it vertical ?

 

Someone else asked that. Just preference I guess. Seems like the slabs would stack flat like pancakes in the bins if it were upright vertical.

[sufunk]

Dont get me wrong, i think its awesome either way but why dont you want to stand it vertical ?

 

Someone else asked that. Just preference I guess. Seems like the slabs would stack flat like pancakes in the bins if it were upright vertical.

 

Hey, like I said, I think it's awesome and if you prefer it that way that's all that matters. You don't have to stack the books vertical though if you stand it up. You can still have them on their side like that standing up. I keep almost all my slabs like that just in a bookcase. It's very similar, just doesn't look nearly as nice as yours. I'm totally with you on the "no boxes" since on the book Case or your holder, you can clearly see the label and easily pull what ever you want out without digging around. It just would take up a lot less space standing vertical and you could ven get another and stack it on top to double the capacity.

 

If you prefer it laying though, that's all that matters. I HATE keeping slabs in boxes so I think that case is awesome no matter what position it sits in!

[sufunk]

This is what i meant bout leaving them on their side while its vertical. This is how i keep most of my slabs,similar to your setup just not nearly as nice or "high end" looking as yours

 

[peewee22]

Yours looks good too. You definately have more slabs.

 

With mine, I can flip through books in the bin, provided it is not full, and browse.

 

I would like it somewhat elevated as Silver mentioned earlier.

 

Anyone else got any freight-type set up for slab storage?

[comicdonna]

I have them fancy cardboard boxes that say CGC on them.

[Kevin.J]

+1

 

I have trouble even selling my undercopies without missing them

 

I am there with you brother.

[Kevin.J]

This is what i meant bout leaving them on their side while its vertical. This is how i keep most of my slabs,similar to your setup just not nearly as nice or "high end" looking as yours

 

 

Great stuff, just dont like the door and the light coming in.

[Bomber-Bob]

I'll probably be in a pine box in decades.

 

That's the thing about proper storage that prevents people from caring--you're usually doing it for the next guy who owns it in a decade or four, not for you. The vast majority of white-paged books are due to great storage conditions achieved entirely by accident.

 

There are probably 5 collectors in this entire hobby who hold books for more than a year.

 

I still have the book I bought from you years ago.

[sufunk]

This is what i meant bout leaving them on their side while its vertical. This is how i keep most of my slabs,similar to your setup just not nearly as nice or "high end" looking as yours

 

 

Great stuff, just dont like the door and the light coming in.

 

Yeah i know but thats not an outside door. those french doors lead to our living room. The light is really only even like that for like 1 hour a day, from 2-3 and then thats it.