Long term storage soloutions?

[bobel]

I had some books in a long box all bagged and boarded in which the covers shifted a bit against the contents. None of them were real valuable. They had been in the box untouched for 14 years then I started collecting again and went through them and discovered gravity? had made my NM books mostly F-VF. The books were not perpendicular in the box but had a little lean. Is this why this happened? Any dealers, Long term collecters have the experience themselves?

So, I do have purchased books of some value and am real concerned that boxing may not be the best available storage for me. I have an unused room in house with central air. I was wondering if storing them on the hardwood floor in stacks of 25 might be better for the long haul as i aquire more books. I was thinking it eliminates any stresses to the book and the weight of the books in mylars/bags-boards depending on value would not be great enough to cause harm. The air is pretty much dust/mold free I have a small micron filter on the heating/ac unit. The room is fairly dark with the shades drawn even in the daytime. If space isn't an issue do you think this would be a better way to store the books than long boxes? has anyone done storage like this or am I just being anal because of a bad experience with a box that had shifted? Also, any thoughts on ways to slow yellwoing of older books down. The room will never be "wet" but is dryer than avg air in the summer.

[ComicSupply]

Gravity is probably the harshest enemy of all comics. Storing the comics in a long or short box without bags and boards will certainly be murder in the years to come.

 

What one should do to protect their comics to the strongest degree is to get the strongest type of board out there to protect against gravity's constant pull.

 

Gravity will effect upon a book the same thing it does to our skin. It will continue to pull down what does not offer enough resistance to fight it. Almost like water, gravity will take the path of least resistance.

 

The best thing that one could do is to use a mylite/mylite2 with a fullback. You could also use the microchamber paper with these books. This can and will get expensive (around .55cents per book). However, even though it is expensive when you look back at them in 20-30 years, they will look the same as you have offered a great resistance against light and humidity. You will also have offered the best resistance against gravity that you can.

 

Storing them the way you suggest will just cause the books to roll out, and that certainly doesn't help your cause.

[divad]

I haved switched back to storing my books horizontally in 4-mil mylars archives and 48-mil fullbacks stacked 5 high then separated by a piece of corrugated carboard, with approximately 25 books to a box.

 

The separators allows me to pull up any multiple of 5 books without risk of damage. After many years, I don't really see the advantage of storing books vertically in short boxes. Short boxes are too heavy to move around, and the pulling in and out of books is less than optimal. Realistically, I'm trying to pare down my collection from 3,500 books to 500 books.

[bullseye]

i have them all bagged and boarded in short boxes, but am about to move them to mylites and fullbacks, just need to remember to make sure the books are in there fairly tight, not too tight, but tight enough to prevent them from leaning.

[FFB]

i have them all bagged and boarded in short boxes, but am about to move them to mylites and fullbacks, just need to remember to make sure the books are in there fairly tight, not too tight, but tight enough to prevent them from leaning.

 

That's true if the books are in regular bags and boards, but not if the books are in mylars with Fullbacks. If the books are in mylars with Fullbacks, you do not need them to be in there tightly or even all that snugly. The Fullbacks will keep the books from bending on their own, and if they are packed too tightly, the mylar will get scuff marks from rubbing against the mylar next to it. I would suggest packing them in the box rather loosely if you are going with the mylar/Fullback setup.

[bullseye]

ahh alright cool,i tend to prefer a short box for each title, makes it easier to file after a trip to the comic store or a con

[FFB]

ahh alright cool,i tend to prefer a short box for each title, makes it easier to file after a trip to the comic store or a con

 

I use short boxes too -- the acid free kind are the only way to go.

 

If you're not using mylars and fullbacks yet, try what I said about packing them loosely. I think you'll see what I mean about the fullbacks being stiff enough to prevent any bending.

[bullseye]

i heard they were pretty thick, and ima eventually get all my books converted over, since i don't intend to sell from my collection.

[Mr. Zipper]

I haved switched back to storing my books horizontally in 4-mil mylars archives and 48-mil fullbacks stacked 5 high then separated by a piece of corrugated carboard, with approximately 25 books to a box.

 

Aren't you concerned that the corrugated cardboard will offgass harmful chemicals and utterly destroy your books?

 

[divad]

I haved switched back to storing my books horizontally in 4-mil mylars archives and 48-mil fullbacks stacked 5 high then separated by a piece of corrugated carboard, with approximately 25 books to a box.

 

Aren't you concerned that the corrugated cardboard will offgass harmful chemicals and utterly destroy your books?

 

 

 

Should I be in the described environment? I can switch to magazine-sized full backs if you think I should . . .

 

Anybody on "off-gassing"?

[FFB]

I haved switched back to storing my books horizontally in 4-mil mylars archives and 48-mil fullbacks stacked 5 high then separated by a piece of corrugated carboard, with approximately 25 books to a box.

 

Aren't you concerned that the corrugated cardboard will offgass harmful chemicals and utterly destroy your books?

 

 

 

Should I be in the described environment? I can switch to magazine-sized full backs if you think I should . . .

 

Anybody on "off-gassing"?

 

I agree. That's why I've switched to acid-free boxes for all of my books in mylar.

[divad]

I have not seen acid-free boxes - who offers these alleged wonders? They're not corrugated?

[divad]

I haved switched back to storing my books horizontally in 4-mil mylars archives and 48-mil fullbacks stacked 5 high then separated by a piece of corrugated carboard, with approximately 25 books to a box.

 

Aren't you concerned that the corrugated cardboard will offgass harmful chemicals and utterly destroy your books?

 

 

Thanks Zip!

[FFB]

I have not seen acid-free boxes - who offers these alleged wonders? They're not corrugated?

 

You can buy them from comicsupply.com or directly from E. Gerber. They are awesome. They're made from acid-free, calcium-carbonate buffered cardboard. Get Magazine sized boxes to hold your Silver/Gold 4 mil Mylars.

[divad]

I have not seen acid-free boxes - who offers these alleged wonders? They're not corrugated?

 

You can buy them from comicsupply.com or directly from E. Gerber. They are awesome. They're made from acid-free, calcium-carbonate buffered cardboard. Get Magazine sized boxes to hold your Silver/Gold 4 mil Mylars.

 

Thanks, Scott!

[PovertyRow]

I have not seen acid-free boxes - who offers these alleged wonders? They're not corrugated?

 

You can buy them from comicsupply.com or directly from E. Gerber. They are awesome. They're made from acid-free, calcium-carbonate buffered cardboard. Get Magazine sized boxes to hold your Silver/Gold 4 mil Mylars.

 

Yep. Just got mine recently and really like them. Definitely a short box but I like that for stability. You get some good mylar or mylite 2, fullbacks and these boxes and you have a nice environment for your books. I also started slipping a sheet of mirochamber paper inside the front cover for that extra measure of protection. Still not 100% sure on the microchamber paper b ut what I've read seems to make sense, and it should certainly at least prevent the oil/ink transfer stains that can dull a cover.