Which Mylar? Backing Board?

[awe4one]

I'm looking at buying some Mylars from Gerber. Are the Mylites 1 and 2 similar in structure to common plybags? Are they stiff?

 

And if I go instead with the Archives? Do I really need to buy backing boards?

 

 

Jim

[drbanner]

The preferred method by many here, as has been discussed, is Mylites 2 w/Full backs. The Mylite 2's are somewhat flexible, but the Mylite 1's are flimsy and tear easily.

 

I would definitely recommend backing boards to keep your books from bending and cracking the spine, in addition to the pH buffering.

[fantastic_four]

Owe mah lawd..."do you really need backing boards?!?!?" Who let you onto this forum!?!?!? You must have gotten lost looking for the newbies over on the E-Bay forums. I'm going to have to have your "high-grade guy" card revoked now!!

 

People not using backing boards is the primary reason that NM or better books are so hard to find, even amongst collectors who bought them off the stands and read them carefully.

 

No backing boards = almost guaranteed transverse spine creases.

[awe4one]

I asked the question because I wasn't sure how "stiff" the Archive mylars were. If they are stiff enough to not bend easily then I was wondering the need for the boards considering the cost of the 4-mil sleeves (I hadn't considered the PH buffering effect). I'm looking at buying about 3,000 of the suckers and was looking at the cost benefit. I have a bunch of Mylars as a result of buying issues but have never bought them for myself.

 

So I take it the Mylite 2 are the way to go with "fullbacks"?

 

 

Jim

[fantastic_four]

So I take it the Mylite 2 are the way to go with "fullbacks"?

 

That's how I went, although for my Silver and early Bronze books (any of the older 6 and 3/4" or wider books) I double-bag them into 4-mil mylars. 4-mil mylars aren't stiff enough on their own to forgo a backing board.

[chrisco37]

I'm looking at buying about 3,000 of the suckers and was looking at the cost benefit.

 

That's understandable. 3000 higher-end bags (not the normal poly POS) is going to run you some dough. Backboards are even more expensive to add b/c of the shipping charges you will incur. The boards are heavy. I ordered 200 Mylite2's and Fullbacks around Xmas time. Shipping was around $30, and I live in MD!!

 

But, as Jamie stated, no backboards equals almost certain damamge to books. So, look at it this way....You can save on the backboards now, but the comics will suffer down the road. A few extra bucks up front will keep your books from getting the minor damage that drops your book from a 9.6 to a 9.2. So cost-benefit is actually w/ the backboards (at least from a re-sale perspective)

 

Another option (to save you on shipping charges) wold be to have you LCS order them for you. Shops will usually receive a break from the supply companies. So you may be able to avoid shipping charges alltogether.

 

If you live anywhere close to MD (2-3 hrs), you may want to just drive to EGerber in Baltimore. I know it sounds like a hassel, but it would cost you much less than shipping. At the Philly Forum Dinner, I think I remember Rui saying that once or twice a year, he makes the drive (from Philly/Jersey....sorry Rui, if I'm not right on that one) for that exact reason.

 

Chris

[awe4one]

Can't get around the shipping. They will have to send to an APO address in Germany.

 

 

Jim

[Paladin]

Love the Fullbacks. Hate the extra room they take. I know, I know, it's the price you pay.

[Ariamus]

Chris is right; if you're anywhere near Baltimore (I'm 2.5 to 3 hours away in Jersey), the way to go is to place a big order and then just drive there to pick them up. I'ved done it twice already this year and every time I order from E.Gerber, that's what I'm going to do. I have ordered 2000 of each Mylites and Half-backs whenever I place an order. Shipping on that totals over $70. It's hard to convince someone who loves driving anyway to not incur the $15-20 it will cost in gas and tolls to make the trip to Baltimore.

 

As for what I use, I decided early this year to convert my entire collection from Poly to Mylar. I have over 4500 comics and in order to save on costs, I decided to use the Mylites+Half-back approach. They're not as hardy as Mylite2's and Full-backs, but they're certainly better than Poly.

[jeff2004]

It all depends on how much money you got. I would recommend putting them all in Mylite 1's except for the very valuable ones which I would get the Mylok's (Mylar 4mil) with Time X-Tender backing boards which you would put in the middle of the comic (these backing boards have carbon in the middle of them to help absorb the acid comics release).

 

The nice thing about the mylars is you will never have to replace them they will last forever. I have had mylars for at least 5 or 6 years and they are still crystal clear. A normal poly bag would probably be yellow by now.

[Hensley300]

I buy my stuff from bill cole. I also upgraded to mylar. Got the thickest he has but also got the extra thick ph buffered backing boards to prevent flexing. Im too paranoid no matter how thick and archival the mylar is not to have the thickest, highest quality backing board on my beauties