Packing built models so they survive a move?

[PierreR89]

I am in the process of moving to a new house with my gf and have no idea of how to pack my built models so they survive the trip.
The new house is 400 miles away from the one i have now.
I know there will be some damages to them but i want to minimize that as much as possible.
Many of the trucks will probably still loose their mirrors, antennas and stacks no matter how carefull i am with them.

There must be some people here who have moved and brought their built models with them?
What did you do to make them survive the trip?

[Miatatom]

We'd thought about moving and decided to remodel. That was one of the biggest worries I had. I had no idea how to accomplish that. Good luck!

[stitchdup]

Try and find polystyrene blocks (forget the pellets) maybe an inch or 2 thick and use them to pack them into boxes, above, below and on each side. You can cut holes for the mirrors and that. Make sure they are tight in the box, and use good strong boxes. With trucks you can add more of the blocks behind the cab. You want something like how diecasts are packed as the end result. If there are parts you know will fall off I'd remove them before packing and label them for each model in baggies. Cars I would do the same way individually in seperate boxes that can then be put in larger boxes for transport. A kitchen appliance store might be a good source for polystyrene blocks and good strong large boxes and they will probably be happy for you to take as much as you need so they dont have to pay to get rid of it. I f you feel brave you could even give the models a shake to see if bits fall off before boxing them up. I'd also use some thinner polystyrene sheets cut to fit between the wheels and under body. The aim is to try and stop any movement when its all packed

[espo]

I also just moved and I'm now unpacking. For myself I have saved most of the boxes that the model came in. I wrapped each model in the softest paper towel product I could fined. I purchased rolls of plastic bubble wrap to put around the model and put them back in the box they came in. With the models boxed up I put them in cardboard moving boxes and as stitchdup mentioned be sure the are not loose in the larger box. One nice thing about the soft towels is that they protect the paint with out any reaction between the paint and the plastic bubble wrap and any mirrors or what not that falls off should be held in the towel making it easier to find and remount later.  

[RSchnell]

I wrapped each model in newspaper and taped it up. I put down thick bubble wrap in the bottom of the box then weaved thin bubble wrap between the models as I put them in the box. 2 layers of thick wrap on top then put another layer of wrapped models until I had the box full.  My move was only 100 miles, but they sustained no damage with this method.

[Bills72sj]

3 minutes ago, RSchnell said:

I wrapped each model in newspaper and taped it up. I put down thick bubble wrap in the bottom of the box then weaved thin bubble wrap between the models as I put them in the box. 2 layers of thick wrap on top then put another layer of wrapped models until I had the box full.  My move was only 100 miles, but they sustained no damage with this method.

I have moved models a couple of times since they were built. I too used to roll them up in newspaper, fold and tape the ends over the trunk and hood. Pack them snugly into a large box that no one else was allowed to touch. Since i rarely attach side view mirrors they were not and issue. The paper wrapping keeps any parts that do dislodge from being misplaced as long as you are the one unwrapping them.

Semi trucks with mirrors, antennas and mudflaps take much more care and require that they ALWAYS are maintained "This side up" and NOTHING is stacked on top of them. When I hauled my hot rod on a trailer on our cross country move, the semis rode in the trunk of the car to keep them away from everybody else's stuff and made sure I was the only one handling them.

[Paul Payne]

My wife and I have moved several times due to job changes. I suggest, if possible, to move your models yourself in your own vehicle- and don't let any movers pack or move them! I have packed as many as possible in the plastic cases I display them in, using foam rubber sheets underneath and smaller pieces surrounding the model, as well as rolled up pieces of worn out cotton sweatshirts and pants (the cotton won't scratch). Then, pack the cases (or smaller boxes), into larger boxes with extra packing if required.

[THarrison351]

Two ply toilet paper and then back into the original box. My cars survived a trip from North Carolina to California then to Kansas then another move in Kansas. I only ever lost one group of cars and that was because they were sitting in a box without protection and another heavy box fell on them.

Edited June 1, 2021 by THarrison351

[PierreR89]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Some of the things mentioned did i not even think about myself.

[lordairgtar]

I just bought a house and the models are being wrapped loosely in those red shop rags you can buy at a parts store. They will cushion the model enough to prevent scratching should they jostle around. They will be transported in boxes put in my SUV and the stepdaughter's  SUV. They will not be trusted in a moving van.

[slusher]

When I moved 21 years ago I left my cars in their amt stack able cases and put them in apple boxes. The rest was wrapped winding toilet tissue around the model and sitting them side by side. I kept them in the trunk by themselves. I wish you the best of luck..

[Scott8950]

Best trick I've  seen was in a trade I made with gseeds (Gary) he wrapped them in toilet paper and  it actually worked flawless. Anytime I trade a built up now I wrap it in toilet paper 😉

[youpey]

i moved a couple of years ago and moved 9 models. i taped a model tightly with masking tape to the acrylic display case and put the display case in the box. however, i had put the boxes with the models aside and moved them myself very carefully. i was only moving across town, so i made a special trip for just them to make sure they werent mixed in and damaged. 

i think i had a couple that still dropped the mirrors, but they were contained in the box, so it wasnt bad. there were none that were destroyed. 

 

it looks like your trip is much longer than ours, so probably you wouldnt be able to make a special trip for them.

Edited June 2, 2021 by youpey

[Rob Hall]

I moved about 2000 miles 4 years ago, moving 1500 kits in the process...most were unbuilt and boxed, but the built kits I carefully wrapped inside their boxes with bubble wrap or tissues.  Really didn't have any issues or damage. 

[OldTrucker]

I've always used cheap tissues from places like the dollar store .

Whether in their box or a case I just wadded tissues and stuffed them around and over the top of the models until the the box or case was slightly over full.

They took some good jolts in the many moves but only lost small easy to put back on parts.

Just recently opened some boxes that had been packed away over 30 years ago this way the went through multiple moves with no real damage.

In the individual cases I took out the model, turned the case upside down put a piece of paper on the bottom so the tires would not burn the plastic and put the car in packed and used the base for the top.

Edited June 3, 2021 by OldTrucker

[PierreR89]

Thanks again for the help with ideas.
I will try to carefully pack them in boxes and then i am going to be the only one moving them.
Hopefully only small things will break on them and nothing big.
Most of the mirrors and antennas are attached using superglue so they will probably break clean of the model if something happens to them.


 

[BlackSheep214]

Packing peanuts always worked for me...

[Spottedlaurel]

On 6/3/2021 at 7:50 PM, PierreR89 said:

Thanks again for the help with ideas.......

Has your move happened yet Pierre, and if so how did it go?

When I first read this thread I found it interesting and I related it back to my own experiences. Since then it's become very relevant, as all being well we've sold our house and we'll be moving, so I'm going to have to pack everything up.

In our case it's a bit odd, as the new place is less than half a mile/just over 0.5km down the road! Unfortunately we won't have access to it until our house has sold, so I'm planning to rent some local storage space, taking the kits there myself (along with a few thousand car magazines and brochures) then bringing them back when I've started to get the new place set-up. That way it will only be me handling them.

I'm planning to wrap each built one in a sheet of kitchen roll and bag it up, and layer them in boxes with bubble wrap, packing beads etc retained from all the eBay/online purchases I've made over the years.

[Bugatti Fan]

At least most automotive models can be packed securely in rectangular boxes. The guys I pity most having to move home are the aircraft modelling fraternity. Awkward shapes and fragile undercarriage legs. Mind you, if you know any aircraft modellers and they do shows, they will be expert at how to pack models to minimise any risk of damage in transit!

Like some previous posters suggested , I would never trust having built up models shipped by any carrier. Even if secured to the N'th degree just the shock from boxes being handled roughly will result in breakages.

[alan barton]

O.K., I'm going to go right out on a limb here with something completely opposite to all the excellent suggestions here.  Years ago I accumulated a bunch of foam vegetable boxes.  Maybe 400mm long, 200 mm wide, about 100 tall.  It just happens that they interlock, probably makes the trucker's life easier.  I can fit about six of them in the rumble seat of my Modal A roadster and they hold six - eight cars each. 

I been using these boxes for around 30 years now (same ones) and I don't wrap my models at all.  Seems like when I do, I'm the one that causes the most damage!  Wrapping and unwrapping models just about guarantees damage.  Some years ago I helped the widow of a very dear friend dispose of his collection of some 180 built models.  During a home renovation, he had wrapped them all in cheesecloth, yes, cheesecloth, and the damage that caused was heartbreaking - we had hours of repairs to do. 

For over thirty years I have been transporting my models to shows and displays, longest drive maybe 100 miles each way and the models do just fine.  Very few of my models have rolling wheels so that probably helps.  The foam provides another friction to stop them rolling around and we have survived some panic stops without damage.  If I am really worried about something with fragile suspension ( think Revell Ed Roth show cars) I might place them on top of one layer of bubble wrap. 

Seriously, I think you can overthink this stuff.  For those semi trailers, I would just place them inside some foam boxes and have them sideways to the direction of travel of your car.  400  miles later they will be just fine. 

 

For overseas air travel, I have carried several models from Australia to the USA and if they have to go in my suitcases, then the toliet roll wrap works a treat, then inside a stiff box like promo boxes.

I hope your move goes smoothly!

Cheers

Alan

[MrObsessive]

On 5/31/2021 at 8:02 PM, Paul Payne said:

My wife and I have moved several times due to job changes. I suggest, if possible, to move your models yourself in your own vehicle- and don't let any movers pack or move them! I have packed as many as possible in the plastic cases I display them in, using foam rubber sheets underneath and smaller pieces surrounding the model, as well as rolled up pieces of worn out cotton sweatshirts and pants (the cotton won't scratch). Then, pack the cases (or smaller boxes), into larger boxes with extra packing if required.

What he said! ^^^ ^^^

When I moved a couple years ago, I also took the built models with me in the car........NEVER would I trust them either by the movers, or in a truck bouncing around.

Another consideration for anyone else that's moving this time of year........if you have any resin unbuilt kits, it might be a very good idea if they traveled with you and not in the hot truck. Here in the NE part of the States (and elsewhere) it's been VERY hot and humid and that is a sure fire killer of resin be it built or unbuilt.

At best in your car you'll probably have the AC running, or at least have the windows down to keep things cool on the inside.

Moving can be a real pain! I moved about two years ago into another house and it wasn't so much moving furniture..........it's the hobby shop that comes with you when you want to move!

[Tom Geiger]

I was lucky that when I moved from NJ to PA 11 years ago I owned my old house for over a year since my daughter was in her senior year of college. The family remained there and I commuted weekly.

Every week I brought a Dodge Grand Caravan full of stuff with me. The built models all got here in the front passenger seat area with no incidents. Note that on my models, things like mirrors and door handles are all wired on with bits of straight pins so I never lose any. 

I did bring the entire model room, then boxes of glassware and anything else fragile week by week.

I lived in the new house with an air bed and we bought new den and kitchen furniture.  By the time we employed movers, there wasn’t much!

[GLMFAA1]

I start with 'banker' boxes, and foam board. Cut the foam board to fit in the box and then place models to fit on the board. Using strips of foam board and hot glue gun I secure the models in a trough of strips so they don't move. A piece L shape around each tire will secure the model.  Leave space between models and place the board in the box then put the models in the space you made, You can label each space for the model. I have a balsa wood frame that makes a second shelf and can get more models in a box. I transported many a fire model with this method. 

greg

[PierreR89]

13 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Has your move happened yet Pierre, and if so how did it go?

When I first read this thread I found it interesting and I related it back to my own experiences. Since then it's become very relevant, as all being well we've sold our house and we'll be moving, so I'm going to have to pack everything up.

In our case it's a bit odd, as the new place is less than half a mile/just over 0.5km down the road! Unfortunately we won't have access to it until our house has sold, so I'm planning to rent some local storage space, taking the kits there myself (along with a few thousand car magazines and brochures) then bringing them back when I've started to get the new place set-up. That way it will only be me handling them.

I'm planning to wrap each built one in a sheet of kitchen roll and bag it up, and layer them in boxes with bubble wrap, packing beads etc retained from all the eBay/online purchases I've made over the years.

Not yet but its due in the next 4 weeks as i start my new job at the new location next month.
But the models will be carefully put in movingboxes and they go in my car on the trip up.
The only one to pack them is me, as my gf dont want to touch them because she is afraid of accidently dropping one.
The unbuilt ones can go with the rest of my stuff.
 

 

13 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

At least most automotive models can be packed securely in rectangular boxes. The guys I pity most having to move home are the aircraft modelling fraternity. Awkward shapes and fragile undercarriage legs. Mind you, if you know any aircraft modellers and they do shows, they will be expert at how to pack models to minimise any risk of damage in transit!

Like some previous posters suggested , I would never trust having built up models shipped by any carrier. Even if secured to the N'th degree just the shock from boxes being handled roughly will result in breakages.

Unfortunatley i have about 30 airplanes that i just know will break nomatter what i do with them.
The tanks and millitary vehicles will most likley survive.
4 sailingships that probably also will get some sort of damage to them, the other ships (battleships, aircraftcarriers, submarines) i am not that worried about
Also not worried about the passengerships as they are already falling to pieces on their own.
The one thing i want to be as carefull with as the trucks is my model of the north cormorant oilrig but when i built that i did never glue down the cranes or drilltower (no idea what its called) so they are removable.
But it is still big and wide with those removed.

[Sam I Am]

Pierre, 

I moved 1300 miles...twice, and found that this worked well for me.

I purchased a few of these totes from Walmart and a couple bundles of micro fiber towels. I then washed the towels a few times with fabric softener to, well, soften them some more. I then put a layer of towels on the bottom of the tote, placed the models in the tote and cushioned them like so. Never damaged any of them, and the plus side of the micro fiber is that they are relatively lint free. You can see that I bought two different size towels.  The smaller ones I  take from opposite corners and roll them up, placing them around and in-between the models. You will notice that the models do not shift easily. I put all models that do not have anything like antennas or wings on the bottom layer. Put these on the upper level, surrounding them with towels like on the lower level.  

Like I said, I have moved them twice this way with no damage, and even use the same setup for taking multiple models to shows. 

Make sure that you place the totes on the top layer of the packing so to avoid accidentally crushing the lid, and only stack the totes on top of each other if you can pack other boxes around them to prevent them from sliding around. However way you pack the totes, make sure they cannot slide around.

Hope this helps.