Empty kit boxes?

[68shortfleet]

What do you do with your kits boxes after you build the kit. I'm talking recent releases, not vintage boxes with cool artwork.

Save the box or throw it in the recycling bin?

I have several that I use to store spare parts in, but I can only use so many for that. I wish I had a good place to make the tops into wall art. Currently have an empty 36 ford 5window, a 41 willys SWC, and a AWB Mustang "dick brannan's Bronco".

[Harry P.]

Into the garbage.

[Mr mopar]

give them to my friend who collects them.in return I get parts .

[martinfan5]

Garbage can , empty boxes they go( recycle can actually)

[slusher]

  On 6/4/2016 at 4:48 AM, 68shortfleet said:

What do you do with your kits boxes after you build the kit. I'm talking recent releases, not vintage boxes with cool artwork.

Save the box or throw it in the recycling bin?

I have several that I use to store spare parts in, but I can only use so many for that. I wish I had a good place to make the tops into wall art. Currently have an empty 36 ford 5window, a 41 willys SWC, and a AWB Mustang "dick brannan's Bronco".

I have a couple that i love the art work on for all my instruction plans, and a few for parts but like Jonathan they go into the recycle can. You can break the tops down and save them if you want...

[highway]

I seem to be the odd one so far, I keep them. They come in very handy for kits that I've gotten at shows or a few that I bought from a LHS that was hit by a flood in 2004 that have no box of their own, or for storage of rebuilder built ups. 

[DeeCee]

BIN..

[Chris Evans]

well since I just got back into this great hobby I don't have that problem as of yet, But I think I would keep a few for spare parts toss the rest. I would keep any of the rare ones or the ones that have cool art.

Chris,

[Drake69]

When I buy a kit I empty the parts into a gallon Ziploc bag with paper towels inside (unless there are separate small bags for the trees), then cut up the box to keep the pictures as reference points. I put the instructions and decals in a separate bag organized by kit manufacturer and type of vehicle so that they won't get damaged from moving them around.

I have A LOT of kits, and this saves me a ton of space.

[Mike999]

Along with parts storage, I keep some empty kit boxes to use as dust covers for recently painted projects. Since I build a little of everything, having different sized boxes comes in handy. Even a 1/72 scale plane needs a pretty big "drying box," once the wings are attached.

Whatever I'm working on - car body, airplane, figure, etc. - I come up with some kind of "handle" to keep my fat fingers off it. After painting, I carefully lower it into the empty box by the "handle."  Then put the box lid on to keep dust away until it's dry. 

[Tom Geiger]

If the box is damaged, the pizza box type or I have many of the same one, I will toss it in the recycle bin.

Otherwise, most boxes fold nicely.  I have an old Ertl 12 model case that I keep them in. Folded they take up no space so I have plenty of room in this box.  Hey, the last 30 years in this hobby blew by quickly.  The new boxes you save today will age appropriately!

[Rob Hall]

I keep the boxes to store the kits in.  I also keep the instructions.  About the only thing that gets pitched is bags and empty trees.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Rob Hall

[cobraman]

Trash

[MrBuick]

Most get tossed...I use a few for separating parts into groups when painting (parts getting painted black go into box A, parts getting painted white go into box B, etc). 

[unclescott58]

  On 6/4/2016 at 2:31 PM, Rob Hall said:

I keep the boxes to store the kits in.

That's what I do too.

[Spex84]

I keep some to store WIPs in, and most of the others I cut the side panel out (usually features a front 3/4 shot of the car, but is smaller than the box top) and save that, and then the rest gets recycled. I save instructions, have a box full of those.

[disabled modeler]

I use the empty boxes for storage and keep some just for the artwork if there cool or old ones...even save some of the old instructions for them.

[gtx6970]

Trashcan 

[DrKerry]

Newer kit boxes get recycled or given to a friend who uses them to repack water damaged kits of his.....

[High octane]

Recycle them as I have no use or room for them at all.

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 6/4/2016 at 2:31 PM, Rob Hall said:

I keep the boxes to store the kits in.  I also keep the instructions.  About the only thing that gets pitched is bags and empty trees.

Ditto, though most of the models I build bear little resemblance to what came in the boxes or what's on the instructions.

If I have multiples of a kit, I'll often try to consolidate them into one or two like boxes, and use the empties for other long-term builds that are 'resting' or waiting for parts or research.

I even use the plastic bags for masking materials before trashing them. 

[russosborne]

Empty kit boxes? What are those?

Oh, wait. Some of you actually finish kits. I haven't had that problem yet.

Russ

[Spex84]

Masking materials, good idea!

I re-use the empty plastic bags to bag chrome from kits that didn't come with properly bagged chrome--either because they're partially built and the builder threw the bags away, or because they never had 'em in the first place. I also bag tires separately so they don't cause tire burn over the years.

[Lizard Racing]

I had some originals dating back to the '60s that I used for parts.  Then I found out they were worth money.  I gave them to my son as part of his inheritance.

[Pete J.]

Here is some thing different, but it requires that you have some space in your model building area.  When I finish a model, I cut off the box top(the rest goes in the trash) and mount it on the wall and write the date I finished it in marker.  It adds some art to my garage and reminds me of the good time I had building it.