Moving with the collection

[Jantrix]

You never really know how much hobby stuff you have until it's moving time. 

So my question is this. What methods have you used to move the BUILT stuff? I'm planning on putting the built stuff in plastic storage shoeboxes wrapped in old t-shirts. Anyone got any better ideas?

[charlie8575]

I'd consider buying display cases that will allow you to secure the models to the base, and then fill the case tops with packing pellets.

If you go the shoebox route, use bubble-wrap to wrap the models in if possible, with packing pellets for extra protection; if odd shapes or things like antennae make this impractical, use the pellets.

Charlie Larkin

[Rob Hall]

In past moves, I've put the built models in their original boxes, either wrapped in bubble wrap or lots of tissues..then 10-12 kit boxes per moving box, w/ some bubble wrap in the empty spots...     I actually mailed about 100 built kits to myself from Ohio to Colorado back in 1999 via USPS with no loss or damage.    Now I plan to ship them back from Colorado to Ohio soon along w/ unbuilts from Colorado and Arizona.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Rob Hall

[espo]

Moved several years ago from California to Kansas. Put the built models in their original boxes with paper towels and Kleenex for padding. Loaded everything into large U-Haul boxes along with the unbuilt kits. They fit tight in the U-Haul boxes and the movers stacked them along with all of our other belongings and the only problems were some side view mirrors and a hub cap or two.  

[High octane]

Moving is a SCARY thought for me.

[topher5150]

fortunately for me we aren't moving to far so I plan on just putting them in boxes and making as many trips as I need. Other than that I'd say loosely wrap them in bubble wrap, use packing between the models and stack them on the top of the heap

[Draggon]

Kleenex or toilet paper loosely wrapped around the model before any other packing material 

[bobthehobbyguy]

Try contacting Tim Boyd. He did several cross country moves and yhas a good idea of how to do it.

[Tom Geiger]

For packing unbuilt kits I recommend the moving boxes that Home Depot sells.  Their large box will hold about 2 dozen kits. That works since kits are light. And the boxes are like $2 each.

I moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania 6 years ago.  I owned both houses for over a year since I had to move for a new job, and my wife stayed in NJ because it was my daughter's last year in college.  That gave me the luxury of moving my model collection myself as I traveled back and forth weekly.  I have a Dodge Grand Caravan with a high top and I filled that sucker many times right up into the expanded roof! 

And I moved my own built stuff, one to a model or plastic shoe box, wrapped in packing peanuts.  I didn't wrap them any better than I'd do to go to a show, but remember I handled them myself, so the only hazards were road bumps. 

 

[slusher]

In past moves, I've put the built models in their original boxes, either wrapped in bubble wrap or lots of tissues..then 10-12 kit boxes per moving box, w/ some bubble wrap in the empty spots...   

I agree with Rob but to wrap the easiest way is roll them in toilet paper and put in boxes but not on top of each other just side by side with bubble wrap on the bottom of the box. I have done this before and only glued on a few pieces but i didn't mail them i kept them with me..

[gtx6970]

You never really know how much hobby stuff you have until it's moving time. 

So my question is this. What methods have you used to move the BUILT stuff? I'm planning on putting the built stuff in plastic storage shoeboxes wrapped in old t-shirts. Anyone got any better ideas?

Buy a bunch of the plain white Promo boxes , wrap each and every one in toilet paper and one per box . Then pack them in lager packing boxes or crates.

You can get the boxes from Uline or similar for about a $ 1 each

Edited October 2, 2016 by gtx6970

[Art Anderson]

Those who've seen me unpack most models I take to shows have noticed that I use ordinary baseball card storage boxies, except where the model is too tall which may require another solution (such as larger fold-up "mailer boxes" which are fairly available (look for a shop that sells mailing supplies, with a specialty in shipping and packing boxes.  For cushioning models, I use only tee-shirt cotton scrap, which is sold by the bag at stores such as Walmart, as DUST CLOTHS for house-cleaning.  Paper toweling, when dry, can be very abrasive to a model car paint job, but the cotton tricot knit (that is what 100% cotton tee shirts are made from) works perfectly well for me, and has for years now.  (and I have moved a lot of model cars from one apartment to another for years).  A 550-card count collector's card storage box will hold most any 1/25th scale 1949-later model car--and baseball card boxes do come in longer sizes.

Art

Edited October 4, 2016 by Art Anderson

[Tom Geiger]

You never really know how much hobby stuff you have until it's moving time. 

Last time I moved I found models I never saw before!  It was like Christmas!

[carman1]

I moved about 7 years ago and still have not got everything situated  !

[crazyjim]

On our move from Chicago to FLA, I wrapped the models in toilet paper and then with the small bubble wrap.  Then they when into cardboard moving boxes that I lined with more bubble wrap.  A few mirrors were broken off but nothing major.  Gonna miss you around the FLA shows.

[Jantrix]

Thanks Jim. I've really enjoyed the local modeling crowd and the excellent people I've met. But I'm just so caught up in the rat race here in Tampa Bay. If I don't get out now at age 48, it's just going to get harder. 

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to use the TP method along with cotton material inside the plastic shoe boxes. Much appreciated.

[Lizard Racing]

What method are you using to move?

If you are using "professional" movers, I like the idea of sending boxes to yourself via UPS.  Even with a FRAGILE marking on the carton, the gorillas may put the washing machine on top of it.

Any way you can gently restrain the model in a box from all three directions, then packing boxes in a moving carton should be sufficient.

Good luck!

[gtx6970]

Watching this one. I will be making a cross country move here in a few short years. And I have a few ideas how to pack them up.

But keeping nearly 150 nice built kits safe is going to be a challenge for me. I'm thinking toilet paper and each car packed in a promo box then all packed in a much larger box and they travel with me. The un-builts I''ll let the movers handle

Edited October 10, 2016 by gtx6970

[Jantrix]

What method are you using to move?

 

Moving myself and packing myself.