Photo albums for storing decals....

[roadhawg]

It's high time I get organized....well, a little bit anyway, and I read a tip awhile back about storing decals in photo albums, making it quick to flip through the pages and find what you're looking for. My question for the more knowledgable is....are regular photo albums ok for this, or do I need to spend more to get the acid-free albums? Or does it even matter? What do YOU use? Heck, I keep 'em in a box in the garage now, anything would be better than that, right?

[Dr. Cranky]

Tommy, I use the big photo albums (most of the time you can get them discounted or on sale at the craft stores) with the clear plastic photo slips. Those work the best. You want to keep the moisture and the light away from your decals so store them in a dry place.

[The70judgeman]

Sounds like a great idea, but like the Doc said...keep them away from moisture (decals enemy until used) in a dry place. Get them out of the garage.

[Bartster]

I rarely use decals, so I have very many. GREAT idea! We also rarely use photo albums, so I have many empties. This is a cool idea for when others might need what I have! Thanks.

[thatz4u]

I use plastic shoeboxes & leave the lids loose

[Tom Setzer]

I also use photo albums, I get at Micheal's!

[sjordan2]

Just to avoid any possible interaction between a plastic cover or a baggie with the decals, I do a number of things: decals in a paper envelope, decal sheets placed individually in a folded piece of paper, decals wrapped in blue tissue, etc. Blue tissue is used for many things to reduce intrusion or corrosion by other elements; keeps pure silver and silver-plated items in perfect condition, and is suggested for storing chrome parts for a long time. I have no idea what's so special about blue tissue, but it means I don't have to polish any of my silver heirlooms.

Edited March 26, 2012 by sjordan2

[LAone]

this is great to know. i have wondered if it was good to do.

on that blue tissue, is it regular blue tissue paper like the party supply stuff or is it some different tissue?

[roadhawg]

Thanks for the replies. I too, had wondered about the decals sticking to the pages in a photo album. But if you wrap them in tissue, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of keeping them in an album?

[sjordan2]

this is great to know. i have wondered if it was good to do.

on that blue tissue, is it regular blue tissue paper like the party supply stuff or is it some different tissue?

It's pretty much like the party supply stuff. Semi-translucent.

Thanks for the replies. I too, had wondered about the decals sticking to the pages in a photo album. But if you wrap them in tissue, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of keeping them in an album?

The blue tissue is translucent enough to see what's under it. I would add that I don't really know if there's bad interaction between plastic covers and decals, so I just take precautions. Seems to me like it's highly possible.

Edited March 26, 2012 by sjordan2

[CadillacPat]

I buy all my Decal Paper from Papilio.com. They ship quickly (sometimes arriving the next day) and the paper is always fresh with a consistent layer of film.

I've been teaching Decals online since '04 and designing and selling custom Decals to other DieCast Customizers for their own work and those they sell on Ebay.

I go through a lot of Decal Paper and I store all of mine and those I send out in Baggies. Separate Baggies for each design or Model.

The Baggies are then kept in Plastic Tupperware. This makes them easy to look through and they stay fresh indefinitely.

The sealant I use for my Decal Pages is House Of Kolor Intercoat Clear airbrushed on about 30 minutes after the pages emerge from my printer.

CadillacPat

[LAone]

ah, thanks skip. gonna have to look into that. extra precautions are good. i have noticed that aoshima is now putting the white tracing type of paper with their decals now as to before they didn't. the decal sheets would have the patterns of the plastic baggy they were in. as if there was some moisture trapped in and had a reaction. so this paper might just be a good idea for the photp albums.

[sjordan2]

I buy all my Decal Paper from Papilio.com. They ship quickly (sometimes arriving the next day) and the paper is always fresh with a consistent layer of film.

I've been teaching Decals online since '04 and designing and selling custom Decals to other DieCast Customizers for their own work and those they sell on Ebay.

I go through a lot of Decal Paper and I store all of mine and those I send out in Baggies. Separate Baggies for each design or Model.

The Baggies are then kept in Plastic Tupperware. This makes them easy to look through and they stay fresh indefinitely.

The sealant I use for my Decal Pages is House Of Kolor Intercoat Clear airbrushed on about 30 minutes after the pages emerge from my printer.

CadillacPat

Seems to me like the key thing is to keep air and humidity away from the decals, no matter how you store it. I also put my instructions in a baggie and put the decals between the pages. In addition, I put rubber tires in a separate baggie or shrink wrap them together, away from the other parts.

Edited March 26, 2012 by sjordan2

[Ramfins59]

I've been keeping my decals is a large, ziplock freezer bag. It has kept them all dry and in great shape.

[Mercman]

I have a old tupperware box that I keep mine in. I used to have them in a photo album with sticky pages, that was a mess. Now they jus lay loose, seal the top, and burp out the air. No problem.

[XJ6]

I have all my decals in plastic little bags..of different sizes...in with decal backing paper..and then labeled with a hobby label maker letting me know what kit they are from..and what they are used for...

Before i put the decals away in a small black case that i use...i scan the decals into my computer..under different headings..such as dash decals, stripes,racing,engine, ferrari.. and so on...

this helps me a lot...instead of going thru a mass of decals..and i have lots...i just look on my computer and see what i have...

Anyway that is how i like to make use of my decal collection...

Cheers to all....Don aka XJ6

[Exotics_Builder]

Thanks for the replies. I too, had wondered about the decals sticking to the pages in a photo album. But if you wrap them in tissue, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of keeping them in an album?

A must do. I have had a couple of older decals stick to the album page. But I used wax paper as an alternative

[Guest]

I put mine into ziploc bags and keep them in the kits they belong to.

[1320wayne]

I use binders and photo sleeves for all my decals. Keeps them organized and protected. To date I have 9 full binders set up with different decal themes for each binder. Makes it easy to locate a decal when it's use is needed.

[Aaronw]

I have a rubbermaid box big enough to hold a standard 8 1/2 x 11" sheet, that is about 6" tall. Then I threw in a handful of those silica gel pouches to keep moisture out. (You know the little pouches that say do not eat, that come with all sorts of products). It has worked pretty well so far (been 3 or 4 years now).

I also use wax paper if I am worried about decals getting scuffed or sticking to something.

[The Modeling Hermit]

I also use the binder/photo sleeve system, but mine are also kept on the computer. I've had decals disintegrate when I attempted to use them. What I do now, is to scan them, and keep them filed on my computer. That way I can select the image/s from a decal sheet that I want, and then print off just those that I desire.

[High octane]

I bought my album at Office Max and use AVERY Heavyweight Sheet Protectors/Diamond Clear and it works great for storing decal sheets and they NEVER stick to each other or to the pages themselves. The sheet protectors come 25 to a pack and they are Archival safe, they won't lift print, and they are also acid free.