It's not the collectibles...

[scratchie]

... it's the storage that really kills you! I'm keeping Bags Unlimited in business, let me tell you!

Question: Does anyone know of a storage box that will fit 12" x 19" "tabloid" sized magazines? I have a bunch of Boston-area music magazines from the 80s and 90s that are an odd size (~11.5" x 15") and these seem to be the best-size bag for storing them. While Bags Unlimited makes tabloid-sized bags and boards, they don't make storage boxes in this size.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[TheHistorian]

Dunno, but I need to know too. I'm going to be buying a ton of these to store all the Menomonee Falls Gazettes and other tabloids that I've been buying of late.

[scratchie]

I'll let you know if I find anything. I tell you, I thought Bags Unlimited made boxes to store anything collectible, but for some reason, when you get up to tabloid size, you're on your own.

It may be that those boxes are listed in a different part of the catalog for some other item. I'll have to dig through the catalog again before I give up on BU altogether.

While we're on the subject... any other suggestions for places to buy supplies? I get my bags and boards from this place, who seem to have the best prices on Ultra Pro products: http://www.the2buds.com/. Too many of the Bags Unlimited bags are the self-sealing kind which I really don't like. Also, the tabloid bags at 2buds have a flap, which the BU tabloid bags are missing.

[TheHistorian]

Nope, 2buds is where I was planning to purchase bags/boards. No idea on boxes though. Maybe use a comics/mag/life box sideways or something, and just try to cover it as best possible. Or maybe come up with a flatfile kind of storage solution. Still researching.

[Cherokee Jack]

I use a magazine box for Treasury Editions, Famous First Editions (and the like), Steranko's history of comics, and Rolling Stone magazines from the late 70s-early 80s. I put them in sideways.

[scratchie]

I use a magazine box for Treasury Editions, Famous First Editions (and the like), Steranko's history of comics, and Rolling Stone magazines from the late 70s-early 80s. I put them in sideways.I'm actually getting some Rolling-Stone-size boxes from Bags Unlimited, but these Tabloid-size bags are even bigger than that. 12" x 19". The won't even fit sideways in a Bags Unlimited "Newspaper" box (which is "only" 17" wide). I'll probably just stack them horizontally until I find something to put them in. There may be some sort of plastic storage container at Target that would hold them horizontally.

[TheHistorian]

There may be some sort of plastic storage container at Target that would hold them horizontally.

That's a pretty good idea.

I wonder if there is any downside (or benefit?) to storing paper in a sealed container like that, or if it's better to have some airflow? Yeah, they're in bags already, but that's not airtight...

[Naldo]

This has actually become an issue for me. I'm seriously considering selling off my entire collection with the exception of only a very few comics.

I love comics, reading and collecting but it's getting ponderous and I've only been doing it for about 2 years.

I want to keep reading but I suppose I'll have to have a major purge at least once a year or something. I really don't want to have more than 1 long box.

[scratchie]

I really don't want to have more than 1 long box.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

Good luck with that.

:D :D :D :D

(Six months ago I had approximately 1 1/2 short boxes of comics; last week I just assembled boxes six and seven.)

[Naldo]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

Good luck with that.

:D :D :D :D

(Six months ago I had approximately 1 1/2 short boxes of comics; last week I just assembled boxes six and seven.)

Yeah I know huh? After I posted I laughed at it myself! I'm doomed!

[shaxper]

That's a pretty good idea.

I wonder if there is any downside (or benefit?) to storing paper in a sealed container like that, or if it's better to have some airflow? Yeah, they're in bags already, but that's not airtight...


A normal plastic storage box would inevitably contain some acid and polymer byproducts that could ultimately harm your comics, especially in a closed space. I'm not sure how long it would take and how noticable the damage would actually be, but I would be hesitant to store any valuable issues in such conditions.

Closed environments are a good idea for stalling the normal aging effect that atmospheric elements have on comics, but you don't want a closed environment if the materials within that environment are potentially harmful to the comic.

[scratchie]

That's a pretty good idea.

I wonder if there is any downside (or benefit?) to storing paper in a sealed container like that, or if it's better to have some airflow? Yeah, they're in bags already, but that's not airtight...Typical storage containers (for clothes, etc). are not really airtight. The lids snap on but they're not like tupperware. I'm not sure what (if any) affect this would have on the issues raised by Shaxper.

[shaxper]

Typical storage containers (for clothes, etc). are not really airtight. The lids snap on but they're not like tupperware. I'm not sure what (if any) affect this would have on the issues raised by Shaxper.

They'd still be safer without the lid, though I honestly have no idea how incrimental or significent the difference would be.

[scratchie]

They'd still be safer without the lid, though I honestly have no idea how incrimental or significent the difference would be.It sounds like I'd be better off just stacking them horizontally on a shelf.

[shaxper]

Actually, the top buyers in the country (Mile High, Diamond, etc) have all found that the most beautiful collections they've obtained were stored without bags, boards, or boxes, in stacks in moisture-free, temperature controlled rooms.

I don't necessarily recommend this method since it leaves your collection very vulnerable to unexpected moisture, temperature changes, or sheer clumsiness, but it does make a point about plastics and air tight storage.

There's no need to obsess over this stuff unless you have some very valuable high grade stuff though. If you're just looking to store a normal collection, I'd bag and board it, store it carefully in one of those storage bins, punch some holes in it, and make sure to change the bags, boards and box every four years.