What do you do with model boxes?

Built cars go back in their box after a while. A/C boxes get folded and stored. Yep, me too. I figure some day the boxes 'might' be worth something for my grand kids. Look at some of the moldy oldies that fetch a nicely sum now :-)

-- Chuck Ryan Springfield OH

A good box can have a long carreer at my place. Some companies use good quality boxes with plenty of room inside, while other use crappy envelope thingies, and some kits have had a hard life before even arriving at my place in battered boxes. The good boxes have the kits inside them build, then replaced by something previously housed in a lesser box, which gets thrown out.

Aside from that, I've fallen into the habit of running each and every bit of paperwork, boxes, decals, instructions, or whatever, through my scanner at a decent resolution before I even start on the kit. That way, I will always have a digital copy should something go wrong with the originals. Such digital copies might also serve your need to preserve the artwork.

If you're playing for money, this suggestion is useless, of course..

Rob

Check the sides for diagonal fold/crease marks. If you see any, you can fold the box flat without damage. Just push the sides gently inward. If there's any resistance, check the tab inside each corner, and pry it a little away from the side; it should turn and slide along the inside top as the sides flatten.

If there aren't any diagonal fold marks, I would slip a butter knife under the corner tabs to separate them from the sides that they're glued to. There'll be some damage to the glued surfaces, but that'll be hidden if you ever glue it back together.

When I complete a model, I cut out the box art and tape it to the wall of my shop. The rest of the box is recycled. I like my wall-o-boxart; it's pretty and it makes me feel like I've accomplished something.

And there are many models I don't have any longer represented on my wall. Broken, given away, etc.

---Stephen

I keep the instruction sheets (all the way back to my childhood) but as for the boxes, I throw 'em out. Though I seem to be collecting an unreasonable number of shipping boxes...

I was wondering if I was the only one suffering from ASBS - Advanced Shipping Box Syndrome. It seems every box I get for any reason I keep because it will be perfect for some model, group of models, detail sets, tools, decals, etc. that I intend (but never seem to)sell/swap to some other modeler.

Art

You don't have it REALLY bad until you start collecting and saving odd shaped packing foam from the electronic shop because it would make good construction stands, parts trays, photo backdrops, working drops, etc...

...not that I would really know much about that, though.

Thanks all for your advice!

Kaliste

Rufus,

Unfortunately you have confirmed that I do indeed have terminal ASBS. I save soft foam sheets, rigid styrofoam sheet, old packing peanuts, styrofoam from dell computer boxes, shaped foam from Harry & David fruit gift boxes, old bubble wrap, etc.

Gee, thanks for the public unmasking!

Art

My brother...

I want you all to throw out your boxes so that I have the only box collection and it will therefore become more valuable!

I save most boxes with box art, the older the more valuable. If you don't have the room for the full box you can always cut and collapse it at the corners. hth The Keeper

i cut them and bale them up for storage.

I sent a bunch to a "needy" guy near Akron. (Hi Keeper, where you been?) Now I scan the artwork before circular-filing the box.

i'm keeping the bales for the day i can fireproof and use as wallpaper.

For years I cut the art off the boxlid and saved them in a Monogram B-52 box. When it got full I donated it to a friend who sold some of the art on E-bay. Now I have the saved pics in my files.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Revell (?) in the early days used to have box art that had frames printed around it specifically so you could cut it out and stick it on the wall.

Pat

Yes, and I think I had a couple of those. OTOH, their KC-135 had a cool picture but they had to gum it up with banners and such. Very frustrating!

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.