Are plan chests overrated as a storage device?

[skyjackers]

For many years, I had looked on jealously at peoples photos of their posters, tucked away safely in plan chests. About a year ago, after much research into the best kind, I purchased one. Since then I've been working my way through my collection, flattening and inserting into sleeves ready for safe storage.

My issue is that it's a huge amount of work to get the posters ready for their sleeve. Inserting them is a pain, and damaging them is always a risk. Even when I've flattened them they're not completely flat so risk getting them caught in the drawers.

I'm starting to think that I should buy some really good tubes and get them all rolled up again and dump the plan chest. I was worried what the cardboard might do to the posters over time, but I'm beginning to think they'll be fine.

Apart from the obvious benefit of being able to see the posters in a plan chest, are there any real downsides to storing posters long term rolled in tubes? I'm beginning to think I've made a huge mistake!

[marklawd]

My opinion is that once a poster is unfolded/unrolled and put safely into a (mylar) pocket it does not need to be directly handled again and is available to view at any time. It takes no more than a minute to do this and placed in a plan chest drawer. There is potential to damage a poster each and every time you unfold it or unroll it, just to view it.

I think posters differ in their susceptibility to being harmed by cardboard acids but this is not a big issue in my experience.

Mark

[skyjackers]

Thanks for your reply Mark. Maybe my issue isn’t with the plan chest but with the sleeves I’ve been using. I have a feeling they are too thin because they will curl up if a poster isn’t completely flat.

Can I ask you if your sleeves do this?

Also, do you manage to put more than 1 poster in each sleeve? I have about 1200 I had intended to try and get in the chest, but with multiple posters in each sleeve. Maybe I was being too optimistic?

I too haven’t had any issues with posters stored in cardboard tubes, some for 30+ years.

[eatbrie]

Do you have a picture of your setup?  I don't know what a plan chest is.  Sleeves? 

I only use square tubes (for rolled one sheets) and flat files for everything else.  I can put up to 35-40 posters in a tube.  I keep them vertical because the weight of the posters can ripple them over time if you stack them horizontally.  The 35 posters are in a plastic sleeve to protect them from insects (even though we have none) or any potential water damage.  They've been like that for as long as I've been collecting (15-20 years) and I've never had a problem.

T

[skyjackers]

Sorry, by plan chest I mean flat file. The sleeves are like large envelopes that you put the poster in. I know they generally divide opinion as to their usefulness.

So would you recommend boxes over tubes? My instinct would have been for tubes so what benefit do you find with the boxes, is it just that they are easier to store?

[marklawd]

.....Maybe my issue isn’t with the plan chest but with the sleeves I’ve been using. I have a feeling they are too thin because they will curl up if a poster isn’t completely flat.

Can I ask you if your sleeves do this?

No, they don't. They are 120 microns thick which makes them semi-rigid. The only criticism I have heard about mylar pockets is that they are expensive.

...do you manage to put more than 1 poster in each sleeve? I have about 1200 I had intended to try and get in the chest, but with multiple posters in each sleeve. Maybe I was being too optimistic?

Yes, normally based on value or condition. If a poster's worth $100 + or has condition issues it gets its own pocket. If it's low-cost modern it will join up to 20 others in the pocket.

Mark

[skyjackers]

That sounds reassuring. I may well see if I can purchase a sample or 2 before I decide to get rid of my flat file.

[crowzilla]

I use the mylar sleeves also and have yet to have one curl on me.
And like Mark said, it is easy to store several in there at a time.

I had been placing them  in mylars, and then stacking those in archival storage boxes, but stacking them is a pain and flat files are much better.

[skyjackers]

No, they don't. They are 120 microns thick which makes them semi-rigid. The only criticism I have heard about mylar pockets is that they are expensive.

Yes, normally based on value or condition. If a poster's worth $100 + or has condition issues it gets its own pocket. If it's low-cost modern it will join up to 20 others in the pocket.

Mark

I did look into these a few years ago but they could only do 50 or 75 microns, which is well below your 120. I'm not sure how much difference this would make? These were the specs/prices then as special orders:

SPP1092-686-75
Polyester Pockets open one short side
1092mm x 686mm
75 microns
£405.00  per 100 pockets (+/- 10% quantity tolerance)

SPP1067-762-75
Polyester Pockets open one short side
1067mm x 762mm
75 microns
£425.00  per 100 pockets (+/- 10% quantity tolerance)

SPP880-584-75
Polyester Pockets open one short side
880mm x 584mm
75 microns
£270.00  per 100 pockets (+/- 10% quantity tolerance)

All prices quoted are in UK POUNDS and exclude VAT and delivery.

As I don't need to look at my posters, and probably don't need 100 sleeves, I just need to know that they are stored well, I think I'm leaning towards getting some custom tubes made to a suitable spec. Price obviously plays a part in my decision process.

[eatbrie]

So would you recommend boxes over tubes? My instinct would have been for tubes so what benefit do you find with the boxes, is it just that they are easier to store?

I personally do not understand the point of those mylar sleeves, unless you feel the need to look at your posters over and over again, which I don't. 

I have a system that works for me, as we all do. 

Everything that is not US one sheet, quad or B1 size goes into flat files.  Perfectly organized by countries and sizes.  Folded quads in one or two drawers, German A1s and medium French in another, numbered prints by stacks of two in 5 drawers (I have a lot of this crap), large Italians, large French, Polish, B2s, Star Wars, etc... all in their respective drawers.

All rolled one sheets, quads and B1s go into square tubes.  I first put the posters into tubes by year of release as I get them.  Those tubes can be seen at the bottom of the picture.  I can put 35-40 posters in a single tube.  Once a tube is full, I transfer the posters into a sleeve for extra protection from insects or water (you can see it in the picture) and into another tube where they will be until I die.  Those "final" tubes are in the background.  Works for me.



T

[crowzilla]

Everything that is not US one sheet, quad or B1 size goes into flat files.  Perfectly organized by countries and sizes.  Folded quads in one or two drawers, German A1s and medium French in another, numbered prints by stacks of two in 5 drawers (I have a lot of this crap), large Italians, large French, Polish, B2s, Star Wars, etc... all in their respective drawers.

All rolled one sheets, quads and B1s go into square tubes. 

What about folded one-sheets? Or are they similar to folded quads and go in one of the drawers (are they kept folded or flat)?

[marklawd]

I personally do not understand the point of those mylar sleeves, unless you feel the need to look at your posters over and over again... 

Call me old fashioned but I like to look at my posters - not over and over again - but from time to time. Being able to view a poster which stays open and perfectly flat in a mylar pocket without risk of any harm to the paper - and with diminished fold-lines - is the basis of my system.

Mark

[eatbrie]

What about folded one-sheets? Or are they similar to folded quads and go in one of the drawers (are they kept folded or flat)?

Flat in drawers.  On top of each other.  I think I can put close to 400 in each drawer.

T

[eatbrie]

Call me old fashioned but I like to look at my posters - not over and over again - but from time to time. Being able to view a poster which stays open and perfectly flat in a mylar pocket without risk of any harm to the paper - and with diminished fold-lines - is the basis of my system.

Mark

Which is why I mentioned that I never look at mine.  I used to, when I first started collecting, then created my website and never looked back.

We are all different.

T

[eatbrie]

Then I have my spreadsheet which tells me where every single poster is located.  I can find everything within a minute.  Being OCD helps



T

[skyjackers]

This is all really good info, thanks. I can see the benefits of the rolled in boxes idea but I don't think I have enough floor space (although I don't have anywhere near the quantity that you're taking care of) for this.

I've sent for a sample for some Mylar sleeves from PEL. They are only 75 microns not the 120 that Mark mentioned so before I commit I'd like to see one.

I'm most impressed with the spreadsheet though. Most of the info of where/when/how much has disappeared from my poster history. I can see how valuable having something like that would be. Fun to see your profit/losses too.

[marklawd]

I've sent for a sample for some Mylar sleeves from PEL. They are only 75 microns not the 120 that Mark mentioned so before I commit I'd like to see one.

I can't check my custom order specification at the moment and it may be 100 microns thick rather than 120. I find 75 microns too thin for posters although they're OK for lobby cards.

Mark.

[eatbrie]

Fun to see your profit/losses too.

Hahaha... No losses since I don't sell and don't plan on selling.

T

[eatbrie]

A glimpse into my organization.  All safely tucked away.

One sheets


B2s


Quads


Large French


Prints


Works for me.

T

[skyjackers]

Looks good. The only issue I've had with stacking is that sometimes imperfections come through from one poster to another.

I received a sample for 75 microns from PEL, and as you said Mark, too thin for posters but very nice quality and clear. I'm not sure 100 would make enough of a difference so I'm going to enquire about 120. I imagine the price will be the sticking point.

[ddilts399]

I stack like this as well (althought Thierry's pile looks a little more anal in the alignment of the posters).   Raw on raw.  Dont stack rolled on folded is all. It will transfer the markes even though they are not hard creases and will eventually press out.

[eatbrie]

Yes, I’m extremely anal.  All my drawers, the 45 of them, have perfectly aligned stacks.  Folds on folds, French on French, jap on jap, Italian on Italian...  I couldn’t have it another way, and ocdness put aside, I think it works.  It’s clean.

T

[Stefano]

The only issue I've had with stacking is that sometimes imperfections come through from one poster to another.

This is why I prefer deeper drawers (think a dresser drawer).  Because when I stack, I like to weight them down with books of lobby cards or similar.  It keeps them flat, and I haven't had any problems.  The only issue is when you use deeper drawers, there's a little more digging to get at your posters if you want to take them out again.  If you're not careful, extensive digging can lead to possible damage, so I take them out layer by layer if I need to get at them.  But I feel a lot more confident knowing that there's something weighting them down just a little, so that the corners don't poke up when I go to open the drawer (that gives me anxiety just thinking about it).