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Whats the best way to store magazines?

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Whats the best way to store magazines?
Posted by Jagdwolf86 on Thursday, May 7, 2009 9:21 AM

 I have alot of magazines of MR. but wanted to know whats the best way to store magazines?  right now i stack it in the box. i wasnt sure if its good way to stack it.

thanks

 Rich

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Posted by stokesda on Thursday, May 7, 2009 9:35 AM

If you live near an IKEA store, this is a good option:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022354

They're just fancy cardboard boxes, but fairly inexpensive and do the job. I haven't found a similar product for less in any other place I've looked (Office Max, Staples, etc.). My experience is that each file holds about 16 MR magazines. I put the magazines in the cardboard files, then put the cardboard files next to each other on a bookshelf.

Dan Stokes

My other car is a tunnel motor

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Posted by cnwfan2 on Thursday, May 7, 2009 9:36 AM

The best way, is to put them in air tight plastic storage containers.This will keep them in perfect condition and it will not let the "elements" deteriorate them.You would be surprised what air,and dust can do to them.Worst case senario...WATER...the biggest enemy of anyone's collection of magazines...including those that are out of print.I cant imagine what someone would go through if they had water destroy their collections.

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Posted by tomikawaTT on Thursday, May 7, 2009 9:57 AM

stokesda

If you live near an IKEA store, this is a good option:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022354

They're just fancy cardboard boxes, but fairly inexpensive and do the job. I haven't found a similar product for less in any other place I've looked (Office Max, Staples, etc.). My experience is that each file holds about 16 MR magazines. I put the magazines in the cardboard files, then put the cardboard files next to each other on a bookshelf.

I cut and pasted ordinary cardboard salvaged from boxes (most recently, the six-bottle cases Wal-Mart distilled water comes in) into the same general configuration as the commercial product in the quoted link - except that the width of each box is exact for one year of the specific publication.  My MR collection went into skinny boxes at first, then, in the 1970's, obesity set in, peaking in the 1990's with boxes easily twice as wide as the ones from the late '50s.  The width has since come down, but is still above early '70s level.

As you may have surmised from the above, my MR collection occupies wall shelves directly above my computer work station.  Having them stored vertically in labeled boxes makes it absolutely easy to find one magazine, without having to paw through the stacks laying flat in a regular box.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with an extensive reference library)

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Posted by Hudson on Thursday, May 7, 2009 11:51 AM

Whatever you do don't be like me! I have about 6 years of MR strewn about the aisle on my side of the king bed. My wife does not like it. :) Anyhow I've been going through them with a razor blade cutting out the good articles and filing them.

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Thursday, May 7, 2009 12:27 PM

Jagdwolf86
 I have alot of magazines of MR. but wanted to know whats the best way to store magazines?  right now i stack it in the box. i wasnt sure if its good way to stack it.

I got a set of strong stackable boxes that the magazines fit in nicely.  I store them two years per box.  Boxes are labled by year on the side.  I stack them 5 deep so each decade gets its own stack.  Any deeper and they are too heavy and start crushing boxes.  I also keep a set of boxes for other magazines too.  Quarterly things like Classic Trains I get four years into a single box, very thin ones like Private Varnish I can get a whole decade into a single box. 

My problem is that in 1972 Model Railroader changed the size of the magaazine.  For a few years in the early 1970s they are too tall and don't fit my standard boxes so I had to do something special for that.

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Posted by Left Coast Rail on Thursday, May 7, 2009 12:33 PM

I've gone the binder route with mine:

http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/model-railroading-binders.html

Every once in a while Kalmbach seems to offer them free of shipping charges.

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Posted by seacoast on Thursday, May 7, 2009 12:37 PM

For issues of "Great Model Railroads" I use, 3 Ring Magazine / Catalog Organizer Strips. Type these words into an internet search and you can find them on the web or in office supply stores. They are great for putting magazines into 3 ring binders. The usually come 12 to a pack, they are easy-- you slip one into the middle of the magazine and clip them into your 3 ring binder, makes a nice easy way to keep a year or two. A 3 inch binder will hold a year or so of model railroader magazines. Plus they are cheap $4.00 or less in cost for 12 of them; cheaper if you buy in bulk etc.

For the guy who had 6 years of MR's around the Master bedroom my wife had the same "issues" with me. I bought and use smaller plastic storage containers (get them at the home improvement stores etc..) some will fit right under a bed & I can cram in few years into them side by side depending up the train magazine.

George

 

 

George
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Posted by CTValleyRR on Thursday, May 7, 2009 7:24 PM

stokesda

If you live near an IKEA store, this is a good option:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022354

They're just fancy cardboard boxes, but fairly inexpensive and do the job. I haven't found a similar product for less in any other place I've looked (Office Max, Staples, etc.). My experience is that each file holds about 16 MR magazines. I put the magazines in the cardboard files, then put the cardboard files next to each other on a bookshelf.

Actually, Staples does sell pretty much the same thing.  Try Staples Item #s 513168 and 513176.  I sprung for the large size variety.  Not sure how Ikea does it, unless theirs are really flimsy, though.  I paid about $10 for a 3 pack at Staples.

Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford

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Posted by kenkal on Thursday, May 7, 2009 11:48 PM

Jagdwolf86

 I have alot of magazines of MR. but wanted to know whats the best way to store magazines?  right now i stack it in the box. i wasnt sure if its good way to stack it.

thanks

 Rich

Know anyone that has a cat?  If they use Fresh Step litter (maybe some other brands as well) you have an endless supply of very tough plastic pails with a handle that are perfect for carrying and storing magazines!  They hold about 4 years worth depending on the size of the container, are basically air tight (great in basements) and are stack-able!!  And free!  What more can you ask for?  It always irked me to throw these heavy duty containers away and finally came up with the idea for magazine storage. A lot better than those paper boxes.

Ken

Huntley, IL
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Posted by stokesda on Friday, May 8, 2009 2:12 PM

CTValleyRR

stokesda

If you live near an IKEA store, this is a good option:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022354

They're just fancy cardboard boxes, but fairly inexpensive and do the job. I haven't found a similar product for less in any other place I've looked (Office Max, Staples, etc.). My experience is that each file holds about 16 MR magazines. I put the magazines in the cardboard files, then put the cardboard files next to each other on a bookshelf.

Actually, Staples does sell pretty much the same thing.  Try Staples Item #s 513168 and 513176.  I sprung for the large size variety.  Not sure how Ikea does it, unless theirs are really flimsy, though.  I paid about $10 for a 3 pack at Staples.

 

I think I did see that at Staples. I went with Ikea because theirs was 5 for $3, which was much cheaper. They are basically a generic single-thickness corrugated cardboard box with one side of the cardboard colored. They're a little more "rough around the edges" (literally) and not as refined-looking as the Staples ones, and maybe a step lower on the "sturdiness" scale, but they served my purposes, which were:

1. vertical magazine storage

2. each one hold 1-2 dozen magazines

3. sit on a bookshelf

4. provide easy access to stored magazines

5. inexpensive

6. not labor intensive or time consuming to put together

Dan Stokes

My other car is a tunnel motor

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Posted by IVRW on Friday, May 8, 2009 9:37 PM
stokesda

If you live near an IKEA store, this is a good option:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022354

They're just fancy cardboard boxes, but fairly inexpensive and do the job. I haven't found a similar product for less in any other place I've looked (Office Max, Staples, etc.). My experience is that each file holds about 16 MR magazines. I put the magazines in the cardboard files, then put the cardboard files next to each other on a bookshelf.

I have some of those and they work pretty good for me. The more you fill them up, the less likely a chance of them bending.

~G4

19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.

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Posted by lvanhen on Saturday, May 9, 2009 7:45 AM

I store mine in the computer!!  I cut the articles I like and scan them, then put in catagories - i/e. Model/steam, Proto/steam etc.  Takes a lot less room, and are actually easier to read!!Smile

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Posted by maxman on Saturday, May 9, 2009 11:07 AM

lvanhen
I store mine in the computer

Do you have some sort of searchable data base program that you use, or once you get to the particular category do you have to search through each article in chronological order until you find the one you want?

lvanhen
and are actually easier to read!!

Ummmmmmmmm, I'm afraid to ask the next question, but I'll go ahead anyway.  Do you have a remote monitor and keyboard in your "library", or do you have a laptop?

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Posted by alanprocter on Saturday, May 9, 2009 12:42 PM

I also use the plastic magazine storage things from Staples - similar to the IKEA ones - each holds one year of MRs.  The other thing I do is tag interesting articles or pages with a long post-it note with a reminder written on the top.  I can usually find something in less than a minute. 

Alan

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Posted by CascadeBob on Saturday, May 9, 2009 3:16 PM

 I had a collection of MR and RMC mags dating back to 1978.  I stored them in cardboard magazine storage boxes that I got at Staples that held approximately 18 issues of MR or 24 issues of RMC.  They were taking up an increasing amount of storage space, so last fall, I decided to go through all the back issues, cut out the articles that were relevant to my current needs and interests and recycle the rest of the mag.  Some were recycle to my 6 year old grandson who has a strong interest in trains which hopefully he'll retain and the others were taken to our local recycle facility.  I did keep the last five years of issues intact with the intent that at the end of each year I would review and recycle the oldest year in the series.  The articles removed from each issue will be filed by date, source and major catagory.

In reviewing all these back issues, I discovered that at least 50-60% of the pages consisted of ads, most of which were time sensitive.  It was also interesting to see how our hobby had changed and evolved over the 30-year period covered by the mags, eg., the appearance and development of DCC, the use of new scenicing methods, and sad to say, the loss of some major contributors to the hobby.

I now have about 4 dozen mag storage boxes for which I'll have to find other uses.

Bob

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Posted by jwhitten on Saturday, May 9, 2009 6:45 PM

 This is the kind I use:

 http://www.buyonlinenow.com/search.asp?1=1&keywords=FEL0722&cat=&subcat=JEAA&manufact=0&department=&green=0&carton=0&p1=0&p2=50000&sort=7&img=1&count=24&cols=1

 They come 12 to a box, 2 to a cardboard sheet. You flex the sheet once to break 'em apart and then do the old Tab-A / Slot-B routine three times and you're good to go. Easy, darned-near foolproof about about a buck fifty or so each.

I would prefer to use magazine binders but don't relish the thought of spending the equivalent of a couple of brass locos to do my collection.

Another way you can get binders is to check out the 'site-that-shall-not-be-named', the one that starts with 'e', ends in 'y' and has an 'b' and 'a' in the middle. I have even seen entire bound years of MR going for reasonable prices. If I didn't already have the issues, I'd go that way myself.

There's another type of binder thing I've seen that I really like which is similar to a traditional magazine binder except its a piece of plastic with a long slot down the middle you put half the magazine through (it then straddles the plastic part) and it allows the magazine to be put into an ordinary 3-ring style notebook binder. I've seen them offered 12 to a pack, and sometimes in 10 pack bundles. They're usually $5-ish a pack, and then of course you'll need a 3-ring binder.

 

 

John

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
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Posted by jwhitten on Saturday, May 9, 2009 6:49 PM

 Storing them _without_ enough humidity can be bad too-- possibly even worse-- they can dry out completely and get brittle. As soon as you touch a page it falls apart on you.

 

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
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Posted by Maurice on Sunday, May 10, 2009 1:56 AM

The best way is to scan them in to a graphic file and store them on a CD or Memory card.

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Posted by lvanhen on Sunday, May 10, 2009 7:21 AM

Maxman, I made a file for model and another for prototype, then sub folders for scenery, steam locos, diesel, etc.  Word files them alphabeticly and it's pretty easy to find what you want.  I have "other" material in the "library"Whistling

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Posted by IVRW on Sunday, May 10, 2009 7:56 AM
lvanhen

I store mine in the computer!!  I cut the articles I like and scan them, then put in catagories - i/e. Model/steam, Proto/steam etc.  Takes a lot less room, and are actually easier to read!!Smile

Nice idea Ivanhen, but I wouldn't be the first person to volunteer cutting up my favorite thing in the world.

~G4

19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.

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Posted by alanprocter on Sunday, May 10, 2009 10:28 AM

Maybe we should lobby MR to provide a CDROM of the year's issues at the end of the year.  I would sign up for sure.  My prior professional association did this for their magazine and members list.

Alan

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Posted by chatanuga on Sunday, May 10, 2009 11:12 AM

kenkal

Know anyone that has a cat?  If they use Fresh Step litter (maybe some other brands as well) you have an endless supply of very tough plastic pails with a handle that are perfect for carrying and storing magazines!  They hold about 4 years worth depending on the size of the container, are basically air tight (great in basements) and are stack-able!!  And free!  What more can you ask for?  It always irked me to throw these heavy duty containers away and finally came up with the idea for magazine storage. A lot better than those paper boxes.

Ken

With that idea, be sure to thoroughly wash and dry those out.  I use Fresh Step with my two cats, and it can get quite dusty.

Kevin

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Posted by Maurice on Sunday, May 10, 2009 12:45 PM

 Alan P.

I would love to see that, but unfortunately, Kalmbach seems to feel people would copy the CDs and their subscriptions would drop. I think they also would lose the income from selling back issues.

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Posted by seacoast on Sunday, May 10, 2009 4:22 PM

Actually O Gauge Railroading magazine OGR has a mulitple versions (years) CD  version of most of their back issues. Each CD rom holds a few years worth, the cd is connected to the internet so you can search old issues through your browser.  Read everything in an old issue ads/stories or anything that was in a particular issue going back about 20 years or more. The cost is about $29-39 dollars or so. Anything of interest you can print. I wish MR would do same

George

 

George

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