It seemed rather appropriate to be looking at my current figure collection storage solution (which mainly comprises a large number of 'Really Useful Boxes') on Boxing Day ... and coming up with one or two ideas as to how to use it somewhat better.
I've long been convinced that wargame figures (and vehicles) need to be stored in two ways.
To stop my figures and vehicles from moving whilst they are in their boxes, I place an A5-sized magnetic sheet into the bottom of each box. (These were made by cutting A4-sized magnetic lined page dry wipe boards from The Works or Flying Tiger Copenhagen in half.) Each figure is fixed to a metal base (in most cases this is a copper-plated steel 1p or 2p piece) and the vehicles are mounted on 3mm-thick MDF bases with strips of steel paper fixed underneath.
I will be playing around with my proposed short-term storage solution over the next few days, but it appears to work well. I can get enough 15mm-scale figures for a Colonial PORTABLE WARGAME battle in a single box, and two will easily store enough 20mm-scale figures for a World War II battle. In fact, I'm seriously considering using one A5-sized box to store a campaign formation for my proposed Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War project, with the simple rule that if it cannot fit inside the box, the formation is too big!
I've long been convinced that wargame figures (and vehicles) need to be stored in two ways.
- Long-term storage for items that you don't intend to use in the near future
- Short-term storage for items that you do intend to use in the near future
To stop my figures and vehicles from moving whilst they are in their boxes, I place an A5-sized magnetic sheet into the bottom of each box. (These were made by cutting A4-sized magnetic lined page dry wipe boards from The Works or Flying Tiger Copenhagen in half.) Each figure is fixed to a metal base (in most cases this is a copper-plated steel 1p or 2p piece) and the vehicles are mounted on 3mm-thick MDF bases with strips of steel paper fixed underneath.
I will be playing around with my proposed short-term storage solution over the next few days, but it appears to work well. I can get enough 15mm-scale figures for a Colonial PORTABLE WARGAME battle in a single box, and two will easily store enough 20mm-scale figures for a World War II battle. In fact, I'm seriously considering using one A5-sized box to store a campaign formation for my proposed Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War project, with the simple rule that if it cannot fit inside the box, the formation is too big!
Storage is always a problem, whatever method you use.
ReplyDeleteRay Rousell,
DeleteOver recent years I’ve tried to rationalise the storage that I use, hence my extensive use of ‘Really Useful Boxes’.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob, one thing I’ve learned since adopting magnetic sheets in my storage boxes is that I need to leave space in order to get my fingers in to prise the bases off. I’ve bent a few pikes since I ‘went magnetic’.
ReplyDeleteThis after years of searching for boxes with the right internal dimensions (multiples of 30mm or 60mm to suit my basing convention. Those Weston boxes look ideal from that point of view - just a small tolerance.
Also the addition of the weight of the magnets has made my current storage solution (Ferrero Rocher square boxes) feel less robust. I might have to switch to the Weston ones and eating all that chocolate would have been in vain.
Nundanket,
DeleteHaving fingers like bananas, I’ve always had to leave space to get my fingers in ... so to speak!
I like the WestonBoxes because they are light and made of a very durable plastic you can see through. They can also be bought in places like THE RANGE or HOBBYCRAFT as well as online direct from WestonBoxes, who seem to offer quite good discounts for bulk orders.
Eating chocolate is never in vain ... and even if the Ferraro Roche boxes are a bit flimsy, what’s in them more than makes up for that!
All the best,
Bob
Got dozens of the things - main limitaion for me is height, some figures just too tall. Every now and then they have sales but you have to be quick - they go very quickly. I generally use the A4 boxes for based figures but the credit card boxes are very useful for storing unpainted figures, etc. Used to be that you could buy A4 boxes with a complement of credit card ones - a useful combination.
ReplyDeleteRob Young,
DeleteAs most of my figures are 15mm or 20mm-scale, the height of the boxes shouldn’t pose too many problems.
I have a few of the A4-sized boxes and quite a number of the smaller ones. I use the latter for storing playing cards, casualty markers, and dice.
All the best,
Bob
Always nice to have things stored so that they are easily accessed but smaller is definitely easier than bigger. My problems got easier when I decided that I was unlikely to play more games in the next 20 years than I have in the last 40 and started choosing what to let go,
ReplyDeleteI also I like to see what I'm not using so I made way room for shelves where I could enjoy the figures when not in use. This also helps develop an authentic dusty look.......
Ross Mac,
DeleteI’m in the process of culling my collections for exactly the reason you included in your comment.
The boxes are reasonably see through, and I’m hoping that they will fit on my existing bookshelves. That way they can can be on display as well as being easily accessible.
All the best,
Bob
I need to do more organizing myself. I have assorted minis just standing loosely on shelves in bookcases with glass doors, and others tucked away in a mix of carrying cases. I really should get them all sorted so I know what's what and where it is.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of long term vs short term storage sounds like a good approach. I also like the idea of a formation being limited to what can fit in a box. Hearkens back to the idea of a "game in a box", too.
And you're right, eating chocolate is not a waste. :) I got some of the sticks I use to hold minis when I paint them by eating chocolate ice cream bars. I glued neodymium magnets to the sticks and as most of my minis are based on washers they stick well, but can be turned around as needed, too.
Fitz-Badger,
DeleteAs I tend to be a somewhat untidy individual, I try to counter it by organising my stuff in the most efficient way that I can ... although my wife tells me that she cannot understand how my storage system works!
The mixed long-term/short-term solution it intended to ensure that I have what I need to hand whilst still being able to find other stuff, should the need arise. As most of my wargaming uses my PW rules (or variants thereof), the need for large tabletop 'armies' for a single battle is very unlikely, so adopting the 'formation in a box' seemed to make a lot of sense.
Nowadays, most of my figures are mounted on washers (in actual fact, 1p or 2p pieces), and I use individual magnetic wall board magnets to hold them whilst I paint them. I should have used your method so that I could justify eating chocolate ice cream bars!
All the best,
Bob
Hello Bob, interesting post as I now find myself tasked with finding a suitable storage solution for my 40mm's. At least here in the Uk there are many more retail outlets selling boxes at reasonable price so I'll start looking around. The Works seems a logical place to start?
ReplyDelete‘Lee,
DeleteIf you’re now back in the Medway area, your best bet would be a trip to the outlet centre at Chatham Maritime, where there is a branch of THE RANGE. They sell a range of different storage boxes, crates etc.
Alternatively, a trip into Maidstone would give you the opportunity to see what THE RANGE and HOBBYCRAFT have on sale.
I used to rely on STAPLES, but they seem to have shut all their retail stores. It’s worth remembering that REALLY USEFUL BOXES and WESTONBOXES sell their products online, and give discounts for bulk orders.
All the best,
Bob