Storing sprues and games in a an attic

[Filius]

Dear fellow Bolters and Chainswords,

 

sadly, I've come to a point where the hobby is no longer working for me. I need to take a bigger break from Warhammer. But … I've learned from Uncle Atom never to sell your Warhammer stuff. So, I am looking for a place, where I can store my many, many boxes of unbuilt stuff and even complete games like Blackstone Fortress. I do have a (not isolated) attic, with quite some space left. But. I don't know what happens to all that plastic when it gets heated up and cooled down through the years. Has anyone any experiences with that?

 

Thanks in advance for any help
and for all the fun and joy throughout the last 10 years!

 

[LameBeard]

I’m no chemist, but the meaning of “plastic” means it should return to original shape after (moderate) stress, and surely heat/cold expansion/contraction is just that. And it is basically inert so can’t rot or decay. I feel like sprues are about the safest thing to keep in an attic. I have a few bits knocking around from Rogue Trader days that seem fine.

 

I’d be more worried about the cardboard: cold=condensation=moisture=mould.

 

My brother kept our 1st edition Space Hulk and it’s not so happy. 

 

Your climate may vary.

 

Enjoy your break from Warhammer - we shall be ready to welcome you back when the stars are right for your return.

Edited 14 hours ago by LameBeard

[Domhnall]

1 hour ago, LameBeard said:

I’m no chemist, but the meaning of “plastic” means it should return to original shape after (moderate) stress, and surely heat/cold expansion/contraction is just that.

<snip>

 

Slight correction: Plastic would mean that any deformation would be permanent after a certain amount of stress, whereas elastic the deformation is temporary and it will return to it's original shape. To be more accurate, most materials have a certain amount of elasticity up to a point, after which the stress deformation becomes plastic (Ref. Young's Modulus). Plastic itself has a low modulus of elasticity, so doesn't take much stress to bend it and retain that bend. Steel on the other hand is high, so can take a good bit of stress before deforming. Can you tell I work in structural engineering, and don't get much opportunity to share such information? 

 

But you are correct in that the kind of hot/cold cycles in an attic shouldn't make the plastic deform and would generally be a safe thing to do. Unless you're living somewhere that your attic becomes a greenhouse and heats it enough to soften the plastic. 

 

They 'may' however suffer from degredation such as becoming more brittle if left exposed in direct sunlight but that shouldn't be a problem in most attics, and the many people who have left their minis in their attic and not been a problem suggests that isn't as much of a problem as it could be. 

 

As Lamebeard says, your biggest issue would be cardboard/paper getting damp, especially if you live in a humid/damp environment: Here in Scotland I have this issue as my cardboard boxes can become a bit "mildly soggy" in winter.

 

An attic is considered an 'outdoor space' as far as storage is concerned, so wrap/store/protect as necessary for your local climate conditions and how well you want to preserve what you have. 

Edited 12 hours ago by Domhnall

[lhg033]

I have had a load of stuff in my loft/attic for years and had no issues with any of it. (UK, summers in the last few years have been pretty hot, snow sometimes in the winter so a fair temperature swing)

I dont really have any resin stuff up there though

I try and put things in at least bin bags around boxes but some of it is in really useful boxes which is obviously better.

 

Some of it is loose in carrier bags (generally seals hachette issues but occasionaly sprues etc.

Protect against/be carefully of any potential humidity on things like books.
 

[LameBeard]

Thanks @Domhnall I got plastic/elastic mixed up it seems! The point of plastic being it holds the shape you bent it into, not bouncing back!

 

I am in England and I think we are all agreeing that for this sort of climate, sprues safe, watch out for soggy cardboard.

[kabaakaba]

for aging process(like for metals) polymers requires far wider temperature swing than yours. iirc it's about 200 degree from lowest to highest and its should stay on highest temp for a some time( molecular reconfiguration going at this point). that mean you unlikely seen that))) also humidity don't affect polymers. UV can damage plastic a bit(but realy not that hard)

[Cleon]

I think that depends where you live, sprues and unpainted models (plastic, metal or resin), I'd have no concern putting in an attic here in Norfolk UK. I'd have concerns in Texas (heat) or Canada (cold)

Painted models and books, paper or cardstock I'd want to invest in some moisture-proof/waterproof sealed boxes for them regardless of loaction. 

 

[Grotsmasha]

Keeping thing airtight will help, whether it's sealable bags or tubs, it'll keep any undue moisture and dust at bay. 

[Domhnall]

32 minutes ago, Grotsmasha said:

Keeping thing airtight will help, whether it's sealable bags or tubs, it'll keep any undue moisture and dust at bay. 

 

Not to mention keeping out any unwanted beasties! 
It won't be the first time I've had a spider jump out at me when opening up some box or other from the attic! 

[Karhedron]

My armies have always lived in the loft with many minis accumulating 15+ years of hot, cold and damp without any issues at all. As others have said, pack them up so mini-beasts don't get in and they will be fine to wait until your mojo returns.

 

My one caveat is that paper and card don't like such environments. My loft is fairly well protected but I have put a few books up there over the years and regretted it.

[Filius]

Thanks everybody! That's a big help!

 

The sprues (and the scenery) take up by far the most space, and I already have them in "Samla"-Boxes from Ikea. Plus: My attic is dark and quite dry. (We live in a new building in north-west germany, and we store the carnival/halloween costumes there for three years now and take them down twice a year and they seem very well.) I will store the books and boxed games (and maybe even the painted minis) else where with better conditions. They don't take up that much space.

Thanks everyone, again!

It really helps to have a chance to get back into the hobby …

[N1SB]

I agree with everything said, and add 1 thing I found out: Warhammer minis (after Finecast) are especially robust.

 

It was from my friend Timperial Guard.  It was when I asked if gas prices would increase mini prices, because plastic is actually a byproduct of petroleum.  As a former Warhammer Store employee AND having worked his way up in other plastic mold injection molding, he pointed out it's not the materials that are most affected by gas prices, but energy costs.  How does plastic pellets become minis?  It needs to be melted down at around 200°C to 400°C, and the furnaces are never turned off.

 

Then he added an aside, that GW plastic would be at the higher end of that, thus higher energy costs, OBVIOUSLY.

 

Everything made sense, but why was it so obvious that GW plastic were melted at higher heat?  He explained it's their level of detail.  To capture that level of detail, GW deliberately uses their own plastic formula that's extra hard without being brittle, a higher quality of plastic, which just takes more heat to melt.  He said it as a downside, as it's an extra cost.

 

But if you ever handled, say, a Star Wars Legion mini, it IS absolutely obvious what he said.  They're less detailed, uses a softer plastic that's almost rubbery.  Being used to GW plastics, it felt kinda gross and sticky.  Being Star Wars, a lot of them have lightsabers, those lightsabers come all bendy because they warp even under a little heat.  I never had that issue with Warhammer minis, if anything, all the spikes on Chaos Space Marines remain straight & true...right under my fingernails when I try to move them.

 

So Brother Filius, it turns out you get what you pay for, those expensive Warhammer minis are more heat resistant not because that was an intentional benefit, but it was to capture the high level of detail, and costs more energy to melt down to be turned to sprues.  But just as it took a lot of heat to cast them, it takes a lot of heat to warp them.

 

+++++

 

I had a reunion with the guy that inspired me to convert Nurgle minis.  He went to our old FLGS, super duper nice guy, was friends with our friends because he was friends with everyone.  Went to the United Arab Emirates with his wife awhile back because they both got great paying jobs, but they returned recently.

 

We got talking, then he mentioned it's been a decade since we last met and I was like, "Noooo, c'mon, can't be that long."  In my mind I knew the last time we talked was back in 7th, 3 editions ago, so yeah it's been a decade, but my poor heart could not handle how old I've become and I was in denial for a few minutes.

 

Then he had an epically bad roll, like rolling Snakes Eyes for a 3 inch charge, and he said, "Aw...shucks."

 

My mind went, "Shucks?  SHUCKS!?  Who says shucks?"  Then it dawned on me and I said aloud, "Brother, you have a kid now, don't you?"

 

He replied, "We just had our 2nd."  That's when the penny dropped and my brain said, "See?  I told you he's right about it being a decade!"

 

Brother Filius, I don't know when we'll meet again.  It may be a few months, a few years, a decade, more than a decade.  But when we do, it'll just have been like yesterday, until an "aw shucks" moment.

[crimsondave]

If you are storing paper, I’d throw a little desiccant, like used in gun safes, in the tote.  None of my minis ever had any issues at all.  Plastic, pewter, or lead.

[Filius]

39 minutes ago, N1SB said:

Brother Filius, I don't know when we'll meet again.  It may be a few months, a few years, a decade, more than a decade.  But when we do, it'll just have been like yesterday, until an "aw shucks" moment.

Awww … thanks a lot for the very, very kind words, and the amazing story. Actually all the extremely friendly and kind feedback here already makes me regret my choice hehe. But … my son is 8 right now … so I guess it won't be 10 years till we meet again. And one thing is for sure: When I get back into the hobby, this here is the first place to pay a visit and drop a "Back in the game, which edition are we now (and how much have the Space Wolves been nerfed in the meantime)?"-Post, hehe.