8mm Forum: Film Storage

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Posted by Roger Shunk (Member # 2836) on December 15, 2011, 02:00 PM:

What is the best way to store your 8mm films? In an upright position or flat?

Thanks,
Roger

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on December 15, 2011, 02:15 PM:

The gripe I have with storing them flat is if they are in a pliable container the reels will tend to get squished (and distorted)from things piled on top of them. It gets especially nasty when you have a feature with multiple reels in a box and the last reel is partially empty and on the bottom.

In a rigid case (like a Gepe or Bonum) it's fine, but then again if you pile them one on top of the other it's pretty easy to start a film avalanche when you want one near the bottom.

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on December 15, 2011, 03:37 PM:

Both ways works for me. Never had any problems the last 45 years or so.... [Wink]

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on December 21, 2011, 03:53 PM:

Film in cans I store flat and all others are library style (upright). I don't store anything without a box or a can. I'm too o.c.d. for that.

Posted by Bradford A Moore (Member # 426) on December 21, 2011, 05:24 PM:

I would go with flat too. Don't store in metal cans! Best in original cardboard boxes, or plastic reels with plastic cans that have air holes. Films must breathe! Also try and keep your films tightly wound to help prevent warpage.

Posted by William Mouroukas (Member # 2764) on December 21, 2011, 11:00 PM:

Thanks for the advice on this as I was also thinking to ask.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on December 22, 2011, 05:57 AM:

I expounded on this before, and my strong counsel is to store such films vertically, whether box or can - Now, I have some that are stacked (4 at most), but that is an exception - The idea of horizontal is that cans and boxes get undue pressure resulting in a toppling over and damage thereof - I've found this works for me many years and my oldest films still run fine. This applies to old LPs, and such recordings, books, even comic books; Vertically all the way - Shorty

Posted by Bradford A Moore (Member # 426) on December 22, 2011, 06:39 AM:

A record absolutely should be vertical, but film stacking vertically can help with warping, and baggy syndrome. Keeping a film flat, and tightly wound should keep the film tighter longer. Having it horizontal will loosen the winding faster than not.

I keep my feature films in there original boxes if possible, and stack them about 4 or 5 features, which depends on the reels, which is usually 4 to 5 400ft reels. The lesser ones with two or three should go on top not on the bottom. I find using a old unused wooden book case works well too.

Posted by William Mouroukas (Member # 2764) on December 22, 2011, 04:05 PM:

Okay so tight winding is clearly important. Interesting to hear the case for vertical. Not long ago I saw on You Tube a story that included the film vault of a major studio, Disney I think. They had all their masters in cans horizontal on individual brackets / shelves, no cans resting on another.
None of my projectors do what I'd consider a tight wind so it looks like I need some manual winders.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on December 23, 2011, 08:06 AM:

I'm not on for tight-winding, as this causes breaks - Prefer loose film on the reel and tamped down (by hand so it is even all-around, sort of feels like a smooth wave when you run your hand across - Sounds odd, but I've had no troubles doing this procedure for years - Vertical storage (save for a few), like books (you would never stack a series of 'Radio Boys' or 'Dick Kent', stories, these are collector items too), LPs and comic books, amd those Famous Monsters, well, those cherished magazines MUST be vertically aligned with backing boards and sealed - Same with films, though not as rigid - Metal cans as opposed with plastic - Shorty

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on December 23, 2011, 12:19 PM:

Upright is my pick as a general rule!

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