8mm Forum: What's Your Storage Solution?

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Posted by Ernie Zahn (Member # 274) on June 29, 2017, 06:07 PM:

I've moved my collections around over the years but I now have access to about 600 sq feet of empty basement to store 8mm/super 8mm, 16mm, 35mm, photo prints, still negatives, and host of other environmentally sensitive materials.

I've done my best to, at the very least, keep things in a cool dry place but I have some really valuable stuff now and I want to take steps to have a good archival solution.

Would love to hear what everyone else does i.e. shelving, cabinets with doors, dehumidifiers, maintenance, etc.

It's in the northeastern US so anyone familiar we go from dry winters to sticky summers. I've got an okay dehumidifier that I plan to upgrade and top of the line sump pump to keep out water from floods.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 02, 2017, 07:47 PM:

Hey Ernie,

I like to keep my collection in normal, human environmental conditions: which means it's squirreled all over the house.

It does get all put away (It's not one of these places with stacks of film going up the stairs!), but it's organized into all sorts of different categories so sometimes I have to think about where it's wound up since the last time I watched it. ("Is a 'scope cartoon in cartoons or 'scope films?")

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on July 03, 2017, 04:50 AM:

Remember to store films horizontally and not vertically. This evens up their weight.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on July 03, 2017, 10:44 AM:

Some 8mm can be stored vertically (with boxes) - Suggest a central-cool area, even in winter (not too much heat) - 16mm cans/boxes should be alternately stored horizontal and vertical - To me, the long-way tends to add excessive weight on that bottom subject, which no doubt you'll tend to want to watch - But what do I know - Shorty

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 03, 2017, 12:42 PM:

Not everyone advises this, of course, but for my old school fadey type eastman or Kodak SP prints, I store them in a frost free style refridgerator, in large freezer bags, (which can hold up to 5X600ft in each bag), along with a package of selica gel in each bag.

Thus far, I have not had any mosisture problems in any way shape or form, and I did a comparison with two prints that i have of the same title, that were at the same level of fade (same stock as well), when I started my little successful experiment, and the one just left at room temperature, has continued it's slow slide to disaster, while the other print has not continued to dafe, (at least, I have not detected any continued fade) ...

though, of course, inevitably, any of these print WILL fade in the long run. [Frown]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 03, 2017, 01:02 PM:

-as long as you let 'em warm up before you open the bags.

On a humid day you'd be inviting moisture to condense on the films.

I store my camera stock in the fridge(1) and always let the cartridges warm up before I open the boxes.

Notes:

(1) A slightly batty relative once asked my wife why we have "all this cheese" in the bottom drawer!

Posted by Doug Stratton (Member # 5923) on July 04, 2017, 06:28 PM:

With ya in the North East. All my films are stored in metal canisters (containers) with a lid that you snap on or off (which you can prob find now at Michael's or hobby lobby type craft store). These are then further stored in an empty plastic toolbox (picked up at home depot) in my crawlspace. Some of my films which are normal movies in the usual cardboard or in vhs terms clamshell style case (like Squirm) Are also just stored as they are in the same plastic toolbox in my crawlspace.

Many of these films are 50 plus years old and despite crappy "NY humid summers" are still fine

Actually you could use (if they still make them this way)- the old Maxwell house metal coffee containers with the plastic snap on lid would work as well.

The crawlspace keeps out any light and is the coolest place in the house all year round

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on July 06, 2017, 10:02 AM:

I keep my 16mm prints in milk crates stored loose (no cans) above the floor in my basement with a de-humidifier running all summer long. There's little to no dust in the basement being that I vacuum it once every quarter throughout the year. The central air for the house keeps the temperature in the basement very cool (65* +\-). My 8mm are kept in their original cases also in the basement. Should I keep the 16mm in cans? Always wondered if I should. I'm always reading comments about letting film "breathe". Investing in vented cans for the # of prints I have would probably run me into the thousands so I just store them upright and loose.

Posted by Ernie Zahn (Member # 274) on July 23, 2017, 10:49 AM:

Awesome thanks for all the feedback!

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