# Collection storage.



## Jeritall (Sep 6, 2007)

I was looking for a safe way to store my minimag collection, CQs, dups, part pieces, etc. when I found an ebay listing for 1" wedge acoustic foam. The stuff looked just like the material that lines a gun case, so I thought I'd try it as a drawer liner to keep the lights from beating themselves to pieces. It worked great! The foam is cheap and is easy to cut to size. I first tried it out in a 18"x24" lap drawer from my desk, it worked fine but I missed the drawer space. I had a 6 drawer Craftsman tool caddy, that wasn't being used, and fit the foam into it. It has "slots" for 54 lights and can also be locked. It works great for MMs and probably would for any AAA, AA, 123 light. 

How do you store and protect your collection?







18"x24" lap drawer






6 drawer tool caddy.






1" wedge acoustic foam shown.


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## will (Sep 9, 2007)

Some types of foam break down over time. There are most likely different types available, some will last longer than others. I have used some that after a few years gets very crumbly and breaks apart. 

There is probably someone here who knows more about the long term storage using foam. 

I am in the process of trying to figure out how to store and display the minis I have. I think I am going to make a 3 or 4 drawer wood cabinet. Each drawer will be approx. 18 inches square, approx 2 inches high. I am going to line it with a neutral color felt. I have to make a 'bar' with 1 inch half circles to keep the lights separated. The frame of each drawer will be built like a picture frame, in the event that I would want to hang them. I also want to have the ability to seal it with a piece of glass on the top of each drawer, probably just cut some slots in the wood and have the glass slide in and out. That is my plan, sort of..


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## Bushman5 (Sep 9, 2007)

i dont have a big collection (yet,  ) but i hav been thinking about a drilling a nice douglas fir beam i have with various sized angled holes
and simply putting the lights in butt first.


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## KeyGrip (Sep 9, 2007)

Bushman5 said:


> i dont have a big collection (yet,  ) but i hav been thinking about a drilling a nice douglas fir beam i have with various sized angled holes
> and simply putting the lights in butt first.


Ooooooooo. That would look really, really cool. You could really go crazy with the sequences and patterns on something like that.


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## will (Oct 21, 2007)

I am almost finished with this display/storage for my mini-mag collection. There are five drawers, and the top lid is glass covered. The main woods are Walnut, Birdseye Maple on the sides, Tiger Maple for the drawer fronts, The drawer pulls are made from Birdeye Maple. The secondary wood for the drawers is Poplar for the sides and back, Baltic Birch plywood for the bottom.
overall size is 16 inches by 16 inches, by 12 inches high.

The design is like a spool collectors box or closer to a pen collectors display case. 

I will be lining the drawers and top with tarnish proof material, dark maroon in color. I have to make some separaters to keep everything all lined up.

( Jeritall - I hope you don't mind me posting here ) 







There is a reflection of the radial arm saw in the glass top


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## Jeritall (Oct 21, 2007)

Will, I am awed by the craftsmanship you display in your woodwork.


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## will (Oct 21, 2007)

Jeritall said:


> Will, I am awed by the craftsmanship you display in your woodwork.



Thanks for the kind words..


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## Erasmus (Oct 22, 2007)

will said:


> I am almost finished with this display/storage for my mini-mag collection. There are five drawers, and the top lid is glass covered. The main woods are Walnut, Birdseye Maple on the sides, Tiger Maple for the drawer fronts, The drawer pulls are made from Birdeye Maple. The secondary wood for the drawers is Poplar for the sides and back, Baltic Birch plywood for the bottom.
> overall size is 16 inches by 16 inches, by 12 inches high.
> 
> The design is like a spool collectors box or closer to a pen collectors display case.
> ...



Wow this is amazing!!! Congratulations!


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## Zot (Oct 22, 2007)

That is a fine looking case Will.
Nice work!


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## souptree (Oct 22, 2007)

Truly inspiring, will! Gorgeous work!!! Wow wow wow.


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## powernoodle (Oct 22, 2007)

Some of my smaller lights:


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## adirondackdestroyer (Oct 23, 2007)

I'm kinda looking for a low cost storage container that would be able to hold lights from 2C Maglite and smaller. I thought there might be something like a fishing box but with larger compartments. Has anyone seen anything like this? 


Will,

That thing is freaking beautiful! Amazing stuff.


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## will (Oct 24, 2007)

I finally finished this - (sort of, I want to make some better separators) 

The drawers and top are fully lined.

there are few wood maglites, one flamed light, powder coated ones and some splash anodize.


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## will (Oct 24, 2007)

adirondackdestroyer said:


> I'm kinda looking for a low cost storage container that would be able to hold lights from 2C Maglite and smaller. I thought there might be something like a fishing box but with larger compartments. Has anyone seen anything like this?
> 
> 
> :




Try doing a search on PLANO boxes, they make tool boxes, tackle boxes and the like. If you don't see anything you like - maybe an art box, used to carry paints and such.


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## souptree (Oct 24, 2007)

will, I really enjoy seeing the photos of your work, and I have NOT forgotten that I still owe YOU some photos. :naughty: Thanks a lot for sharing your fantastic work with us! :thumbsup:


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## greenLED (Oct 24, 2007)

Will, that display case is superb!!


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## will (Oct 24, 2007)

greenLED said:


> Will, that display case is superb!!



thanks 

This case was sort of the idea behind what I made. I have some ideas for something a little smaller. 

http://www.jewelryboxshop.com/lopenchho60p.html


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## DM51 (Oct 25, 2007)

Wow! Just seen this. Will, that is absolutely top-quality work - and a beautiful collection to go in it, too.


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## karlthev (Oct 25, 2007)

Well Will, you're tough to follow! Lordy, Walnut, Birdseye Maple--yikes!! Great job! 

I'll not post pictures but, most of my collection is housed in Pelican cases and most of those with the foam cut to fit the lights. Safe as I guess they can be particularly for transport, you have to be a bit foresighted so that you don't end up with having to buy extra foam blocks if you later decide to change the arrangements!!

The rest of my collection finds itself in bubble wrap and then into large lidded plastic storage bins that I got at K-Mart. 

Karl


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## will (Oct 25, 2007)

Karl
most of my lights are in a the mini-mag plastic cases, which in turn are in a large plastic box. I am debating whether to put them all in the box I made, or just leave them where they are. They are all labeled in the mini-mag cases. A few I would have to put the label inside the mini. There is no dust in the plastic case and they are protected. I did have a fair amount that were 'Loose' - those will go in the case. If I make separators, the most per drawer is 24, just loose in the drawer I can get 26 - 30 .

decisions decisions decisions...


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## karlthev (Oct 25, 2007)

Yeah, I know. Change the collection with an addition or (gasp!!!) a deletion and, bam, yer cooked!!! Ugh!


Karl


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## yuandrew (Oct 26, 2007)

I seem to like distributing my lights throughout the house. There's a Coleman flashlight next to my bed and a River Rock 2AAA on my desk. Two lights are in the kitchen pantry and another in the "junk drawer". One is sitting on the coffee table in the living room and the MagLite 2D LED is on the bench in the Garage.

Thing is, if/when there's a power outage or my mother or father needs a light, they can just get one from the kitchen or living room easily.


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## rhuck60 (Oct 27, 2007)

congratulations, Will on an excellent collection and a very fine wooden storage cabinet.:thumbsup:


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## Cuso (Oct 27, 2007)

Thats just beautiful work Will, Love the splash anos...:thumbsup:.


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## Sinjz (Oct 28, 2007)

Will, that is beautiful! Now you just need to line the drawers with some sort of soft felt (like in jewlery boxes) and make one for me.


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## will (Oct 28, 2007)

The case is fully lined with maroon anti-tarnish cloth. I might make a couple more - slightly different, probably not as big. I still have a bunch of wood here, lots of walnut, cherry, various maples, oak


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## Sinjz (Oct 28, 2007)

Ooo..... sweet! Focused mostly on the first pick with the drawers open, so I didn't notice. oo: Seriously, how much for one? I wouldn't need one as big as yours as I don't have as many lights, but I could use a nice storage box for the ones I do have.


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## will (Oct 28, 2007)

Sinjz said:


> Ooo..... sweet! Focused mostly on the first pick with the drawers open, so I didn't notice. oo: Seriously, how much for one? I wouldn't need one as big as yours as I don't have as many lights, but I could use a nice storage box for the ones I do have.




Sinjz -- PM sent.


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## ScubaSnyder (Oct 28, 2007)

Cigar Boxes are Sweet!


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