How to Store Loose Carts?

[erehwon]

I have several loose carts sitting around and I was wondering how should I store them. There are two main options that come to mind.

1. Zipable sandwich bags
2. Universal Slim Combo Game Case

Option 1 is cheaper and I'll most likely do that for my NES games. Option 2 is what the people in the CAG custom N64 and SNES covers thread are using. Here's an idea of what those look like.


It's important that I do something to protect them because my room gets quite dusty. Do you guys have any tips? Is it even safe to store loose games in one of those sandwich bags?

[SeiruKoji]

try viewing this.

http://digitpress.com/archives/colle...ar_2002_p1.jpg

I used this when I had the same problem.

[Ed Oscuro]

I don't know about sandwich bags. Shouldn't cause a problem, but if they're made of soft PVC (I highly doubt it as people don't want to eat food imbued with noxious gases from degrading PVC, and I've never heard of a rotting sandwich bag) you might not want to.

Shoe boxes. Nothing wrong with that. I found one brand (forget which though) works especially well for SNES games, as those stack nicely.

For N64 and Genesis games, I have a couple still-not-filled officially branded cartridge storage boxes. These are probably the best option if you can find them.

[drwily008]

Ziplock bags have a chemical in the platic that can yellow the labels (ecspecially white ones). I also think that it with loosen the adhesive end of the sticker over years.

However there is a solution there are collectors baggies that you can buy for SNES sizes games (I'm sure someone here that uses them will have a website to buy them from).

I personally use comic book storage bags (the have no harmful chemicals), I just cut them to size and fold and tape.

Hope this helps. -Ken (DrWily008)

[Ed Oscuro]

It does, thanks. I find that strange, as ziplock bags can potentially sit on store shelves for years...hmm, more stuff to worry about, I guess.

[Kamino]

I just put em in plastic storage bins.
then again, I actually, y'know, play my games, so I don't want to dick around with plastic bags etc.
YMMV...

[jdchess]

Just an important side note about the cases in the original post. The case itself is made from polypropelene which is totally Ph neutral and safe for archival storage, BUT the sleeve on the outside is PVC, and trust me, you do not want to use ANYHTING PVC for long term storage. I hate to rain on the CAG Custom N64 cover party, but using the cases with PVC sleeves is NOT a good idea at all. I use these same cases, but I get the ones WITHOUT the sleeves and just use archival labels.

The plastics you should look for are polypropelene (PP, recycle symbol 5), and polyethelene (HDPE, LDPE). These are both safe. PVC is NOT!!!

Same is true for plastic bags. Make sure they are either PP or PE of some sort, and NOT PVC.

"Sterilite" products are all made of PP (with the exception of some of the outdoor stuff), which makes them great for long term storage. Look on the bottom of the sterilite container and you will see a "PP" next to the recycle symbol.

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up, so you don't regret using them later.

[k8track]

Atariage has an excellent series of articles that has helped me a lot:

http://www.atariage.com/howto/storage_tips/index.html

[kainemaxwell]

Atariage has an excellent series of articles that has helped me a lot:

http://www.atariage.com/howto/storage_tips/index.html

Thanks for posting that actually. i've wanted to look into those plastic bags over time and had trouble finding them at the AA store now..

[CYRiX]

Wait how does PVC ruin your games?

[erehwon]

Wait how does PVC ruin your games?

I'd like to know too. Does it degrade over time? Also how does the PVC sleeve of those covers hurt the game?

[§ Gideon §]

I don't know why I clicked this link, knowing it's an overdone topic that's started several times a year. But I did. And I'm glad. It's amazing how much you don't know when you think you do.

• AtariAge Storage Tips
• Don't follow the CheapAss homemade case instructions.
• Plastic baggies discolor the label over time.
• Polyethelene is safe (in addition to #5 plastics).

You guys gave me this new knowledge, so finish the job and deal with my resulting questions.

• Does polyethelene have a recycling number?
• You said Ziploc bags mess up the label. What about those old-fashioned sandwich bags without a zipper. Same deal?
• jdchess, do I have your word that Item code #50754 - No Sleeve, per 100 $39.00 is archival safe?

[joshnickerson]

I'm extremely tempted by those CAG cases, PVC or not. I've been storing my NES games in these plastic baggies I bought a few years ago, and basically just taped the flap over with scotch tape. The only downside is that they really don't look that hot displayed like that.

[jgenotte]

I love these that I made and always post them in these types of topic.

I have an instructional how-to that I can post if anyone is interested.

-james

[Arqueologia_Digital]

Option 2 at the beggining of the post is horrible and i didn´t know that info of plastic bags like ziploc...very interesting...

Matías

[googlefest1]

swallowing them is the best way

[n8littlefield]

I use photo storage boxes. They aren't the greatest fit, but they work well enough for me and keep the games readily accessible. They are just the cardboard ones with a fake leathery covering on the outside from Walmart for like a buck each.

[Ed Oscuro]

Wait how does PVC ruin your games?

I'd like to know too. Does it degrade over time? Also how does the PVC sleeve of those covers hurt the game?

I used to be a pretty big card collector back in the 90s (hey, that's OK with me, I'm assuming I made a good return on my investment, if I ever decided to sell some), and one of the first things you'll read in any book is that PVC - polyvinyl-chloride - degrades over time. It was a popular type of plastic in the 1970s used for everything from car interiors to, yes, card holders, because it was soft and pliable. It took people a while (and some investment tragedies, I'm guessing!) before it was realized the stuff degrades into various noxious gases over time. Bad, bad, bad.

[jdchess]

I don't know why I clicked this link, knowing it's an overdone topic that's started several times a year. But I did. And I'm glad. It's amazing how much you don't know when you think you do.

• AtariAge Storage Tips
• Don't follow the CheapAss homemade case instructions.
• Plastic baggies discolor the label over time.
• Polyethelene is safe (in addition to #5 plastics).

You guys gave me this new knowledge, so finish the job and deal with my resulting questions.

• Does polyethelene have a recycling number?
• You said Ziploc bags mess up the label. What about those old-fashioned sandwich bags without a zipper. Same deal?
• jdchess, do I have your word that Item code #50754 - No Sleeve, per 100 $39.00 is archival safe?

First off, yes, PE also has a recycling number. LDPE is #4 and HDPE is #2. The dreaded PVC is #3. More info here:

http://www.earthodyssey.com/symbols.html

The sandwhich bags...I'm not sure. Contacting the manufacturer of the exact ones you plan to use would be the best bet. Just ask them what plastic their bags are made of. They should be able to supply this info.

I do know that "GLAD" brand sandwhich bags are made of polyethelene and are safe for storage. I have talked with someone at corporate about this and the info on their website confirms this.

I've talked with the manufacturer of the cases sold by Media Shelving. The product that you mentioned, the cases WITHOUT the sleeve are made of nothing but polypropelene, which means they are safe for storage. When I first got them I did the "float test" to make sure. The test is simple. Cut off a chunk of the plastic case and toss it in a bowl of water, push it to the bottom and see what happens. Here's the thing...PP, HDPE, and LDPE all have densities of LESS THAN 1, which means that they will flost in water since water is more dense. PVC has a density greater than 1 (1.15 - 1.35 usually), which means it will sink. PP and the two PE's are the only commonly used plastics that have a density lower than 1. So, if the plastic floats use it for storage. If it sinks, don't use it and find something else. I use the particular cases you mentioned myself, and I do believe that they are truly made of PP.

OK...the question that others asked about PVC. Overtime PVC breaks down chemically and releases chloride gas. This gas has a very deteriorating effect on most materials, inlcuding things such as other plastics and paper labels. This should make it obvious why you would NOT want to use anything with PVC in it to store anything. As far as the sleeves on the cases not actually touching the games, why chance it?

[poloplayr]

Between your butt cheeks.