Packing and/or Transporting of Card Models

[airdave]

I've got this IPMS show coming up in a week.
I have 2 large vehicle models, a PT Boat and about a dozen Aircraft models to display.
Most of the Aircraft are 1/33, so they are on the larger side too.

Obviously I cannot transport these models one by one, loosely.
And everything has to go into my car...not a van or truck...a four door car.
Its a 2 hour car ride to and from the event.

This is the first time I have done a model show
and taken paper models outside the home.
I'm a little stumped as to how to proceed.

I'd like to share my planned methods for packing and transporting my kits,
but I was hoping to hear some tips or ideas from anyone who has done this
before. And I thought this might be handy for others in the same boat.

[Retired_for_now]

Successfully mailed some stuff to Chris - rockets and a Bomarc (mostly tubes). I did the usual bed of bubble wrap, immobilized things on top of that with crumpled newspaper (or plastic shopping bags), then foam peanuts over and around all. If it doesn't rattle when shaken it'll be OK. Paper models are so light they have little tendency to shift - but the packing material must be equally light or it'll crush the models.
For moving things locally, I usually make a solid stand that securely holds the model over a base that extends well beyond the model's footprint. That goes into a box (no top needed, no stacking either) and into the truck. The stand holds the model securely, the wide base keeps the model from bashing into the sides of the box, and the box keeps everything else from smooshing it.
Makes you aware of how erratically everyone else is driving, though.
Yogi

On the right is the Hubble telescope transport stand. Model is pinned in place with a wire into the center of the bottom face - which is also used to support the model on its final display stand (left).

[Swampfox]

i moved my entire card model collection about 320km to my present home 4 years ago.

Got 3 fairly well constructed cardboard/corrugated boxes, a couple of packages of 24x24" white tissue paper.

Crumple about 3-4 sheets of the tissue paper and place them at the bottom of the box, and start placing the models onto the top of the tissue paper. After you've filled it one model deep add the next layer of tissue paper. Repeat this until the box is full. Add a final sheet or two of the crumpled tissue paper and. seal the box with some kind of 2-3" wide tape.

The white tissue paper makes it easy to spot any parts that may have come loose. Make sure to take a repair kit with you, just in case.

I transported over 70 cared models this way and had 2 prop blades and 1 landing gear come loose. 3 minutes to fix.

Good luck and hope you show them how cool cardmodels are.

swampfox

[thorst]

A friend of mine uses a styrofoam plate on which he puts the (plastic-heavy) models. Then he takes toothpicks and sticks them into the foam around the model so that the model is helt by them. The more toothpicks, the more secure. The plate can then be put into a box for transportation. It's fast and works pretty well as far as I know.

[Kevin WS]

Some excellent ideas. Thank you all!

[airdave]

Yes! some good ideas!
Especially when it comes to shipping a model.
This info could really come in handy.

One of my issues is of course the number of items I must transport for this show
...and get them all in my car!

So, I am really focused on how to put multiple items in boxes.

Aircraft are the biggest problem I think because of the small stick out parts;
landing gear, canopies, prop and those pesky little antenna!

Yes I am taking tools and glue with me, but I don't want to have to put everything
back together when I get there! lol

[Texman]

Especially with paper models, I have found that making a cradle out of foam core, with one panel for the nose, aft fuselage, and one for each wing, seems to work well
for me. It keeps the landing gear off the floor of the container, and keeps the model
from moving around as well.

Multiple models can be put into each box, by layers, by glueing blocks to the side of the box to hold up a second or third layer of foamcore, essentially making a false floor.

I hauled my models by air up to Sterling for the IPMC last year, and the only damage was my fault when I was removing one of the models from the case.

[airdave]

hahahahaha Ray!
your models are all 1" long!!!
You can get 700 in one box!!

[Texman]

Yes, but packing is packing!

[3Turner]

This is how I sent mine to Chris...in the mail.
http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/155118-post116.html

This is how they arrived...in various pics you can see the models I sent.
http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/155607-post123.html

I had also sent this 'ol bird in much the same manner: 1/48 OP-2E Neptune US Navy Paper Model - ECardmodels.com Shop - Downloadable models and crafts for

Since it was large, I removed the vertical tail, but it suffered slight damage...the nose cone fell off during shipment.