Wargames Magazines.

[Orcs]

 I have just started clearing out all my old war-games magazines – I have hundreds, as I write this Miniature Wargames issue 63 from August 1988 is on the desk in front of me.  I am skimming through them to see if I want to keep any of the articles. I will photocopy the articles and keep them in plastic sleeves in a ring binder. Thus reducing a pile of magazines some 4 feet high to at most a couple of ring binders.

I would be the first to admit that I have only looked at these magazines occasionally in the last 20 odd years, and I accept that they take up far too much space. Yes they hold  memories and allow me to reminisce  - 15mm armies for £17.50 25mm figures 30p etc. But that said there is only an article or possibly  two per magazine that actually interests me and in these days of the internet most of it I could find online in a matter of minutes.

Because most wargamers have such a pile of magazines and the avaliability of information on the internet no one else seems to want them either.

So why am strangely reluctant to dispose of them?  

[Leon]

I've got some magazine series' stored away that I can't bring myself to get rid of either.  I suppose it's the fact that I paid out money to collect something, even though they're virtually worthless now.

[fred.]

I've got a box of White Dwarfs from 25-30 years ago, issue numbers around 70 to 100. And for some reason can't get rid of them.

Keeping the articles you want sounds the way to go. But why don't you just cut out the pages you want rather than copying them?

[Bodvoc]

I had every copy of Wargames Illustrated right up until it became more of an advert than a wargames magazine. Now I just have about 20 select copies as I reluctantly 'sorted them out' (encouraged to do so by my better half) , the rest were re-cycled as I found I could not even give them away.

[Subedai]

Before we moved I had nearly every Military Modelling from the start until about Miniature Wargames, Wargames Illustrated and Battle came out so I started collecting them instead. In the trauma ridden exercise that is moving house I ruthlessly went through the lot and only kept articles that would be interesting, cut them out and put them in folders. Down to a 4" high stack now.

I also got rid of 15 boxes of books (about 600) and am now down to a more manageable 400 or so on 22 bookshelves in Narnia - 400 books that is, not boxes. The only things I kept in their entirety were my lead mountain, my diddly-dees and CD's.

[Hertsblue]

Now, that's depressing. I have every Wargames Illustrated from when it was taken over (and a a lot more besides) and I was just thinking how much shelf space I would gain if I gave them away. Now I realise that absolutely no-one will want them. Now what do I do?

[Orcs]

Keeping the articles you want sounds the way to go. But why don't you just cut out the pages you want rather than copying them?

I agree Fred, Thats what I thought initially and started to do this on he first few magazines. Then I found that becuase of the way the articles were spread all over a magazine you end up with lots of sheets where only one side is relevant.

Add a shiney new colour photo-copoier at work, and Bingo, I could copy them to double sided copies and a article that was on five sheets went down to 2. I hasten to add i only use the colour facility where needed.

[fred.]

Ha, ha! The abuse of the work photocopier!!  not able to get away with that at my work any more, colour printing for work is frowned upon, let alone for personal use.

[Orcs]

I am hoping to get this all done before they lock it all down !!

[paulr]

I am hoping to get this all done before they lock it all down !!

The has been a massive blow out in the photo copying budget for some unexplained reason, LOCK IT ALL DOWN 

[Steve J]

I periodically cull my magazines due to lack of space etc. When I re-read them, I often wonder why have I been keeping hold of them, when there is little of interest inside. The ones that are good I keep, others have interesting articles cut out to keep for future reference.