Transport of Delight?

[Hertsblue]

If, like me, you play a fair proportion of your games away from home, what is the method of choice from transporting your figures? One can, I'm aware, buy super-duper made-for-the-task packs and bags, complete with foam padding to cradle your precious paint-jobs, but the skinflint in me refuses to pay more for the transportation than for the figures.

Over the years I have used various containers in which to store and move wargames figures, starting with an old biscuit-tin way back in the last ice-age. In the seventies and early eighties I relied mainly on cases designed for vinyl LP records like this.



They were sturdy, designed to take the weight of 20-24 LPs, and could be easily carried by the built-in handle. I made up various trays from hardboard and wood to hold units and all went swimmingly until the vinyl LP was superseded by the CD and record cases vanished overnight.

I was reduced to "liberating" spare flat cardboard boxes to house my figures. They were nowhere near as robust as the record cases and were really only suitable for 6mm figures and 1/300th armour.



I experimented with metal tool-boxes, plastic tool-boxes and "hobby trays", but none of them suited, being either too small, too expensive or divided up into inconvenient compartments. Then I remembered the humble box-file. Strongly built to contain heavy documents, unencumbered by compartments and it was ideal. Only the "mousetrap" mechanism that held in the papers was a problem and that was soon remedied with the aid of a pair of needle-nosed pliers.

Since by now I was into 10mm figures the box file could be provided with a custom-built tray to provide two layers of storage.



The availability of self-adhesive magnetic sheets, and its associated self-adhesive steel paper, made the system even more attractive, reducing the need for partitions and increasing the flexibility of the setup.



Bringing the story up to date, the appearance of cheap foam-lined plastic boxes has solved the problem of transporting 10mm armour. By a happy coincidence the boxes are just the right size to fit into collapsible plastic crates, which makes carrying several at once a much easier task.

So -that's my story to date. What of you people? Have you developed a system of your own? Do you have any useful tips or insights you'd care to pass on? I for one would be interested to know.

   

[Fenton]

I still use my old trusty metal tool boxes

[Ithoriel]

Cheap steel tool trays and magnetic basing. Just the right size to fit under my bed too, so storage is easy.

[TinyTerrain]

HB

What's your source for those cheap foam lined boxes in the last pic please?,  they look ideal for my 10mm Medievals.

Cheers

Craig
Tiny Terrain Models

[Hertsblue]

HB

What's your source for those cheap foam lined boxes in the last pic please?,  they look ideal for my 10mm Medievals.

Cheers

Craig
Tiny Terrain Models

Craig

I originally got these boxes from Purbrook Models:

http://purbrookmodels.co.uk/pages/collections

unfortunately, they don't seem to be advertising them any more. I did pick up a couple at one of the southern conventions (Oxford, I think) so you may find them knocking about.

[TinyTerrain]

thank you

[ronan]

My friends come to play here, at home !   

( seriously, sometimes, I have to move my minis... it's a nightmare.. )

[Last Hussar]

Really Useful Boxes - 9l and 4l, with 4 or 2 hobby trays.  Each tray has 15 compartments, 60mm square and 30mm high.  I keep the period QR sheets in the bottom.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Tiger Cub Stationary A4 deep clip file. Perfect for all infantry and cavalry up until you try to put fantasy lancers in an upright lance position in them!

[Orcs]

Really Useful Boxes - 9l and 4l, with 4 or 2 hobby trays.  Each tray has 15 compartments, 60mm square and 30mm high.  I keep the period QR sheets in the bottom.

I use these as well.  I find that in addition to the hobby trays the Stationary tray allows a biit more flexibility, particuarly for 10mm vehicles

The only trouble with these is that they are only easiily avaliable as "Lipped Trays".  These sit on the top of the box and stretch the locking handles so that they will not lock if used at a future date without the "Lipped Tray". I have solved this by cutting the lip off with a razor saw.

[Womble67]

File boxes but they are not the cheap option they once was. So im on the lookout for an alternative.

Take care

andy

[Steeleye]

"The only trouble with these is that they are only easiily avaliable as "Lipped Trays"."

The lips can easily be removed using a Stanley knife and a little care. Once the lips are removed you can get two trays in the 4L box and four in the 9L box and they don't stretch the locking handles. My main problem is not being able to find enough trays!

[Ithoriel]

Our local W H Smith (Gyle, Edinburgh) had shelves of Really Useful boxes last time I was in. Some on offer. Still way too expensive for my taste but YMMV.

[Orcs]

Our local W H Smith (Gyle, Edinburgh) had shelves of Really Useful boxes last time I was in. Some on offer. Still way too expensive for my taste but YMMV.

I agree they are a little expensive, but less than a £1 more than box files, the trays are normally under £2 each, so less than 2 pack of Pendraken figures . Its a lot less hassle than making trays to go into a box file.  the lid fixes on tightly and they dont suffer from damp.

I have seen many an army over the floor when the "cheap" solution gives way, costing the owner in anguish, time and money in replacing and repairing.

I can get approx 50 vehicles or or over 1000 figures in a 4 litre box with two trays, so compared to the cost in lead they hold they are cheap, to say nothing of the time painting them 

[Ithoriel]

If I had the cash, or was starting from scratch Really Useful boxes might appeal but I'm happy with my £4.99-in-a-closing-down-sale steel toolboxes.

Robust, magnetic bases stick to them and I can padlock them shut if necessary.

I've accidentally stood on them from time to time and even my, less than sylph-like, twenty stone didn't damage them.

Do you use magnetic basing and steel paper stuck in the trays or foam padding? Or something else?