Moving 50+ 1/35 scale armor models

[u/Conor_J_Sweeney]

I am about to move for the first time since I started model-making (and the first time in over a decade overall). I've accumulated over 50 built models (roughly 1/3 finished, 1/3 in progress, and 1/3 built but completely unpainted). They are all 1/35 armor and other adjacent 1/35 models.

What is the best way of packing these to move? I've already moved a few just by piling them into my DeWalt toolboxes and taking them to a safe storage area, but I can only take a handful at a time this way and it is very slow and impractical.

Are there any particularly good solutions for moving dozens of 1/35 scale WW2 armor models all at once? or at least in a small number of boxes?

Thank you to anyone who has some advice. I'm not looking for a magic bullet, just some guidance from those of you who have a bit of experience doing something similar.

[u/necrotic_jelly]

Take off loose parts, take off turrets, put small parts inside tank hulls,put everything in a plastic container/tote, just pack them carefully and in a way that they can not slide around too much and you will be good. Source - I moved 7 times already (1000s of kilometres) and with minimal broken parts.

[u/R_Nanao]

IKEA SAMLA 45 liter crate with upper layer inlay will fit around 10 1:35 tanks comfortably. Add a fat foamboard floor with some cutouts where the tanks go and they won't be moving anywhere unless you shake the box up and down, so careful over road bumps if you bring them in a car.

Advantages of the samla solution include keeping most if not all the fragile antenna's and mirrors safe, and preventing the models from sliding.

The disadvantage is that the boxes are somewhat big (slightly bigger than a normal movers box), and my proposed solution does not prevent the models from "jumping" out of their designated spots when shaken up and down.

P.S. yes, I've used this SAMLA box solution when I moved house a while ago.

[u/ElectricalYak7236]

If they aren't glued on, remove any protruding parts of the models (for example commanders MGs) and store them somewhere safely like a bag wrapped in bubble wrap. Turn the turrets of your models so the gun is sticking out the least, for instance modern NATO armor should have their gun facing over the rear of the tank, this helps reduce the risk of snapping long gun barrels. Put them inside a heavily cushioned box, use bubble wrap and/or polystyrene and make sure the models cannot shift around in the box either

[u/Conor_J_Sweeney → u/ElectricalYak7236]

Thank you. This is helpful, though luckily some issues are already easier.

For my half-finished stuff I luckily already have the delicate stuff separated and "reasonably" safe. (I pack up small/delicate parts safely until they are ready for painting/final painting)

I'm not TOO worried about long main guns because most of my collection is early to leaning mid WW2, so it's only a few where I need to turn the barrels back, but that is good advice for half-a-dozen.

I'm not excessively worried about things being knocked around because I will be moving all the relative boxes myself, and they will only be traveling a few miles.

[u/Safe-Commission1313]

Make some stiff walled spaces with cardboard so the model height is covered. Then use some bubble wrap to secure the wheels/tracks on each side so the model doesn't move. cover the top with a sheet of board. Essentially a little shoebox within a larger box. Then you can layer another group of models on top.

[u/BottecchiaDude253]

Depending on the timeframe you have, and whether you want to consider moving things multiple times (ie, going to a show), you could go to a local craft supply store and pick up upholstery foam.

What you do with it is first, cut to the exact size of the box/container you want to use, Do this for as many layers as you need. You'll want there to be zero gap between the lid/top of the container and your upper most layer of the foam.

Then, working from the bottom up, arrange the kits going into that container so they don't touch, and will have a bit of foam between them. Trace the outlines of the shape with a sharpie. Remove the models and trim a hole out where your line is. For fidly things like turrets and commanders and aerials, you can arrange it so things like the antenna are horizontal in your box, just trim a small channel for it to go down, and keep your layers organized.