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Peter_B

Kit boxes - keep or not?

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So, what's the general consensus on keeping kit boxes once the kit is built?

I still have the boxes for all of the new kits I've built in the last couple if years. I also have a couple that came with models bought second hand.

Typically, when I finish a build I leave the left over parts and screws in the box, with the manual etc, and put the box on a shelf.

But they take up a chunk of space so I've found myself thinking of what else I can do with them.

Only 2 are vintage (Top Force and RC10 Team Car) the rest are either newer models or re-releases. So I don't think they really have any value themselves, nor add much (if any) value to the respective models.

As we all know some of them, especially the re-release or vintage boxes, have the fantastic artwork on them. For those it seems a shame to send them to recycling.

What do other people do?

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Aha, this question came up a while back on the forum as I recall...

If you've got space (in the attic or wherever) then I suppose there is no harm in keeping them, but really why would you - other than if it's from a really rare kit and it might have some value on ebay in the future perhaps (although I'd suggest if someone was aiming to piece together an original kit to sell on and it isn't in it's own original box then it's not really 100% genuine NIB is it?)

As I recall one suggestion (which I really wish I'd done) is to simply cut the lids off the box and frame them as posters - that way you've got a nice box-art illustration of the kit to hang in your office/hobby-room (or sitting room if you have an understanding family) and you get to appreciate them a lot more than if they are simply gathering dust in the attic or basement somewhere?

Unfortunately I ended up throwing all my old box lids away eventually, but certainly some of the more classic and re-re kit boxes would make lovely posters I feel?

Jenny x

 

 

 

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I keep all of mine , and I've bought more empty boxes and I've got screw bag headers and box inserts  . I feel they are part of the 'whole kit'  .

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The alternative of course is to stack them all up in an alleyway somewhere and just drive your cars through them to reenact every car-chase in every TV show and movie from the 1970s and 80s... ;o)

Jx

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3 minutes ago, JennyMo said:

reenact every car-chase in every TV show

Bodie and Doyle / Sweeney springs to mind

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I keep all of my boxes for anything I buy as it adds value when you sell it and also it is complete then as well I really like Tamiya box art and always try to buy kits with boxes.

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I don't see the cars as investments as they are all built and run. Also, while some appear to be worth good money the reality is the vast majority aren't. I like the boxart though. We have just redecorated and i floated the idea with my son of framing a couple for his wall and he thought it is a great idea. My wife agreed so I will be flattening some lids and getting them framed once this lockdown ends.

Probably just a couple for his room (I suspect he'll choose Top Force and Super Astute), but I plan to flatten all of the rere boxes so I can do the rest later. We are planning a move to a bigger place (was supposed to be now, may be a couple of years now given whats happened) and I will have a workshop where I could hang them

 

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45 minutes ago, KEV THE REV said:

I aim to build a 'Tamiya' House from mine , and retire in it

You would never tyre of the smell 😉

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Keep them, especially the early ones.

They look great.

I keep the spares in them.

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Box art is actually a dedicated part of our hobby - capturing some incredible moments in time !

It’s also been well covered so just search the topic in here.

If you might collect one day, maybe look after new boxes, inserts and all the other goodies -  noting some recent kits are still beautifully done + will become future classics ?

If you just want to run, maybe offer what you don’t want for sale in here when you’ve got a batch + someone will at least cover the postage so you’ve got room ? And it preserves things for others 👍

If you’re not sure, maybe just take some time with just the box in front of you -  it’s face + sides could be worth more than recycling 😂

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An update on this.  I brought it up this morning and my wife asked why I didn't want to do all 5 (I think).  I said because money, but she wasn't that fussed.  Now to decide between a cheap frame from a local department store or professional job...

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6 minutes ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

An update on this.  I brought it up this morning and my wife asked why I didn't want to do all 5 (I think).  I said because money, but she wasn't that fussed.  Now to decide between a cheap frame from a local department store or professional job...

As a suggestion: consider using off-the-shelf frames (from a cost point of view), but getting some mounts cut to fit them and the respective size of the box lids - that way you can have a degree of uniformity (size and colour/finish etc.) with the frames - a 'collection' as it were - but that the mounts allow for any different sizes of the actual lids?

Jx

 

ps. if you really wanted to be nerdy about it, you could add a small description card/cut out in each mount with the production dates of the kit; and if you could find the information, the box-art drawing artist and even the total number produced (if that info is even available).

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I keep all of mine.  they are art to me.  plus it's a big part of the nostalgic feeling for me too.  Reminds me of the hobby shop I went to as a kid seeing them on display.

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2 hours ago, 78Triumph said:

I keep all of mine.  they are art to me.  plus it's a big part of the nostalgic feeling for me too.  Reminds me of the hobby shop I went to as a kid seeing them on display.

I agree - and of course if you are short on space, might I refer you to this thread: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/93058-tamiya-papercraft-tamiya-miniture-scale-boxes/

 I think I'm going to build a 1/10 scale Beatty's hobby shop and put a bunch of them in the window!

Jenny x

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I only keep the boxes that have good looking box art. The rest are recycled since I see no point in keeping them

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What about carefully folding them flat and storing them all in a vacuum bag?

I must say though, I'm calling you out on this line here: "Typically, when I finish a build....." :lol:

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30 minutes ago, jonboy1 said:

What about carefully folding them flat and storing them all in a vacuum bag?

I must say though, I'm calling you out on this line here: "Typically, when I finish a build....." :lol:

Well the definition of "finish a build" might be a bit fuzzy.

A more accurate way of saying it would be "Typically, when I get to a point in a build where I don't need to go back in the box. E.g. I'm at the body painting stage..."

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16 hours ago, Peter_B said:

As we all know some of them, especially the re-release or vintage boxes, have the fantastic artwork on them. For those it seems a shame to send them to recycling.

What do other people do?

Well, (as you may have seen on another thread) my son and I did this for prosperity as I have more than enough other boxes for bits and pieces and I find the SRB box art range very appealing

D2714483-CCD3-48D2-9421-5C0E5569FEBE.jpg

 

16 hours ago, JennyMo said:

As I recall one suggestion (which I really wish I'd done) is to simply cut the lids off the box and frame them as posters - that way you've got a nice box-art illustration of the kit to hang in your office/hobby-room
 

but certainly some of the more classic and re-re kit boxes would make lovely posters I feel?

They certainly do 👍🏻

13 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

An update on this.  I brought it up this morning and my wife asked why I didn't want to do all 5 (I think).  I said because money, but she wasn't that fussed.  Now to decide between a cheap frame from a local department store or professional job...

Just be careful on some of the cheap off the shelf frames, they do end giving me more work though which is a plus 👍🏻

Some are very flimsy and are not sealed with tape on the back. This is done for ease of fitting the art work and being able change them down the track if you wish.

 But...

I see a lot of the MDF moulded frames sag and fall apart under there own weight especially in the wet seasons. Plus usually have a very thin Perspex on the front instead of glass that scratch’s easily and looks tatty after a while. The Synthetic frames aren’t much better. 

Every frame that has come through our shop to be reglazed from the glass breaking has had cord (like boot laces) on the back instead of proper framing wire.

We have always used the proper wire on what we do and none have ever come back with broken glass from snapping.

I’m not saying all off the shelf’s are bad, I have some myself, just the old saying you get what you pay for comes into it.

The main difficulty in ready made frames is getting the right size as proportions can really make or break the finished article.

Having said all that, all framers are not equal either, best to go by recommendations there if you can. Owner operators tend to strive for a good job as their livelihood depends on it.

Hope that’s some help. 

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3 hours ago, Re-Bugged said:

D2714483-CCD3-48D2-9421-5C0E5569FEBE.jpg

Dammit - now I'm going to be scouring eBay for empty SRB (and other similar era) boxes to frame - that looks fantastic!!!

Jx

 

edit. ironically I had that very [re-re] box, with the gold body special edition sticker - I should have kept it after all!

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I keep mine. Fill them with leftovers, spareparts and radios.

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I've only built 3 kits so far, but for each one I've put the spares, leftovers, instructions and general bits and bobs back in the box and stuck it in the loft. The car goes into a Really Useful crate on shelves in the garage / workshop until it's time to play

Eg my recent DF03 build was heavy on the Hop Ups, meaning there was a lot of kit parts left. A few went on eBay, but the majority went in the box along with all the instruction leaflets that came with the Hop Ups. It feels like a bit of a log book, spares-drawer kind of thing

I've got a few (ssshhhh!) kits to build, and I've taken all the parts out and put them into Really Useful crates in the garage. All the boxes are in the loft, ready and waiting for the post-build detritus :lol:

It's definitely a different take depending on the kit though; the boxes from my Re-Res (BigWig, Boomerang, Monster Beetle, Hot Shot, Nova Fox) are beautiful things in and of themselves with a lovely jag of nostalgia; they take me back to staring through Beatties window at things I was never going to be able to get my hands on, but am fortunate enough to now experience as a (sort of) grown up. Whereas the newer kits (TT02, TT01, XV01, DF03) are just functional containers. There's no design joy in them whatsover :(

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