So I am wondering if I am harming my models keeping them boxed in my garage. Admittedly the garage has been turned into my home office/escape from the family so I do spend time out there, when it gets too cold I just turn on my little space heater.

The garage does have insulated doors and I live in Seattle so it never gets insanely cold, but there are mornings where it feels like it's in the 50's or possibly lower.

Am I causing any warpage/damage to my unfinished models boxed or unboxed?

Thanks,

Marty

I think the only damage (unless the cold and the warmth in your garage are not extreme) you can have is to the boxes themselves only if the humidity is high. The kits themselves should be safe...
Ciao

You might want to pull the decals out of the boxes. The temp and humidity changes in the garage might play havoc with them. It does rain every once in a while in Seattle from what I understand.

Shaun

Put the decal sheets in ziplocks in the appropriate box

i used to work in the garage and for me the boxes just got misshapen the mdels stayed fine but stor your tools some where dry and stuff all of my got rusted and i had to get a new x-acto blade like every two days!

I keep my models in my conservatory, this summer it was up in the hundred degree mark and no harm done.

Excellent, thanks guys, one last question.... If the box is still sealed, would I still benefit from opening it up and putting my decals in another zip-loc bag or should they be ok?

My workbench is in the garage and all my stuff is out there - no problems for the last 5 years. Glue runs slower during the winter though.

If the seal is 100% on the box I wouldn't open it - look closely - some manufacturers have little 'tear' holes so it isn't a 100% seal or there is a small tear where it's been crimped together.

Hi. I do most all my model work out in the garage and so far everything does okay. I think it's sound advice, as most of the other posters have said, to put your decals from all your boxes into a zip-lock bag, Just to be on the safe side of things, whether you are currently building the model or just storing it out there for the time being.

Now I paint almost exclsively with Polly S paints so I bring them, and all my other paints and primers inside during the cold months here. It doesn't get actually cold enough in the garage to actually freeze anything, but I don't think the cold does the paints any good.
During cold weather if I get deserpate and need to paint, I take my paint and model out in the garage, paint, and then bring them both back inside before they get too cold.

Like your comment, slodder, about the glue coming out slower during the cold months. Ha! This I have noticed on more than one occasion! The guy who built this house has a ventless gas heater out in the garage, but I never have used it, first, even though the garage has insulated doors on it, it's still not quite insulated enough for me to run this heater, cost effectively, and two, ventless or no, I still don't trust it, what with fumes off the paint and all. Better to be safe than sorry.

Take care, sgirty

Better in the garage than in the "doghouse".

Sgirty,
Better safe than in Orbit!

I've kept my models in an unheated, uninsulated garage for years with no problems. I do, like many suggest, put my decals in a zip-baggie as soon as I get a new kit. I'm lucky to have my building area in the house -- a corner of the bedroom with a view of the television (and waiting for one of my kids to move out so I can take over a bedroom!!).

As for tools rusting in the humidity -- I suggest a light coating of WD-40 or some other light oil about once a month. Even mineral oil will work. Of course, oil and paint jobs don't mix, so it's best to VERY lightly oil things, or your hands might be leaving traces on your kits.

Where in the household is the conservatory? All I know is don't bring any candlesticks or Col. Mustard with you.....

Also working in my garage area , i believe humidity and extreme changes of temp will affect badly the decals. Also i use WD-66 to prevent my metal tools from rusting, especially the big ones that i dont use every day . Once years ago that there was snow and very big temperatures i had noticed some cracks in the putty filled seams of two models and i believe that were made due to the "cold from outside and heat when i was in" difference , but nothing dramatically . To the unbuilt kits if the boxes are sealed i never had problems even i a left the decals in, if you take the wrapping off the paper of the box and the decals also are affected so ..take care

My biggest concern is the sturdiness of the boxes being stacked on top of each other. Some boxes are very weak and with constant pressure over time I think it could sure warp something. Shelving can solve the problem in most instances I believe.