Hi, all! I will be moving to Germany next year, which will be great for my hobby, but it creates some unique problems. I have about a dozen 1/16 scale figs on small base/dios (none larger than 20cm x 20cm) which I want to transport. The question is how?

I am considering having small light individual wooden boxes constructed by a carpenter so that I can secure the fig bases to the bottom of the box. This way I could probably carry 'em as hand luggage. I've had bad experiences trusting models to the cargo handlers and postal services.

What do you guys think? Anyone have a better idea, as I'm not sure mine's the best. Thanks.

maybe compartments for every vignette or figure which you stuff with toilet paper or coten balls.

Frank

When i moved between cities in NZ, i had a similar problem in terms of transporting my models as well. The method i used was to find styrofoam boxes and places your model in the middle and completely fill up the box with styrofoam beads (same stuff thats used in your bean bag in the tv room). Fill it up to tip and seal the foam box. Mine was banged around quite a bit and i was certain my model was wrecked by the time it reached its destination but to my surprise, not a single antenna was broken and it remained in the same position i placed it.

Removing the beads is easy as they can be easily flicked off during unpacking.

The best part is, foam boxes are cheap and so are the beads.

Sounds like a plan, Jazza, thanks. Toilet paper didn't work last time, Francois. Couple of rifle barrels snapped.

Carpentered boxes sounds to me like the way to go, I would like to think that a wine bottle cardboard holder, the cylindric shape, should keep stuff away from the model, and if you then secure the base to the box it should suffice. Anyway you go, good luck.

FOOL PROOF MODEL MOVING:

1. Obtain boxes 2x the size of the object to be moved.
2. Obtain Styrofoam "peanuts"
3. Pour peanuts in the bottom of the box about 1/4 the way up.
4. place the object on the peanuts with the most breakable items facing up.
5. cover the object with a layer of peanuts - until the box is completely full.
6. close the lid gently and secure with shipping tape.

I have sent built kits across country and to Asia this way and all have survived.

What I've been doing since the 2004 national for my fig is use a tool box. There's a layer of styrofoam on the bottom. Overr this, I gluled another layer with holes cut to fit the base. This got me thropugh at least 5 airports and as many planes without a problem. Using your larger figures, you might want to get a couple larger cardboard boxes, like the ones office supply paper comes in and make the same kind of transportation device.
Similarly, you could use a plywood sheet the size of the box base and screw the figures down. This would maximize the use of the base and cost a lot less than having a custom box made.

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions, which are quite useful. I will probably do a compromise between several. Here's the plan:

1. I've got lots of slabs of rigifoam/styrofoam, so I will cut them into rectangles and tape 'em together to form boxes. Lighter & cheaper than wood.

2. Glue fig base to bottom of box.

3. Fill up with styrofoam balls/beads/peanuts.

4. Put lid on and tape everything up securely.

What do you guys think?

Ola

I have had some great successes with this technique learned from another modeler. And in this way I have transported a lot of models and dio`s to Events without any problems... This technique has survived some rough train and autorides.


It`s quick and easy. And the styrofoam on the bottom catches up all the bangs the box can take. The Box is the Transparent Plastic type with a lid.