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Post by tartanphantom on Nov 24, 2019 0:06:33 GMT -5
As far as organization goes, I still go Alphabetical by indicia title regardless of publisher. It just works for me, and I'm comfortable with it. Regarding storage methods-- As I have been collecting for a little over 4 decades, I have a rather substantial collection, currently approaching 15K books, not including TPB's, collected editions, hardcovers, or other bookshelf formats. There used to be long boxes everywhere. I finally had enough of shuffling long boxes, and made the move to 5-drawer lateral file cabinets. While I don't buy them new, I've bought several HON cabinets cheaply off of Craigslist, where you can often get them for under $150 apiece, as opposed to $900 and up new. These cabinets have 4 deep legal-size drawers, and the 5th (top level drawer) is a slide-out shelf-type unit. Also, there is a pull-out metal shelf about midway down, that is a perfect temporary workstation for sorting/organizing before filing. I can get approximately 3500 bagged/boarded books in each 5-drawer cabinet if they are stored in two rows across the length of the drawers (from left to right or right to left). If you estimate around 250 comics to a standard long box, then that's equivalent to 14 long boxes. You can also store them in several rows front to back, but it cuts down a bit on the total capacity. This is not a cheap solution, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you pick them up gently used for about the same as what it would cost for the cardboard DrawerBox system-- do the math and you'll see. Obviously, this is a more permanent storage solution, and may not really work for you if you do a lot of selling and have to transport boxes of books frequently.  |
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Post by tarkintino on Nov 24, 2019 5:43:35 GMT -5
As far as organization goes, I still go Alphabetical by indicia title regardless of publisher. It just works for me, and I'm comfortable with it. Regarding storage methods-- As I have been collecting for a little over 4 decades, I have a rather substantial collection, currently approaching 15K books, not including TPB's, collected editions, hardcovers, or other bookshelf formats. There used to be long boxes everywhere. I finally had enough of shuffling long boxes, and made the move to 5-drawer lateral file cabinets. While I don't buy them new, I've bought several HON cabinets cheaply off of Craigslist, where you can often get them for under $150 apiece, as opposed to $900 and up new. These cabinets have 4 deep legal-size drawers, and the 5th (top level drawer) is a slide-out shelf-type unit. Also, there is a pull-out metal shelf about midway down, that is a perfect temporary workstation for sorting/organizing before filing. I can get approximately 3500 bagged/boarded books in each 5-drawer cabinet if they are stored in two rows across the length of the drawers (from left to right or right to left). If you estimate around 250 comics to a standard long box, then that's equivalent to 14 long boxes. You can also store them in several rows front to back, but it cuts down a bit on the total capacity. This is not a cheap solution, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you pick them up gently used for about the same as what it would cost for the cardboard DrawerBox system-- do the math and you'll see. Obviously, this is a more permanent storage solution, and may not really work for you if you do a lot of selling and have to transport boxes of books frequently. Excellent organization. I used to have cabinets like the one above, but for magazine collections. The one thing people need to look out for is stress to metal cabinet seams (where parts were either fitted/welded). |
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Post by tartanphantom on Nov 24, 2019 11:57:19 GMT -5
Excellent organization. I used to have cabinets like the one above, but for magazine collections. The one thing people need to look out for is stress to metal cabinet seams (where parts were either fitted/welded). Agreed. Also, since the cabinets themselves weigh over 100 pounds empty, a full cabinet can exceed weights of 500-600 pounds. Because of this, it's important where you decide to locate them in your residence. I'm fortunate enough to have a climate-controlled garage with a concrete slab floor, so that's where they live. If you have a concrete floor basement, that would work too, but you'd have to make sure that you could keep the humidity low enough, using electric de-humidifiers would work here, depending on the size of the room.
If you live in a residence with a crawlspace, you shouldn't have weight problems if you place them against supporting walls, but I definitely wouldn't place them in the middle of a room with joisted or suspended wood flooring... eventually the floor would begin to sag.
Again, not the perfect solution for everyone, but could work very well depending on where you live. Obviously, depending on the size of your collection, you might be served just as well by sticking to traditional long/short boxes.
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Post by earl on Dec 25, 2019 21:43:14 GMT -5
Got a new rack built and a bunch of sorting done through the last few days. I did have a couple of long boxes fall off a pile and make a big mess. Thankfully doesn't look like any comics got any real damage out of the spill. One of the long boxes split completely, so I am going to need a new box. Sad thing about getting all this sorting work done is that I am already setup and have a couple long boxes to incorporate in and setup a detailed index for my DC collection and round two for my Marvels. Next job is fixing my indie and otherwise collection in order and indexed. Oh well, I guess that's my fun.  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2019 22:22:25 GMT -5
Got a new rack built and a bunch of sorting done through the last few days. I did have a couple of long boxes fall off a pile and make a big mess. Thankfully doesn't look like any comics got any real damage out of the spill. One of the long boxes split completely, so I am going to need a new box. Sad thing about getting all this sorting work done is that I am already setup and have a couple long boxes to incorporate in and setup a detailed index for my DC collection and round two for my Marvels. Next job is fixing my indie and otherwise collection in order and indexed. Oh well, I guess that's my fun. I just finished a re-sort and re-cataloging of all my DC single issues. I found so many errors in my lists in 2019, I found it better to start from scratch than trust my existing catalog. I am now currently doing the Marvel stuff (up through D as of yesterday). Indy will follow after that, followed by odd-sized books (magazines, digests & treasuries). As for trades, I am in the middle of a purge to make some space and get rid of stuff I will not revisit in the next decade (which right now is mostly Marvel trades, essentially because I have access to all of it via Unlimited if I change my mind and want to revisit it). I then need to redo my catalog of them and what issues they contain so I can make sur eI am not buying stuff in single issues that I have collected. I don't have a con to go to until late March, so my goal is to get this down in the winter months. I still have a massive pile of doubles of single issues I need to organize and put up in the CCF Exchange thread or otherwise find a home for, but I am going to finish the single issue re-catalog before I do that to see if I have more stuff to add to it. But I have pretty much run into a wall of lack of space and lack of interest in some of the stuff I still own, so I can correct both with this re-catalog/re-sort and mini-purge. -M |
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Post by earl on Feb 1, 2020 8:52:46 GMT -5
Got to the end of another round of sorting and finally found the missing 1/2 box, which means I still have two total and a part of a 3rd half box to sort in. Not too far from finally having my Marvel collection in order, still have to complete the index.
Always another month... Next is getting my indie/other comics in some sort of order. Some of those I am going to sort by title, some by creator, depending on which works.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2020 23:45:34 GMT -5
Got a new rack built and a bunch of sorting done through the last few days. I did have a couple of long boxes fall off a pile and make a big mess. Thankfully doesn't look like any comics got any real damage out of the spill. One of the long boxes split completely, so I am going to need a new box. Sad thing about getting all this sorting work done is that I am already setup and have a couple long boxes to incorporate in and setup a detailed index for my DC collection and round two for my Marvels. Next job is fixing my indie and otherwise collection in order and indexed. Oh well, I guess that's my fun. I just finished a re-sort and re-cataloging of all my DC single issues. I found so many errors in my lists in 2019, I found it better to start from scratch than trust my existing catalog. I am now currently doing the Marvel stuff (up through D as of yesterday). Indy will follow after that, followed by odd-sized books (magazines, digests & treasuries). As for trades, I am in the middle of a purge to make some space and get rid of stuff I will not revisit in the next decade (which right now is mostly Marvel trades, essentially because I have access to all of it via Unlimited if I change my mind and want to revisit it). I then need to redo my catalog of them and what issues they contain so I can make sur eI am not buying stuff in single issues that I have collected. I don't have a con to go to until late March, so my goal is to get this down in the winter months. I still have a massive pile of doubles of single issues I need to organize and put up in the CCF Exchange thread or otherwise find a home for, but I am going to finish the single issue re-catalog before I do that to see if I have more stuff to add to it. But I have pretty much run into a wall of lack of space and lack of interest in some of the stuff I still own, so I can correct both with this re-catalog/re-sort and mini-purge. -M I'm still working on this (plus organizing all my other (non-comic) books and all my other physical media (DVD, bluray, vinyl, CDs etc.). I've been cataloging all the comics and collected editions on GCD, comics are mostly done with some minor exceptions for odd-sized format stuff I still have to get to, but I am just starting collected editions and have a ways to go. I've made the GCD lists public if anyone wants to take a look, but be mindful they are works in process ( I have just started marking stuff read/unread and designating which books are signed and stuff like that). There's a handful of stuff not on the GCD that I won too, and I need to get my sh*t together and figure out how to add that stuff, but it's not a priority at the moment. I have also been slowly adding my library to Good reads, but I only have a small fraction of it entered as of right now. I am still looking for some kind of similar free database for DVD and bluray that is user-friendly, but until I do, I have been cataloging those on my computer, not on a cloud-based data site. I have barely started on music and have no clue what I will do with that. 2020 is hopefully my year to get all the organizing done (and done right)I have tried and failed or half-assed over the past few years, and then I need to figure physical display/storage options once I have recorded what I have. I am also still purging stuff as I go along (though I seem to add more than I get rid of). -M |
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Post by MDG on Feb 26, 2020 9:40:25 GMT -5
I spent time last year organizing and everything's still a mess. I was up there this weekend looking for some stuff that the RIT library might use for an exhibit in conjunction with a speaker coming in March, and things were all over.
One book I wanted to include is tabloid size and I can't think of the last time I saw it--wasn't in any of the places I looked. Another was a pinback button that I was positive was in a wooden box with other buttons. Unfortunately, the box wasn't in either of the two places I was sure I put it. Then I just happened to open a cigar box and found the button there (along with my Firesign Theater belt buckle, of all things).
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Post by tartanphantom on Feb 27, 2020 10:33:31 GMT -5
I've been cataloging all the comics and collected editions on GCD, comics are mostly done with some minor exceptions for odd-sized format stuff I still have to get to, but I am just starting collected editions and have a ways to go. I've made the GCD lists public if anyone wants to take a look, but be mindful they are works in process ( I have just started marking stuff read/unread and designating which books are signed and stuff like that). There's a handful of stuff not on the GCD that I won too, and I need to get my sh*t together and figure out how to add that stuff, but it's not a priority at the moment. done right)I have tried and failed or half-assed over the past few years, and then I need to figure physical display/storage options once I have recorded what I have. I am also still purging stuff as I go along (though I seem to add more than I get rid of). -M I’ve used the GCD for cataloging my collection for several years now. No silly apps necessary, but you do have to have internet access to use it in the field (cons, shops, etc.), which is only a minor drawback these days in the rarest of locations. The upside of this is that you can access your collection from pretty much ANY device connected to the web. Nevertheless, it beats the heck out of paper want lists when you are on the hunt, as you can go to a series page and look at a color-coded glance to see what you have versus what you need. After the initial chore of plowing through what you already have, and entering it, it gets much easier. |
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Post by brutalis on Feb 27, 2020 13:34:04 GMT -5
You dang youngsters and electronics. Us old-timers used to hand write and carry a notebook listing around with us in the car so we had the list available at any moment.
And i still prefer a paper list carried in my wallet as at a comic book convention or shop it's cost effective. Keep on pulling out or for carrying your Cell around and more apt to set it down and forget or lose it! Lose a slip of paper: no big deal or cost loss!
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Feb 27, 2020 14:14:30 GMT -5
I have recently started to take pictures of my collection which I store on my phone in organized folders. This allows me to see what I have as well as the condition, should I ever be hunting and want to upgrade and need to know if a book I am buying is actually a bit nicer than one I own. Not that I am always hunting to upgrade but if I have a book, sometimes I cannot remember if its more VG or FN so the picture helps. Also, online databases dont work as well as I would like. Loading, making sure I have enough data or a connection, typing something in...takes to long. This way, I just scroll to folder, scroll through it and see the book. I can also clearly see what I do not have because I am keeping it organized so I like that about it.
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Feb 27, 2020 14:20:23 GMT -5
My collection is also a modest 3000-3500 books tops. So I wanna get it catalogued visually within the year. In terms of storage, it is also all organized by title and alphabetically in nice shelving bins.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2020 20:47:59 GMT -5
You dang youngsters and electronics. Us old-timers used to hand write and carry a notebook listing around with us in the car so we had the list available at any moment. And i still prefer a paper list carried in my wallet as at a comic book convention or shop it's cost effective. Keep on pulling out or for carrying your Cell around and more apt to set it down and forget or lose it! Lose a slip of paper: no big deal or cost loss! Some good points, but I moved to digital as soon as I could. The paper "want" list wasn't that simple for me to maintain. I seriously started collecting comics in my early 20s, which meant I didn't slowly build a collection as a kid, and I had just enough spending money to pick up new and old comics I got interested in at a pretty steady rate. I had to copy that paper list over and over as I added and crossed stuff off. Now that my collection is almost complete, a paper list wouldn't be as bad, but the digital is more convenient now that it's already in place. My "want" list is its own file, and I use Github for free web hosting, so I just need a minute to upload the latest local copy before I go out hunting. To track what is in my collection, I maintain about a dozen different text files (one for each section of the physical collection) with a simple-as-I-can-make-it formatting, and I then have a program which parses the text files to create html pages. It's basic-looking, but I have complete customization control and I'm not reliant on any third party hosting (other than Github, but I always have my local copy). One of the unusual features I implemented is that when I bag-and-board floppies, I put two to a bag (one on each side of the board), and the digital catalog contains color-coded entries based on the bag pairings. This is more handy than it probably sounds, since my collection mixes reprint issues with original issues, mixes titles together (where appropriate), and I'm fine with omitting issues from my collection if I don't like them, even if I keep the issues surrounding the omitted one. The color coding really helps to put things back in order if I've emptied a few bags. |
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Post by tartanphantom on Feb 28, 2020 0:59:42 GMT -5
You dang youngsters and electronics. Us old-timers used to hand write and carry a notebook listing around with us in the car so we had the list available at any moment. And i still prefer a paper list carried in my wallet as at a comic book convention or shop it's cost effective. Keep on pulling out or for carrying your Cell around and more apt to set it down and forget or lose it! Lose a slip of paper: no big deal or cost loss! You forgot one thing... to yell "Hey you kids! Get off of my lawn!!!"  
Seriously, I have friends that still use paper lists, and I see them all the time at shows. I've just gotten really comfortable with organizing my stuff on GCD. With my collection approaching 13,000 floppies, it's easy to forget what you have, what you need, and what you need a "better" copy of. GCD lets me get all that at a glance. Plus, it gives me the book creator credits and an image of a book's cover, which is tremendously helpful, especially when a title has multiple volumes.
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