# Magazine storage in the shop



## jeffl (May 3, 2009)

Hey , I need to take some or all of my magazines to my shop. Ive been buying them since the late 80' s and have all but 3 or 4 I ever bought . I've bought small collections at antique stores and flea markets. I'm sure I have several hundred. Some are signed by the woodworkers I've been fortunate enough to meet. I hope my grand kids may want them or maybe at least donate them to a woodworking program later on. 
My shop is unheated or no a/c unless I'm in it , and the last filing cabinet I put in there seemed to draw rats. I just want a rodent proof, weather proof storage that I can easily get into sometimes . 
Any ideas. , I think the rodents aren't as big a problem as the books breaking down in the wrong conditions.
Thanks , Jeff


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

Put them in Rubbermaid containers.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Paper stores best at about 50 F and 30% humidity. They would be much better off in a climate controlled environment.


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## jeffl (May 3, 2009)

I may be better off just passing some along now. The problem is over 25 years my skills have improved and interest have changed so there's always something interesting every time I look through them.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Someone gave me a big box of Wood working magazines, and every review or plan in it was so out of date, I ended up recycling most of it, just saving a few how to articles. I would pick up a free or cheap metal filing cabinet on Craigslist, that's where I keep my manuals and things I don't want read by the mice.


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## Milo (Apr 24, 2009)

In this day and age I would suggest going electronic. I just put the plans on my iPad and take it into the shop with me.


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## jeffl (May 3, 2009)

Milo, What about the Mayan solar flares wiping the electronics out : ) and I have thought of tightening up a file cabinet or two and ordering those plastic bags people put comic books in, they are about $12 a hundred .


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## jeffl (May 3, 2009)

Dhazelton, I'm amazed at how few "new" ideas they are in the woodworking hobby if you look at the old books.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

I had a "few hundred" of those in my shop. After three years, it dawned on me that I had read maybe two of them in 36 months. Packed them all up in new cardboard boxes and off to the attic they went. Hot but dry, bug and mice free. That was 12 months ago, and to be honest, I don't miss one of them. I know they are up there, but like others have said, the projects are mostly outdated, and a lot of the tips and tricks are now compacted into those "600 tip" books, which take up a heck of a lot less room. I now keep router bits, wrenches for the different tools and guitar parts I need in the space I freed up.


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## TorqNut (Apr 29, 2012)

Buy an inexpensive muti-function printer, scan in the articles you want, recylce those you don't want and conservation mount the signed ones for future sales.


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## jeffl (May 3, 2009)

Just checking in to say , I've been going through my magazines and putting the ones I'll never need again in a stack to give away. I'm keeping some wood magazines, most fine woodworking, and every popular woodworking so far.


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## JAGWAH (Dec 15, 2009)

Jeff, good luck with the mags. I have been pondering the same thing lately. I thought I'd build a tightly shut glass cabinet with a desk lower, all about 12" deep floor to cieiling. While I like from time to time perrusing the old mags the truth is they're about 65% ads 25% repeated stories and only maybe 10% new at that point in time.

I have Fine Home Building,Fine woodworking and Woodsmith issues going back several years. It has filled 3 good size boxes.

I think Milo has the idea.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

Harbor freight has some cheap gun safes in various sizes. One of them should work.


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## jeffl (May 3, 2009)

I've noticed a lot of repeats and Wood mag has gotten worse as the years go on. I thought I'd like wood because they used to always have a toy, and I now have grand kids.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Someone mentioned filing cabinets. Well, the other day I was in a Habitat for Humanity ReStore and they had a boat load of filing cabinets…4 drawer for $30 ea. I almost bought a pair of two door legal cabinets for $25 ea but I don't have any place to put them. :-(

Just thought I would mention it in case you have one of those stores near you.


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## jeffl (May 3, 2009)

So far I've sorted out about 1/3 of my magazines to give away . Most because I'll probably never build a project from them, some due to duplicate articles (20+) years easy to have duplicates and some due to cheesy articles in my opinion. Someone new to woodworking may enjoy them.


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