Parts Storage.

Unknown

I have to move some of my good chrome parts and some upholstry items out of the heated room (family room) I was storing them. They are going to be moved to a dry but unheated building. Since I live in Western PA with constant freeze thaw tempatures in the winter and 90% plus humidy in the summer, I was wondering how to best protect them until I can put them on the car.



I had started to individually wrap the items in plastic, but maybe leaving them open to the air would be better? Would tempature variation cause condensation inside the plastic wrap?

Unknown

If you can store the items in the temperature controlled environment you will be best served. I would consider how you might store them in the room using the available but unused spaces. For instance ... under furniture ... couches, beds tables with skirts. If your in the ... GET THAT STUFF OTTA MY HOUSE mode ... this may not work. For years I had wooden boxes ... cut down fruit crates and light plywood with 1X1/2 inch sides that slid under the furniture... otta sight otta mind ... wife puts up with that ... I also commandeered a closet a number of years ago ... put a locking deadbolt on it and called it my company store house ... got away with that too. Temp variations will cause condensation and that will discolor and rot the upholstery ... as well as pit and rust the chrome. If forced to use the outside ... grease up the chrome good... cosmoline is what the old timers used ... big bottle of Vaseline should do today. Upholstery I would use one of those vacuum packing devices ... otherwise ... potential of rodent damage as well as condensation.

Good Luck

Jon B

Interesting question. Did you have any of them chromed recently? If so, why not ask the company that did the work?



I would guess that it doesn't make a whole lot of difference what they're wrapped in (well, you don't want to wrap 'em in newspaper!) so long as they're protected from the elements. I keep a lot of my stuff in those Rubbermaid rectangular storage tubs with the removable tops, that you find at places like Target and Home Depot. They're fairly airtight, they keep rain and or dust off the contents, and if there's a flood they float (unlike cardboard boxes, which just disintegrate). And you can stack 'em. I'd invest in some of them, wrap your chrome parts in bubble wrap (that's how mine came back from the plater's recently; it prevents them from banging against one another) and stow them in a plastic tub til you're ready for them.

[Deleted User]

i would not wrap in plastic. maybe oil some good paper towels and wrap them. jsut my humble opinon; im in nw wisc and suffer the same situations each year. im sure others have other ideas.....

[Deleted User]

I have over 50 of the 22"x14"x30" plastic poultry boxes with the snap lids that hold all of my Mopar and Hudson parts, up to and including pulleys, water pumps, and other heavy parts. Paid a buck each a few years ago at the Chickasha Swap Meet. If you have a poultry processor near you, you can get a great deal on used boxes that may have a small crack in a lid or something. They have grooves on the lid and under the box that lets them stack real nice without shifting. I have over 120 pounds in a couple of them and there's no problem, as they're built to hold about 60 pounds of meat.

Club Coupe

I agree with Ken about coating the chrome with Vasoline, and Jon has a good point about checking with your chrome shop. Who knows they may even store the chrome for you. If you can't store the upholstery items under a bed, behind the sofa etc., why not check with a dry cleaners or fur storage facility about storing those items? Moths, rodents, ants and assorted pests will really take a toll on fabrics. The plastic storage boxes are also a good idea for smaller items and a locking lid plastic trashcan will take care of the larger items. If you put chrome pieces in plastic tubs I suggest getting some Damp Rid packets or other brand moisture absorbent from the hardware store to keep as much moisture at bay as possible. Check with places like Staples, Office Max, etc on the plastic tubs. I bought some at one of those places some years ago at 1/2 price because of a few scratches and scars.

rambos_ride

Stainless parts need only be wrapped for protection - they won't rust or bubble.



I would coat the actual chrome parts with vaseline or WD40.



Don't wrap any of your pot metal parts or upholstery unless you use a dessicant (drier packets or granules) I would go to a travel trailer supply house of boat supply to find the dessicant.



Pot metal parts can actully hold some moisture and wrapping them in plastic may cause problems unless using the method above.



I'd try Ken Cates strategy - find room under things and behind things.