Moving vinyl cross-country in summer heat

[clifford_thornton]

Hey all,

So in August I'm moving from Austin to Brooklyn. It's been a while since I've moved a record collection, and the last time I had to was not in summer heat. I'm a little leery of boxing 'em up and putting them in a U-Haul truck that's not temp-controlled, but I've been told not to worry, that if they're packed tight enough, no heat damage will occur over the few days' drive. FWIW, it's about 3000 LPs, which is what I'd call a medium sized collection but too big to fit in an air-conditioned panel van. Thoughts on how to do this safely and securely? Thanks.

[Dan Gould]

Personally I'd keep them in a nice cool car if possible, but more importantly, how the hell are you fitting 3000 LPs in a Brooklyn apartment?

[colinmce]

I moved from Iowa to Louisiana in August in a non-temp controlled ABF trailer. The day we unloaded it was 105 degrees. Records were fine. Honestly I'd worry more about a car b/c of the direct sunlight.

FWIW I moved with about 600 LPs.

[rostasi]

Go over to the Container Store (over on Research Blvd)

and buy as many white moving boxes of this size that you need

(1 box should hold about 125 LPs - give or take for box sets):

16-3/8" x 12-5/8" x 12-5/8"

and pack your LPs - very snug - with the album spine facing the top of the box.

You should have no problem getting them there without warpage.

I have tens of thousands of LPs in hundreds of boxes that have been stored

in conditions from near freezing to 100°+ temps in boxes like that for a good

25 years now and have had no problems. You should be able to take them

1800 miles with no surprises at the end.

BTW: a trip from Chicago to Denton, TX in August heat with 82 of those boxes

was, of course, successful.

®ø∂

Edited June 25, 2012 by rostasi

[clifford_thornton]

Personally I'd keep them in a nice cool car if possible, but more importantly, how the hell are you fitting 3000 LPs in a Brooklyn apartment?

Haha, it'll be interesting for sure.

Thanks guys. So spine up, you say? For stacking purposes I presume?

Also, I've amassed a bunch of UHaul boxes. Container store boxes are preferable?

[rostasi]

Thanks guys. So spine up, you say? For stacking purposes I presume?

Also, I've amassed a bunch of UHaul boxes. Container store boxes are preferable?

Yes, for stacking and easy access later if you find that you can't

dump all of your collection in your new home at once.

U-Haul boxes may be just fine. I just use the ones I mentioned because

the size is perfect - you don't want them smaller, because you'll have a lot more boxes,

but you don't want them bigger because they'll be hard to carry. Also, white repels heat.

Get the size I mentioned (U-Haul or Container) and fill it and pick it up

to see if you find it comfortable. Bend your knees when you lift,

otherwise you'll pay for it physically the rest of your life (I know!).

Another thing: Tape the bottom of the box evenly - in other words,

don't fold the four flaps in a roundabout manner and think they'll be fine.

Fold two opposing sides first, then the other two opposing sides and put

two strips of tape over the remaining crease (where the flaps meet)

in the middle of the box.

Edited June 25, 2012 by rostasi

[Pete C]

Hey all,

So in August I'm moving from Austin to Brooklyn.

Can I buy you a beer to welcome you? Where are you moving to?

[clifford_thornton]

Thanks Rod!

Yeah, sure Pete, that'd be great. We'll be in town next week to settle on an apt. Looking in Crown Heights and Kensington for sure, maybe parts of Greenpoint if there's still anything affordable there. I'm a little leery of Bed-Stuy and Bushwick though I suppose like anywhere else, there are good blocks and bad ones.

[jazzbo]

Wow, what an adventure! Here's hoping it all goes extremely smooth and easy.

[clifford_thornton]

Yeah, it's going to be "redonks" as the kids say, but we're looking forward to it.

Lon, we should get a beer before I split!

[JohnS]

Good luck with the move Clifford. Hope you soon get settled in your new home.

[Pete C]

Thanks Rod!

Yeah, sure Pete, that'd be great. We'll be in town next week to settle on an apt. Looking in Crown Heights and Kensington for sure, maybe parts of Greenpoint if there's still anything affordable there. I'm a little leery of Bed-Stuy and Bushwick though I suppose like anywhere else, there are good blocks and bad ones.

Crown Heights and Kensington are extremely different neighborhoods. Bushwick is becoming an extension of Williamsburg; I have several hip young coworkers who live there. Have you ruled out Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, Windsor Terrace, Gowanus, Boerum Hill, Sunset Park & Greenwood Heights? I'm assuming you already figured Park Slope, Carroll Gardens & Cobble Hill would be too expensive, and maybe some of the other neighborhoods I just mentioned.

[clifford_thornton]

Hey Pete, no those areas I've not ruled out - the apartment search is already freaking me out. Around Prospect Park would be great if we can afford it.

[Chuck Nessa]

Concerning the journey for the lps; it will be really stressful for the vinyl so I suggest sending them part way, to Whitehall Michigan. I can give them a rest and eventually send them on their way.

[Peter Johnson]

Clifford--I'm so excited for you! I've done the cross country journey 3x, with many boxes of lps packed exactly as rod described--twice in summer heat, once in the dead of winter. No problems whatsoever, but one caution: if you're using any professional help along the way, LABEL YOUR BOXES IN CODE. I stupidly did not do this on one move, and have been rebuilding "adderly-Coltrane (Atlantic)" ever since. *friggin idiot* We're in the city 2-3 weekends a month, hit me up when you land.

[peterintoronto]

Spine up? With the open side of the LP on the bottom? Unless I'm not understanding, this is a horrible idea!

[clifford_thornton]

Thanks Peter J!

Yeah, Chuck, once I box 'em I may just want to send 'em somewhere for cold storage!

[Bill Nelson]

Spine up? With the open side of the LP on the bottom? Unless I'm not understanding, this is a horrible idea!

Spot on. That's the part I DON'T GET. Consider how the slightest bump will slice your inner sleeves.

The only advantage mentioned is for quick retrieval of a single LP if you leave 'em boxed for awhile.

[PHILLYQ]

Hey Pete, no those areas I've not ruled out - the apartment search is already freaking me out. Around Prospect Park would be great if we can afford it.

You don't necessarily want to be on the Parkside Avenue side of Prospect Park. Nice during the day, but can get ugly at night. Good luck with the apartment search and let us know where you end up. I'm a lifelong Brooklynite, so welcome to the nabe.

[brownie]

Good luck to you, Clifford!

As a veteran of two moving vinyl experiences (across Paris, not across a continent), all I can offer is sympathy!

I still remember the look of the moving company employees as they were confronted with boxes and boxes of vinyls when I moved to my current place.

Have no desire at all to renew the operation!

[Big Beat Steve]

As a veteran of two moving vinyl experiences (across Paris, not across a continent), all I can offer is sympathy!

I still remember the look of the moving company employees as they were confronted with boxes and boxes of vinyls when I moved to my current place.

Have no desire at all to renew the operation!

I can imagine their looks ...

About a dozen years ago I've had the pleasure of moving my own collection (then approx. 3,500 LPs plus hundreds of 45s, 78s and CDs) just one flight up inside my house, and even that was a chore.

No desire to repeat that either (my collection has increased considerably since), though a friend (a collector himself) has offered to assist: "One box goes upstairs, one goes outside into my car, one goes up, one goes outside ... etc."... Ha!

What I would like to know too, though, is the idea or advantage behind the "spine-up" storage of the LPs in those boxes recommended above. I cannot see the point either and also have misgivings about inner sleeve damage.

[rostasi]

Well, I seem to be outnumbered when it comes to the spine-up idea,

so, Clifford, you should probably listen to them because clearly they've

had or know of problems regarding that. I'll have to say that I've just not

had these problems with splitting sleeves - inner or outer - and, as I said,

the spine-up idea was just for easy ability to scan what you have in the boxes

once you arrive in Brooklyn. Maybe it's because I have a lot of then in VRP

sleeves? I don't know. In storage, I have boxes stacked 10 levels tall

with the bottom box recordings (or sleeves) receiving no damage at all.

Maybe I'm just lucky, Actually, the ultimate way to transport your vinyl

is to remove each record with its sleeve and place it next to its cover and

transport it that way, but it could take quite a while to do this for 3000 LPs -

Your call, of course. Anyway, Clifford you probably should go with their idea

to be on the safe side. Good luck with your new home! I'm sure you'll have to

adjust to new weather conditions.

An afterthought: could it have something to do with the way the inner sleeves

are stored within the outer sleeve? Since I store them with the sleeve opening

pointing to the top of the outer sleeve, it would seem that storing them upright

in a box could potentially do damage to the record itself (if, I'm assuming that

storing the records upright in the box is what some of you are suggesting).

Edited June 27, 2012 by rostasi

[clifford_thornton]

Thanks, Rod, I know exactly what you mean. We'll see what ultimately shakes out.

[Pete C]

mp3s are so much easier to move.

[six string]

I moved close to 1,000 lps in 1985 from Texas to California in October. When I pulled into Needles, Ca at 6pm it was 100 degrees (f). My records survived without any trouble. I had them in the back of a pickup truck with a campershell on back.

I bought the truck just before I moved so I could do it. I had a couple of cases of wine that I wasn't able to drink up and most of them survived as well. I remember one bottle of Cabernet that tasted a little barnyard like when I got around to opening it a year later but that wouldn't have been from the heat though the temp might have pushed those attributes up a little. If you pack them as instructed above I'm sure they'll be fine though I understand your worry. It's natural.

Good luck on your roadtrip and your new life in NYC. Part of me wishes I was doing the same but the majority of me is glad I'm not moving anymore. Well at least not until they put the tag on my toe and give me my last ride on a gurney.