Transporting vinyl records

[bigshoulders]

I'll be moving next month and was curious about how folks go about moving their records? They weigh a shit-ton if I were to try to box them all up in milk crates, but I'm not even sure that's a good way to haul them. Anyone have any suggestions on safely transporting vinyl collections? I don't have an exhaustive collection mind you, but I'd say it's getting respectable in size. Any good-size box recommendations? Any tips, really.

 

I do think I'll be the one handling these (in the trunk of my personal vehicle) and not leave anything to chance on a moving truck.

[jff]

Milk crates are pretty good for storage of LPs, but liquor boxes are better for moving them. Liquor boxes are usually pretty heavy duty, and some of them are tall enough that you can tape the top flap closed. And they're free at most liquor stores.

 

I've moved my records many times this way and they've never sufferend any damage.

[Sir Stewart]

I'm moving this week and packed up my vinyl just yesterday! U-Haul has a size that is 100% perfect. If you want I'll check tonight what they're labeled as (got them free on craigslist).

[caliber66]

Duct tape them to your tires.

[sonicshoulder]

I own two milk crates and neither is wide enough for a record. I was blown away. I thought milk crates were designed for holding vinyl. I think this is a conspiracy against stoners most likely developed by the Reagan's during the Just Say No days.

[LouisvilleGreg]

i've bought boxes and plastic vinyl protectors and all kinds of other storage shit from bagsunlimited for years. easy to find them online.

[bigshoulders]

Thanks for the suggestions. I might just cruise by U-Haul and see what boxes they have. Or better yet, the liquor store. Two birds, one stone.

[jff]

I own two milk crates and neither is wide enough for a record. I was blown away. I thought milk crates were designed for holding vinyl. I think this is a conspiracy against stoners most likely developed by the Reagan's during the Just Say No days.

 

I noticed this, too. The milk crates at the restaurant where I used to work (in the '90s)were slightly too small to fit records. You could put records in there, but it would bend them and crease the covers.

 

I can imagine theft of the milk crates by record lovers created a fairly significant loss for the milk industry. Maybe the milk industry decreased the size of milk jugs, allowing them to make the milk crates slightly smaller.

 

Naturally, this, in turn, led to the creation of a new product line of fake milk crates available from Target and Wal Mart.

 

Win-win-lose.

[cryptique]

As far as I know, milk crates -- at least the plastic ones -- have never been big enough for 12" records. People have stolen them for years because they make for excellent dorm-room storage. Back when I was in school, someone produced slightly larger plastic crates (not used for milk) that could hold LPs, but these tended to be flimsy and you couldn't really fill them up with records without risking a crate failure.

 

I have three ancient wooden Pepsi crates I use to haul around a portion of my collection.

[LouieB]

There are plastic crates that are big enough for LPs; perhaps the milk crates are no longer big enough. My record selling compadre and I utilize them. Obviously the ones with the high sides are the best so you can stack them. Check at office suppy type places.

 

I second the liquor box idea. Many wine boxes are just right, but you have to hit up the stores at just the right time when they have them. I hope to never move again since I many less LPs the last time I moved and it was a freakin nightmare anyway.

 

LouieB

[caliber66]

I noticed this, too. The milk crates at the restaurant where I used to work (in the '90s)were slightly too small to fit records. You could put records in there, but it would bend them and crease the covers.

 

I can imagine theft of the milk crates by record lovers created a fairly significant loss for the milk industry. Maybe the milk industry decreased the size of milk jugs, allowing them to make the milk crates slightly smaller.

 

Naturally, this, in turn, led to the creation of a new product line of fake milk crates available from Target and Wal Mart.

 

Win-win-lose.

I bet the transition from glass to plastic bottles also was a factor in the shrinking of the crates.

[jff]

I bet the transition from glass to plastic bottles also was a factor in the shrinking of the crates.

 

That hadn't occurred to me. Were they using plastic crates when the bottles were glass?

[LouieB]

That hadn't occurred to me. Were they using plastic crates when the bottles were glass?

You are even stretching my memory and I remember bottles only. But frankly I don't think that is is. There have been half gallon cartons for a very long time. Maybe it was the change from the cardboard half gallons to the plastic gallon jugs...I dunno.

 

I am going to guess that there still are some plastic crates that could hold LPs if you hit the right dairies.

 

LouieB

[The High Heat]

That hadn't occurred to me. Were they using plastic crates when the bottles were glass?

Before crates went plastic they were wood or metal and mostly held glass quarts because of all the weight involved.

[LouisvilleGreg]

oh yeah kevin i almost forgot. where are you moving to? out of town, out of state? good luck.

[SarahC]

and you couldn't really fill them up with records without risking a crate failure.

for some reason that made me laugh a lot.

 

i bought a neat record bag at target, but it will only hold about 5 records. not really a moving solution. my dad's friend made his own record storage boxes out of some sort of thick plastic sheeting... really weird but cool.

 

good luck with the move!

[bigshoulders]

oh yeah kevin i almost forgot. where are you moving to? out of town, out of state? good luck.

Thanks Greg and Sarah! I'm moving to Raleigh proper. It'll be good to be back in the city after spending 6 1/2 years out in the country. I'm a city mouse, anyway.

 

I hit the liquor store for boxes the Thursday before the long Memorial Day weekend. It was like winning the lottery. I got all the boxes I could pack in the Jetta, which was about 2 dozen.