Storing Lego

[Zane]

When storing Lego for a long time, will it be preserved any better if it's dismantled than if it was just put into a box assembled? Would it strain the plastic or anything?

[Grrr]

I would always go for dismantled and in a lightproof plastic box, which is only just big enough to fit the pieces (avoids rattling, and thereby scuff marks).

Although I would say there are no issues with keeping it built as long as the model doesn't have any strain on it, I generally don't do this due to the size issue, and then I can't box it which means it will end up with dust. Simply building cubes out of things like 2x4 bricks will save a bit of space, but there is nothing that puts me off lego like loosing nails pulling apart bits. Particularly the old tiles without groove.

Dust is to me the biggest issue with lego, particularly if you are in a slightly damp situation. Dry dusty pieces will cause considerably more friction then clean pieces when rubbed together, and this will cause much more scratches and scuffs. Add to that that it looks gross, and means you have to clean your lego. Being allergic to dust mites, this issue is a 1000 fold more important for me though.

The second issue as I look at it is UV light, particularly sunlight. I like my building area to be well lit, but we all know the joys of yellowed bricks. As a result I prefer solidly coloured plastic containers - ice cream boxes tend to be a favourite for storage, also as I can close and stack them with the lego I use less.

And lastly, brickstain. Most bricks I am not particularly worried about, as their structural integrity is pretty good, there are some however that I am paranoid about, particularly space canopies, as I always think that too much weight on them will cause them to break. In practise though, the only pieces I have that are broken are due to human stupidity, and the only pieces with holding issues are those I have from the late fifties, which firstly aren't all that square, and secondly, are made of an inferior plastic, which will have lost quite some plastisizer over the years.

[natelite]

i store most of mine built. it's mostly because i am lazy to disassemble and re-assemble again. it's easy to just pop open the lid and can pull out the model with very minor assembly required.

storage is no issue at all. just put them in the basement. sunlight hardly penetrates at all. as for lighting, you can always get the philips lightbulb. i use daylight white so it's actually brighter in the basement than in the family room. :-P