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Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:52 am
by RSLancastr
I store most of my card collection in boxes meant to store baseball/sports cards.

They are 15 5/8" (Length) x 13 1/4" (Width) x 4" (Height), with dividers creating four rows in which 15 or 16 standard (poker-sized) tuck boxes fit easily on end, meaning the box will hold at least 60-64 decks.

These boxes are sturdy and stack nicely.

I had purchased most of mine at various sports card vendors down in Southern California for (if memory serves) around $4 - $5 apiece.

This is the first time I've needed to purchase any since we moved here to Salem, Oregon.

I am not too familiar with the area yet, and do not know offhand where any local sports card shops are.

For that reason, and, rather than making my wife haul me around town (I am disabled and do not drive any more), I decided to find a source for some of these boxes online.

I had seen some on eBay before but, finding none there when I searched yesterday, I did a web search for "sports card storage".

One of the first pages listed was for Amazon.com. I have purchased other things through Amazon and have always been pleased with their shipping practices, so I pulled up that page, and was unpleasantly surprised to find the boxes were priced at anywhere from $9 - $12 apiece (including shipping)!

Looking through the other pages listed, I noticed one for BCW Suppies, the manufacturer of these boxes.

I brought up their page for the boxes in question:

http://www.bcwsupplies.com/products/oth ... 200-ct.htm

...and found the boxes prices at $2.70 each (about half that if you purchase 25 of them), plus a pretty reasonable shipping fee (I don't recall what it was).

When I went to create an account there so that my Shipping info and such would be saved for future use with them, I found that I already had an account with them, from a purchase I had made in 2006 (Evidently, I had liked their pricing back then as well)!

I updated the Shipping & Billing addresses to our digs here in Salem, and placed an order (thankfully, they take PayPal, my preferred method of late).

My only concern: The boxes require some assembly. I remember this as being only mildly complicated back in 2006, but I am wondering how much more complicated it will be now that I have only the use of one of my hands (due to a stroke in 2008, I have little to no control of the muscles in the entire left half of my body).

My wife is, as she likes to say, "not mechanically inclined", and her folding and assembling even one of these boxes unassisted would likelybe a cursing-and-tear-filled comedy of errors, so if I find that I am unable to do the assembly myself, I will enlist her aid, and talk her through the process.

I ordered 4 of these boxes, plus ten of a smaller size (roughly the size of one of the rows in the larger box). I will keep one of the smaller ones at my desk to "stage" decks as I receive them rather than keep one of the larger boxes down here (the rest of them are up where I cannot reach them from my wheelchair). I only wanted to purchase perhaps four of these smaller boxes, but they only sold them in lots of ten (my one dissatisfaction with the ordering process).

Once they arrive, I will post photos here of hown they look, both pre- and post- assembly, and how an assembled one looks when fillled with a bunch of decks.

Sorry to have blathered on at such length, but I thought perhaps some of you might benefit from knowing of these boxes, and of a reasoably-priced source for them.

-Robert

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:05 am
by MagikFingerz
These would be great if it wasn't for their sky-high international shipping quotes ($80 to ship 1 :shock: ).

If someone buys 25, I'll gladly chip in for a few!

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:10 am
by badpete69
Magik

These are available at any sport cards shop. Luckily I have one 1 mile from my house and that is where I have been buying these same boxes since I started collecting. I can always check how much shipping would be to send you some

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:13 am
by MagikFingerz
Hmm, I guess I can check if there are any sport card shops nearby. I'm pretty sure there aren't any in Norway (that country is too fuckin small) but there might be some here where I study in the UK.

Thanks Pete :)

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:36 am
by CBJ
These were talked about over at the old UC.net

here...

"I came across this article on http://www.doobybrain.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.doobybrain.com/2012/06/05/a- ... ing-cards/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Image

"For a while now I’ve been looking for an affordable way to store and transport my playing card collection. I’ve seen acrylic versions which would be fantastic but they cost upwards of $100 just for the case alone. If you don’t mind a slightly cheaper and less beautiful way of storing them, I’d say you should go with these baseball card storage and transport boxes. Playing cards are about the same size and the sturdiness of the corrugated cardboard box should be more than enough to make sure corners aren’t bent (assuming you don’t throw the actual corrugated box around like a stuffed toy).

Here’s how mine look below in a 1-5000 box. Fitting a total — so far — of 119 decks."

Find the box here: http://www.bcwsupplies.com/products/tra ... 000-ct.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Image


BTW this site is great, bookmark it.. you won't regret it.. and he's a fellow card collector who happens to be a member here :)

http://www.doobybrain.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; "

and Utterfool had posted this pic...

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 12:56 pm
by Modi
RSLancastr, BCW Boxes are excellent, I use the ones shown for my playing cards and I use their comic boxes. Having just recently assembled one of the monster card boxes I would say that it should be entirely doable 1 handed, it just might take a couple extra minutes. Also I use the Reasealable Team Set Bags to hold standard decks of cards. Works Great.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 1:26 pm
by RSLancastr
MagikFingerz wrote:These would be great if it wasn't for their sky-high international shipping quotes ($80 to ship 1 :shock: ).
Holy smokes!
If someone buys 25, I'll gladly chip in for a few!
I may be pirchasing that many in the not-too-distant future, to replace some of my older ones. (unfortunately, when we moved up here to Oregon - a 1,000-plus-mile drive - I had to tape the boxes shut with packing tape, so that if the boxes fell over during the move, the tape would, it is hoped, keep all the decks safely inside their tucks inside the BCW box. Otherwise, when the moving truck was opened, someone could be playing 100,000+ Pick-up! :o

Fortunately, the boxes never fell over and everything arrived here intact, but now all of the boxes are strapped in unsightly packing tape. :( So I might just be in the market for 25 shiny new ones.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 1:31 pm
by RSLancastr
badpete69 wrote:Magik

These are available at any sport cards shop. Luckily I have one 1 mile from my house and that is where I have been buying these same boxes since I started collecting. I can always check how much shipping would be to send you some
Yeah, I bet that there are probably a number of such shops nearby here in Salem, I just haven't noticed them. I know that down in SoCal, they were EVERYWHERE.

I'll look for some on yellowpages.com or similar, but the ones I bought from BCW should be on the way here via UPS Ground already...

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 2:38 pm
by RSLancastr
Modi wrote:RSLancastr, BCW Boxes are excellent, I use the ones shown for my playing cards and I use their comic boxes. Having just recently assembled one of the monster card boxes I would say that it should be entirely doable 1 handed, it just might take a couple extra minutes. Also I use the Reasealable Team Set Bags to hold standard decks of cards. Works Great.
Thanks, Modi! (is that short for Mordechai?)

I will say however that unless you tried it one-handed, you may be underestimating the difficulty.

Even trying it one-handed, unless you take measures to immobilize the other hand/arm, you STILL might be underestimating it - More than once I have seen people demonstrate how they think I could accomplish some task one-handed, yet they (unawares) use the other hand while they do so (usually just to hold an item in place while the "good" hand performs some action on it).

Until I lost the use of my left arm/hand, I really had NO IDEA how often even a right-handed person uses that left hand. Things like:

* Holding a plate or glass with the left hand while the right hand washes or dries it.

* Holding a book or magazine steady with the left hand while the right hand turns the pages

* Holding a piece of food steady on a plate using a fork held in the left hand while cutting the food using a knife held in the right hand

* Holding a roll of paper towels steady with the left hand while using the right hand to tear a sheet off.

* holding a bottle/bag/box/letter/package/tuck with the left hand while opening or closing it with the right.

(If you are a lefty, reverse all of these examples)

...and so very much more. You might be surprised. I know I sure was.

Having said all that, you may be right - I hope you are!

I have developed ways of compensating for this, some fairly creative, according to my wife, such as:

* holding a bottle/jar/box between my thighs while opening/closing/whatevering it with my right hand.

* holding the cap of a "child-proof" pill bottle in my teeth while turning the bottle with my right hand to open the bottle

* using a method i cannot even describe in order to use a nail clipper to clip the nails on my right hand (think about it). (Even my occupational therapist was impressed with THAT trick).

I do all of my typing using only my right hand (oddly enough, I have ALWAYS typed this way, other than to sometimes use my left hand to hold down Shift, Alt or Ctrl - something I now use the Windows "Sticky Keys" feature to accomplish when it is difficult/impossible for me using just my right hand).

I will definitely give it a try one-handed when the BCW boxes get here, and will let you know if/how I do it.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 2:58 pm
by RSLancastr
CBJ wrote:These were talked about over at the old UC.net

here...
Thanks for posting those pics! seems I underestimated how many decks fit in a box! between 100-120, from the looks of it! I had guestimated it at much less, just given the dimensions of the box, and of a deck/tuck, since I cannot reach my old ones right now. :(

...which would explain something which had confused me:

I have 24 of these boxes filled with decks. given my (apparently) low estimate of how many decks fit in a box (not wanting to "oversell" their capacity here), this fell far short of the 2,200+ number of decks I've mentioned having in my collection.

Given the 100-120 decks-per-box those pics show, that would come to 2,400-2,880 decks!

And, since I have more than 240 decks sitting in and on my desk (all decks I have purchased since we moved here to Salem), it is quite possible that I now have more than 3,000 decks in my collection!

Uh, let's not mention this to my wife, okay everyone? :mrgreen:

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:08 pm
by neongrey
MagikFingerz wrote:Hmm, I guess I can check if there are any sport card shops nearby. I'm pretty sure there aren't any in Norway (that country is too smurf'n small) but there might be some here where I study in the UK.

Thanks Pete :)
A game shop that deals in Magic (the gathering) cards would probably have something like that too FWIW.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:54 pm
by Modi
RSLancastr wrote: Thanks, Modi! (is that short for Mordechai?)
In Norse Mythology Modi (Well Móði, Modi is the anglicized version) is one of the sons of Thor. (The other Being Magni) Little is known about either of them, except it is mentioned that they survive Ragnorock and inherit Mjollnir, being some of the only gods strong enough to wield it.

I began Using it quite a ways back while playing Ultima Online, and it's just kinda stuck as an online handle. Plus it's more interesting than Shawn, my actual name.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:19 pm
by RSLancastr
neongrey wrote:A game shop that deals in Magic (the gathering) cards would probably have something like that too FWIW.
Not as likely (I'd think) as a Sports Card store (although they often carry MTG cards as well).

One of the boxes we're talking about holds some 3,200 cards (which is where I got the 60-deck estimate (3,200/52 = 61.53846153846154 decks). if you include two jokers and one additional card, that is 55 cards per deck. if the front and back walls of the tuck are as thick as a card, that would make such deck, in its box, as thick as 57 cards. 3200/57 = 56.14035087719298 decks per box, yet those pics posted earlier in this thread show two or more times that!

'tis a puzzlement! :?:

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:31 pm
by RSLancastr
Modi wrote:
RSLancastr wrote: Thanks, Modi! (is that short for Mordechai?)
In Norse Mythology Modi (Well Móði, Modi is the anglicized version) is one of the sons of Thor. (The other Being Magni) Little is known about either of them, except it is mentioned that they survive Ragnorock and inherit Mjollnir, being some of the only gods strong enough to wield it.

I began Using it quite a ways back while playing Ultima Online, and it's just kinda stuck as an online handle. Plus it's more interesting than Shawn, my actual name.
Oh! I always read Thor's son's name as MODL. Maybe it was the font...

I guessed "Mordechai" because I once worked with an Israeli man named Moti, whose full first name was Mordechai.

When he first introduced himself to me (as Moti), I asked him, as I asked you, if it was short for Mordechai, and he was astonished that a gentille - an American gentile at that!) had ever even heard the name Mordechai, let alone would connect it with the nickname Moti.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 12:08 am
by RSLancastr
Modi wrote:RSLancastr, BCW Boxes are excellent, I use the ones shown for my playing cards and I use their comic boxes. Having just recently assembled one of the monster card boxes I would say that it should be entirely doable 1 handed, it just might take a couple extra minutes. Also I use the Reasealable Team Set Bags to hold standard decks of cards. Works Great.
Okay, I received and assembled my four new Monster boxes today.

I did it, all by my lonesome, using only the one hand.

But is was neither easy nor quick.

Try it! Put your non-dominant hand (your left hand if you are right-handed, your right hand if you're a lefty) in your pocket and keep it there while you use only the other one to assemble the box.

I think you'll be surprised.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 12:34 am
by Angel_Magic
Oh goodness, only $3 each?! Buying 10... This is a great find RLS! A bit unsure of how sturdy it is from the pictures though... are you able to pick it up and move it around easily with it full of (what looks to be about 120) decks without it bending or anything?

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 12:45 am
by RSLancastr
I find them to be extremely sturdy, Angel_Magic! I've been using these for fifteen years or more, and have yet to see one bend or even sag.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 1:03 am
by MJF
I've got a place in the Seattle area that sells sports cards and Magic decks as well... they sell me those boxes for $4.50/each and they'll even assemble them in the store if you ask them nicely. :) I've picked up 6 of them. They hold approximately 120 decks each.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 6:51 am
by Paul Middleton
MagikFingerz wrote:These would be great if it wasn't for their sky-high international shipping quotes ($80 to ship 1 :shock: ).

If someone buys 25, I'll gladly chip in for a few!

Just added 25 to my basket. Shipping to the UK? Three options ALL $500 or more! For cardboard???! The total order was only $50!

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:49 am
by Strag
I was thinking something like this would be cool for display and organizing purposes.

Image

Holds 9600 playing cards so should be around 200 decks.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:51 am
by Strag
JPMiddleton wrote:

Just added 25 to my basket. Shipping to the UK? Three options ALL $500 or more! For cardboard???! The total order was only $50!
5 with UK postage included for £36 here http://hoarders.co.uk/product_info.php? ... ucts_id=34

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:54 am
by BMPokerworld
Strag wrote:I was thinking something like this would be cool for display and organizing purposes.

Image

Holds 9600 playing cards so should be around 200 decks.

You would have to buy the smaller boxes first, then put the smaller boxes in the organizer. The 5,000 count box is still probably the cheapest way.

Thanks!

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:54 am
by RSLancastr
MJF wrote:I've got a place in the Seattle area that sells sports cards and Magic decks as well... they sell me those boxes for $4.50/each and they'll even assemble them in the store if you ask them nicely. :) I've picked up 6 of them. They hold approximately 120 decks each.
120?

Either you (and the people whose pics were posted above) have skinny decks (I said decks, people!!) or I lack some Mad Packing Skillz, because I only got around 80 Bike decks into each of the ones I filled yesterday. Did you use WD40 and a spatula or something? :?:

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:07 am
by Strag
BMPokerworld wrote:
Strag wrote:I was thinking something like this would be cool for display and organizing purposes.

Image

Holds 9600 playing cards so should be around 200 decks.

You would have to buy the smaller boxes first, then put the smaller boxes in the organizer. The 5,000 count box is still probably the cheapest way.

Thanks!
Sadly, not in the UK, these are much harder to find here. Also, I'm willing to spend more for a cooler way to organize and display. I can get that one, with the smaller boxes included, for £23 shipped here.

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:27 am
by BMPokerworld
Strag wrote:
BMPokerworld wrote:
Strag wrote:I was thinking something like this would be cool for display and organizing purposes.

Image

Holds 9600 playing cards so should be around 200 decks.

You would have to buy the smaller boxes first, then put the smaller boxes in the organizer. The 5,000 count box is still probably the cheapest way.

Thanks!
Sadly, not in the UK, these are much harder to find here. Also, I'm willing to spend more for a cooler way to organize and display. I can get that one, with the smaller boxes included, for £23 shipped here.

Then it may work for you. I don't think they will help with displaying them much. I still think our 60 deck acrylic displays are the best way to showcase your collection.

Thanks!

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:49 am
by Strag
BMPokerworld wrote:

Then it may work for you. I don't think they will help with displaying them much. I still think our 60 deck acrylic displays are the best way to showcase your collection.

Thanks!
Hey I think those are awesome and MUCH preferred. I just cannot justify the cost plus the shipping (and would probably need 2-3 just to start! Pretty though ;)

Image

BTW, they were hard to find on your site, reminds me I owe you that site review. Coming soon I promise!

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:53 am
by BMPokerworld
Strag wrote:
BMPokerworld wrote:

Then it may work for you. I don't think they will help with displaying them much. I still think our 60 deck acrylic displays are the best way to showcase your collection.

Thanks!
Hey I think those are awesome and MUCH preferred. I just cannot justify the cost plus the shipping (and would probably need 2-3 just to start! Pretty though ;)

Image

BTW, they were hard to find on your site, reminds me I owe you that site review. Coming soon I promise!
Really? If you go to our drop down list and select playing card displays, they are right there. But I am always willing to listen to ways we can make an improvement. I always tell people you can always start with one display and to rotate your decks ever month or so, if you don't have the wall space for more than one display.

Thanks!

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:35 am
by Strag
Yeah that's how I found it (eventually) but I would have expected it to be under a category called "Accessories" or something like that. Just was lost amidst all the other company categories that are listed (at least to these tired eyes).

I get what you are saying about rotating, that might not be a bad idea, but shipping still is a killer Internationally (certainly not your fault).

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:51 am
by BMPokerworld
Strag wrote:Yeah that's how I found it (eventually) but I would have expected it to be under a category called "Accessories" or something like that. Just was lost amidst all the other company categories that are listed (at least to these tired eyes).

I get what you are saying about rotating, that might not be a bad idea, but shipping still is a killer Internationally (certainly not your fault).

Shipping is about $80 or there abouts, for international orders.

Thanks!

Re: Playing Cards Storage Boxes (big)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:30 am
by RSLancastr
I have certainly considered buying a few of bmpokerworld's acrylic displays, but have held off for a few reasons:

1. The cost (not unreasonable, just outside my current means is all).

2. I dunno how our apartment management would like all of the holes we would have to drill into our walls to hang the number of these I would want/need.

3. It seems like it would be a lot of trouble to get an individual deck back out of it when needed (particularly given my disability).

4. Speaking of which, I don't know that I could actually mount these on a wall from my wheelchair.

5. Many of my decks are of odd sizes which would not work with this display.

6. I fear that having my decks out on display would result in far more cries of "Do you really need all of these things?!?" from my wife.