Long-Term Storage (2 Viewers)

[BGinGA]

Are these just marks that can be removed with a Magic Eraser? Those aren't dented are they?

Many are actually excess clay from the chip edge of one, scraped onto the face of another -- and magic eraser helps remove it, but not very well. Scraping it off with the blunt edge of an x-acto blade often is necessary to remove it all.

And yeah, if the rack check was intense or severe enough, the chip face and/or inlay surface can show a physical depression line(s), even after it's been cleaned up. And there is also sometimes one chip (or more) with a rounded edge in just one spot, where the chip was used to 'check the rack' for full barrels. It's a barbaric practice.

EDIT: i wa referring to rack check marks above.

I haven't experienced the stacking marks that @Tommy showed, although I have had racks -- not chips -- damaged by tight-fitting new chips where apparently the inlay material or adhesive (or possiblly excess machining fluid) attacked the inner ends if the acrylic rack barrels.

 

[BearMetal]

I found this thread recently while searching for storage solutions for my newly acquired Paulson sets. I, too, was worried about leaving chips in racks for extended periods of time. The idea of 4 racks of weight on top of a single rack of beautiful chippies makes me sad. So, I'm going to resurrect this thread temporarily to see if anyone has any other input or experience:

• Seems like @BGinGA isn't worried about making rack check marks over time, especially when using a rack like a Chipco
• However, @Tommy showed definite damage on the top of the chips. Does this happen only with a 1000 chip carrier fully loaded, or does it happen even with only 1 or 2 racks on top of the bottom rack.
• I love my Chipco racks; they fit my Paulsons so well. I'd be OK using them even if I had to limit them to 400pc or 600pc carriers.

It's good that the WSOP leaves chips in 1000 carriers for a year. When I say long-term, I mean that my chips will come out on a rotating basis, so each set would see 2-3 months of storage before use.

I've actually tried to use Matsui's on the bottom and Chipcos on top of them to help limit the weight, but this solution looks clumsy.

 

[UnicornFlash]

I found this thread recently while searching for storage solutions for my newly acquired Paulson sets. I, too, was worried about leaving chips in racks for extended periods of time. The idea of 4 racks of weight on top of a single rack of beautiful chippies makes me sad. So, I'm going to resurrect this thread temporarily to see if anyone has any other input or experience:

• Seems like @BGinGA isn't worried about making rack check marks over time, especially when using a rack like a Chipco
• However, @Tommy showed definite damage on the top of the chips. Does this happen only with a 1000 chip carrier fully loaded, or does it happen even with only 1 or 2 racks on top of the bottom rack.
• I love my Chipco racks; they fit my Paulsons so well. I'd be OK using them even if I had to limit them to 400pc or 600pc carriers.

It's good that the WSOP leaves chips in 1000 carriers for a year. When I say long-term, I mean that my chips will come out on a rotating basis, so each set would see 2-3 months of storage before use.

I've actually tried to use Matsui's on the bottom and Chipcos on top of them to help limit the weight, but this solution looks clumsy.

Others with more experience can chime in, but I ended up going the Matsui route. I didn't try the Chipco or Paulson racks since I was worried about the potential damage to the chips that @Tommy described.

 

[BearMetal]

Others with more experience can chime in, but I ended up going the Matsui route.

Yeah, Matsui racks are harder to come by. If I could just do a blanket replacement, I probably would. But I only have about 20 right now. Chipcos, on the other hand, are readily available. I know that some people have said that the Matsui's are too loose for them, too. But great feedback, thanks!

 

[markleteenie]

How tall are we stacking racks? The tallest I have any racks stacked is 5 high.

 

[BearMetal]

How tall are we stacking racks? The tallest I have any racks stacked is 5 high.

Yes, 5-high is my max, and even then I'm worried. That's why I said I'd be fine only going with 2 or 3 high if that alleviates the problem that Tommy saw. Or maybe 5-high is fine .. I need info!

 

[markleteenie]

Yes, 5-high is my max, and even then I'm worried. That's why I said I'd be fine only going with 2 or 3 high if that alleviates the problem that Tommy saw. Or maybe 5-high is fine .. I need info!

I will say, I'm not the best metric for long term storage.
I get all of my chips out in play since I don't have an overwhelming number of sets and they are all in my rotation.

 

[mtl mile end]

I found this thread recently while searching for storage solutions for my newly acquired Paulson sets. I, too, was worried about leaving chips in racks for extended periods of time. The idea of 4 racks of weight on top of a single rack of beautiful chippies makes me sad. So, I'm going to resurrect this thread temporarily to see if anyone has any other input or experience:

• Seems like @BGinGA isn't worried about making rack check marks over time, especially when using a rack like a Chipco
• However, @Tommy showed definite damage on the top of the chips. Does this happen only with a 1000 chip carrier fully loaded, or does it happen even with only 1 or 2 racks on top of the bottom rack.
• I love my Chipco racks; they fit my Paulsons so well. I'd be OK using them even if I had to limit them to 400pc or 600pc carriers.

It's good that the WSOP leaves chips in 1000 carriers for a year. When I say long-term, I mean that my chips will come out on a rotating basis, so each set would see 2-3 months of storage before use.

I've actually tried to use Matsui's on the bottom and Chipcos on top of them to help limit the weight, but this solution looks clumsy.

Rack check marks aren't from stacking, they're the result of "rack checking". This occurs when an overzealous, chip hating casino employee scrapes a single chip across a seemingly full rack barrel to "check" to be sure that the barrel is full.

 

[BearMetal]

I will say, I'm not the best metric for long term storage.
I get all of my chips out in play since I don't have an overwhelming number of sets and they are all in my rotation.

Yeah, that was me about 6 months ago. 2 sets (ceramic and Royals). Suddenly, I have 5000 chips. WTF!

Another option that I should present is that there is no way to fix this problem. That any weight on the chips from regular Chipco racks will cause problems. So we should all have a monthly reminder to rotate all of our barrels and racks.

 

[BearMetal]

Rack check marks aren't from stacking, they're the result of "rack checking". This occurs when an overzealous, chip hating casino employee scrapes a single chip across a seemingly full rack barrel to "check" to be sure that the barrel is full.

Yup, I tried to differentiate that in my post above. That this is not about rack check marks; it's about the marks that Tommy posted a picture of which were the result of a rack on top.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Yes, 5-high is my max, and even then I'm worried. That's why I said I'd be fine only going with 2 or 3 high if that alleviates the problem that Tommy saw. Or maybe 5-high is fine .. I need info!

I have a set of Paulsons stacked 7 high (with a single barrel on the 8th rack). They have not been pulled out since August 2018, save for the photos I took during a streak of unmitigated boredom during Covid. Zero issues, and I took close-up photos which I currently use for a wallpaper on a 54" monitor.

I also have Paulsons stacked 9 high, and they get used about one a year. Again, there are no storage issues at this height.

Stored in a combination of Paulson racks and Chipco racks.

The biggest concern I have is with the OFCP sets (the 4th row from the left) The bottom (red) chips are in some nameless, generic racks. The racks are very thin. When I slide them forward to bring them out, the plastic wants to buckle under from the sliding friction. I'm afraid it will break the rack. However, that is only while sliding them. I have no concern about them while they sit idle in storage.

 

[BearMetal]

I have a set of Paulsons stacked 7 high (with a single barrel on the 8th rack). They have not been pulled out since August 2018, save for the photos I took during a streak of unmitigated boredom during Covid. Zero issues, and I took close-up photos which I currently use for a wallpaper on a 54" monitor.

Great information! You are now required to share your high-res pR0n with the group so we can all have awesome wallpapers.

I also have Paulsons stacked 9 high, and they get used about one a year. Again, there are no storage issues at this height.

So this was the rebuttable I was looking for. I wonder, then, what caused Tommy's problems. Seems that it's relatively safe to state that:

• Storage for up to a year in Chipco or Paulson racks stacked in a 1000 chip carrier (5 high) shouldn't harm Paulsons
• Rack brand probably do make a difference; Chipcos/Paulson racks seem to be safe.
• Matsui racks are also probably fine, but cause a lot more wobble when the birdcage is moved b/c the chips are much looser

 

[liftapint]

I spy Pacific Star FRACS!

 

[nitzilla]

Mine are stacked 6-7 racks high and long term, never seen issues....
They are Paulson (mint and used conditions), ChipCo and WPS China Clays
YMMV though...

 

[Himewad]

Matsui racks are also probably fine, but cause a lot more wobble when the birdcage is moved b/c the chips are much looser

I have Matsui racks, and just putting them 4 high makes me uneasy. Not because the chips are loose in the racks, but rather the plastic is just so much thinner than on an "open" rack. To be comfortable, I wouldn't go higher than 3 in a stack.

 

[BearMetal]

Mine are stacked 6-7 racks high and long term, never seen issues....
They are Paulson (mint and used conditions), ChipCo and WPS China Clays
YMMV though...

It's the YMMV that I'm concerned of. Trying to isolate materials/circumstances/differences that would cause a disaster for one, but not for another.

I have Matsui racks, and just putting them 4 high makes me uneasy. Not because the chips are loose in the racks, but rather the plastic is just so much thinner than on an "open" rack. To be comfortable, I wouldn't go higher than 3 in a stack.

Definitely heard this before and can attest to their thinness. However, since you are distributing the weight so evenly across a flat, horizontal surface, I would expect the strength of the plastic to be fine in a 1000ct carrier. I haven't seen my Royals bending/warping the Matsui racks, and they are stacked 4 high.

 

[BGinGA]

I'm still storing tens of thousands of chips -- all material types and manufacturers -- in acrylic chip trays with little-to-no wiggle room stacked up to 10 racks high, in some cases for years on end, all with zero chip damage.

I'm beginning to suspect that Tommy's marks were actually caused by excess solvent/adhesive as I referenced in post #31 above -- it looks to be discolored rather than deformed. His photos were of EST2 chips, which exhibit that characteristic more than any other set I own, even though none of my chips show marks similar to his (it just affected my racks).

But if it's indeed due to those specific chips being stored in tight-fitting trays, then it would make no difference if they were stacked or not.

 

[BearMetal]

I'm still storing tens of thousands of chips -- all material types and manufacturers -- in acrylic chip trays with little-to-no wiggle room stacked up to 10 racks high, in some cases for years on end, all with zero chip damage.

10's of 1000s? I would have thought you crossed the 100k line in 2020 But good info on your personal experience with tight racks stacked high.

I'm beginning to suspect that Tommy's marks were actually caused by excess solvent/adhesive as I referenced in post #31 above

Yes, another great observation and more evidence for the safety of using a good quality rack that fits the chips correctly. I'm curious, though, if this is the case, could edge-oiled chips pose a similar hazard? Could the oils react with the plastic (or the chip material) over time?

... As always, thanks for the wealth of knowledge!

 

[BGinGA]

10's of 1000s? I would have thought you crossed the 100k line in 2020

I've been trying hard for a couple of years to cull the collection down to 15K or so (and have failed miserably). It's still somewhere north of 30K, I think. There have probably been well over 150,000 chips cross this threshold over the past 15 years. One of these days I'm going to document all the sets.

could edge-oiled chips pose a similar hazard? Could the oils react with the plastic (or the chip material) over time?

I don't think so. Mineral oil is considered relatively inert, and if it's safe enough for a baby's bottom. you're probably safe using it with chips and racks.

 

[gmunny]

My current set rotation are in bird cages and the rest of my chips are in a mix of Paulson/Wernke and TR King boxes. I do have a few large aluminum cases full of chips too. I think for long term storage, the boxes are the easiest.

 

[abby99]

I don't think so. Mineral oil is considered relatively inert, and if it's safe enough for a baby's bottom. you're probably safe using it with chips and racks.

Yeah, but I don't think very many people are stacking baby's bottoms five high!

 

[detroitdad]

What is the best way to store chips long term

ship to me?

 

[Saoliver]

ship to me?

He said long term.

 

[BearMetal]

So this is a rack check?

Monsters!!!!!

 

[markleteenie]

So this is a rack check?

View attachment 463080

Monsters!!!!!

Yep. You can see they probably checked it with another fiver and randomly, with the red edge spot no less.

 

[Organista1]

For long term storage, there are a few things I would be worried about:
- Temp swings: probably not an issue unless you store in your garage
- Sunlight: keep them out of direct sunlight as it may fade colours/labels
- Fit: some chip racks are very tight and may leave an impression on chips if left for a long time (rack checks). Use loose fitting racks
- Colour transfer: if you put a very dark chip against a very light one, there may be some colour transfer. Maybe use a spacer between chips of different colours. This may also happen with half or quarter pies that have very different colours - spacers may not be practical but aligning so that the same colours are touching would mitigate

Note that all of the above is based on my opinion - I never store chips for a significant amount of time without taking them out and playing with them!

Hope there is an answer but I was considering storing my chips in my garage but concerned more over temperature vs racks and cases. I’m in CA and currently store them indoors where it’s not that hot, my garage May be in the high 90s? Not sure

 

[BearMetal]

Hope there is an answer but I was considering storing my chips in my garage but concerned more over temperature vs racks and cases. I’m in CA and currently store them indoors where it’s not that hot, my garage May be in the high 90s? Not sure

Oh good god no! I actually use the summer heat to fix warped chips (using a clamp). I couldn't imagine leaving them in my garage.

 

[Colquhoun]

Hope there is an answer but I was considering storing my chips in my garage but concerned more over temperature vs racks and cases. I’m in CA and currently store them indoors where it’s not that hot, my garage May be in the high 90s? Not sure

Ouch. I would DEFINITELY advise against storing in a hot garage.

 

[nezara]

Mine are in matsui racks, though I worry loose fitting might cause warping. I plan to be not lazy one day and buy some spacers to make it a little more snug

 

[Jeevansluck]

I keep all my chips in Matsui racks. The racks are stacked up in a safe I had installed in my basement. No light or anything gets in or out. Works for me.


7 rows deep...I actually outgrew the dam thing...