Using UV protection sheets to protect your exposed slabs... 0

[mschmidt]

I have a few of my prized slabs on display in my comic room. I was thinking about them fading over time and thought that maybe a UV sheet between the slab and the slab Mylar bag would provide UV protection.

 

You put your slabs in a Mylar bag?

 

Yes to protect the plastic from scratching. Lots of forum members put mylars on their slabs. You can get them from Hotflips. I'll be ordering some soon.

(thumbs u

 

Hotflips' CGC bags are poly, not mylar.

[Mark 1]

I have a few of my prized slabs on display in my comic room. I was thinking about them fading over time and thought that maybe a UV sheet between the slab and the slab Mylar bag would provide UV protection.

 

You put your slabs in a Mylar bag?

 

Yes to protect the plastic from scratching. Lots of forum members put mylars on their slabs. You can get them from Hotflips. I'll be ordering some soon.

(thumbs u

 

Hotflips' CGC bags are poly, not mylar.

 

Ok thanks!

Edited August 23, 2010 by Mark 1

[fantastic_four]

All this UV talk really have me reconsidering my own display project.

I'm starting to think that a HQ reprint is the way to go to avoid any damage at all

 

Note that museums do display historical documents to the public in showrooms; the very fact that they do this indicates they believe it can be done safely. My study of what museums do indicates that besides encapsulation, minimizing light exposure and making sure you use the right type of light is what's most important. Always use fluorescent lighting instead of incandescent lighting, and make sure it's the lowest wattage you can manage. Keep the lighting off whenever you're not viewing the books, and keep ALL natural sunlight out of your display room. Eliminating ambient light is VERY difficult--I've never been able to sufficiently achieve it in a den or office or other similar spare room, nor have I ever met anyone who did. If anyone here has found a great way to eliminate window sunlight, please share your secrets.

 

I find that all of that makes the room unlivable. It's a real pain to keep all ambient natural sunlight out of a room, and keeping a room that dark means management every time you walk in and out of that room. I hate controlling light to the degree you need to ensure books won't get too much exposure, so after much trial and research, I agree with what you just said--high quality reprints are absolutely the way to go. I recommend taking a high-res scan of the books you want to display--feel free to include the CGC label in the scan if you like, I know I did--and display enlarged poster prints of the scans. Not only is this TONS safer for the books, it actually is superior from a display perspective--you can enlarge it so that the comic is visible across a room. Normally comics are too small to make great display pieces, but enlarged poster prints are AWESOME! Kills two birds--preservation challenges and the too-small size of comics for room display--with a single stone.

[Jeffro.]

I have a few of my prized slabs on display in my comic room. I was thinking about them fading over time and thought that maybe a UV sheet between the slab and the slab Mylar bag would provide UV protection.

 

You put your slabs in a Mylar bag?

 

It makes little sense to me. Bags to protect the slab (that's already there to protect the comic. )

Next we will have bags to protect the bags that protect the slab that protects the comic.

[Thomas Nielsen]

 

Eliminating ambient light is VERY difficult--I've never been able to sufficiently achieve it in a den or office or other similar spare room, nor have I ever met anyone who did.

 

I find that all of that makes the room unlivable.

 

I agree and i don't have a spare room just for comic display so reprint is they way to go for me.

I would be rotating the comics on display as i had a theme based display in mind. And even though i don't own any high value books there's no reason to risk any fading.

 

I guess it's time to get on with my sign project

 

Maybe it will be done faster if Flee-Marquette or comicwiz is willing to lend a hand with photoshop/illustrator

[ComicDoc]

I use mylite2 on my books and CGC slabs and then I also significantly limit sunlight in the room (only window is below the shelves) and only have the lights on when I am in the room.

 

Not sure if I agree that incandescent are better or worse than fluorescent (compact fluorescent lamp (CFL)) bulbs.

 

But I do display my books for my own benefit and change them monthly to limit exposure and to see more books.

 

Avoidance is the best UV protection.

 

IMHO a copy of the book is just not the same!

 

Here is a pix of the display wall:

 

 

 

 

 

[Justanuthercap-migration]

All this UV talk really have me reconsidering my own display project.

I'm starting to think that a HQ reprint is the way to go to avoid any damage at all

 

Note that museums do display historical documents to the public in showrooms; the very fact that they do this indicates they believe it can be done safely. My study of what museums do indicates that besides encapsulation, minimizing light exposure and making sure you use the right type of light is what's most important. Always use fluorescent lighting instead of incandescent lighting, and make sure it's the lowest wattage you can manage. Keep the lighting off whenever you're not viewing the books, and keep ALL natural sunlight out of your display room. Eliminating ambient light is VERY difficult--I've never been able to sufficiently achieve it in a den or office or other similar spare room, nor have I ever met anyone who did. If anyone here has found a great way to eliminate window sunlight, please share your secrets.

 

We picked up some custom cut shades from, I believe the local Home Depot, that were called blackout shades. I have them in the man cave and they block out almost every bit of light. (And I keep my comics/statues/and a bunch of screen used costumes in that room, so it has to be well protected) They are the horizontal accordian type (for lack of a better description) and are pulled up and down by the bottom of the shade, there are no strings or any other devices. Might be worth checking out.

 

[fantastic_four]

We picked up some custom cut shades from, I believe the local Home Depot, that were called blackout shades. I have them in the man cave and they block out almost every bit of light. (And I keep my comics/statues/and a bunch of screen used costumes in that room, so it has to be well protected) They are the horizontal accordian type (for lack of a better description) and are pulled up and down by the bottom of the shade, there are no strings or any other devices. Might be worth checking out.

 

What was your motivation for installing them? This appears to be one here:

 

 

[Krypto Super Dawg]

I think there is museum quality glass you can buy. Most of the stuff I've read is that its not 100% but does provide pretty good protection as long as indirect light sources are used etc. I have no idea how much it costs. I've only displayed lower grade doubles I have on my walls and keep high grade stuff in a dark drawer for fear of fading.

 

Also, using auto tinting on the windows might be worth a try too if you still want to see outside.

[Justanuthercap-migration]

We picked up some custom cut shades from, I believe the local Home Depot, that were called blackout shades. I have them in the man cave and they block out almost every bit of light. (And I keep my comics/statues/and a bunch of screen used costumes in that room, so it has to be well protected) They are the horizontal accordian type (for lack of a better description) and are pulled up and down by the bottom of the shade, there are no strings or any other devices. Might be worth checking out.

 

What was your motivation for installing them? This appears to be one here:

 

 

That does look like it. Motivation was entirely for the protection of our collectibles. And these sounded like they fit the bill. And they do seem to work just as advertised.

[Arcade]

CGC should be incorperating UV protection into the plastic of the slabs automatically.

 

Too expensive. Don't display your comics near the sunlight. That will avoid all of the trouble.

 

Oh yeah, those $2.99 sunglasses at Thrifty have full UV protection and it must cost a bundle to make those lenses...

 

You really think those glasses have full UV protection for $2.99? I really don't think so.

 

And, if they use that kind of protection from UV you wouldnt be able to see the comic book.

 

Oddly enough "60 Minutes" just did a story on this a couple of months ago.

You would be surprised how well most all of the cheap sunglasses did.

Most fared just as well as the high priced ones.

[Mark 1]

I have a few of my prized slabs on display in my comic room. I was thinking about them fading over time and thought that maybe a UV sheet between the slab and the slab Mylar bag would provide UV protection.

 

You put your slabs in a Mylar bag?

 

It makes little sense to me. Bags to protect the slab (that's already there to protect the comic. )

Next we will have bags to protect the bags that protect the slab that protects the comic.

 

While I understand your point...I don't agree. Putting protective bags on the slabs just takes an extra step that the slab plastic doesn't get scratched. Plus, almost every slab I have bought from boardies have come with protective bags (either the ones CGC provides or the better ones). So lots of others here think these protective slab bags are good to own.

 

 

 

 

[Mark 1]

CGC should be incorperating UV protection into the plastic of the slabs automatically.

 

Too expensive. Don't display your comics near the sunlight. That will avoid all of the trouble.

 

Oh yeah, those $2.99 sunglasses at Thrifty have full UV protection and it must cost a bundle to make those lenses...

 

You really think those glasses have full UV protection for $2.99? I really don't think so.

 

And, if they use that kind of protection from UV you wouldnt be able to see the comic book.

 

Oddly enough "60 Minutes" just did a story on this a couple of months ago.

You would be surprised how well most all of the cheap sunglasses did.

Most fared just as well as the high priced ones.

 

That's good to know. Thanks!

[zuckuss2003]

Interesting, someone just posted about this site in the Sale/Promotion forum. Apparently they offer bags and screens that block UV, or so they claim. Both slab covers and mylar covers.

 

http://www.slab-pro.com./ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=46&idcategory=21

 

http://www.slab-pro.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=45&idcategory=21

[Mark 1]

Interesting, someone just posted about this site in the Sale/Promotion forum. Apparently they offer bags and screens that block UV, or so they claim. Both slab covers and mylar covers.

 

http://www.slab-pro.com./ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=46&idcategory=21

 

http://www.slab-pro.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=45&idcategory=21

 

Very cool! Thanks for posting. I'll buy two just to check it out...

[zuckuss2003]

I'd wait a bit before buying. Need to find out more about this company first.

[Mark 1]

True....but for $5 bucks...not much to lose...I agree that I need to learn more though

[Mister_Comics]

 

Frame a scan on photopaper. They look great. Why chance ruining a good book in a CGC case.

[oakman29]

 

Frame a scan on photopaper. They look great. Why chance ruining a good book in a CGC case.

Brother I said this on first page of this thread,and got no response.I think this is a win,win situation,why ruin your books.

[Wolvie1]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/166159-REG/Gam_GC1510_GC1510_UV_Shield.html