Save Those Boxes

You know you're getting old, when everything you grew up with is now a collectable.

Hmmmmm???  

Isn't it somewhat interesting that all the responses thus far, along with the original thread poster, are all in their 6th decade of life?    

There we go...I don't have wrinkles. I have poorly aged shrink-wrap!

Items that put a smile on our faces are always worth more in their original boxes.  I've kept boxes for model engines, kits, handguns, rifles, fishing reels, pocket knives, even small shipping cartons. Drives the significant other mad!

Be nice if one could recreate the vacuum formed bubble packs like the early TD .010 and Space Hoppers came in.

Machines are out there to vacuum form plastic from a 3D printed mould. This is an example but is too small in size.

https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/mayku-formbox-desktop-vacuum-former/sk/MLCH26RT?utm_source=MatterHackers+Newsletter&utm_campaign=52a1f690ac-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_01_30_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dccd3cdce8-52a1f690ac-123710005

That reminds me of the old Mattel VacuForm. Another one of the greats from the 60's. Right up there with Creepy Crawlers and Erector Sets.

Dave P. wrote:That reminds me of the old Mattel VacuForm.  Another one of the greats from the 60's.  Right up there with Creepy Crawlers and Erector Sets.  

Im three for Three. I hall those and I bet there still in the attic at moms house.

Not if some enterprising young nephew found them and sold them on eBay for $200 a crack.

Jason_WI wrote:Be nice if one could recreate the vacuum formed bubble packs like the early TD .010 and Space Hoppers came in. Machines are out there to vacuum form plastic from a 3D printed mould. This is an example but is too small in size.

matterhackers.com: Mayku FormBox Desktop Vacuum Former

At $700 US, it is a little pricey for just home use or short term production; might make money for a cottage industry kit manufacturer who makes a lot of kits.

Sometime back, there was a model aircraft or scientific technical journal magazine article on how to make your own vacuum former. Involved using common perf board and parts from a home improvement store and a shop vac for the vacuum. Plastic sheet was heated in an oven, then while still hot brought over to and quickly mounted in the jig. A hit with the shop vac and plastic article was formed.

Impetus was a practical replacement for the Mattel Vacuform sheet plastic former of the 1960's.

I can only relate through my fathers words whenever we go near his original home. 'And to think of the millions of dollars of sports cards in these ditches.... We used to buy them, eat the gum and tape or clothespin the cards to our bikes for noise. ' This was on rural gravel roads. Even I cry inside sometimes when he says it still.