Some advice for anyone who's moving and has framed items

[FantasyBrad]

Anyone who's been watching the For Sale threads over the last few months knows that I was trying to unload a ton of framed items prior to moving across the country. My thought process was simple, there's no way that I'll be able to move dozens of professionally framed items across the country without damaging the frames/glass/artwork, so it would be better to get rid of as many as possible rather than risk more widespread damage. Anyway, I whittled down the collection to the few pieces I really didn't want to part with, and a handful of others and then had the task of packaging them in hopes of making the move safely. In the end, I decided that the best option would be to use those foam pool noodles that you see all over the place (well you do if you live in a warm/coastal area at least), as they typically have a hole running down the middle of them, which would allow me to slice halfway through a noodle (length-wise) and use it as a bumper for the frame. I purchased a case of noodles for $1 each (found them on amazon from some dollar store... maybe dollar general?), added a $3 bundle of twine and a $6 roll of blue painter's tape, and I got to work. The end result was that all of my artwork made the 2700+ mile trek with me, in a 6'x12' u-haul trailer, unharmed... and I'm pretty psyched about it to be honest. Who'd have thought that some careful positioning in the trailer (like against a wall with a mattress/box-spring/sofa against it), less than $60 in materials, and a few hours of time spent slicing noodles, taping glass, and roping everything in place (noodles won't stay on the frames on their own), all of my pieces would make it through unscathed....

My guess is that most people won't care about this thread... and some of them will probably take the time to respond and explain how annoyed they are that I wasted their time by posting this in the first place (unfortunately, the irony seems to always be lost on said people), but I'm hoping that my idea/story will help some fellow EB'ers when they have a move to make.

[zefarrett]

Does the blue painters tape mess with museum glass? I'm moving next month. Nowhere near as far, but I'm still pretty worried.

[FantasyBrad]

from my experience, not at all.

[PLUSH]

Cool. I'm moving right now. I have about 50 moving blankets from previous moves. I just used bubble wrap from a roll I had wrapping all the edges and corners, then wrapped them in the moving blankets, and then wrap it the Sran roll plastic wrap that is used for moving. Think I wrapped 35 pieces this way. The smaller pieces just used the bubble wrap and kraft paper. Of course I'm only moving across town.

[IWish]

Great idea. That's a good example of using the old noodle.

[bubbie]

I have used pipe insulation before available in any hardware store. It comes pre-cut, but definitely not as thick as those "noodles"; worked well though. The tape is a must though for a long-distance move. Don't think the painter's tape affects the museum glass, but can't say with 100% certainty. I used the green

That insulation comes in different sizes too.

[TKuczynski]

What is the purpose of the blue tape?

edit: I thought about it, and I'm assuming it's not to prevent breakage, but to prevent pieces from going everywhere if there is breakage

[bkboy77]

how fast were you driving? If you were not speeding then this advice doesn't count.

glad everything went well with the move and thanks for sharing.

[alittle]

Does the blue painters tape mess with museum glass? I'm moving next month. Nowhere near as far, but I'm still pretty worried.

I have read that it does.

[fitz]

glad it went smoothly - but I have nearly always gone for UV plexi rather than glass so its been less stressful when moving.

[blackbird68]

glad it went smoothly - but I have nearly always gone for UV plexi rather than glass so its been less stressful when moving.

This

[Baker]

Overkill maybe, but last time I moved cross country a few months back all of my larger pieces I packed like this and stopped at the "inner box".

http://forum.expressobeans.com/viewtopi ... 4#p2647274

All of my smaller pieces I triple wrapped in microfoam and then lined a double thick box with bubble wrap and packed in the pieces and then just filled in the open air gaps with packing paper. Packed a total of about 40 pieces between art and family photos and not a single scratch or ding or anything on all of them.

The noodle idea is interesting, but shipping in a POD I needed to be way more secure with what I was doing.

[SunflowerSeeds]

As someone who will be moving within the next year or so, thank you for posting this. Great idea, I will be using it.

[PLUSH]

Does the blue painters tape mess with museum glass? I'm moving next month. Nowhere near as far, but I'm still pretty worried.

I have read that it does.

Have you also heard masturbation makes you blind? Thought I read that is does.

[alittle]

What you read is true. I've gone blind from excessive masturbation.