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Post by hs2oca on Dec 20, 2015 2:55:15 GMT
Hi everyone. I create my own stamp album pages using 110 lb. card stock that is acid free.
Is that sufficient so as to not damage stamps in the long run? I hinge used stamps to this paper.
Also, what papers are you using if you are not using a published album? What are the pros and cons as you see them?
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firstfrog2013
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Posts: 3,276
What I collect: BNA Liberia St Pierre U.S. Bolivia Turkey
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Post by firstfrog2013 on Dec 20, 2015 3:47:19 GMT
hs2oca,I've been using 110 stock as well.I moved to quadrille pages some years ago from Minkus album. As I am probably what many would consider an over the top specialist the quads allow me to present as many of each stamp as I deem fitting to my likes.Albums generally only allow one color or one perf or one mint or one used.With the quads I can have whatever, right there,even a mint and used block and if needed a second Page just for that one stamp as opposed to one little space.I use heavyweight page protectors on each page which allows me to just pull the page out without actually opening the rings on my binders.The down size is it eats up room in binder rings rapidly and I am now in over fifteen binders just for Canadian material. I have to believe that paper being acid free and the use of good mounts, and page protectors along with reasonable storage control is the best I can do to preserve what's here.One of the biggies I've learned is to try to store albums standing up ,not laying flat, the simple weight of the pages can cause harm to your stamps. I must add, however you do it, it's your hobby to enjoy as you see fit and never let anyone dictate how you do your thing.Just a pet peeve of mine when people try to say you have to do it this way or that's not right.
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rod222
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Post by rod222 on Dec 20, 2015 5:45:25 GMT
Hi everyone. I create my own stamp album pages using 110 lb. card stock that is acid free. Is that sufficient so as to not damage stamps in the long run? I hinge used stamps to this paper. Also, what papers are you using if you are not using a published album? What are the pros and cons as you see them? Location Australia. Use A4 paper, and sheet protectors Print 1 page to a sheet, using William Steiner Pages (circa $40 whole world) $38 laser printer Black only Using normal 90 gram everyday paper A4 buffered 100 year archival, moving to 500 year ($18 per 500 pages /ream + ship) I hinge and mount. (open at the top only) 4 ring binders Cons : not seen any Pros: Fast easy regime, no need for a want list, use Steiner pages often to locate difficult stamps. Scan Steiner pages and create *,.pdf to make your own Stamp Album / want list (where the gaps are) Take your stamp album with you on your usb stick.
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Post by hs2oca on Dec 20, 2015 15:52:59 GMT
Thanks guys. I must admit my pre-1979 stamps are in a Lighthouse album, so I'm not worried about them. And, honestly, I don't know that I need to be worried about post-1979, as those stamps are so common.
I've heard of the Steiner pages before, and googled them. I decided against them because of the current currency issues in Canada. Our dollar is only 72 cents US at the moment. Makes Steiner much more expensive than picking up two binders and 250 sheets of card stock...which I'd have to pick up anyway.
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reena
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What I collect: US Federal Duck Stamps
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Post by reena on Dec 20, 2015 17:59:18 GMT
Got a question, I have seen several times over that one should not store their albums laying flat as it will damage the stamps. I've heeded the advice and store all standing upright.
But why? What kind of damage is done to the stamps that are laid flat for storage?
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firstfrog2013
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Posts: 3,276
What I collect: BNA Liberia St Pierre U.S. Bolivia Turkey
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Post by firstfrog2013 on Dec 20, 2015 18:37:04 GMT
reena I think any moisture or dust may accumulate as well as blocking normal air flow to control humidity concerns.Also any tiny wrinkle bent perf etc will negatively be affected.Maybe someone else can add more,I'm just assuming what my common sense tells me.
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Admin
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Post by Admin on Dec 20, 2015 19:03:03 GMT
A stack of albums will be heavy, if the stamps were hinged often you will see the imprint of the hinge on the stamp. By keeping the albums upright this eliminated the problem. As Frog said it also helps the album breath.
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reena
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What I collect: US Federal Duck Stamps
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Post by reena on Dec 20, 2015 19:23:00 GMT
That all makes sense, thank you.
Now, I've seen books with dust covers. I have 3 ring binders. The shelves to the bookcase where I keep them have about 1 1/2 inches to 1/8 inch clearance. Do I still need to cover the top of the books with a cloth or paper or something? Would that be recommended?
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rod222
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Post by rod222 on Dec 20, 2015 22:39:54 GMT
That all makes sense, thank you. Now, I've seen books with dust covers. I have 3 ring binders. The shelves to the bookcase where I keep them have about 1 1/2 inches to 1/8 inch clearance. Do I still need to cover the top of the books with a cloth or paper or something? Would that be recommended? "Dust covers" are probably, the most important Philatelic husbandry item of all. Scan any stamp, mint included, and see very tiny rust attacks at the feathered edge of the perforation tooth, this is where the airborne microbes begin. That said, personally I am well short of covering my albums, I find dust covers hard to source, and expensive. I do keep all my albums locked inside a steel cupboard. Certainly purchase them if you can.
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rod222
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Post by rod222 on Dec 20, 2015 22:44:44 GMT
Thanks guys. I must admit my pre-1979 stamps are in a Lighthouse album, so I'm not worried about them. And, honestly, I don't know that I need to be worried about post-1979, as those stamps are so common. I've heard of the Steiner pages before, and googled them. I decided against them because of the current currency issues in Canada. Our dollar is only 72 cents US at the moment. Makes Steiner much more expensive than picking up two binders and 250 sheets of card stock...which I'd have to pick up anyway. I'd still keep Steiner pages in mind, I consider his pages one of the best buys in all Philately. Caveat: For the general collector, esp world-wide. For single country disciplines, and exhibition collectors, then personally designed pages . $40 for whole world stamp pages is an absolute gift.
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Admin
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Post by Admin on Dec 20, 2015 23:11:45 GMT
Dust covers are easy to come by. I use cardboard boxes, when shopping look for products that are in nice stiff cardboard boxes that are close to your binder size. Bring along a empty binder with you. I find the cereal boxes work good for the 3 inch binders.
With a sharp box cutter and straight edge cut out the side of the box, take out food, eat, and slip the binder in, whalla you got a slip case.
Go to the craft store and buy some nice rich looking leather or imitation leather using some skill cover the box and you will have a very nice slip cover. Lots of ways to cover the box.
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reena
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What I collect: US Federal Duck Stamps
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Post by reena on Dec 20, 2015 23:20:52 GMT
And here I was just going to move the binders to a closed cabinet in my closet, but if I get to eat for a dust cover, that changes things!
Now my head is really spinning. Thanks for the ideas.
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rod222
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Post by rod222 on Dec 21, 2015 6:23:16 GMT
Got a question, I have seen several times over that one should not store their albums laying flat as it will damage the stamps. I've heeded the advice and store all standing upright. But why? What kind of damage is done to the stamps that are laid flat for storage? Further to Jack's advice. Also 1. The weight over time may encourage ink migration from stamp to plastic / sheet protector / glassine. (I posted a picture here somewhere of a stamp image neatly infused into plastic) 2. Gum Arabic is actually fluid in its characteristic, depending on humidity. You may end up having mint stamps adhere to the album page other than the hinge Observant collectors no doubt have met with a stamp partly adhering at points other than the hinge, and resulting in a "thin" or stamp paper separating. This can also be caused by a collector wetting the hinge by their tongue. The hinge does not actually need to be wetted, just made finely moist by the tip of the finger. A good hinger will be able to hinge using a second rate hinge, and have the hinge peel both from the page and the stamp. A real art.
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reena
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Post by reena on Dec 22, 2015 12:10:17 GMT
hs2oca, I didn't mean to high-jack your thread.
I also use cardstock, I think it's 110. This way I can mount the stamps any way I want to present them.
Regarding the dust covers, since I was given the brain-worm I've been looking at boxes in a different light. For 1" binders, pizza boxes work (that is home baked pizza).
Thanks for all the tips.
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AirmailEd
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Post by AirmailEd on Dec 22, 2015 17:53:26 GMT
hs2oca, I didn't mean to high-jack your thread. I also use cardstock, I think it's 110. This way I can mount the stamps any way I want to present them. Regarding the dust covers, since I was given the brain-worm I've been looking at boxes in a different light. For 1" binders, pizza boxes work (that is home baked pizza). Thanks for all the tips. I use 80-pound text paper. I started with heavier card stock years ago, but it took up too much space. The 80-pound text has held up well for 20 years, and is nicer to the touch. It's in loose-leaf notebooks; the punched holes have never needed reinforcement. I bought matching binders and slipcases from Collector's Supply House, in Canada. Their price for the matched pair is $59.95, Canadian. That's about $43 U.S., according to the Google converter. Not as cheap as a used pizza box(!), but not too bad. Their stuff is high quality.
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Post by jimjung on Dec 23, 2015 12:50:59 GMT
I buy 110 lb paper stock from Staples to print my album pages from Microsoft Word. Then I put each page into a plastic dust cover that I get from a dollar store at 10c each.
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Post by hs2oca on Jan 31, 2016 22:35:58 GMT
It's been a month since I checked in to Stamp Forum, let alone this thread. Thanks for all the replies! Reena, don't worry, your hijacking was very informative for me too.
I finally settled on some binders I had around that I re-purposed, and some 110 cardstock from Staples. Our Staples didn't have any lighter cardstock, at least at the time. I find it works really well for me. I'm printing out the country name from the computer onto the top of the page, and handwriting any notes below the stamps I attach with hinges. I'm a minimalist, so there isn't much handwriting.
I think if I was going to exhibit, I'd do things differently. And if I collected MNH, I'd certainly do things differently. But for a general used Canadian collection I think this will work fine.
My classic Canadian stamps still go in my Lighthouse album with proper mounts.
I currently don't have dust covers, but prudence dictates I should be looking into this for my classic collection. And I think Lighthouse does have dust covers for their albums. I'm not sure I'm too worried about the newer Canadian "albums" I made from binders.
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phook
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What I collect: Netherlands, birds on stamps, 1950-1970
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Post by phook on Jul 19, 2016 19:29:36 GMT
Hi all.
I know most people say to use acid-free paper if you're making/printing your own pages (which I intend to do), but what actually happens if you DON'T use acid-free paper.
As in, what happens to the stamps (mine will be used and hinge mounted, or mint and Hawid-style mounted). Do they disintegrate, or discolour, or adhere to the paper, or what?
As a secondary question, what type and weight of paper do *UK* folk use, and where do they get it from?
Thanks!
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Ron
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Post by Ron on Jul 19, 2016 20:17:09 GMT
I buy 110 lb paper stock from Staples to print my album pages from Microsoft Word. Then I put each page into a plastic dust cover that I get from a dollar store at 10c each. Glad to see there's someone else taking this approach! This is just how I do most of my topical collections. As for my US collection which is the centerpiece of my stamp collecting addiction I tend to use quadrille pages as my Liberty albums are of the 2-post sort and the fit the album quite nicely.
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Post by tridentcrazy on Apr 10, 2017 17:51:42 GMT
At this time I am in the middle of a complete redo of my collection. I have my current issues in a Schaubeck hingeless album and the rest of my collection in three ring binders. for some reason though I have gotten it into my head to make my own pages to fit into a Schaubek binders. To do this I started with a free office suite, then found a dealer that had the paper that I wanted (Schaubek blank pages). Then after many hours of frustration, headaches and time I have come to a point were I can finally take my computer generated images to the printers and have them printed to the blank pages. When finished I will post them see what ya think.
Till that time cheer!
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angore
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Post by angore on Apr 12, 2017 15:17:37 GMT
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Jerry B
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Post by Jerry B on Apr 12, 2017 23:00:05 GMT
Hi
I used Minkus quadrille pages for years. I liked the greenish color of the page printing. The purchaser of Minkus changed the color to a very dark black, which I did not like. The hunt for a"mom and pop" printer was on. I worked with computerized typesetting systems for a couple of years and was familiar with printing technology, and was very "picky".
I finally found a local printer and worked with him to create a pleasing quadrille page. A few proofs were printed using different non-white paper colors and gray shades of ink until the "right" combination was found. One advantage of the local printer, they are willing to work with you.
Final result was a 65#, acid-free, light cream colored paper with a light gray quadrille and a dark gray border. I purchased 500 pages (about 12 cents/page) which will last me forever. If I do need more, the typesetting is on file and all I have to do is order pages.
I realize everyone goes for 100# or 110# paper. To me that is too stiff. The 65# was sufficient. I mount everything with mounts and a page may contain both stamps and cover(s) and 65# paper is very sturdy.
I am a big proponent of a local "mom-and-pop" printing shop. I found they are very knowledgeable and very helpful.
Jerry B
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bobby1948
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Post by bobby1948 on Apr 13, 2017 5:15:41 GMT
Final result was a 65#, acid-free, light cream colored paper with a light gray quadrille and a dark gray border. I purchased 500 pages (about 12 cents/page) which will last me forever. If I do need more, the typesetting is on file and all I have to do is order pages. I realize everyone goes for 100# or 110# paper. To me that is too stiff. The 65# was sufficient. I mount everything with mounts and a page may contain both stamps and cover(s) and 65# paper is very sturdy. I am a big proponent of a local "mom-and-pop" printing shop. I found they are very knowledgeable and very helpful. I, also, use the 65# paper. I use 110# for title (front) and end sheets. I have never had occasion for mass printing, so I do it myself on my HP. However, were I to need 500 pages, I doubt that I could beat 12 cents per page when you factor in cost of ink and wear and tear on my printer (and my time has some value).
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Jerry B
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Post by Jerry B on Apr 13, 2017 9:04:40 GMT
Hi Bobby
For end sheets and all I use 65# manila colored acid free pages. I forgot to mention in my previous post that the 12 cents/page also included three hole drilling. The printer I used could drill four holes if needed. For more than that he sends it out.
I used a commercial printer since I use quadrille pages exclusively and printing the pages myself would take an enormous amount of ink since I do not have a laser printer. The printer's offset press spits out quite a few pages before one could turn off the press.
Jerry B
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angore
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Post by angore on Apr 14, 2017 9:24:06 GMT
Laser printers are quite inexpensive these days.
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Aug 7, 2017 16:52:45 GMT
I don't know about everyone else, but my search for the # of paper to use was not only a bit of trial-and-error, but also a comparison of cost.
The 110# paper is just way to expensive for all of the stuff that I need to print (for the purpose of disclosure, I have a complete download of ALL of Bill Steiner's album pages and have a long list of the countries that I want to print out). I weighed the possibility of 65# paper, but could not find it in reams of 500 pages. So I did a test of 28# and 32# paper. I found that the 32# paper was the absolute minimum poundage of paper that I wanted to use. It wasn't too flimsy and also came in 500 sheet reams, plus the fact that I could get it for right around $18-$20 per ream was a huge boost to the effects on my wallet.
If you can deal with the cost of the 65# paper and you like the thickness, by all means, go for it. But in my honest opinion, 32# isn't terrible.
Regards,
Jeff
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tomiseksj
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Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
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What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on Aug 7, 2017 17:41:35 GMT
I don't print too many album pages; mostly for Cinderellas that I would like to mount and less frequently for areas not covered in my albums (Scott International and National).
I have been using 24# Hammermill paper (acid free) with a 96 brightness level.
I recently heard Wayne Youngblood advise against using paper with chemical brighteners; however, all of the stamps I place on those pages are in mounts so I'm not concerned about the brightener having an adverse impact on the stamps.
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Jerry B
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Post by Jerry B on Aug 7, 2017 21:12:09 GMT
Hi Jeff
Go to a local "mom and pop" printer and get paper from them. I did that and found it was a lot cheaper (65# off white). I had a quadrille grid printed on the pages and had the pages three hole drilled. I bought 500 pages (minimum press run) and with design printing and all it was $60. Another batch would be $10 cheaper as there would be no typesetting charges.
I am not suggesting "printers" like Office Depot, etc. The local print shops are very knowledgeable and are willing to work with you.
Steve: Now that my friend closed his store, I now have to purchase Showgard mounts at retail. Who do you get your mounts from?
Jerry B
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tomiseksj
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Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,265
What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on Aug 7, 2017 21:40:31 GMT
...Steve: Now that my friend closed his store, I now have to purchase Showgard mounts at retail. Who do you get your mounts from? Jerry B I buy Showgard Seconds (strips) from this vendor. For the most part, I can't determine why they were determined to be seconds.
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Jerry B
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Post by Jerry B on Aug 8, 2017 10:07:55 GMT
Hi Steve
Thanks! I'll give them a try.
If my friend remembered that I use mounts,I could have bought his entire stock of Showgard mounts for wholesale.
Jerry B
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