wrinkles all over cel book problem.

[theultimatebrucelee]

I store my large Itoya folders in a art portfolio case in a corner of the room and rarely ever open it. The other day when I tried to put new cels into the itoya inside, couldn't help but noticed that every page inside had large wrinkles across, on the soft clear plastic layers. And I'm not sure what caused the problem. Anyone any idea on what the problem and how I can fix it?

Thanks!

[sensei]

I'd give the contents a thorough sniff test, as it might be a seriously deteriorating cel outgassing fumes that cause the plastic pages of the profolio to pucker. If you don't smell anything seriously amiss (and vinegar syndrome is very stinky and hard to miss), it might just be an extension of how even healthy cels make cel bags pucker and wrinkle.

From what I hear, it's a good idea to air cels regularly and change their bags (some folks say "every six months" which seems excessive -- I do "every three years") and not to keep cels in a storage spot where fumes are trapped and build up inside the cel book.

There are warning strips made for collectors of vintage films that give early warnings of vinegar syndrome. And there is some evidence that Microchamber paper will capture fumes given off by deteriorating cels and prevent its spread to other cels. Though it will not in itself prevent the condition from happening (see last January's thread on this issue).

[Keropi]

Any way you can post a photo of it?

I'm curious how it looks.

[kathpatty]

http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/auc_e/item ... 4590600730


Similar to this post I bought at Mandarake?
If so it is as Sensei states....

[Keropi]

Is it the folder pages wrinkling or the cel bags wrinkling? I guess I misunderstood the question.

[theultimatebrucelee]

Thanks sensei!

I ended up taking out both folders and sniffed every single cel in them, they either give out a chemical smell or another weak small that I can't distinguish, nothing smells like vinegar as of yet. Probably the 10+sheets of microchamber paper in each helped in that department.

I have not seen any winkled cel bag as of yet. But here are two photos of what I'm talking about, which worries me still. These two sheets never had cel/sketch in them, but looks the worst out of the two books.



Would moist cause them problem by any chance? Because this place can get pretty humid at times, then again, its winter right now.

So how do other fellow members store their oversize cel books?

[Keropi]

How did you have your cel folders oriented?

I have my ITOYA folders standing upright over my closet. I have two comic boxes on the sides to keep them standing relatively straight, but not so close that they would be pushing them together too much. Then I have my larger ITOYA folders standing upright in a large are portfolio to keep them in the dark. There are three folders in there so they are close enough together that they still stand up straight.

It would be ideal if I had them on huge hangars and hung facing downwards, but if I closed my closet doors completely there would be too much accumulated damp, stale air in there. I don't want to chance it.

[sensei]

It doesn't look too ominous to me. If the pattern of the wrinkles were similar to the top of the cel bag in the Mandarake auction that kathpatty linked to, I'd be worried. But this looks like a random pattern that's more likely caused by the empty pages being pressed together rather than chemical warping.

If your cels are giving off a chemical odor, it's right to stay vigilant, but if you are already using MicroChamber paper to mop this up, I think you are probably doing the right thing. But to be sure, I'd check the book on a regular basis to see if either the odor or the wrinkling of the unused pages are getting worse. If so, you might consider storing the stinkiest cels in a small refrigerator. (I've read that 50 degrees is sufficient to slow the deterioration process.)

(10x MicroChamber might be overkill as it's the surface that captures the damaging molecules. I'd put one or two sheets in, and replace them when they are saturated -- a sniff test will tell you.)

[theultimatebrucelee]

Thanks sensei, I'll definitely keep a look out for possible problems regularly from now. Regarding the MC paper, I tend to put at least one piece per oversize sketch/cel before storage, some don't have any because I didn't see the need do. But would that skill be too much? maybe just a couple through every 8-10 pages in the itoya instead of on top of the cel/sketch? they are 24" folders though.

@keropi: I have them somewhat the same way you do, 2-3 Itoya/art portfolio(carry case), they stand(lengthy side on the ground) side by side next to each other, but between the side of a large office desk and a glass figurine display case. They are a little bit pushed together because there is barely enough space inside each portfolio for 2 or more itoya, and there are 2 portfolios in that space.

I'd like a closet for the folders too and hang them as well, but there isn't enough space here to put one. Might consider moving them out of portfolios and into archive boxes to give a bit more space later though. Maybe cut a hole on side of archive boxes...but then the bugs might get in in the summer lol

[sensei]

Thanks sensei, I'll definitely keep a look out for possible problems regularly from now. Regarding the MC paper, I tend to put at least one piece per oversize sketch/cel before storage, some don't have any because I didn't see the need do. But would that skill be too much?

No, no. I misread what you said. I thought you were putting ten sheets in with each cel. If you do that, just the ones on the outside will work as it's the surface of the sheet that traps pollutants. What you're doing is right. And, yes, I'd use it just where you see need.