The Energon Pub

News Credits: 4 · by **Ruthless Cynic** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 1:00 am

What types do you guys use? I am just curious as I am debating one what type/brand to get, or looking for alternative suggestions.

News Credits: 36 · by **Pretender Skywarp** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 5:13 am

I've got mine ona fairly standard, non descript one af the moment, I'd advise something with doors though, as they're a proper dust magnet!!

by **Autobot Strider** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:15 am

Yeah, doors are a must, especially if you have pets or small children that think "daddy's collectibles are toys! He won't mind if we play with them!"

by **Natlea** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:38 am

I have mine sitting on top of book cases, but I'm the sort that doesn't mind taking them off the shelf every few months to dust it (unless you're really OCD about dusting I found my cases don't collect a whole heaping amount quickly and I have black bookcases, so the dust really shows when it collects. Haha). And I don't have kids, so I don't have to worry about little hands <.<

I think the best thing to do is get a case you're happy with and won't fall apart quickly *cough*Walmart-crap*cough*. A good sturdy bookshelf isn't going to be a cheap as you'd probably like, but the last thing you want is it to collapse on top of your collection.

On that note, whatever you do, do NOT buy press-board furniture O__o Press-board tends to be cheaper, but it's utter crap. It will warp and break/fall apart rather quickly, especially if you have anything with weight on it. My brother had a piece of press-board furniture and within two-three years he had to replace it because it literally collapsed. Good thing it didn't fall on his toddler! So in the short run press-board will be more cost effective, but not in the long run. A nice sturdy bookcase can last a lifetime if you take care of it.

by **Dagon** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:59 am

I have one bookcase of only figures, and then all my other bookcases are home to figures as well. One of the benefits of being an English major/teacher/advanced degree candidate is that you amass many books, and thus need many bookcases to house them. That said though, only one of them is dedicated to toys, and my intention it to make each shelf a little scene, and time constriants have really kept me from doing that properly. The only 'scene' I currently have is MP Grimlock giving MP Thundercracker a beverage, while MP Skywarp is not being served, and his grouchy face displays his level of content with the situation.
I'd like one case with doors on it, but that just hasn't materialized yet. And man do they get dusty, but dusting them is generally my chance to monkey with my figures, so I dust frequently.

News Credits: 2 · by **bionic_radical** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 11:20 am

Ikea has some great ones with doors. Two that come to mind are Detolf and Billy. Detolf is a bit smaller, and all glass. It all depends on how big your collection is and how you want your display to look. Good luck!!

News Credits: 2 · by **Nemesis Destron** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 11:39 am

For those of you that have cases with doors, how much less dust (if any) is there versus just having say open cases or shelves? Is it little or no dusting?

News Credits: 1 · by **Jesterhead** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 11:59 am

Double Post #-o

News Credits: 1 · by **Jesterhead** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 12:01 pm

Nemesis Destron wrote:For those of you that have cases with doors, how much less dust (if any) is there versus just having say open cases or shelves? Is it little or no dusting?

I have two Ikea Detolfs full of figure/statues. I've have never needed to dust them off. But some of my toys on open shelves need dusting every few weeks. Doors make a huge difference.

My Detolfs really only hold expensive figures. Only a few Transformers have the privilege of going in them. Masterpiece, Fansproject, and Alternity are the only ones lucky enough to get the Detolf treatment

News Credits: 4 · by **Ruthless Cynic** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:18 pm

I like both of these, does anyone have them?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70104099

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40068154

News Credits: 9 · by **Mykltron** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:30 pm

I couldn't find anything with clear doors within my price range (cos I'd rather spend my money on TFs!). I have a glass door case for my G1s but that came with the house.

Here is what most of the rest of my collection sits on:

Each shelf measures 30cm x 60cm.

More pics here.

by **Natlea** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:46 pm

Ruthless Cynic wrote:I like both of these, does anyone have them?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70104099

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40068154

the 1st one - I looked particle board up on Wiki... it sounds rather weak and probably won't last very long. That and, in case you didn't read the description, it has to be mounted to a wall. So unless you are willing to screw/bolt it to your house/apartment you might want to reconsider.

The second doesn't have an item description, but my experience with furniture at that price is it's going to be worse than a hunk of junk -rickety and frighting to have up.

In case you were wondering, Wiki said this about Particle Board - "Particle Board is an engineered wood product manufactured from wood particles, such as wood chips, sawmill shavings, or even saw dust, and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder, which is pressed and extruded."

Just thought I'd put that out there so you know what you're buying before you actually buy it.

News Credits: 3 · by **DISCHARGE** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 3:20 pm

Last year I found a black book shelf from Walmart. It was big, had four or five shelves and was only like $25. It was very sturdy. I left it at my old apartment for my roommate to keep. When I find a place I am going to stick around in I'll probably end up buying several of them. They had no doors, but for the size and price they were a good deal.

News Credits: 4 · by **Ruthless Cynic** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 3:31 pm

Mykltron, where did you purchase that stuff? I am interested.

Here is how my current collection is displayed, but it is about half of what I have. I have all the US Actionmasters and a lot of Pretenders and Beast Wars in Storage as well as MISB stuff.

http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/579922109xfWSll

News Credits: 9 · by **Editor** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 4:17 pm

Erailea wrote:
Ruthless Cynic wrote:I like both of these, does anyone have them?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70104099

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40068154

the 1st one - I looked particle board up on Wiki... it sounds rather weak and probably won't last very long. That and, in case you didn't read the description, it has to be mounted to a wall. So unless you are willing to screw/bolt it to your house/apartment you might want to reconsider.

The second doesn't have an item description, but my experience with furniture at that price is it's going to be worse than a hunk of junk -rickety and frighting to have up.

In case you were wondering, Wiki said this about Particle Board - "Particle Board is an engineered wood product manufactured from wood particles, such as wood chips, sawmill shavings, or even saw dust, and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder, which is pressed and extruded."

Just thought I'd put that out there so you know what you're buying before you actually buy it.

Clearly while you know wiki you haven't seen these actual products. :BANG_HEAD:

This is a prime example of where practical knowledge trumps wiki.

I own both of those types of Ikea shelving. While they are constructed from particle board materials they are not simply particle sheets that are slapped together. Some of the Billy pieces i have owned for almost a decade without any major issues. This includes taking them apart when I moved to my current home 4 years ago.

The Kilby shelves where actually my wife's which she had from prior to our dating (so at least 5-6 years old) and I use 2 of our 3 primarily for TF's. They aren't as nice but just as good. They are smaller, and I have found buying addition shelves for them a bit tough as they aren't a standard Ikea stocked item.

Pay the extra, and get the Billy's which are easier to expand and can to add extras (doors, lighting) to. As long as you take care in initial assembly they should serve you well for years.

PS: As for attaching to a wall, while this is recommended, it isn't always required, especially if you build a number of units together in a configuration that reinforces each other.

by **Natlea** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 5:06 pm

Well if you're done flaming me you might want to know that I 1) come from a family that likes antique furniture, which is really well built and 2) am in a family where one of it's members actually builds furniture as a hobby.

You want a good bookshelf you get oak, for example. But it's not just the material that matters, it's how it's put together.

Ikea furniture is garbage in my mind, but I was resisting the urge to say that until now. Ikea has good ideas, but poorly crafted. It's basically furniture for people with little to no money and/or do not know what good furniture is. That I can tell you not only from experience, but having been there with family that actually knows furniture and from friends who have bought their junk. I know there are plenty of people who like Ikea, but doesn't mean they stuff is great. And I might just have higher standards, but I've both had and heard enough bad experiences with Ikea that I'd never shop there again.

So next time, don't flame when you don't know the background of the one commenting.

News Credits: 8 · by **LiKwid** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:18 pm

Dude no lie I bought 2 5 shlf systems from target for $25 a peice because they were a bright white and they are awesome. Took no time to slap together and have survived without any mishap for close to 5 years. I don't really see what there is too debate and actually get worked up over..Find some stuff you like and get it..I could care less if my figs are sittin on 24k shelving, lined with diamonds. It's ther collection that counts.

I can see if you have some Grails in a nice glass door case with some sort of lighting butif were talking about general collection, is it really that debatable?

by **Natlea** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:31 pm

I wasn't trying to say you shouldn't get something within your budget (I apologize if it came off that way), which is why I didn't say IKEA was crap until Editor decided to jump down my throat. I certainly don't have the money to go out an buy a really good bookshelf for a few hundred dollars and I have a rather solid $30 shelving set up (albeit metal and not wood), I'm just saying one should try and pay attention to the building supplies. Obviously if a particle board piece is all you can afford then go for it (if it's sturdy, I've had really unsteardy ones), but I think spending around $100 for it is a bit crazy becasue you can get a solid wood shelf for about the same amount and it'd be sturdier (actually I think my roommate got a collapsible metal and wood bookcase for around $70... but it's been a few years, so I don't remember). You just have to look around. The wood might not be the best quality you can get (pine instead of oak, that sort of thing), but in a ranking solid wood is far more durable than particle board... if the builder made it right.

I only got out of college a few years ago. Lol. I know and understand the budget thing.

Transformers probably won't kill a Particleboard shelf very fast because they're light, but the stuff does die after a while. After reading more about particle board on Wiki I realized I was mixing up particleboard and pressboard in my head. Particleboard is far more sturdy than pressboard, but it's still weaker than solid wood and warps at a much faster rate than wood, especially when they have wight on it. Transformers are obviously much lighter than books though.... unless you have a real (and small) Cybertronian on your hands. Lol

edit: kind of on that note. My computer desk is particle wood and it's lasted 8 years or so, but it's totally warped and has been for a few years now. I actually have to replace it very soon because it's still warping and is at the point where it's starting to knock out the metal support crisscrossing the underside... which means in another year or two it'll probably collapse and take my monitors with it right down onto my PC :/

News Credits: 7 · by **Geekee1** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 7:07 pm

Part of my collection, all Billy bookcases with glass doors and shelves. While not the quality of solid wood, they are more than serviceable as TF displays.

News Credits: 9 · by **Editor** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 7:11 pm

Erailea. That wasn't flaming or jumping down your throat, that was stating a fact.

My statements are based around the fact I have had and used the exact products in question, where as your post was simply relating to the basics of particle board and not the the end result of a product that uses them.

While I have no reason to question your families credentials in the antique field, the simple matter is we were asked what we knew of the product. If the choice was present where you could have fine hand crafted pieces made from the best materials or something from Ikea, I doubt many would go for the Ikea route, however they do have decent units like the Billy which has been available for a much longer period of time than it would if they were rubbish.

As far as how much they can take:

Each one here is holding more than recommended, and with the exception of very slight bowing of some shelves, there are no problems at all.

News Credits: 8 · by **LiKwid** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:02 pm

Geekee1 wrote:Part of my collection, all Billy bookcases with glass doors and shelves. Sorry they're not oak, but apparently I'm poor

EPIC!!

I was about to post a quick pic of my shelving set up but after seeing yours geekee I have decided not too

I'm afraid my pic would start bowing to yours!

Oh and editor yours is equally epic!!!

News Credits: 3 · by **Kibble** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:02 pm

I'm sure no one wants to buy crap, but I don't think TFs weigh all that much in most cases so super heavy duty material probably isn't necessary. Just something that looks decent and offers the shelf space you're looking for.

News Credits: 9 · by **Mykltron** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:07 am

Ruthless Cynic wrote:Mykltron, where did you purchase that stuff? I am interested.

I think I got them from wilkinsons but I don't know if they have an American equivalent. The ones I got don't seem to be here any more either.

News Credits: 128 · by **Counterpunch** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:38 am

Geekee1 wrote:Part of my collection, all Billy bookcases with glass doors and shelves. While not the quality of solid wood, they are more than serviceable as TF displays.

F'n rad.

Also, those "cheap" particle board shelves from Wal Mart and Target are fine:

by **SentinelA** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:48 am

I lean more towards media selves - u know- the type used for DVDs. Just put 2 together this weekend. Whew, tired.

I prefer glass shelves but those can get pricey.