Cases. Holders? Cases...

[JustinD]

One of the reasons I like the quality of the ultras and the lack of a screw. I once had a few pro-molds for the small bowmans that did not seem to close properly. After looking, I realized that the screw was threading both the top and bottom pieces creating a gap. After opening the hole a bit on the top piece so the threads would only catch the bottom they tightened up. This might be part of your issue.

Sorry if you are bummed on the cases.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by irv

Just an afterthought, and one I probably wouldn't like anyways, but would putting them in sleeves help with the moving around?
I assume it would, but it would definitely take away the reason why one would purchase them for in the first place.

Good point and I'm actually going to try that. I ordered some penny sleeves for the larger vintage cards yesterday along with some properly sized toploaders. Not sure if the cards in the sleeves will then in turn be too big to go in the Pro Molds, but it's worth trying. I figure a card in a sleeve inside the thicker case won't look all that different than a BVG slab.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by JustinD

After opening the hole a bit on the top piece so the threads would only catch the bottom they tightened up. This might be part of your issue.

Sorry if you are bummed on the cases.

That may be worth looking at too. I will continue to play around with them and report back. Of course the seller empathized with my situation, but did not offer to refund me.

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by JustinD

One of the reasons I like the quality of the ultras and the lack of a screw. I once had a few pro-molds for the small bowmans that did not seem to close properly. After looking, I realized that the screw was threading both the top and bottom pieces creating a gap. After opening the hole a bit on the top piece so the threads would only catch the bottom they tightened up. This might be part of your issue.

Sorry if you are bummed on the cases.

Thank you for this insight, Justin. That's brilliant. I was having the same trouble with my Pro-Mold one-screws. I couldn't figure out why, after tightening the pieces together sufficiently, the case was still loose!

I have a model car rat tail file that will work perfectly to open up the aperture of the top hole.

Thank you again!!!! ---Brian Powell

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by almostdone

I understand your point but one of the problems with going to the one touch is that when you collect Bowman (both sizes) Leaf, and Topps both pre and post 57 there isn't any constant product to display them in except top loaders or card savers and they are both ugly to display.

I use non recessed 4 screw downs. I cut black archival paper to fit the inside of the case then cut an opening that holds the card. Like SGC graded cards. That way the cards are protected, not crushed and all of the cases are uniform on the outside dimensions to line up in the wall cases I've built to house them.

May not be for everyone but I'm very happy with the results.

Drew

Drew,

Those look pretty sharp. Do those offer UV protection? Nice presentation.

Z

[almostdone]

Originally Posted by Zach Wheat

Drew,

Those look pretty sharp. Do those offer UV protection? Nice presentation.

Z

I believe they do say UV protected plus the plexiglass I used in the case itself has it. On top of that they are in a room with no natural sunlight and the actual room lights are on rarely. The final kicker of course is that I collect lower grade cards so my financial investment in them isn't too high. Haha

Thanks for the kind words.

Drew

[irv]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Good point and I'm actually going to try that. I ordered some penny sleeves for the larger vintage cards yesterday along with some properly sized toploaders. Not sure if the cards in the sleeves will then in turn be too big to go in the Pro Molds, but it's worth trying. I figure a card in a sleeve inside the thicker case won't look all that different than a BVG slab.

I am not happy with my current BVG purchases due to how the cards look, especially in the scans.
Seriously thinking about cracking these out and then just placing them in vintage sleeves and top loaders.

My Mick and Mays, although in older cut sleeves and top loaders, look much better, imo.

[campyfan39]

So are LED lights proven to be better than fluorescent tubes in regards to fading cards?

[irv]

Originally Posted by campyfan39

So are LED lights proven to be better than fluorescent tubes in regards to fading cards?

Fluorescent tubes are terrible and can cause significant damage to other materials, let alone the fading aspect of it.

From what I have read (but do your own research) LED's are the way to go.

[jchcollins]

My oversized penny sleeves and toploaders for 1952-56 finally came in today. Will have to see what I think of them and report back tonight.

Also for some of my more valuable older cards, I'm going to try the penny sleeve with the Pro Mold and see how that works.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by irv

...but would putting them in sleeves help with the moving around?

Monday update:



Yes, vintage penny sleeves used on the cards before putting them in the Pro Mold's does solve the movement issue. It's not the most elegant solution in the world, but it works and the finished product doesn't look all that different than a BVG slab with the type of sleeve they use. The penny sleeves I have for the vintage cards are actually a tad bigger than the recessed area of the Pro Mold case, but if you are careful to center the card going in and make sure that the card itself does not land outside of the recessed area before applying the screwdriver, you will be fine. The resulting pressure on the case when closed is not sufficient enough to indent the sleeve or cause any additional strain on the card.



Honestly I think for run-of-the mill cards they will probably look cleaner in a toploader with the sleeve, but I like the idea of the rigidity and UV protection provided by the Pro Mold...(if nothing much else about the case). At least for the likes of Mantle, Robinson, and Mays.



Will see how it goes. If I get this home and decide I hate it in a day, I do finally have plenty of properly-sized top-loaders now...



-John

[jchcollins]

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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

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John, I don't think that looks bad at all. I do, however, share your thought that a vintage size sleeve and toploader might be just as good as long as you aren't trying to display the cards. Good either way. Nice Jackie!

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[irv]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

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That looks good, imo, John.

I have recently put a few of my 52's in the vintage sleeves and top loaders that I purchased, and I also like them.

I just need to buy team bags for all of them now to keep the scratches and scuffs to a minimum.

If I was displaying my cards, I'd bite the bullet and purchase some Pro-Molds state side and do exactly as you did.

[jchcollins]

Thanks guys.



Well, after messing with 3 or 4 more screw downs tonight, I finally said screw it and am back to toploaders. Simplicity works best, I think. For more than just a few cards, the setup with the Pro-Mold and aligning the penny sleeve (which is too big) correctly in the case is just too much of a pain. After I stripped about 2 screws just now, I took them out and a minute later everything was tucked nice and neat into toploaders. They provide good protection, they look good, and they are cheap and very easy to work with / quick to change cards in and out of when you need to.



I think I was making an easy solution difficult from the start just out of the desire to try something different. Thanks to those of you that hung in there with me on this thread.

[irv]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Thanks guys.



Well, after messing with 3 or 4 more screw downs tonight, I finally said screw it and am back to toploaders. Simplicity works best, I think. For more than just a few cards, the setup with the Pro-Mold and aligning the penny sleeve (which is too big) correctly in the case is just too much of a pain. After I stripped about 2 screws just now, I took them out and a minute later everything was tucked nice and neat into toploaders. They provide good protection, they look good, and they are cheap and very easy to work with / quick to change cards in and out of when you need to.



I think I was making an easy solution difficult from the start just out of the desire to try something different. Thanks to those of you that hung in there with me on this thread.

That's too bad it didn't work out, John, but reading your story, if it's any consolation, saved me from pursuing some in the near future.

I honestly thought these would work perfect for guys like us, but hearing how much they moved around, I guess that isn't the case, sadly.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by irv

That's too bad it didn't work out, John, but reading your story, if it's any consolation, saved me from pursuing some in the near future.



I honestly thought these would work perfect for guys like us, but hearing how much they moved around, I guess that isn't the case, sadly.

No problem. It was a $10 experiment that I was glad to pay for. For me from here on out it will be sleeves and toploaders or card savers for anything that is not graded. Other cases are just to difficult to use en masse.


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[tiger8mush]

Dale, are you using a CCD printer, like a Canon Canoscan? If not, I highly recommend one. They are relatively cheap - just over $100 new. You'll want to rescan your entire collection and they work great on all slabs (BVG included).

Rob

Originally Posted by irv

I am not happy with my current BVG purchases due to how the cards look, especially in the scans.
Seriously thinking about cracking these out and then just placing them in vintage sleeves and top loaders.

My Mick and Mays, although in older cut sleeves and top loaders, look much better, imo.

[jchcollins]

The look with a slab on top of a sleeve is a bit busy, to be sure. I don't mind how BVG slabs look, my only problem was with the Pro-Mold cases and the cards moving. But yes, toploaders and sleeves are very easy and inexpensive and the cards look great in them.


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[irv]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

No problem. It was a $10 experiment that I was glad to pay for. For me from here on out it will be sleeves and toploaders or card savers for anything that is not graded. Other cases are just to difficult to use en masse.


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Same, and like you mentioned, they look great in there.

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

Dale, are you using a CCD printer, like a Canon Canoscan? If not, I highly recommend one. They are relatively cheap - just over $100 new. You'll want to rescan your entire collection and they work great on all slabs (BVG included).

Rob

I am using a HP Photosmart C4780 (Print-Scan-Copy) that I have had for quite a few years. No idea if it's a CCD or not, however, but I assume it is old tech relatively speaking?

I think the problem with the BVG slabs is the bags/sleeves they put inside them mostly? Some bags are fairly smooth/even but some others, which are my worst scans, are bagged up so to speak.

In my FlickR link, there are around 10-15 graded PSA slabbed cards, and although you can tell they are based on the pic quality, none of them are as bad as my recent BVG graded card scans.

I'll have to look into one of those printers, Rob. With my ever failing eyesight, I need the best I can get!

Thanks