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How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - Printable Version

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How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - Rookie - 02-04-2018 02:09 PM

Hello @,

recently I bought some NIB calculators (12c platinum, 10bII, 10s+) to complete my collection. Unfortunately the are sealed in the blister-pack and the batteries are installed.
I want to store them "forever" - probably after some time the batteries will leak and destroy the collectibles.
How do you handle this? Do you (carefully) open the blister and remove the batteries?

Thanks for your feedback

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - toml_12953 - 02-04-2018 10:32 PM

(02-04-2018 02:09 PM)Rookie Wrote:  Hello @,

recently I bought some NIB calculators (12c platinum, 10bII, 10s+) to complete my collection. Unfortunately the are sealed in the blister-pack and the batteries are installed.
I want to store them "forever" - probably after some time the batteries will leak and destroy the collectibles.
How do you handle this? Do you (carefully) open the blister and remove the batteries?

Thanks for your feedback

If they're blistered, I'd apply some ointment. Big Grin What I do is apply hole reinforcements usually used to fix tears in paper sheets stored in a three-ring binder. Then I hang them from a hook. There's no pressure on them anywhere but the hole where the reinforcement is. This eliminates shelf wear. It does take a bit of room to store them that way but if you have rare, expensive calculators, it's worth it.

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - Rookie - 02-05-2018 08:58 PM

(02-04-2018 10:32 PM)toml_12953 Wrote:  If they're blistered, I'd apply some ointment. Big Grin What I do is apply hole reinforcements usually used to fix tears in paper sheets stored in a three-ring binder. Then I hang them from a hook. There's no pressure on them anywhere but the hole where the reinforcement is. This eliminates shelf wear. It does take a bit of room to store them that way but if you have rare, expensive calculators, it's worth it.

Sorry I did not get this. How do you get rid of the batteries?

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - HP-Collection - 02-05-2018 11:12 PM

I store them in a large plastic box (Eurobox)
Most of the batteries are CR2032 and I have never seen a corroded one of these.....

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - brickviking - 02-06-2018 12:14 AM

I think the general consensus is yes, you'd have to carefully open the packaging enough to get the calculator out, extract the batteries, and insert the calculator back in its packaging. I don't know the actual mechanics of opening those packages, I have a devil of a time with them.

I'm aware that for some other manufacturers, they include the batteries separately (i.e. not in the calculator) which would assist with the procedure as batteries are usually a far smaller "package" to extract. I believe that some postal agencies also require separate packaging of batteries.

(Post 167)

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - Maximilian Hohmann - 02-06-2018 12:07 PM

(02-05-2018 11:12 PM)HP-Collection Wrote:  Most of the batteries are CR2032 and I have never seen a corroded one of these.....

I have seen two to this day. Both in the same calculator, a "PLZ Computer", sold in 1993 when Germany changed from 4-digit post codes to 5-digit. The first one was totally destroyed by leaked CR2032 cells, so I bought a second one which worked after cleaning.

But like you I have never seen that anywhere else and guess that a batch of defective cells has been the cause here. Still I would remove every battery of every calculator before storing it for long time!

This is it. Mainly it is a database for postcodes but it can also be used to do basic calculations, so for collecting purposes it qualifies as a calculator :-)

[Image: PLZ_Computer.jpg]

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - toml_12953 - 02-06-2018 12:15 PM

(02-05-2018 08:58 PM)Rookie Wrote:  
(02-04-2018 10:32 PM)toml_12953 Wrote:  If they're blistered, I'd apply some ointment. Big Grin What I do is apply hole reinforcements usually used to fix tears in paper sheets stored in a three-ring binder. Then I hang them from a hook. There's no pressure on them anywhere but the hole where the reinforcement is. This eliminates shelf wear. It does take a bit of room to store them that way but if you have rare, expensive calculators, it's worth it.

Sorry I did not get this. How do you get rid of the batteries?

I use acetone on the back side to dissolve the glue without destroying the cardboard. Use the acetone on three sides so you can get the calculator out without removing the blister totally. To put the calculator back, make sure the acetone is totally dry. Use super glue sparingly to reattach the bubble.

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - DavidM - 02-06-2018 12:48 PM

I suppose others are more concerned with keeping the original packaging intact than I am. Some time ago I acquired a spare 50g that I am keeping for my own purposes as a hedge against the inevitable eventual failure of my "daily use" one. The unit came with both a CR2032 (in a folded plastic wrapper that was taped to the internal packaging) and a shrink-wrapped set of 4 AAA alkalines. The AAAs were visible through the side of the blister pack, and were already corroded when I received the unit.

I simply used an Exacto knife to slit three sides of the blister, leaving the 4th as a hinge. This allowed easy access to remove all of the batteries. All other contents were left undisturbed. I then simply wrapped the entire package in several layers of plastic wrap (the kind you normally find in household kitchens). If I'd had a Ziploc bag large enough, I would have used that instead.

I'll confess it's not a very attractive option, but I was more concerned with function than form in this situation. Smile

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - Accutron - 02-06-2018 04:39 PM

(02-06-2018 12:48 PM)DavidM Wrote:  I then simply wrapped the entire package in several layers of plastic wrap (the kind you normally find in household kitchens).

Anybody who is storing stuff wrapped in conventional Saran Wrap or kitchen plastic wrap should immediately unpack it and get their collection as far away from the plastic wrap as humanly possible. Over time, Saran Wrap causes severe browning and embrittlement of brominated fire-retardant plastics - like conventional age-related yellowing x10.

RE: How to store blistered NIB-Calculators? - DavidM - 02-06-2018 07:15 PM

(02-06-2018 04:39 PM)Accutron Wrote:  
(02-06-2018 12:48 PM)DavidM Wrote:  I then simply wrapped the entire package in several layers of plastic wrap (the kind you normally find in household kitchens).

Anybody who is storing stuff wrapped in conventional Saran Wrap or kitchen plastic wrap should immediately unpack it and get their collection as far away from the plastic wrap as humanly possible. Over time, Saran Wrap causes severe browning and embrittlement of brominated fire-retardant plastics - like conventional age-related yellowing x10.

Good to know! I’ll have to find an alternative then. Any problem with Ziploc bags along these same lines?