Carrying Case Catastrophe

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**StasisNid95**

Recently, i had went to play 40k at my FLGS a few weeks back, and when i was going home, i put my toolbox holding all my necrons in my dad's car boot, on the road home we had hit a hole in the road, simultaneously i heard metal minis snapping and etc.

When we got home, my Nightbringer was in 2 pieces , 1 wraith snapped in two , 4 FO with their claws missing

was horrible.
At least i managed to fix em and repaint the chipped areas

Has this ever happened to you?

**Alpharius**

No!

I wouldn't even have my stuff ride in the trunk.

I'll probably be putting a seat belt around my case too now!

**StasisNid95**

yeah, from then on ive been holding it on my lap with the seatbelt extended on it

**MajorTom11**

Chuck a towel in that toolbox and just fold them into it one layer at a time as you pack it... a little shock-absorbing goes a long way!

I would glue the bits onto the bases and say they are re-forming =]

**StasisNid95**

lol

**EagleArk**

Buy a figure case?

**Balance**

Yup. It happens. This is part of the reason a lot of people on Dakka are willing to pay for the pricey cases like Battlefoam's.

**JSK-Fox**

I have had it on my lap oftentimes. Never let your things clang together!

**Balance**

JSK-Fox wrote:Never let your things clang together!

Some would consider this more of a general life-lesson.

**MrGiggles**

Yup.

Basically, our little (and big) plastic and metal models will break eventually. You can do things to lighten the risk, but even in a good case, you'll lose and arm here and a head there eventually. If you're less lucky, well, the problem will be bigger.

Sorry about your luck though StasisNid, nobody really likes having a repair box, much less one with some prized models in it.

**H.B.M.C.**

Many many years ago, after a long day at GW, I was walking back to the train station with a friend and was carrying my GW case - this is one of the original GW cases, with the eggshell foam - and the thing just bursts, on the stairs, at a busy train station.

Stuff goes everywhere.

Somehow - don't ask me how - we gathered all the pieces that fell and nothing went missing (and nothing fell through the gaps on the stairs). It's the only time I've ever seen my old lead 1st Ed Terminators break.

It was quite frightening to see everything spiral out in all directions.

**JohnHwangDD**

@OP: so you have your models *loose* in a hard-sided toolbox?

Or are you packing / cradling stuff in foam?

**HoverBoy**

Only models i ever broke where due to butterfingers syndrome whyle assembling.

**StasisNid95**

@JohnHwang,

i NEVER let them move around, i made barriers out of cardboard, i use the foam sheets in the blisters as a rough under'carpet' but if its a pot hole in the road then somtimes something gets loose. but then again ive decided to purchase a proper Carrying case and use the toolbox i have for my paints and terrain making materials (for the sake of all the nifty compartments)

**Xyz'r'Xaz'r'Xuz**

Army Transport + seatbelt + new shocks for the Saturn = safe passage for my stuff!

**JohnHwangDD**

@OP: OK, thanks for clarifying. I think that your getting a "proper" carrying case is a good decision that'll pay for itself in peace of mind.

At least, until you drop it with the cover open...

Of course, I have a bunch of "proper" cases, so of course I'm going to agree that way.

BTW, if you didn't pin the metal-metal joints, now's a good time to do so. Models are a *lot* stronger that way.

**RiTides**

Two similar things have happened to me:

-Two years ago I picked up a guitar case with a $3000 guitar in it. The latches were undone, but somehow I caught it by the neck in midair as it fell out of the case. Talk about a hear-stopping moment!

-Last week, I had my magnetic miniature tray in the backseat, and went around a curve too fast. It slid across the seat to the other side of the car, and resulted in several chipped figures which toppled over when the magnets failed to hold them due to the impact. Now I put something next to it so it can't slide sideways anymore...

**DISCIPLE_SoC**

My case was on my desk at home, and my wifes cat jumped up on the desk and knocked it off. It landed upside down and opened itself up. So now I have broken models, on shag carpet strewn about everywhere, and my 15 month old running twords the "noise" and cat.....ugh!

**Shas'O Dorian**

Never happened to me. But if you want a cheap alternative to the $50+ "custom gaming cases" just go to walmart / target / internet, and buy a hard plastic pistol case. The bumps hold most models comfortably & in the case of vehicles you can cut out custom recesses.

Here's a small one:

**Janthkin**

Shas'O Dorian wrote:Never happened to me. But if you want a cheap alternative to the $50+ "custom gaming cases" just go to walmart / target / internet, and buy a hard plastic pistol case. The bumps hold most models comfortably & in the case of vehicles you can cut out custom recesses.

(Note: not recommended for airplane travel, or for use in "sketchy" neighborhoods. I know several people who had their cars broken into, and their "gun" cases stolen; undoubtedly, the thieves were disappointed with their take, but that doesn't fix a broken heart, or restore your lost minis.)

**Brother SRM**

A buddy of mine had his car flip over and a lot of his stuff got broken, as his case wasn't very good. His land raider flew out the car, got smashed, and is now a terrain piece.

Personally I've never had anything too grievous happen to my minis, as I always make sure to keep them pretty safe. Some things you just can't prepare for though.

**JohnHwangDD**

Brother SRM wrote:A buddy of mine had his car flip over and a lot of his stuff got broken, as his case wasn't very good. His land raider flew out the car, got smashed, and is now a terrain piece.

If you flip your car, broken minis might be a lower concern.

I'm just sayin'...

**Bookwrack**

I had the shoulder strap on a Sabol battalion transport snap under the weight of being filled with my mostly 3rd ed 'nid army, and bounce end over end down the stairs.

Fortunately, due to using the sabol foam trays (who would've guessed you would find those in a sabol bag) the only things that broke were things like the raveners and lictors, which had a tendency to break under normal circumstances anyways, but wow, was my heart in my throat watching the bag tumble away.

**Grot 6**

StasisNid95 wrote:Recently, i had went to play 40k at my FLGS a few weeks back, and when i was going home, i put my toolbox holding all my necrons in my dad's car boot, on the road home we had hit a hole in the road, simultaneously i heard metal minis snapping and etc.

When we got home, my Nightbringer was in 2 pieces , 1 wraith snapped in two , 4 FO with their claws missing was horrible.
At least i managed to fix em and repaint the chipped areas

Has this ever happened to you?

Go to your local dumsters and start looking for the foam to slip into the tool box. Ask computer stores if you can get some of thier packing materials, or just go buy some from your local hobby store.

Some rules are best learned the hard way. I hope you only have to learn it once.