Temporary HD Storage

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert Heiling
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Robert Heiling

Would the following be a safe method of packaging some drives for temporary
storage?

1) Put in individual static-free bag with some silica gel.

2) Insert that package backwards into bubble-wrap package sized to fit.

That's it. I'll take whatever additional packaging efforts that are necessary to
protect them further, but need to know if 1+2 is a good basic method.

TIA
Bob
 
Robert Heiling said:
Would the following be a safe method of packaging some drives for
temporary
storage?

1) Put in individual static-free bag with some silica gel.

2) Insert that package backwards into bubble-wrap package sized to
fit.

That's it. I'll take whatever additional packaging efforts that are
necessary to
protect them further, but need to know if 1+2 is a good basic method.
Click to expand...


Static-free bags are not what you want (i.e., those pink-colored bags or
bubble wrap). Use the silverized bags that actually disperse a static
charge that you bring to the package. Pink bags do nothing to protect
from static charges and only don't themselves generate a charge through
movement. Aluminumm foil won't work because it permits the outside
charge to contact what's inside whereas the silver bags should dissipate
the charge on the outside of the bag and not let it through the bag.
Rather than silver colored, it may have carbon impregnation tracks, so
use the silver colored ones or those with carbon patterns.

Since you don't mention shipping the drives, there is no reason to use
bubble wrap. Just use a silver/black bag. Then you can stack them
safely whereas bubble wrapped objects will topple when piled atop each
other.

The silica gel is unnecessary. The hard drive is sealed.
 
Vanguard said:
Static-free bags are not what you want (i.e., those pink-colored bags or
bubble wrap).
Click to expand...

I need to correct this quickly as "those pink-colored bags or bubble wrap" are
NOT what I meant.
Use the silverized bags that actually disperse a static charge that you bring to the package.
Click to expand...

Those are the only static-free bags I know that deserve the name.
 
Vanguard said:
Static-free bags are not what you want (i.e., those pink-colored bags or
bubble wrap). Use the silverized bags that actually disperse a static
charge that you bring to the package. Pink bags do nothing to protect
from static charges and only don't themselves generate a charge through
movement. Aluminumm foil won't work because it permits the outside
charge to contact what's inside whereas the silver bags should dissipate
the charge on the outside of the bag and not let it through the bag.
Rather than silver colored, it may have carbon impregnation tracks, so
use the silver colored ones or those with carbon patterns.

Since you don't mention shipping the drives, there is no reason to use
bubble wrap. Just use a silver/black bag. Then you can stack them
safely whereas bubble wrapped objects will topple when piled atop each
other.

The silica gel is unnecessary. The hard drive is sealed.
Click to expand...

If you've got pink bags on hand and you'd have to buy silver or black,
just use the pink; lots of electronic manufacturers do - think how you
managed to collect the ones you've got.

Silica gel will help keep the circuit boards dry. Also, the HD is not
totally sealed; there's a small hole covered with a very fine filter so
that air pressure can equalize.
 
Would the following be a safe method of packaging some drives for temporary
storage?

1) Put in individual static-free bag with some silica gel.

2) Insert that package backwards into bubble-wrap package sized to fit.

That's it. I'll take whatever additional packaging efforts that are necessary to
protect them further, but need to know if 1+2 is a good basic method.

TIA
Bob
Click to expand...

Yes, use the silver ESD safe bags, seal them airtight with
the Silica inside (perhaps unnecessary if you get the
majority of the air out) then put that in whatever further
protection it will need to survive whatever shocks your
storage might subject them to. Bubble wrap might be
overkill or might not be enough, we can't predict what might
happen to them.
 
kony said:
Yes, use the silver ESD safe bags, seal them airtight with
the Silica inside (perhaps unnecessary if you get the
majority of the air out) then put that in whatever further
protection it will need to survive whatever shocks your
storage might subject them to. Bubble wrap might be
overkill or might not be enough, we can't predict what might
happen to them.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Straight to the point and exactly what I was looking for!

I may beef up the physical protection as they are going into cardboard boxes
that will first go out in our garage and later be moved to somebody else's
garage or whatever and could get jostled around clumsily. They represent an
archive (not the only one) of data that goes along with the paper documents and
other items in the boxes. HD is the only way to store the amount of data I have.
I'd like to get this over and done with and it will be somebody's else's project
whenever they get around to it.

Bob
 
I may beef up the physical protection as they are going into cardboard boxes
that will first go out in our garage and later be moved to somebody else's
garage or whatever and could get jostled around clumsily. They represent an
archive (not the only one) of data that goes along with the paper documents and
other items in the boxes. HD is the only way to store the amount of data I have.
I'd like to get this over and done with and it will be somebody's else's project
whenever they get around to it.

Bob
Click to expand...

What I found handy was the large foam blocks that OEM
optical drives are shipped in. Often they hold 3 opticals
vertically on their sides with about 1" foam around the
whole thing and 3/4" between each drive. Putting a double
layer of bubble wrap around the drive it fits well into the
cavity for an optical, then entire thing gets put back into
the cardboard box it came out of.

Just about anything would work though, you could even take 3
1"+ sheets of foam and cut them to the size of a brief case
cavity then on the middle layer, cut out holes in the foam
to the size of the bagged drives.

In a garage I'd also be concerned about the effects on the
box, would probably put the whole box/whatever in a
watertight bag.
 
kony said:
What I found handy was the large foam blocks that OEM
optical drives are shipped in. Often they hold 3 opticals
vertically on their sides with about 1" foam around the
whole thing and 3/4" between each drive. Putting a double
layer of bubble wrap around the drive it fits well into the
cavity for an optical, then entire thing gets put back into
the cardboard box it came out of.

Just about anything would work though, you could even take 3
1"+ sheets of foam and cut them to the size of a brief case
cavity then on the middle layer, cut out holes in the foam
to the size of the bagged drives.
Click to expand...

That's all starting to sound on the bulky side though. There will only be 2 HD's
in the one box and there isn't all that much room left, so I'll probably just
tape them up between some flat cardboard like I was boxing them together.
In a garage I'd also be concerned about the effects on the
box, would probably put the whole box/whatever in a
watertight bag.
Click to expand...

We don't live in that kind of a neighborhood.<g> Seriously though, the garage
isn't damp at all as it's built into the house and is partially heated that way.
That's why I can keep another computer setup out there attached to my LAN. I
think I just won't worry about it.

Bob
 
The silica gel is unnecessary. The hard drive is sealed.

Drives aren't sealed. I posted your very comment a few months ago and was
shot down in flames! The are vented to the outside air, but have filters to
prevent things getting in.
 
Robert Heiling said:
That's all starting to sound on the bulky side though. There will only be
2 HD's
in the one box and there isn't all that much room left, so I'll probably
just
tape them up between some flat cardboard like I was boxing them together.


We don't live in that kind of a neighborhood.<g> Seriously though, the
garage
isn't damp at all as it's built into the house and is partially heated
that way.
That's why I can keep another computer setup out there attached to my LAN.
I
think I just won't worry about it.
Click to expand...

Screw up some newspaper for packing round the drives. Cheap and effective.
 
Drives aren't sealed. I posted your very comment a few months ago and was
shot down in flames! The are vented to the outside air, but have filters to
prevent things getting in.
Click to expand...

True they aren't sealed but for a "temporary" storage of
drives, it should not matter if there is a bit of moisture
in the sealed bag they're in - they manage to survive it for
several years of use when not in storage.
 
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