While the storage solutions aren’t as frequent as they used to be, I am very pleased to let you know that today there is another storage solution for you to read and draw inspiration from. Where many of the previous solutions have been a modular solution, with several boxes and binders, Idrial’s solution tries to keep everything in one large box. For more on this, please check out the rest of the article below!
I think I’m new for all of you what makes me wanting to introduce myself. As I’m not a huge reader of books I got into the theme by the movies and video games coming afterwards. My nickname, Idrial (who was an Elf of Lothlórien), originated from a LOTR video game I used to play. I’m using the nickname ever since, also on ringsdb.
Combined with my passion of solo board gaming, having a go at the collection of LOTR LCG was easy. I started with the core box. The first expansions followed quickly after, so was the problem of storage. As I didn’t expect to expand at a very fast rate, I ordered a broken token insert for the core box from a Dutch website. I combined it with the Ryno Dividers.
After almost a year, there wasn’t much room left for cards. To further expand my collection, I wandered the internet for something that would be large enough to fit almost everything, but the nightmare decks and the print on demand expansions. I saw a lot of wooden cases, even laser engraved, or painted with a beautiful sketch of one of the legendary symbols from the Tolkien saga. I already had in mind that I wanted a case with an engravement of the Doors of Durin. I approached someone who got a laser engraved Hobby Lobby Artist Supply Case from the Broken Token. I was looking for something similar like that but available closer to The Netherlands because of expensive shipping costs. Also I missed the contacts to get a case laser engraved for a cheap price.
Finally I decided to customize it myself. I found a wooden case, even larger then the one from Hobby Lobby. I had it from ‘Gerstaecker’. 50,5 x 40,5 x 12,2 cost excl. shipping: € 62,02.
I removed the insert from the painting case because it has no use for my application. As there wasn’t an insert available to fit the case I had to make something myself. I went to the local DIY retail shop and bought a thin wooden plate to make the large dividers that split the case into rows. I also ordered some black felt and textile glue to improve the looks of it. Maybe strange to most of the players, I don’t find it necessary to sleeve my cards (sorry guys). By using the black felt and making the spaces between the rows as tight as possible my cards are steady on their place. That way it’s no problem I store my case on its side.
Where I got rid of the insert I kept the mixing palette. Behind the mixing palette I can store all the manuals. Unfortunately they hang loose. As of today I’m still searching for something like a vintage leather folder to keep them in. I wanted to keep my cards stored horizontal and loved the Ryno Dividers so that stayed from my original storage solution.
To upgrade the looks of the mixing palette I ordered a map of Middle Earth on AliExpress. It fit almost perfectly making me just cut off a little edge and a part of Rhûn.
Last but not least I got some accessories. I keep my tokens in the Short Bits Box from The Broken Token, a fine solution, available on a lot of websites for boardgaming. I replaced the first player marker with a copy of The One Ring, also available on AliExpress.
The trickiest part of customization for me was the engravement of the Doors of Durin. As I didn’t do any wood burning before, I was nervous to ruin it. I ordered a wood burning pen and tried on a piece of wood first. Eventually I’m happy with the result how it came out.
I’m not ready adjusting the case. I already wrote that I would love a vintage leather map for all the manuals. Next to that I would like to order some custom tokens from the Etsy shop of Draculastokens (https://www.etsy.com/nl/shop/DraculasTokens) but this is quite the investment when you want to replace all your tokens by glass ones. I plan to do some wood burning on the Short Bits Box. Perhaps I need to upgrade the locks and handle to a better quality in the future. This is because of the growing weight of all the content. For now, when I handle with care, it’ll do.
If you want to share your storage solution like this and have it posted in the Storage Hub, feel free to reach out to Durins_Father in the community. You can write an article similar to the ones already on the hub, and include some pictures of your solutions. Sharing your solution will help many newer players with the search for a storage solution that fits them best.
Vision Of The Palantir 