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General Philatelic/Supplies, Literature & Software : Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

 

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philatelia
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APS #156650

07 Jan 2021
10:06:50am
Myself and another collector have discovered badly yellowed Vario pages in our collections. I was concerned that these may adversely affect the philatelic material, so I removed all of them from my albums and wrote to Lighthouse describing the manufacturing defect. I purchased these with the understanding that they were of "archival" quality. The effect of this chemical change on the material housed on the sheets is unknown.

We have been unsuccessful in getting an answer from the manufacturer, Lighthouse. I wrote and sent pictures and phoned, but received no response.

Please check your collection and let us know if you, too, have defective sheets. Perhaps the company will respond to a letter sent by numerous philatelists who demand they back their product.

LOOK AT THE COLOR! They are so yellowed that you can't clearly make out the colors of the stamps! It took me about a week to find and replace all of these, not to mention the expense.

Image Not Found

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philatelia
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APS #156650

07 Jan 2021
10:12:56am
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

FYI: I found this yellowing on clear pages - mostly size 4 and size 1 clear, and ALSO BLACK PAGES - especially the three pocket double sided black.

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angore
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Collector, Moderator

07 Jan 2021
01:17:56pm
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

The only issue I have encountered is an improperly bottom pocket seal but then I do have clear ones.

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51Studebaker
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Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't

07 Jan 2021
02:41:31pm
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Just last month I threw away hundreds and hundred of Fleetwood and several other manufacturers (I do not recall any being Vario/Lighthouse) clear pages like those shown above. All had yellowed badly as described above.
Don

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philatelia
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APS #156650

07 Jan 2021
02:57:48pm
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Don, do you know if they can damage stamps if left in the yellowed pages?

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51Studebaker
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Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't

07 Jan 2021
03:03:52pm
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Mine were all 'cover' (not stamps) sized pages and I did not notice any damage to the covers themselves. The yellowing was unsightly and the pages seemed a bit hard/brittle (but perhaps this was my imagination?). I did not want to take any chances so they went into the recycle bin.
Don

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StampCollector
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07 Jan 2021
07:43:58pm
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

I notice that yellowing years ago but didn't pay much attention to it, truth is when
you pull the stamp from the page the true color of the stamp shows up.
I also wondered if it could affect the stamps, but so far after ten years I haven't seem any
noticeable change on any stamp.

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londonbus1
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08 Jan 2021
03:50:22am
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

I have written once again to Lighthouse this morning as they promised me back last March to replace the faulty sheets. Since then I have heard nothing which is understandable given the pandemic.
But I thought a reminder was in order. I have about 100 sheets and they have already agreed to replace them but perhaps it is not so important in these days.
Let us see if there is a response.

(Mine are all black pages with different sized strips so it clearly wasn't one type)

Image Not Found


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Opa
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08 Jan 2021
02:18:06pm
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Some of the manufacturers use plasticizer and or leadsulfides in these sheets, especialy the older ones. These pages can lead to yellowing of the gum and can actually remove cancalations. I have completly stoped using these.
Link to an interresting article

https://classic.stamps.org/userfiles/file/pcpm/StampsPlastics.pdf

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DavidG
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APS member since 2004

08 Jan 2021
09:30:54pm
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Philatelia:

How old are those clear Vario pages?

David

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philatelia
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APS #156650

09 Jan 2021
08:42:48am
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

David, I'm not exactly sure as I've been buying and using Varios for quite some time. But I notice that newer sheets have a different feel. They are slightly thinner and a bit more brittle and prone to cracking.

I have many size one and size two that are very old - 20 years or so - that are pristine clear. I bought the size four clear about 10 years ago to house Sweden booklets (mostly) and those are the ones that are the most yellowed. So the oldest sheets are not necessarily the ones turning yellow.

I have sheets in the same albums that have aged differently, so I don't believe it is environmental.




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51Studebaker
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Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't

09 Jan 2021
09:25:53am
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Hi philatelia,
Please note that environmental impacts can occur well before we receive or own material. For example, it could be that a box of these sat in the back of a truck in summer were the temperature exceeded the specifications of the plastic and it just took a few years for the damage to reveal itself.

I once owned a distribution company that included plastic airline pet carriers that we purchased directly from the manufacturing factory. They were shipped to us in full 18 wheel containers and factory sealed cardboard boxes. We only sold them by the case to airlines and pet distributers. We started getting complaints that customers were opening the boxes to find the pet carriers filthy dirty with a black ‘soot’. I went into the warehouse, opened some boxes myself, and verified the issue. I called the manufacturer and pushed back on them with images of the problem. The factory denied shipping them like that and the issue occurred intermittently across several shipments. I finally figured out that what was happening was that on some 18 wheel tractor trailers were not well sealed, the black ‘soot’ was actually coming from diesel fuel exhaust leaks and was being attracted to the plasticizers used in the carriers.

So you never know what may be happening to stuff before you get it when it comes to environmental issues.
Don

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"Current Score... Don 1 - Cancer 0"

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DavidG
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APS member since 2004

09 Jan 2021
12:18:12pm
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Philatelia:

We had a woman in our stamp shop about two years ago. She purchased VARIO 2C (clear). She is a conservator for the Canadian Museum of History. They, and Library and Archives Canada tested the clear varios and deemed them archival safe. They did not test the black Varios as they were only interested in the clear ones.

I think the composition of the Vario pages was changed, for the better, about four years ago.

David

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angore
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Collector, Moderator

10 Jan 2021
07:16:32am
re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

It could have been a batch issue where the UV stabilizer was omitted from the resin. The resin would be made in large batches for use over a long period of time so large number of pages may be affected. The question is if the lack of the UV stabilizer is a cosmetic issue or does it affect the long term physical properties (turns brittle, etc.)


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Author/Postings
Members Picture
philatelia

APS #156650
07 Jan 2021
10:06:50am

Myself and another collector have discovered badly yellowed Vario pages in our collections. I was concerned that these may adversely affect the philatelic material, so I removed all of them from my albums and wrote to Lighthouse describing the manufacturing defect. I purchased these with the understanding that they were of "archival" quality. The effect of this chemical change on the material housed on the sheets is unknown.

We have been unsuccessful in getting an answer from the manufacturer, Lighthouse. I wrote and sent pictures and phoned, but received no response.

Please check your collection and let us know if you, too, have defective sheets. Perhaps the company will respond to a letter sent by numerous philatelists who demand they back their product.

LOOK AT THE COLOR! They are so yellowed that you can't clearly make out the colors of the stamps! It took me about a week to find and replace all of these, not to mention the expense.

Image Not Found

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"Just one more small collection, hun, really! LoL "
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philatelia

APS #156650
07 Jan 2021
10:12:56am

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

FYI: I found this yellowing on clear pages - mostly size 4 and size 1 clear, and ALSO BLACK PAGES - especially the three pocket double sided black.

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"Just one more small collection, hun, really! LoL "
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angore

Collector, Moderator
07 Jan 2021
01:17:56pm

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

The only issue I have encountered is an improperly bottom pocket seal but then I do have clear ones.

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"Stamp Collecting is a many splendored thing"
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51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
07 Jan 2021
02:41:31pm

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Just last month I threw away hundreds and hundred of Fleetwood and several other manufacturers (I do not recall any being Vario/Lighthouse) clear pages like those shown above. All had yellowed badly as described above.
Don

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"Current Score... Don 1 - Cancer 0"

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philatelia

APS #156650
07 Jan 2021
02:57:48pm

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Don, do you know if they can damage stamps if left in the yellowed pages?

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"Just one more small collection, hun, really! LoL "
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51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
07 Jan 2021
03:03:52pm

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Mine were all 'cover' (not stamps) sized pages and I did not notice any damage to the covers themselves. The yellowing was unsightly and the pages seemed a bit hard/brittle (but perhaps this was my imagination?). I did not want to take any chances so they went into the recycle bin.
Don

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"Current Score... Don 1 - Cancer 0"

stampsmarter.org
Members Picture
StampCollector

07 Jan 2021
07:43:58pm

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

I notice that yellowing years ago but didn't pay much attention to it, truth is when
you pull the stamp from the page the true color of the stamp shows up.
I also wondered if it could affect the stamps, but so far after ten years I haven't seem any
noticeable change on any stamp.

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.webstore.com/~st ...
Members Picture
londonbus1

08 Jan 2021
03:50:22am

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

I have written once again to Lighthouse this morning as they promised me back last March to replace the faulty sheets. Since then I have heard nothing which is understandable given the pandemic.
But I thought a reminder was in order. I have about 100 sheets and they have already agreed to replace them but perhaps it is not so important in these days.
Let us see if there is a response.

(Mine are all black pages with different sized strips so it clearly wasn't one type)

Image Not Found


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likes this post.
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Members Picture
Opa

08 Jan 2021
02:18:06pm

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Some of the manufacturers use plasticizer and or leadsulfides in these sheets, especialy the older ones. These pages can lead to yellowing of the gum and can actually remove cancalations. I have completly stoped using these.
Link to an interresting article

https://classic.stamps.org/userfiles/file/pcpm/StampsPlastics.pdf

Like 
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Members Picture
DavidG

APS member since 2004
08 Jan 2021
09:30:54pm

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Philatelia:

How old are those clear Vario pages?

David

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"President, The Society for Costa Rica Collectors"
Members Picture
philatelia

APS #156650
09 Jan 2021
08:42:48am

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

David, I'm not exactly sure as I've been buying and using Varios for quite some time. But I notice that newer sheets have a different feel. They are slightly thinner and a bit more brittle and prone to cracking.

I have many size one and size two that are very old - 20 years or so - that are pristine clear. I bought the size four clear about 10 years ago to house Sweden booklets (mostly) and those are the ones that are the most yellowed. So the oldest sheets are not necessarily the ones turning yellow.

I have sheets in the same albums that have aged differently, so I don't believe it is environmental.




Like
Login to Like
this post

"Just one more small collection, hun, really! LoL "
Members Picture
51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
09 Jan 2021
09:25:53am

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Hi philatelia,
Please note that environmental impacts can occur well before we receive or own material. For example, it could be that a box of these sat in the back of a truck in summer were the temperature exceeded the specifications of the plastic and it just took a few years for the damage to reveal itself.

I once owned a distribution company that included plastic airline pet carriers that we purchased directly from the manufacturing factory. They were shipped to us in full 18 wheel containers and factory sealed cardboard boxes. We only sold them by the case to airlines and pet distributers. We started getting complaints that customers were opening the boxes to find the pet carriers filthy dirty with a black ‘soot’. I went into the warehouse, opened some boxes myself, and verified the issue. I called the manufacturer and pushed back on them with images of the problem. The factory denied shipping them like that and the issue occurred intermittently across several shipments. I finally figured out that what was happening was that on some 18 wheel tractor trailers were not well sealed, the black ‘soot’ was actually coming from diesel fuel exhaust leaks and was being attracted to the plasticizers used in the carriers.

So you never know what may be happening to stuff before you get it when it comes to environmental issues.
Don

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Current Score... Don 1 - Cancer 0"

stampsmarter.org
Members Picture
DavidG

APS member since 2004
09 Jan 2021
12:18:12pm

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

Philatelia:

We had a woman in our stamp shop about two years ago. She purchased VARIO 2C (clear). She is a conservator for the Canadian Museum of History. They, and Library and Archives Canada tested the clear varios and deemed them archival safe. They did not test the black Varios as they were only interested in the clear ones.

I think the composition of the Vario pages was changed, for the better, about four years ago.

David

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.

"President, The Society for Costa Rica Collectors"
Members Picture
angore

Collector, Moderator
10 Jan 2021
07:16:32am

re: Do you have any Defective Vario Pages?

It could have been a batch issue where the UV stabilizer was omitted from the resin. The resin would be made in large batches for use over a long period of time so large number of pages may be affected. The question is if the lack of the UV stabilizer is a cosmetic issue or does it affect the long term physical properties (turns brittle, etc.)


Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.

"Stamp Collecting is a many splendored thing"
        

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