I need some new storage for my parts as they are disorganized and a pain to sort. I already took someone's advise long ago her and have a small tote that is divided in half for resistor and capacitor bags.
I'm looking for a tower like parts bin for various other bits - switches, nuts, washers, knobs, other stuff. Someone that is someone durable and secure as I will be moving it On and Off my work bench at my shop depending on the project I'm working on at that time.
Something like this but open to ideas.
I have a set of drawers like that, and I hate it. If I tip it even the slightest bit forward, the drawers open and sometimes even fall out if I'm not extremely careful. Would be much better wall mounted, probably.
That is good to know! Like I said I would be taking the storage On and Off my bench depending on whatever else I'm working on so I'll look for stuff with drawers that stay closed.
Quote from: EBK on September 24, 2019, 10:13:20 PM
I have a set of drawers like that, and I hate it. If I tip it even the slightest bit forward, the drawers open and sometimes even fall out if I'm not extremely careful. Would be much better wall mounted, probably.
I'm not a fan, either:
I'm a big fan of the Bisley drawers. I've got two of the small five-drawer cabinets with part divider inserts. I wish I had more. A bit pricey, but very useful.
Quote from: EBK on September 24, 2019, 10:13:20 PM
I have a set of drawers like that, and I hate it. If I tip it even the slightest bit forward, the drawers open and sometimes even fall out if I'm not extremely careful. Would be much better wall mounted, probably.
I've got one of these.
Don't keep them anywhere near where a cat normally roams.
i'm in desperate need of something like this but have always balked at the cost. interesting to know those drawers are janky without wall mounting. guess they can go off the list.
currently using about 10 big plastic tubs with built in dividers, works ok but a pain in the ass if needing to open several at a time.
I'm not sure if you are in the US but I use these for hardware. I do multiple ghost builds for other companies and it's the best way I have found to keep bulk hardware, pots, etc. They come in different form factors but they can stack.
https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage-organization/parts-storage/19-bin-portable-parts-storage-case-93928.html
I like the containers that smallbear sells their resistor kits in.
http://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/metal-film-resistors-1/
I believe these are the same:
http://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/box-storage-large/
They stay closed, stack nicely, and are easily portable.
(I'm actually thinking of buying a bunch more of these containers to put the rest of my parts in.)
Here is my storage. I use the plastic boxes others have mentioned for pots, electrolytic caps, IC's, Knobs and other stuff. The drawers are for Resistors, Transistors, all other caps, and other things. To make it portable, it would be pretty easy to add a door to the front.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/4757/40359600591_9bed2c0946_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24urv9B)Storage1 (https://flic.kr/p/24urv9B) by Dan Schumaker (https://www.flickr.com/photos/126000939@N08/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/4743/40359600511_74b2f4717f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24urv8e)Storage2 (https://flic.kr/p/24urv8e) by Dan Schumaker (https://www.flickr.com/photos/126000939@N08/), on Flickr
I may have mentioned before, but my IC storage is a large sheet of conductive foam mounted to the wall of my work area. I don't know if I have a picture of it, but I believe it is about 12×24 inches (30×60 cm).
Edit: Well, here is a pic of a tiny portion of it, complete with some of the push pins holding it to the wall (the wall has corkboard in my workspace).
(https://i.imgur.com/QaWjRA5l.jpg)
Here is mine. I tried the tackle box style drawers but keep running out of room because I keep the parts in plastics bags. It also seemed like a waste of space so nested plastic bags was the most orderly and space efficient thing I could come up with that was also portable. I regularly have to pick up and move my stuff between the dinning room and the garage. With such small parts being regularly shaken around, loose parts in a divided drawer was a big no. Even with a lid, most are not right enough for me to trust that there would not be co-mingling
I found a couple of storage towers like the OP wanted on the Dutch equivalent of Craigslist, marktplaats. And they were sold locally too, a local haberdashery store was selling parts of their inventory. I occasionally still find a bead or glittery thingy in them from time to time. I did mount them to the wall though.
Quote from: gtr2 on September 25, 2019, 12:20:23 PM
I'm not sure if you are in the US but I use these for hardware. I do multiple ghost builds for other companies and it's the best way I have found to keep bulk hardware, pots, etc. They come in different form factors but they can stack.
https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage-organization/parts-storage/19-bin-portable-parts-storage-case-93928.html
Those are great, I use 2 of them, and 3 of these:
https://www.harborfreight.com/abs-storage-organizer-95807.html
I've got a Harbor Freight less than a mile away
I use a 1/2 inch binder with trading card sleeves for resistors, diodes, and other tiny things. I put them in small bags that fit in the sleeves and label the bags (not the sleeve Incase it gets tipped over). Then I have my caps in stackable bins (9 -18 space works for me). Everything else is in those drawer bins but I only use 3 side by side so they can't really top over. I could probably consolidate to 2 but, I'm lazy and used to my work station.
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I was just looking into this recently and have ordered a few things to get myself away from the Harbor Freight storage drawers. The storage drawers have served me well over the years but they take up so much space. I moved my work bench inside and need to slim down wherever I can.
I ended up going with the boxes that card collectors use and some zip lock baggies for parts. I am going to use cardboard dividers to help keep some values seperated. I figured these boxes can be labeled and put on a shelf to grab.
This is what I ordered and it should all show up tomorrow:
https://www.bcwsupplies.com/monster-storage-box-3200-cards (https://www.bcwsupplies.com/monster-storage-box-3200-cards)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q5RS4N5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q5RS4N5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Im going to move my resistors in these boxes first. If that works out, I will move the rest of my parts to these.
For small parts - resistors, caps, transistors, diodes, etc - I use a box with coin envelopes, color-coded tabs, and tape the data sheet to the envelope. Not that sophisticated, but it keeps everything at hand and seems pretty speedy.
(https://i.postimg.cc/WpJp56mg/IMG-0297.jpg)
These are the Bisley containers I was talking about. This drawer has the 4 section divider, which I obviously break down further with individual boxes for each cap value. I have smaller boxes for SMT stuff and a 16 drawing insert for misc hardware.
(https://i.imgur.com/DV4Zy5r.jpg)
Made this carpenter's caddy in shop class back in 1980. Little did I know I'd only figure out what to use it for in 2019. Front is filled with 1/4W resistors in zip lock bags by value. 1/2W and 1/8W resistors in the back.
(http://ola.rinta-koski.net/Pictures/trayx500.jpg)