How do you store your parts?

[kurmudgeon]

I've got one of those great parts bins with different sized drawers that you typically attached to a pegboard. I also have 4 or 5 hobby containers but I've put small labels with the parts' values written on them. I've had these things for months and I'm still terribly unorganized. How do you store your parts, keep track of them? I want to be more organized so that it'll be easier to find things and thus I'll build more and more often.

PICS WELCOMED!

[Cortexturizer]

I store mine all over the place.

My girlfriend is not happy.

[Thomas_H]

Maybe thats a part you can use http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=9197.0

[GhostofJohnToad]

I use cigar boxes for the major category, i.e.: resistors.  I then have multiple little baggies with each value written on tape on the bag.  These are then stored said category box.  I have cigar boxes for resistors, capacitors, ICs, diodes, and transistors, and one for misc stuff.  works for me and doesn't take up too much space.  

I also have a couple of those see-through plastic boxes with hinged lids for other things like pots, screws, headers, and sockets.

[Haberdasher]

Unfortunately my answer is about like Cortexturizer's.
I did remember this older thread though, so it might have some helpful ideas in it
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=4436.0

[bcalla]

I use a variety of the storage units mentioned above, but I am still moderately disorganized.  That's the way I run my life.  I can always find what I need.

I think the bigger problem is inventory tracking.  I tried keeping track of components in spreadsheets, but I (almost) never remember to decrement parts counts as I use them.  I often wind up ordering things I don't need AND going to start a project to find that I don't have all the necessary components in stock.

[davent]

For resistors, lower voltage non-electrolytic caps, diodes and other small bits, small ziplock bags from Staples in a cut-down Ikea cardboard magazine holders. One magazine organizer will easly hold thousands of resistors. For bigger parts, divided storage trays and those plastic drawer units.




dave

[DutchMF]

This is my 'system':

Back row: small cardboard box full of tools, large cardboard box with enclosures and work in progress, box full of (semi-)populated boards.
Front row: left is a box with my resistors, small labels to indicate which values are in which compartment, right is same box filled with IC's, diodes, transistors and capacitors.
A good thing about this system is that I can shove it all in a closet, it's gone and my wife is happy.... Downside is that I still have to search to find a certain part/value 

Oh, and then there is this:


A big heap of (semi-)finished pedals, enclosures, parts, etc........ And this not all of it!

Paul

[jimilee]

So tayda ships a bunch od little bags in a big bag.my resistors are in one bag, electros in one caps another, diodes and trannies in another, my hardware is in a drawer, and my enclosures were in a box on the floor till my daughter needed a box, now I'm not sure where they are. I should probably find them.

[whitebread47]

For film and electro caps, pots, and general common hardware (LED's, sockets, etc.) I use those Plano tackle boxes - I like being able to sorta spot check my inventory.  For transistors and IC's, I simply use the smaller tackle boxes.

All my resistors are in labeled bags, filed in a Quaker oatmeal box I cut in half.  For knobs, battery snaps, wire, and switches I use a small component deal with drawers.

It's not super organized - and there's tons of stuff thrown around in my desk drawers - but I can usually find what I need (or I don't and order more, which is inevitable anyways).

[billstein]

I store mine all over the place.

My girlfriend is not happy.

When they become wives they still won't be happy with this approach. It's the same way I store my parts and for some reason my wife just doesn't see how cool that is! Women! Know what I mean?  

[stevie1556]

I store mine in these part bins. The small drawers can store 200 resistors in strips, or about 500 resistors when they are loose. Film caps can probably have the best part of 1K in, although I generally only order 100 at a time. The bottom drawers can hold about 200 enclosed jacks. Best way tho keep parts that I have found.

I'm halfway through reorganizing then though. Yellow is resistors, red is caps, blue on white is diodes and now random bits, and black on white is random bits.



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[aballen]

I use a combination of containers.  For resistors and capacitors I have two accordion fold organizers.  I categorize the folders to a range of values and put the envelopes from mouser, tadya etc in the folders.


For transistors, ICs, switches, knobs etc I found the "Stanley sort master jr" works very nicely, and they are stackable, so I can add more, so far I have filled 5 of them, but stacked they dont take up much space.

Not the most organized, but I seem to be able to find what I need pretty quickly, so it seems good enough.

[das234]

I have several plano style tackle boxes I bought when they were on sale at Harbor Freight for $1.99 each.  I keep resistors in one, caps in another, ICs, trannies and diodes in another, pots and knobs in another, jacks, switches in another.  I leave most things in their original baggies and put them in the boxes to keep them organized.  Works well for me.

[juansolo]

everywhere...