Small parts storage solutions

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Small parts storage solutions

neb

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#298687 7-Jul-2022 14:10

Until now I've relied on somewhat ad-hoc storage for masses of electronic components, fasteners, and the mass of other bits and pieces that you need when building almost anything, storage trays, plastic bags in bins, cube storage, etc. Since it's getting quite difficult to find things in the various locations, I'm looking for some form of storage for lots of small parts, preferably not in open-top clipped-to-the-wall bins to avoid getting dust and dirt in things, and to provide at least some protection from damp exposure.

There's a bunch of options for flimsy plastic cases with a few flimsy plastic slide-in bins in them, but going past that to something more substantial there's larger plastic cases with bins, e.g. this 39-drawer one which hopefully will be stackable because one unit is fairly tiny, or even tinier ones where I'd need to stack quite a lot of them.

At the other end of the scale, which includes the price scale, there are these flip-open bins which look perfect for quick access to parts, or, if I can get past the price, these slide-open bins which look less flimsy than most of the other bin-based options.

Does anyone have any experience with any of these, or any better ideas for storing lots of small parts in a way that they're easy to find and access?

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#2939255 7-Jul-2022 16:17

I've got the 39-bin one in your first link. It's fine for what it does, but it is a bit flimsy. I got mine from Bunnings - from the back of the shelf, since the one at the front was horribly discoloured. Unfortunately it doesn't include an integrated stacking feature. I've got a smaller unit above that is separately fastened to the wall. This probably isn't a bad thing since I think it would be quite tippy otherwise.

Alexandre Chappel's Youtube channel has some good storage ideas IMO. He is big on using 3D printed bins/tubs/containers inside other (more solid) drawers or containers. I wasn't entirely sold on this approach (seemed like a lot of 3d printing!) but I think I've come around to the idea of printing things modularly within a wider grid. I know I've got a lot of things that don't quite fit as well as they could in my existing storage solutions.

neb

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#2939277 7-Jul-2022 16:31

Ah, good to know, thanks! In that case I'll probably give them a miss, alongside the SCA ones, I had a look at the ones at Bunnings and Mitre 10 and they all seemed to be made of the thinnest plastic they could use that would still remain rigid. I'd also looked at these metal frame ones from Bunnings but they're tiny, 310x380 so the smaller drawers will hold a handful of screws each.

Beyond that there's commercial-grade stuff which is getting painfully pricey, and I'd like ones with transparent fronts so I can quickly locate the right category of stuff without having to read lots of labels.

DIY printing I think is a bit too much work, and possibly won't be any cheaper than buying ready-made.

mkissin

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#2939281 7-Jul-2022 16:34

At work we use Raaco stuff, which we order from RS or Element14. They have a huge range of storage, and it's all pretty good quality.

richms

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#2939283 7-Jul-2022 16:37

I have these https://www.bunnings.co.nz/craftright-storage-box-with-40-plastic-drawers_p0286469 and the ones that they used to have with some bigger drawers.

They sag when hung on the wall mount keyholes badly. Needs a shelf. And I will need another board between them and the next row of them to keep them from sagging too.

Richard rich.ms

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#2939298 7-Jul-2022 16:56

mkissin:
At work we use Raaco stuff, which we order from RS or Element14. They have a huge range of storage, and it's all pretty good quality.

Oh, nice! And while there are some priced like this ($1,305.72 for a 435 x 350 cabinet) others have more reasonable prices, e.g. the steel-case 45-drawer for $222.

Bung

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#2939305 7-Jul-2022 17:20

What is the reuse rate of all these miscellaneous parts?

About a month back I rescued a neighbour's new roof that was peeling open in a storm. He came up on a weekend with the flashings that would have stopped the edges lifting. When he was finished he gave me some beer and the leftover screws. I asked why he didn't keep them and he said when he'd need them he'd need 100s so would buy them. I sort of agree with him but can't resist keeping a few 10l buckets for wood screws, machine screws and bolts etc. They live on the bottom shelf, there's too much variety for them to be sorted.

msukiwi

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#2939310 7-Jul-2022 17:28

I built a tower out of chipboard with rails to slide these in:

https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/sca-sca-organiser-19-compartment/104086.html?cgid=SCN01131201

I swapped the modules as required between boxes for my electronic components.

or they have these:

https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/toolpro-toolpro-connectable-organiser-box-small/540715.html?cgid=SCN01131201

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mkissin

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#2939371 7-Jul-2022 19:16

neb:
mkissin:
At work we use Raaco stuff, which we order from RS or Element14. They have a huge range of storage, and it's all pretty good quality.

Oh, nice! And while there are some priced like this ($1,305.72 for a 435 x 350 cabinet) others have more reasonable prices, e.g. the steel-case 45-drawer for $222.

Yes, those cheaper metal cabinets are what we mainly use. We have 12 of them with different drawer configurations on a rotating base for our main common parts storage.

We also got a bunch of these: https://nz.rs-online.com/web/p/compartment-boxes/1607539 along with different sized inserts. We use one of these for each of M2, M3, M4, etc sized fasteners.

The Raaco stuff is (mainly) moderately priced, and really good quality.

neb

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#2939396 7-Jul-2022 20:56

mkissin: We also got a bunch of these: https://nz.rs-online.com/web/p/compartment-boxes/1607539 along with different sized inserts. We use one of these for each of M2, M3, M4, etc sized fasteners. The Raaco stuff is (mainly) moderately priced, and really good quality.

Good to know, thanks!

For the stackable boxes, I've got a few of those from M10 but their problem is that they are stackable, and what you want is invariably at the bottom of the stack, or possibly elsewhere once you've finished pulling the whole stack apart, unless you use @msukiwi's solution.

sleemanj

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#2939457 7-Jul-2022 22:17

This is my main disaster area.

The drawers were all sourced over time from The Warehouse, they used to sell the yellow ones, then they went grey.

They don't stack properly but do a good enough job piled in this precarious tower, I always intended to actually have a backing board and screw them on, but, eh, lazy.

The drawers on these (and note it's been some years since I bought them, so dont' know current quality or if they are still sold) have a good positive latching action, so you have to deliberately pull them open/snap them closed, so there is at least a *chance* that when they all come crashing down in the next big one that the contents will stay mostly inside them.

There are similar drawers sold by other places that didn't have such a good (or any) latching action, it pays to check (assuming you want that, certainly I would recommend it).

The vertical wooden things on the sides with handles are quickly slapped togethor vertical drawers containing cheap food storage containers (like the cheapest ones you can find), 8 per drawer which is where i keep some bigger stuff or things I keep in larger quantites.

Then I have some sets of shelves with more food storage containers, many many more, I use lots of those. I put labels on the lid, and all 4 sides so I don't have to always put it back the right way around.

And a few set of larger plastic drawers, storage bins and various cardboard boxes. Sigh. I really need a bigger space!

---
James Sleeman
I sell lots of stuff for electronic enthusiasts...

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#2939459 7-Jul-2022 22:28

msukiwi:

I built a tower out of chipboard with rails to slide these in:

https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/sca-sca-organiser-19-compartment/104086.html?cgid=SCN01131201

I swapped the modules as required between boxes for my electronic components.

or they have these:

https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/toolpro-toolpro-connectable-organiser-box-small/540715.html?cgid=SCN01131201

I'll second that, and suggest also these similar Bunnings versions:

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/tactix-405mm-organiser-with-12-standard-tubs_p0095848

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/tactix-405mm-organiser-with-12-deep-tubs_p0095849

MikeAqua

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#2939547 8-Jul-2022 09:05

I'll third. I built a simple cabinet with shelves on slides. Each shelf holds a multicompartment case with flip top lid. I can either get stuff out of the case in situ, or take it to the job. I use Milwauke pack-out containers. Not cheap but very good. I copied the idea off youtube.

I'm not dealing with a lot of tiny components like electronics or small fasteners. There might be some good ideas on you tube for this particular storage challenge.

A quick search found this A quick look at a great electronic components storage solution from Homebase and Bunnings (review) - YouTube. If it's anything like storage for woodworking stuff, there will be whole warren of rabbit holes to jump down.

Mike

neb

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#2940169 9-Jul-2022 18:07

Yeah, YouTube videos are dangerous because then you end up seeing stuff like this :-).

Stu

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#2940177 9-Jul-2022 18:17

That's a fair few Nesquik containers!

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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neb

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#2940264 9-Jul-2022 23:05

Just came across another option which resolves the tug-of-war between slide-out plastic drawers and look-in-from-the-top containers like the Tactix organisers, what this guy did was get a standard drawer unit and fill it with plastic tubs, it looks like an Ikea Alex. For the money shot, go to 4:25 into the video.

So for parts where you want an immediate oversight over a large range like nuts, bolts, and washers you use that, and for parts where just need compartmented storage without needing to look at 50 types at once you use slide-out drawers. In the video he 3D printed his own plastic tubs which is nice because of the level of customisation, but I'll just order a box full of them off Aliexpress. Just a pity that standard drawer units have relatively deep drawers that waste space in the unit, I guess there's not much call for 5cm deep ones.

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