How do you store your parts ?

[AEIOU]

I did a full cycle of washing machine a tumble dryer to some resistors. Do you think I can still use them?

I did the same thing to a cell phone. It never worked again, but it sure was clean.

 

[djQUAN]

I bought a lot of those mini drawers in the dollar store and sorted my parts in it.

 

[jackinnj]

I'll put in a vote for keeping your inventory in a database. I resisted for a long time, but afterwards I was very glad I did it. QUOTE]

Keeping an inventory of IC's is really helpful and saves you money! This is particularly true if you use some specialty chips like INamps, DIFamps, Log Converters etc.

I separate the resistors with 3x5 index cards in these cardboard trays from ULine:

 

[Face]

Flambeau is your friend. I use their IDS boxes as well as their drawer cabinets. As others note, my collection of parts have outgrown my available box space...

~Tom

Most craft stores have similar containers in various sizes.

 

[Rangefinder]

Been there done all of the proceeding. Acro-Mills makes the nicest cabinets w/ plastic drawers. But now the frame is no longer metal. While working for various firms I would collect every sturdy box (cardboard or plastic) before it hit the dumpster. On one job , one component assembly came in a box 12"x8"x4"(aprox) used once then trashed. I grabbed all I could. They now contain heat sinks, large electrolytic Caps, plastic clamps, Nixie tubes etc.,etc.. I have used every system ever seen and invented a few of my own. Did I say that I'm a "Pack Rat". I now have a storage unit full of my fairly organized collection of bits and parts. There also are all my tools, test equipment and workbench. Problem is that I don't have easy access to it nor a proper place to work. It saddens me to think of it. I envy you lot and enjoy the threads very much. It keeps the little gray cells moving.

 

[jackinnj]

My parts collection goes back at least to 1962, btw.

 

[Rangefinder]

I'm with you there Jackinnj. That's when I was working for big Blue..