how do YOU organize your parts?

[motherone]

Originally posted by anatech
Hi pixpop,
My way costs money unfortunately. I've just carried over the same way I used running a service shop. Frankly, I can't imagine doing anything else these days.

If you see drawer units on sale, buy a bunch so they will be the same. I didn't show you all the differnt boxes sitting around on the floor. All different.

-Chris

At least you have a basement. My girlfriend has issues with the fact that I have 5 or so of those parts bins, plus 4 larger crates to store the big stuff (trannys, heatsinks, chassis, etc.). Unfortunately, my hobby is a bit much and occupies the better part of a full closet in our 2br 950sq ft apartment.

I basically use those parts bins that you can get a Target/Frys/Walmart, usually near the tools. I keep my resistors and caps in their bags from digikey/mouser and just drop them in (stacked). For instance, I have two drawers dedicated to vishay/dale resistors, and another 4 drawers for vishay/draloric resistors.. And so on.

Unfortunately, it is a bit unwieldy since I can't bolt them to a wall. Ugh. Can't wait to own some property and get a little place carved out so I don't need to solder and drill on the kitchen table

[forr]

Hi,

Good question !
Half of my little parts are in little drawers just as shown by Anatech.
That's for components often used.

The second half is handled by a very simple and efficient way.
I most use it for selected, matched, rare or precise components.
They are put in standard envelopes (22.5 x 11.5 cm) folded along their longer size (which gives 22.5 x ,5.75 cm).
I write information on the envelopes, sometimes quite a lot of text, for example, for transistors : Vce max, beta, Ft etc...
I can match components very precisely for a future application and keep them altogether without fearing to loose them in a crowd of many others.
The enveloppes can be be labelled at an upper corner with self explanatory personnal conventions : Rpre, Cpre, etc... and then put sorted in drawers.
My drawers come form Ikea, they are stacks of six metallic drawers, each drawer measuring L 24 cm x H 9.5 cm x D 41 cm.
Enveloppes come for free, used, from the postal mail I receive. They're just carefully opened with a knife.
I already have three stacks of six drawers full of at least 100 envelopes each. I could not imagine an easier way to store and retrieve some of my less commonly used components.

[anatech]

Hi Forr,
Good system. I tape my matched parts together. For ones I use a lot I stick them in foam close together with the gain listed. They then go in the drawer.

Hi motherone,
Used to live in a small townhouse and an apartment before that. Thank goodness I had a shop back then. I hear you though! I've only had this basement for 5 and change years now. My wife wants some of it back!

-Chris

[motherone]

Originally posted by anatech


Hi motherone,
Used to live in a small townhouse and an apartment before that. Thank goodness I had a shop back then. I hear you though! I've only had this basement for 5 and change years now. My wife wants some of it back!

-Chris

Don't give it up! Let her have the rest of the house (sans your listening room) in exchange!! My girlfriend and I have an understanding that when we do get a house, the majority of the garage will be my playground. She's more than thankful to give it up as long as she doesn't have to see my DIY mess in the house!

Honestly, the worst part of DIY in a small apartment/house is the fact that drilling indoors makes a mess. No room for a drill press, and then you've got to go clean up all your metal shavings/bits!

[anatech]

Won't fly. Besides, she is right.

-Chris

[elementx]

Originally posted by pixpop
I look through these boxes at random until I find what I want. Sometimes I give up before finding it, and decide that I didn't need it anyway.

ha been there...

anyone got a cheap source for those pull-out drawers? I have a few of those filled with all sorts of parts that arent caps/resistors, but theyre like $20usd or so, and have the size of anatech's... and plastic.

[pwillard]

I use the portable BIN containers with handles. They fit nicely on a shelf and will not spill like standard bin containers.

Sample:

Storehouse