Curious about small parts storage

[OCtoolguy]

Ok, here's another topic we can all agree to disagree on but it will be fun to see how everybody does it. I have two 40 drawer parts cabinets that I bought at H/F and a much sturdier 16 drawer cabinet that I inherited from the guy who lived across the street from me. My son just acquired 5 more small parts cabs and brought them to me full of mostly junk stuff. The unfortunate parts is none of these are of any sort of match except for the two that I bought at H/F. I got to wondering how you all have your stuff organized. Nuts, bolts, screws, etc. When should you draw the line? Who wants to go first. Pictures would be greatly appreciated.

[teachnlearn]

An absolute personal thing. My dad had mason jars with everything thrown in. Dump in it on the bench dig through and then reload the jars. Working with electronics the parts are small and even the same part has a different value or way of working. If I dumped them together I would be digging through all day to find the first part, Cabinet has part boxes that are subdivided.

Like desk work, people have piles and other desks have nothing. Every industry has an organizing business of some type. I think you will see the entire range with no right or wrong. RJF

[ScollSaw Slasher]

I have slowly and methodically gotten rid of most of the small parts stored in bins, drawers or any other place for that matter. Found out that even though I knew I had it somewhere, easier to go to the local Ace or Lowes which are nearby and definitely get what I needed rather than search for hours.

[OCtoolguy]

12 minutes ago, ScollSaw Slasher said:

I have slowly and methodically gotten rid of most of the small parts stored in bins, drawers or any other place for that matter. Found out that even though I knew I had it somewhere, easier to go to the local Ace or Lowes which are nearby and definitely get what I needed rather than search for hours.

You are probably the smartest guy I know. Unfortunately, I'm a bit "scottish" when it comes to spending money so I always save everything. And you are so right about spending time hunting for something that you just know you have somewhere. Oh well.............thanks.

 

[fredfret]

.Divided case with sealing lid for #6 to #8 screws. 24 drawer cabinet for clocks and hangers pill bottles for Brad nails and drill bits smaller than 1/8. Brads, bits in one drawer of tool box. Anything else trip to ace or Lowe's 

[teachnlearn]

33 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

You are probably the smartest guy I know. Unfortunately, I'm a bit "scottish" when it comes to spending money so I always save everything. And you are so right about spending time hunting for something that you just know you have somewhere. Oh well.............thanks.

 

Would you like to marry my wife? She saves everything. It's going to come in handy one day. We just don't know what day that is. RJF

[teachnlearn]

2 minutes ago, fredfret said:

.Divided case with sealing lid for #6 to #8 screws. 24 drawer cabinet for clocks and hangers pill bottles for Brad nails and drill bits smaller than 1/8. Brads, bits in one drawer of tool box. Anything else trip to ace or Lowe's 

Isn't it nice when you get old everyone ends up on pills so everyone can save their lives in pill bottles?

[Sycamore67]

I do not care for the bins but it is personal preference.  

For smaller parts and such I have the plastic pill containers with screw on lids that I have labeled the tops and sides with a label maker.  You can also cheaply buy them on eBay or any other size container.  All of mine are the same size and put in a shallow drawer.

I gradually have gotten rid of a lot of MISC small stuff that there is no immediate use for. and do not save them.

At this point, I am trying to get rid of seldom used stuff.

[Roberta Moreton]

Small parts that I use are not nuts, bolts washers and screws. I have stainless steel parts washers, nuts, and others for whirligigs. When I make one I get that container out. I haven’t made one in a while. When I make birdhouses I like to decorate with beads, copper wire, seashells and stuff, that’s in a different container. That’s how I sort. 

My screws are in the box they came in and kept in a drawer. Pocket screws are with the pocket jig.

Old screws are trash. 

When I did this it cleared up an entire shelf. 

[bazzz]

I had a couple different brands of small part cabinets for screws, nuts, and washers. Hated the two I bought from HF, had a hard time pulling the drawers out. Found some on sale and with careful measuring and a couple of gift cards I purchased what I needed to maximize the space I had. Went through everything I had and organized it by size and type. Threw out the oddball stuff that I had. It makes it easier to find what I need when I need it. I also know right away if I have something that will work or I need to make a trip to the store. I try to get more than one type or size when I go because I hate to waste the time it takes to go for one box of screws. I also have others for cabinet hardware like spare hinges, catches, and knobs. I don't buy extras of these items, just stuff I have collected over the years. I do like to be able to go to one spot in my shop to "check stock" of what is available. Next on my list is to label everything...

[trackman]

Wife found this cabinet somewhere. Can’t see in picture but each one is labeled. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Won't answer. Store every way possible. I will tell you this I have ten times more small parts because I do more hobbies that scrollsawing and have a complete woodworking shop. You should see what it takes to store pen turning related stuff. 

[JimErn]

I use Ragu jars (plastic) for the larger stuff like construction screws, nails, etc.  Duct tape on the narrow part you grab and marker, "2" const Sc", etc

then I put some one by shelves between the studs, and they line up good

and two of those plastic multidrawer things that I rarely get into cause the drawers are a pain, but they do have junk in them

[Norm Fengstad]

I have spent most of my 76 years getting  organized. from tobacco cans , to glass see through containers ( not a good move as glass breaks), to plastic peanut butter jars and now done major cleanup and utilizing stackable bins, small parts drawer cabinets . A new work bench with may drawers.  In this last clean up I finally threw out the router two days before I found the new parts for my Porter Cable Router that I misplaced  some 25 years ago.

[kmmcrafts]

I like the way the hardware store organizes the small bolts / screws / washers etc.. I think I just need to buy a hardware store... but the ideal one won't move stuff to a different part of the building every 6 months.. 

I have a mess of a couple drawers in an old desk that I keep stuff in.. problem is I through all small stuff in one drawer and big stuff in another.. I know two years ago I put a certain screw r whatever in there but I can't find it until I make a trip to the hardware.. where I go to that certain isle that is no longer there.. When I finally find what part of the store they moved the stuff too and get it.. when I get home I see the one I was looking for right on top of the big mess of a drawer... I think I need a better system.. LOL

[new2woodwrk]

I'm a pack rat for sure.

Smaller everyday screws, nails and bolts (1" - 2 1/2") I store in plastic Mayo jars all labeled appropriately.

Lesser used items such as larger screws (2 3/4" +), roofing nails, hurricane clips etc I store in plastic coffee containers - Fulgers I use mostly the large size I get from Sam's club.

Very small parts I have a few drawer cabinets that house them - shelf pins, 'L' brackets, small hinges, small screws and nails (under 1")  etc.

Odds and ends I also keep in various plastic containers.

I do not have any glass containers in my shop or saved for storage just in case I get the clutzies and drop a container - which I tend to do often.

Edited May 5, 2019 by new2woodwrk

[OCtoolguy]

Does anybody still use nails. I have boxes of different size/type nails that I have acquired over the ladt 10 years. None that I have purchased. I honestly can't recall using a nail in a very long time. Other than a nail gun nail that is. I think what I have is headed for the dumpster. I know I have way too many odds and ends. I guess I need to dump what I have and start over. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, octoolguy said:

Does anybody still use nails. I have boxes of different size/type nails that I have acquired over the ladt 10 years. None that I have purchased. I honestly can't recall using a nail in a very long time. Other than a nail gun nail that is. I think what I have is headed for the dumpster. I know I have way too many odds and ends. I guess I need to dump what I have and start over. 

You evidently do not build anything.

[New Guy]

No matter how I try to store them they end up on the floor under something.

[teachnlearn]

30 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

You evidently do not build anything.

Get out the nails. RJF

 

[Bill WIlson]

On 5/4/2019 at 2:25 PM, octoolguy said:

.... I got to wondering how you all have your stuff organized.....

Organized?  

That's good,    Organized. 

Ahhh man, yer killin' me. 

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

You evidently do not build anything.

Well, what I should have said is, other than finish nails, that is. I haven't used any carpentry nails in a very long time but I have boxes of them. Everything that I have cluged together has been with screws. I never could drive a nail straight. My Dad always said it was because I'm wrong handed.

 

[Bill WIlson]

I have tons of general purpose carpentry nails, finish nails and a few specialty nails that I've accumulated over the years.  I don't use many these days, but they come in handy and I suppose my kids will be tossing them after I die.

I'm left handed.  When I was a teenager, my Dad (right handed) gave me my first real hammer.  It was one he had that he never liked.  Now Dad worked in the building trades most of his life, so he was very familiar with hammers.  For some reason, he said he couldn't drive a nail straight with this one, so he gave it to me.  I still have it, some 45 years later.  I used it when I worked as a carpenter.  I used it to build my own house and I still use it today, on the odd occasion when I actually need to drive a nail.  I used to tell Dad that it didn't work for him, because it was a left handed hammer.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

6 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Well, what I should have said is, other than finish nails, that is. I haven't used any carpentry nails in a very long time but I have boxes of them. Everything that I have cluged together has been with screws. I never could drive a nail straight. My Dad always said it was because I'm wrong handed.

 

As I said Ray you do not build anything any more. Nails are still used and I am currently redoing my home and use all size nails all the time. I built my shed hammering in nails one at a time. Frame work, roofing, jigs, Replaced cedar siding on the side of my house, one nail at a time. I n a couple weeks I have to replace a window sill and outside trim. Will nail one nail at a time. 

[woodduck]

I bought myself some glass bottles  & screwed the lids underneath a shelf. This is only part of my parts organisation, the rest i have in various drawers, cabinets etc .