Ideas for hardware storage

[John Coloccia]

Anyone have any ideas for a cheap, easy to build, hardware storage drawer system for nut and bolts? I don't store much like hinges and things, but I have an enormous amount of different nuts and bolts, screws, random little parts, jig hardware, etc that I need to get organized. I'm not looking for anything fancy. It doesn't have to necessarily be big drawers with fancy compartments. Just anything that I could build cheaply and easily...no fancy joinery, not an heirloom piece, etc. Strictly functional. I want to knock it out in a day and be done with it.

Thanks for any ideas!

[Moses Yoder]

This is not cheap but it's easy :rolleyes:

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[Brian Tymchak]

I made a quick and dirty (and relatively cheap) door out of 4 Stack On 27 drawer units (http://www.casa.com/p/stack-on-storage-cabinet-268142?site=CA&sku=HYV-10402&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_C&utm_campaign=GooglePLA&utm_content=pla_with_promotion&ca_sku=HYV-10402&ca_gpa=pla_with_promotion&ca_kw=&CAWELAID=1309101638&kpid=HYV-10402) screwed to a piece of plywood for a shallow cabinet that hides my wrenches, sockets, other things that don't get much use in a woodshop. The drawers can be subdivided for small quantities of things. I like the setup but have already run out of room. May need to add a second set somewhere in the shop.

[Bruce Page]

John, see if you can find 1 or 2 of these at your local salvage yard. They hold an incredible amount of ‘stuff’. I paid ~ $25 for this one.

[Robert Payne]

I use a number of Plano Stowaway boxes like these (http://www.planostoragesolutions.com/category/73-pro-latch-stowaway.aspx) -- they have adjustable partitions and can easily be stacked or built into a simple plywood storage cube. They are inexpensive and very versatile -- I buy one style in regular or deep compartments.

[Brian W Smith]

All our nut/bolt stuff fits in Durham brand units....they aren't that expensive.No big deal there.

Reason for post however is about pre-cut cardboard bxs.We first started using them on resto projects to categorise parts.I got ours at a local Graingers,and even there,the prices were pretty durn cheap.Interestingly,they fit into above Durham,open style stowage units.They're(cardboard)amazingly sturdy.Linky below is just for reference.I reckon you could build a plywood shelf unit to house them?They come in several sizes.Good luck,sm stowage units has long been at issue.

http://www.uline.com/BL_310/Corrugated-Bin-Dividers

[Jim Becker]

For nuts, bolts and screws I just use a commercially available clear bin system available at pretty much any home center.

What I struggle with is storage for other types of hardware that I have leftover from projects, purchased for "inventory", found in odd places, etc...

[Dave Zellers]

I use a number of Plano Stowaway boxes like these (http://www.planostoragesolutions.com/category/73-pro-latch-stowaway.aspx) -- they have adjustable partitions and can easily be stacked or built into a simple plywood storage cube. They are inexpensive and very versatile -- I buy one style in regular or deep compartments.
That's in line with what I was going to suggest. Buy as many as you will need, design and build a simple cabinet to hold them so you can pull out the one you want and then buy a label maker and mark them accurately, both on the end of the box for storage on the shelf and on the inside of the lid for each compartment.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Menards runs these on sale about every three months - $.50 with a $.50 rebate - limit of 10.

http://www.menards.com/main/p-2308200-c-9189.htm

Hard to get much cheaper than free.

[Paul Wunder]

John,

I bought a bunch of "stack & Hang" plastic bins from McFeelys (about $2 each) if I recall. They are available in many sizes and colors. I mounted them to a plywood board using 1 1/2" Z-clips from amazon 920 clips for $9.00. The bins hang securely on the clips, yet can be easily removed to examine the contents or to carry to a project or to my workbench. If necessary, larger clips can be used for larger bins and that makes the system extremely flexible.

[Yonak Hawkins]

I expanded on a carousel system my grandfather started 50 years ago. My only expense is the hardware. The 1/2" Ultralight MDF disks are from scrap from an ongoing job.

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[ken masoumi]

Jam jars,pickle jars,are used in my shop to hold nuts and bolts,dowels,pens & pencils,brushes and left over liquids like Kerosene,ammonia,paint thinner.
I also use medium,small pill bottles for small screws,washers,etc.
I like Yonak's carousel,that will be my next to do list.

[Dave Zellers]

Alright, I think John needs to define what an "enormous amount of different nuts and bolts, screws, random little parts, jig hardware, etc" is in his world.

Are we talking jars, are we talking small bins, medium bins, are we talking drawers, ...

"enormous" covers an enormous range.

Given that he expects to solve this in a days work, I'm going to guess small bins.

[Frank Martin]

I also ended up with a Plano system. Built a plywood cabinet for them. Best system I ever had. I sorted different types of hardware and wrote on each box what is included, so I can relatively quickly find what I need. I liked this so much, I did the same for my router bits. They are shielded from dust and I can take a box to the project. I will post pictures tomorrow. I got the idea from here as well.



That's in line with what I was going to suggest. Buy as many as you will need, design and build a simple cabinet to hold them so you can pull out the one you want and then buy a label maker and mark them accurately, both on the end of the box for storage on the shelf and on the inside of the lid for each compartment.

[Thomas Hotchkin]

John
Here you go 112 Drawers all made from wood, should hold all that you have. A little pricey.
Fabulous Rare Antique 112 Drawer Rotating Wood Hardware Cabinet 1901 - $2495
http://images.craigslist.org/00d0d_bihCBZ38PjU_600x450.jpg

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/atq/4725686161.html

[HANK METZ]

I consolidated my collection of storage media into a mobile station, it makes it very convenient when working on a project to just wheel up to it, sit down and cherry pick my hardware needs. Some cabinets were thrift store purchases, some were roadside gifts, mobile gantry was all recovered assets.

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[John Coloccia]

For nuts, bolts and screws I just use a commercially available clear bin system available at pretty much any home center.

What I struggle with is storage for other types of hardware that I have leftover from projects, purchased for "inventory", found in odd places, etc...

Maybe that's best and simplest. I'll post some pictures later, since a couple of guys asked to see. It's just a lot of crippy cra...er....stuff. I tend to have a lot of stock on hand for stuff like this, because when I need a bolt, or a washer for example, I'll often just buy a box figuring that I'll use them...and I DO use them, so why not buy them cheap? Then I take jigs apart, and I end up with boxes and bags full of random hardware with no way to organize it. The problem just keeps getting worse because when I work, I don't have time to crawl through a box, so when I need a bolt, I just drive 2 minutes to the local hardware store, and buy whatever I need. That's much quicker than sorting through a pile of hardware for 20 minutes with no guarantee that I'll actually have what I need.

[Brian Deakin]

I am a pharmacist working in the United Kingdom I store my nuts ,bolts nails and screws in used manufacturers containers

You could ask at your local phramacy

Please note to remove the labels from containers place hot water inside and label peels off

regards Brian

[Eric DeSilva]

I'll second the Durham units--they hold a *lot* of different hardware. Not a homemade solution, but they work pretty well for my needs. They also have units will full extension slides that you can use to rack 'em up. I also use a bunch of dandy drawers for larger stuff:

http://www.dandydrawers.com/

[Darrin Davis]

We use our libraries old card catalogs in our high school woodshop. We have 4 of them stacked on top of each other for 60 total drawers. I'm not sure what we would do without it.
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[Keith Outten]

Not exactly an elegant solution but its inexpensive and uses normally unused shop space. The plastic oil cans are almost indestructable.

[Kent A Bathurst]

..........I'll often just buy a box figuring that I'll use them...and I DO use them.........

1. Leave 'em in the box. I betcha there are 6 - 8 box sizes +/- that handle 75% of your stuff. The box sizes tend to graduate with the size of the item - 1/4" hex bolts have one size for up to 2.5", then another size for up to 4", etc [making this up - just an example - I have a lot of those hex bolts for jigs, etc.]

2. Felt tip pen -write the contents on the end - bold.

3. Now - I'll try to explain this last bit - Assume you want to get cute / uber-organized / approaching OCD:
> Build 2-sided shelves - pick a dimension, say 18" wide - that will work in your shop. Center panel with shelves on both sides of the panel.
> The shelves are mounted with pins, or some similar hinge-type thing, at on end, which becomes the rear.
> You flip through the shelves like the pages of a book.
> The ends of the shelves have notations for what is on each side of that shelf.
> Not all shelves are created equal depth - depends on the size range of that family/class of item going there. But - you can put the boxes on the shelves front out of side out, to get the items in the correct range for that shelf's depth.

If you plan it out, you can leave room to expand the row of shelves, and you can build it so the shelves are removable, to reorganize as events dictate.

Me - I gots me a couple of those cheap metal boxes with, say 20+ pull-out plastic trays. And, I have maybe 20 of those stackable things that are maybe 4" x 6" x 8" deep for bigger stuff. In those, you would find one labelled "5/8" Zinc carriage bolts - All Lengths". In it are a bunch of zip-locks for each length. Another bin for 5/8" Galvanized". YOU get the drill.

My wood screws have a completely different storage scheme.

[Roger Feeley]

My brother gave me an old Microfilm cabinet. It turned out to be ideal. It has about 10 drawers, each about 4" deep x 20" wide x 24" deep. I used cheap plastic electrical boxes to hold all sorts of stuff.

[John Coloccia]

Thanks for all the ideas, guys. For now, I decided to just buy a bunch of HDX and home depot plastic organizers. That will do me fine in this shop. I'm also going to pick up a bunch of dandy drawers. I didn't know they existed, but they're perfect for a lot of things!

Thanks everyone for the help and great suggestions :)