A good source of containers for the workshop

[Brian Deakin]

I retired about 4 years ago and I now do all of the household cleaning. When I was cleaning my daughters bathroom I found a number of empty cosmetic and toiletry containers in her waste bin which I have repurposed for the workshop

Such is my enthusiasm to use containers that I view as both useful and tactile ,today my wife put a empty night cream container which she had washed by the front door for me to use in the workshop

[Doug Garson]

I retired about 4 years ago and I now do all of the household cleaning. When I was cleaning my daughters bathroom I found a number of empty cosmetic and toiletry containers in her waste bin which I have repurposed for the workshop

Such is my enthusiasm to use containers that I view as both useful and tactile ,today my wife put a empty night cream container which she had washed by the front door for me to use in the workshop
Please delete this post before my wife sees it and expects me to follow your lead. :eek:
Repurposing containers is great idea, I use the plastic mixed nut jars from Costco for storing paint thinner used to clean brushes and other things.

[Prashun Patel]

I have two words for you:

Talenti
Chobani

[Bruce King]

I use a plastic tray to hold a hundred small items on my side extension so I can pick it up to make room for a large plywood rip.

[Jim Koepke]

It is amazing how many Altoid tins hold various items in my shop. Many of them have been painted on the tops so it is easy to label them with a sharpie.

Also the little cans from diced green peppers 4 oz. and 7 oz. sizes for holding small parts. One thought is to make a slanting vertical rack for them for holding screws and such.

There are still some plastic vitamin packages with hinged tops from about 40 years ago holding various screws and plumbing items in drawers.

There are also a few things stored in old 35 film cans (both single roll and bulk film), tobacco tins, metal coffee cans and bicycle tire repair containers.

There are likely a few that have been forgotten like an old military surplus ammo can.

jtk

[Bill Dufour]

I used to look in the dumpster behind a local pizza shop. They got piazza sauce in #10 cans. 3-5 every time I looked. I did have to wash them. I can not remember the chain brand that was on every can. When I worked in a cannery they shipped condensed tomato sauce in 50 gallon drums and 5,000 gallon bags. One or two bags was full load for a flatbed truck depending on size of the trailer.
Bill D

[Bill Dufour]

My father had a few bomb fuse cans in the wooden dynamite boxes under the lathe full of metal bits that could be useful someday. The better stuff, like brass, wa sin coffee cans on a shelf.
Bill D

[Kev Williams]

back in the '70s when we engraving computer buttons our customers would bring the blanks in ~4x7x2" thin-gauge cardboard boxes with full-cover lids, which made for another box- There's probably over 100 of them still holding stuff in this place, along with a big box under a worktable to stash all the spares. They don't tip over, don't slide, don't have sharp edges, they're shallow enough you don't have to dump 'em out to get to what's in the bottom, and with the lids on you can stack 'em 10 high...

[Brian Deakin]

Please delete this post before my wife sees it and expects me to follow your lead.
:eek:
Below is a known fact that applies to all married men

I can prove that I am perfect because my wife chose me and she would not have chosen a man that was not perfect
After 29 years of marriage she has now decided I am no longer perfect but there is a simple explanation
During the last 29 years she as continued this process of molding me into her ideal man but has now decided she does not like what she has created

[Jim Becker]

We buy soup at Costco...generally in "two packs". I wash them out and they head to the shop for various finishing uses while still remaining recyclable. There have been a number of other consumer product boxes/containers that have been repurposed over time to my shop. It's just a good way to do things, IMHO.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

There are a ton of snack factories around here and clear plastic one gallon and gallon and a half containers of snacks are discounted everywhere. Just Monday, I bought a 2 gallon plastic drum of fried pork rinds for $1.50. I use them for dog treats.. When the container is empty it is washed, the label removed and goes to the workshop. They are clear, the lids make them dust proof and I can see the contents easily. One container has all the wood burning "stuff", another has the balls of twine, string, and other cord, another has those little odd hardware pieces I picked up over the years, the springs, little brass hinges, snap hooks etc. Easy to just roll the drum around and look for the thing I want. All my wood carving stuff is in one. As I make small things for kids, I put them in one of the drums. Until I have enough for each grandchild, or neighbor kid. It may not be as efficient as flat containers but I can see the contents without moving the drum.

[Ted Calver]

...today my wife put a empty night cream container which she had washed by the front door for me to use in the workshop

Brian, she's just trying to lure you out of the house so she can change the locks! :D

[Stan Calow]

I too use old yogurt containers for mixing epoxy and dyes, and holding glue during a glue up. The ones that have small handles are good for touch up paint (foam brush fits in the handle).

[Bill Carey]

And don't forget the esteemed cigar box.

444599

[Jim Matthews]

I have two words for you:

Talenti
Chobani

Get thee behind me, you shameless husky.

I just managed to work off 5 of my Covid "nineteen" extra pounds...

[Paul Saffold]

Prescription medicine containers, quaker oat round boxes, plastic peanut butter jars. I agree with Jim, Altoid tins are great.

[Jim Koepke]

And don't forget the esteemed cigar box.

444599

Forgot these, most of mine are wood.

Some of my bigger wooden storage boxes are shop made.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Another of my forgotten storage helpers for in the shop:

444641

This makes it easier to pick through a box of screws or other small items. It also makes it easy to get them back where they were.

jtk

[Aaron Rosenthal]

We’ve all gotten to used to hoarding junk. I’m one too.
The metal recycling container calls.

[Bill Dufour]

I miss 35mm film cans. I do have a 35mm film can for shipping a movie. It looks like a 5 gallon bucket but a little shorter. I thin kit held 3 reels. perfect height to stand on to do ceiling work. I have a couple 2 inch magnetic tape shipping containers. keep holiday lights coiled up in them.
Bil lD

[glenn bradley]

It is amazing how many Altoid tins hold various items in my shop.

Many Altoid boxes here too. They hold small items and stack reasonably well if you have dividers of some sort to keep them corralled.

[Scott Winners]

My grandpa collected the jars the favorite jelly of his wife came in. He had the lids screwed to the bottom of a shelf, roughly 1x8 pine. When he was looking for a specific thing he would just twist the jar to release if from the lid screwed to the underside of the shelf, and then put it back when he was done.

Some hazard from the glass jars, but he could see the contents without untwisting the jar. He probably had 50 of them hanging from the bottom of that shelf. 1" screws, 1.25" screws, etc.

[Doug Garson]

My biggest storage problem in the shop is where to store all the containers I saved to store stuff in, seems like I have more storage containers than stuff. Course if I toss all the containers..........:D

[Mike Henderson]

There are a ton of snack factories around here and clear plastic one gallon and gallon and a half containers of snacks are discounted everywhere. Just Monday, I bought a 2 gallon plastic drum of fried pork rinds for $1.50. I use them for dog treats.

If I had that container of fried pork rinds my dog would never get a chance to taste them. I'd snack them all.

They're probably an acquired taste. If you had them as a kid, you probably love them. Otherwise, ...

Mike

[Bill Dufour]

I wonder what car paint shops and nail salons do with all the little empty cans of paint. Do nail salons have paint mixing machine like paint stores do?
Bill D

[Anthony Whitesell]

I stink at sizing screws and bolts. When I work on my car or tractor, I take the entire wrench or socket set with me. Along those lines, I realized years ago I needed a way to organize all the screws, nuts, washers, etc. I looked and looked at organizers and storage containers. WOW! Are they expensive. To determine the number I would need, I went to Lowe's and Home Depot, and recorded every size and type of screw they had hanging. I count over 350 different screws, bolts, washers, nuts, etc. that I would be likely to have in my shop. My solution:

Homemade trays, 1 1/2" thick with solid hardboard bottom and holes in the top hardboard for holding...wait for it...prescription bottles. They come in about 5 different sizes and most pharmacies use the same find (Walgreens, Walmart, and Rite Aid do anyway). They will not give or sell you any empty bottles. But depending on how often you need to frequent the pharmacy the can stack up quickly. I started making the trays when I realized I had two 10-ream paper bozes full.

[John K Jordan]

It is amazing how many Altoid tins hold various items in my shop. Many of them have been painted on the tops so it is easy to label them with a sharpie.
...

I salvage many containers and the Altoid tins are never tossed.

One thing I do with the Altoid cans is put change and a few bills in one for the glovebox/center compartment of each car. That way if something comes up when out and about and the wallet is short there is always a little cash on hand. You know in case of the need for an emergency donut. Or less fun, a parking meter. Or for exact change at a drive thru.

JKJ

[Jim Koepke]

One thing I do with the Altoid cans is put change and a few bills in one for the glovebox/center compartment of each car.

Good idea, we just have it loose in the ashtrays.

jtk

[BOB OLINGER]

Baby food jars used here.

[Brian Deakin]

I salvage many containers and the Altoid tins are never tossed.

One thing I do with the Altoid cans is put change and a few bills in one for the glovebox/center compartment of each car. That way if something comes up when out and about and the wallet is short there is always a little cash on hand. You know in case of the need for an emergency donut. Or less fun, a parking meter. Or for exact change at a drive thru.

JKJ
I like John have a small plastic container in the car which I keep change in Additionally I place a £20 note in the space between the back of mobile phone and its cover This money has come in useful on a number of occasions

[Warren Lake]

dollar store, all the same in cabinets on the wall mostly. Want them all the same size. Better plastic now some of the first ones failed in time.

[Rob Luter]

Cigar boxes and yogurt containers.

[lowell holmes]

I use plastic shoe boxes.

[Prashun Patel]

Lowell, I tried using plastic shoe boxes, but the ones I get are not designed for anything heavier than some loafers. As such, they kind of warp and deform when I try to pick them up with slightly heavier contents. The lid then pops off.

What brand/kind are you using? I feel so ridiculous asking this question.

[lowell holmes]

They are not made fore heavy loads, but I have no issues with mine. I buy mine from Home Depot or Lowes.

https://www.google.com/search?q=lowes+plastic+shoe+boxes&sxsrf=ALeKk02R9aVd0VTMY9tYI7YV9hVNOyhx3A:160502381 2616&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwigvdPRq_jsAhXshK0KHeFJA8EQ_AUoAnoECAwQB A&biw=2133&bih=1076

[Keith Outten]

I have used plastic oil cans for many years, they are stored on 2 by 4 shelves high on the wall which is unused space. I clean them by putting large numbers of cans in a large tub, fill with water and add dish washing detergent. Let them soal for several days and the existing label falls off in the tub.

[Bill Carey]

I got a couple of these years ago and they are holding up well. A great way to store dowels, T tracks, etc - anything long and slender.

Helps to remember to add the link...

LINK (https://store.cleartecpackaging.com/clear_en/utw.html?Item=PRT00111&Nominal_Size=4.000& Length=48.000&QTY=2)

[jared herbert]

I use a ton of plastic skippy peanut butter jars to store nails and screws in. They come in a variety of sizes, they have wide mouths for easy access and jars are clear so you can see what’s in side. My wife eats a lot of peanut butter

[Terry Wawro]

Another fan of Talenti gelato containers. They are made with some seriously thick plastic for something that just hold ice cream.

Another thing I save is the hard plastic trays when we buy pork chops from the meat dept. They make great disposable paint trays when I'm painting or staining with paint pads.

[Mark Blatter]

Another fan of Talenti gelato containers. They are made with some seriously thick plastic for something that just hold ice cream.

Another thing I save is the hard plastic trays when we buy pork chops from the meat dept. They make great disposable paint trays when I'm painting or staining with paint pads.


I have a few of the Talenti gelato containers. The first one I got I made sure to save. A few weeks later I bought another one and since they are small, figured they must be a person serving. The next time I checked the calorie count and realized if I continued to buy them, I would have great containers for storing things, but would gain 50 lbs in about two months. I stopped buying them 'for the container'.

My son drinks a powered tea that comes in white plastic containers that about six inches tall and an oval shape. They make great storage for screws with a small footprint. I also use left over salsa containers I buy from Krogers for mixing stains and cleaning brushes. They are nice and easily disposable. I have two metal baby formula cans in my shop from the 80's I think. They were like a double can so are 10 - 12" tall. I store screws in those too, specialty screws with a special bit that they require.

[Frank Pratt]

you guys & all your talk of Talenti Gelato! Now you've got me craving it & I can't get it in Canada.

Probably just as well...

[Dan Hulbert]

Another plug for Talenti containers. I'm amazed (and embarrassed) at how many I've amassed since Covid started. They work great for mixing small batches of finishes. Raspberry Gelato and their double dark chocolate are awesome.

[Doug Garson]

Another plug for Talenti containers. I'm amazed (and embarrassed) at how many I've amassed since Covid started. They work great for mixing small batches of finishes. Raspberry Gelato and their double dark chocolate are awesome.
Are those the stain colours or the gelato flavours? :rolleyes:

[Stan Calow]

Since the last thing I need right now is more ice cream, what is it about the Talent containers that make them so useful? Size + screw lids? Dont make me go down that aisle the store to find out.

Not so much for the shop, but I've found liquid detergent containers to be very useful in the garage and in the yard. I use them for storing grass seed, used oil, sawdust fertilizer, and, cutting part of the spout off, as a scoop for snowmelt salt, sand, and other similar stuff. They're strong and durable.

[Prashun Patel]

They are perfect because:
Ice cream pint sizes are about the right size for parts; large enough to store a decent amount and to get your hands into; small enough to get several onto a shelf.

They are transparent so you can see the contents perfectly.

They are a hard plastic that does not compress or warp.

They are straight sided. This marginally improves their stackability with the lids on. Also, this makes it possible to screw the lid to a shelf and then put the container (open side up) into it and it won't slide or rattle around. Makes a perfect, stable pencil, acid brush, compass, utility knife holder.

The lids are screw on and made well. I've screwed a bunch to the bottom of a shelf and they will support the weight of container full of screws hanging.

They seem to be relatively chemical resistant, so you can store all kinds of finishes in them. I don't think the lids are sealed well enough to prevent drying out over long periods of time, but one container is definitely enough for a typical project at a time.

You can drill out the bottom , and screw the side into the bottom of a shelf so the open side is pointing outward, for a perfect cordless drill holster.

We in woodworking are not the only ones to recognize this. Talenti "pintcycling" is a thing. Check it out.

Oh yeah, and btw, their gelato is phenomenal too. Haven't met a flavor I didn't like yet.

[Stan Calow]

. . . Oh yeah, and btw, their gelato is phenomenal too. Haven't met a flavor I didn't like yet.

I was afraid of that.

[lowell holmes]

See this site

https://www.google.com/search?q=plastic+shoe+boxes&oq=plastic+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j0i433j0j46i433j0j0i433j0. 8503j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8