Hardware Storage/Organization

[Derek Tuchscherer]

I was wondering what you all do for storage and organization of hardware? I am just lost for an easy, organized and attractive way to store all my hardware/fasteners. I am looking for something that is more organized and attractive than having all those little clear plastic boxes like what you get at the box stores. Any ideas are appreciated.

[Jim Becker]

I use a couple of the "standard" small hanging cabinets with plastic bins for the odds and ends that hang out in small quantities. For the three sizes of fasteners I use a lot, I built a larger three-compartment bin out of scraps. The thread about it is here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=20283&highlight=Screws).

[Matt Meiser]

I have a ton of plastic bins hanging on the metal panels that they make for that purpose. I got the metal panels free from the trash at work and get the bins at Harbor Freight or Meijer. I also have some of the plastic cabinets Jim mentions.

[Von Bickley]

Is all that stuff suppose to be organized????:)

[joseph j shields]

I got one of these at Sams Club for $99.

Works great for stuff that won't fit into the plastic drawer units.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=107069


-jj

[Gary Herrmann]

Derek, I don't know what style you're looking for but I use the yellow and black Stanley/Zag suitcase types you can find at Lowes. We were rehabbing the house, then I found myself getting into wwing, so I wound up with a number of these.

When I started acquiring these we had water problems in the basement and I was always needing a handful of fasteners somewhere around the house. These units have a bunch of yellow boxes within the suitcase, so you can just grab a sub-unit and go do what you need to. You can stack them up so they don't take up too much space, but then you have to unstack them if you don't label the cases. DAMHIKT.

Maybe one day I'll go the bin route if I think I will have a permanently dedicated shop space.

Anyway... http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?TYPE=CATEGORY&CATEGORY=ZAG+ORG+OTHER&PAGENUMBER=2&VIEW=ThumbView

[Andy Hoyt]

Pickle and mayo jars for the bigger stuff; and garlic jars for the smaller doo dads.

It should come as no surprise that mustard jars just don't cut the mustard.:D

[joseph j shields]

Here is another storage unit I use and like....

I bought this at Ikea for $99 & it fits perfectly under my unisaw table saw.

I think is now $119.

The drawers have metal slides. Nice unit...

Note-I removed the casters.

-jj

[Larry Fox]

I'm in the same boat as Von - my stuff is in a 5-gallon bucket under my workbench. :)

Great fun pawing through it to find a washer or something that you just KNOW is there.

[Greg Koch]

I picked up 12 of these behind our local Fred Meyer store...

I took the sample hardware off, removed the paper mounting insert so I can see inside, and mounted them along one wall. They work well for small parts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/th_IMG_2518.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/IMG_2518.jpg)

[glenn bradley]

Derek, you don't mention how much stuff you store. 100 of each screw, 1000, 5000? For my pocket screws and brass I use these:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=100852-986-3700&lpage=none
They're cheap, stack well and are of a better quality than you think.

For larger stuff I use the wall mounted bins that go on sale at HF for next to nothing about every month or so. 20 bins with wall racks for about $6. You can't go wrong. I use them for bulkier items like hinges, 3/8" and up hardware, feet, knobs and what-not.

[Per Swenson]

This is how I was,
Storage drawer's, box's every screw ever made,
50 drawer slides in stock at all times, Locks, more locks then a deli
in Haifa. Folks I am in the home improvement business too.
1/2 garage full of electrical, other half plumbing.
144 12 x 15 drawers in the shop.....NO Mas!

I buy what I need for a job and save nothing.
This dosen't mean I still don't have all that stuff.
(I think I am the missing Collier brother)
It is just slowly finding its way to different homes.
Like the dump.

Really folks, how many times have you gone to look for something,
not found it, then went to purchase it again only to find it when the Mcfeelys bill comes due?

It hit me one day driving by the Home Creepo, I wish I had that much
space I thought. When in fact I do. At the end of this keyboard and in
orange and blue warehouses across the country.

Per

[Keith Outten]

Here is my solution.
Free oil cans. Cut the tops off and soak in a tub with dishwashing detergent for a couple of days. You can write on the cans with a black marker.
Mounted above my garage doors in space that would have been unused I have about 36 feet of oil cans that hold screws, bolts, nuts, nails, etc.
Plastic oli cans fit perfectly on a 2 by 4 shelf.

.

[Maurice Metzger]

Derek, if you have an Ikea handy, they sell these boxes for $9.99:

48998

It's called a Fira mini-chest. Dimensions are:

Width: 14 "
Depth: 9 7/8 "
Height: 10 1/4 "


Made out of thin birch plywood, it comes flat and you screw and nail it together.

I can't actually recommend it as I haven't tried one, but it is a different look.

No connection to Ikea (I wish...)

Maurice

[Rob Russell]

Pickle and mayo jars for the bigger stuff; and garlic jars for the smaller doo dads.

It should come as no surprise that mustard jars just don't cut the mustard.:D

Ya know Andy, the phrase is really "cut muster" ... ;)

Rob

[Al Willits]

Mernards has plastic drawers in a wall mountable rack for about $10, couple different size drawers and although pretty cheap, work well for smaller stuff.

Metal bins for nuts and bolts.

Al

[Brad Kimbrell]

Here is a nice solution from the January 2006 ShopNotes. Volume 15, Issue 85, Page 28.

I like it because it provides covered storage rather than a dust catcher.

49008

[David Giles]

I'm with Glenn and Per. Plano plastic boxes organized by common task. One for pockethole screws, one for nuts and bolts, one for drawer slides screws and mounting bolts, a big Stanley for construction screws, etc.

I've thrown away everything that I don't commonly use. All rusted items are gone. Any slotted screws are gone. There's an ACE Hardware store 3 blocks away that has 10 of anything special.

[glenn bradley]

Keith, that is a cool idea and is planet friendly as well. I try to find a use or a second use for whatever I can.

[Keith Outten]

Keith, that is a cool idea and is planet friendly as well. I try to find a use or a second use for whatever I can.

Thanks Glenn,

Plastic oil cans are almost indestructible and the price is easy on the tool budget :)

I have everything separated into individual cans, even machine screws, washers and nuts as well as wire ties and special hardware. I have even helped some of my friends get their collection going donating my oil cans for their shops.

We recycle all plastics, glass and metal cans here in Gloucester County but I generally find uses for plastic oil cans. Now that Aaron Koehl has his own home he will be needing a shop fastener storage system so I know where the next couple hundred will end up :)

.

[Rob Russell]

Keith,

Interesting solution.

The oil "cans" are easy to grab.
You're right about - if one wears out - it's not a budget-breaker to replace.
They're big enough so you can fit those small "bulk boxes" of screws into one of the cans.
Availability of the plastic container is easy enough. I'm sure that any car dealership would be happy to give you a garbage bag full anytime you want them.Rob

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I don't have a picture but I stole the idea from someone on the Creek.

I built a stacked series of top loading hopper bins with little plexi faces ( so I can see what I have in side) and a flip up lift door to access the screws and keep the dust out. The bins are about 4*4 and maybe 8" high they open at the bottom by stepping out ( like a shoe) away from the box body where the screws spill out making it easy to hand pick 'em.

[Greg Crawford]

I got this from a friend at his garage sale. He used to work with electronics, so that may give a hint as to where to look for something similar. I can't believe how much cra ...err... great stuff I can get in it.