Storage container for small hardware

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I've accumulated a lot of hardware over the years. About 20 years ago, I made a special shelf and stored them in baby food jars attached to a particle board shelf. See pic 1.

The baby food jars are inefficient regarding space requirements. Also, the glass jars sometimes stick to the lids making them difficult and hazardous to remove. So, I'd like to make a cabinet to store plastic boxes. See pic 2.

Where can I find these small storage containers with hinged lids??? The one shown in pic 3 was bought at Sears, but they don't carry them anymore. An internet search yielded nothing. I need a bunch of them. Any thoughts are appeciated?

-Jeff :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/DSCF1069.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/Storageshelf822x473.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/DSCF1070.jpg

[Jamie Buxton]

For compartmented boxes, check out tackle boxes. For instance http://www.amazon.com/Plano-3600-Prolatch-Adjustable-Dividers/dp/B000E39T50/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_text_b

[Bill Pealer]

The BORGs carry these, different sizes & cost from $2.50 up. Might also try Wally World including the fishing tackle area. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

[Ron Dunn]

Any discount store should carry a wide range of boxes like that in the sporting goods section - they're used for fishing tackle.

[Keith Cope]

Check out Hobby Lobby--I have gotten a couple of similar boxes there for super cheap!

[Don Abele]

McFeely's carries a lot of different storage bins. Here's one that's like what you are looking for:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/images/items/PSB-1006.jpg

The dividers can be arranged in any way you want. They cost $8.75 each (I think you can find them cheaper as tackle boxes, but these let you arrange the compartments/dividers any way you want). If you're interested in buying it, they are here: http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/PSB-1006/Adjustable-Compartment-Tray

There is also a cabinet they fit into:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/images/items/1040-MSA.jpg

For $29.95 though, I'd make my own. If you're interested in buying it, it's here: http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/1040-MSA/Super-Sortment-Chest

No affiliation with McFeely's, just a satisfied customer. Personally I use their storage bins like this:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/images/items/BINS-6000.jpg

Be well,

Doc

[John Michael]

My personal choice are the following Stanley 25 compartment organizers(actually an Israeli plastics company they purchased). The polycarbonate lids make for easy viewing, but the main reason I like them is because each individual compartment is removable so you can remove the bins containing the actual parts or fastener you plan to use, then just put them back without moving the whole organizer or having loose fasteners rolling around your assembly table. The separate compartments makes reorganizing within/between containers a snap also. The lids are stiff and cap the compartments well so cross contamination is non-existent.

These 25 compartment containers are believed to be discontinued from Stanley, and they have chosen to dump their remaining stock to Amazon, so buy them up while they're cheap and accessible. After 2 years of searching and even trying to purchase some OEM labeled versions from Europe, I finally heard a few months back they'd become available on Amazon and hurriedly purchased 10 of them, of which only one is not filled. They used to be carried at places like Home Depot and Lowes 2-3 years back for $20.00 a piece which I think priced them out of the market compared to the cheap ($4-6 and completely inferior) plastic imports sitting right next to them. However you can still purchase the 8 compartment deep storage version at the the Big Box stores, which are great for larger size or quantity items.

Between the two sizes combined I have roughly 25 of these things stacked in my shop and have been procrastinating building 2 rolling carts with slides to store all of them.

Stanley 25 Compartment for $12.00
(http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Consumer-Storage-014725M-Professional/dp/B00005QWYF/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1201480370&sr=1-1)

[Steve Kohn]

Try a sporting goods store. The bigger ones stock plastic boxes for fishing tackle.

[Alison Gray]

I have seen great compartmentalized containers at Gem Shows. They use them a lot in beading, but at the gem shows there are people who sell those things wholesale pretty cheap.

[Terry Sparks]

Do you have a Harbor Freight nearby?

These are items that are regularly on sale, as in at least monthly, and if you wait for them to come up, you can buy these items for half the price of anywhere else.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?CategoryID=872&pricetype=

Also look for their extra savings coupons that are published every Sunday evening late, of which storage organizers are a common item. An easy place to find these coupons are from this blog link (or just google "Harbor Freight coupons") http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2006/07/harbor-freight-coupons.html

I just bought 5 more 24 divider clear plastic hinged lid containers - 15" x 9.25" x 1.75" with the extra savings coupon two weeks ago for $1.99 each ($5.99 at the borg). Last week I bought five of their smaller containers for $1.00 each.

[glenn bradley]

Plano's at Lowe's. Up to 24 adjustable sections. About $4 each. I made a couple proto-type shelf units for them (in the blue cabinet). Like it. Will go permenant. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=76665&d=1197145701

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Wow. Judging by all the suggestions, I did a pretty crummy job using Google. I also checked out some sporting goods retailers, like Cabelas and Bass Pro Shop, as suggested and found a bunch more.

Thanks!
-Jeff :)