Storage of storage

[jmk89]

I use Eclipse mint tins to store small hardware items - I have collected them from my own consumption and that of colleagues at work for 4 years and have about 200 of them. They are really good for screws etc of less than 65mm length.

However, I needed to find a way to store them.

Here are some pictures of what I have come up with:
141161141162141163

I dovetailed a frame and then put a grid of lathes from left to right on the top and from front to back on the bottom spaced to hold the tins by the hinge and lip of the lid. The frames are then installed on a pair of vertical frames using drawer slides. So far so good.

[Sawdust Maker]

Jeremy
That's a very concerning addiction you have there :doh:
how much has it cost and what sort of effect is it having on your family? :p

[jmk89]

Jeremy
That's a very concerning addiction you have there :doh:
how much has it cost and what sort of effect is it having on your family? :p
I am glad to say that I am responsible for less than 30 of the tins!

[I_wanna_Shed]

A very unique storage system Andy, that also does wonders for the breathe.
Hmm.... I have 3 empty's on my desk at work....

[wheelinround]

Jeremy a good idea I must say :2tsup:

Not for me though unless its small stuff

I have to use the laundry detergent plastic containers 1ltr or fish oil containers both big an small storage is a real pain but at least they stack.

[Sawdust Maker]

I am glad to say that I am responsible for less than 30 of the tins!

What 29 but no one is counting :q

nearly three rows

[chippy 71]

I use Eclipse mint tins to store small hardware items - I have collected them from my own consumption and that of colleagues at work for 4 years and have about 200 of them. They are really good for screws etc of less than 65mm length.

However, I needed to find a way to store them.

Here are some pictures of what I have come up with:
141161141162141163

I dovetailed a frame and then put a grid of lathes from left to right on the top and from front to back on the bottom spaced to hold the tins by the hinge and lip of the lid. The frames are then installed on a pair of vertical frames using drawer slides. So far so good.

Jeremy,
I see you have labelled some of the tins but with 200 of them, how do you keep track of what is in each tin and where?
Do you grade the tins of screws by gauge or do you have another method?

Colin.

[Christos]

This is interesting way of storage. Let us hope that you do not accidently reach for the wrong mint. :U

[jmk89]

Jeremy,
I see you have labelled some of the tins but with 200 of them, how do you keep track of what is in each tin and where?
Do you grade the tins of screws by gauge or do you have another method?

Colin.

Colin

No way I could invent a system to allow me to remember every tin's contents. So, this weekend's job, while sitting in front of the TV has been to label more of the tins. Some progress has been made:
141467

[Christos]

I guess you have already figured this out but I will say it anyhow if you do not mind. As you are labelling you might want to split sections and trays to certain similar items. Say screws go into top tray row 1 to row 3.5, then bolts to top tray row 3.5 to row 5 and so forth. Then put masking tape down between the rows and write on the masking tape. If something changes then you just pull off the masking tape and update with new information. Quick to see the section that has the type of part and then sort for the item that you require.

[chippy 71]

Colin

No way I could invent a system to allow me to remember every tin's contents. So, this weekend's job, while sitting in front of the TV has been to label more of the tins. Some progress has been made:
141467

Jeremy,

I like your storage idea but I would be tearing my hair out trying to keep track of what was in the containers.:D

Colin.

[bsrlee]

I'm using plastic peanut butter jars, I have one roughly 600x600 drawer full, and a Nylex 'fish crate' with some more stuff I don't use much. I still have half a mail bag of assorted plastic jars awaiting contents - the ones that honey comes in seem to stick closed even after a thorough washing.

The main advantages with the jars are: free, see contents without opening, when dropped rarely break & if they do break, no glass shards to tread on. I will however be making labels for the lids which will make drawer searches even quicker - there is not enough room in the drawer to stick a sample screw on the lid with hot glue, which is another trick I saw on the 'Net.

[chippy 71]

I'm using plastic peanut butter jars, I have one roughly 600x600 drawer full, and a Nylex 'fish crate' with some more stuff I don't use much. I still have half a mail bag of assorted plastic jars awaiting contents - the ones that honey comes in seem to stick closed even after a thorough washing.

The main advantages with the jars are: free, see contents without opening, when dropped rarely break & if they do break, no glass shards to tread on. I will however be making labels for the lids which will make drawer searches even quicker - there is not enough room in the drawer to stick a sample screw on the lid with hot glue, which is another trick I saw on the 'Net.

brslee,

I had similar ideas, my better half buys fruit in square plastic jars, not sure how much they hold but would be about 100mm square maybe slightly larger and I also have been converting to peanut butter plastic jars which are a mongrel to get the labels off.
With the fruit jars, the labels come off easily. Labels on top of the lids make it easy to know what is in them.

Colin.

[Bob38S]

brslee,

peanut butter plastic jars which are a mongrel to get the labels off.

Colin.

G'day Colin,

Try this, if the label is plastic coated, pull off, which leaves a paper/glue residue, if just a paper label then go with the following,

- double up a kleenex type tissue and cover the label, drip a few drops of Shellite onto the tissue - it spreads - make it wet enough to soak the tissue, leave for a few minutes and the label will slide off, fold the tissue into a square and wipe off any glue residue.

This leaves the plastic jar clean and not scratched.

Just a thought, regards,
Bob

[chippy 71]

G'day Colin,

Try this, if the label is plastic coated, pull off, which leaves a paper/glue residue, if just a paper label then go with the following,

- double up a kleenex type tissue and cover the label, drip a few drops of Shellite onto the tissue - it spreads - make it wet enough to soak the tissue, leave for a few minutes and the label will slide off, fold the tissue into a square and wipe off any glue residue.

This leaves the plastic jar clean and not scratched.

Just a thought, regards,
Bob

G'day Bob,

Many thanks for that tip, with a little effort now all my PeanutButter jars will be label clean.

Regards,

Colin.

[Bob38S]

You're welcome Colin - I'm sure it will work as easily for you as it does for me.

It amazes me on many occasions how tenacious some of these glues are especially when you consider that in many cases the containers are regarded as a throw away item.

Regards,
Bob

[chippy 71]

You're welcome Colin - I'm sure it will work as easily for you as it does for me.

It amazes me on many occasions how tenacious some of these glues are especially when you consider that in many cases the containers are regarded as a throw away item.

Regards,
Bob

Yes Bob, I find these Peanutbutter ones the worst I have come across, no matter how many times I soaked and scrubbed them, there was always some glue/label left.
Never mind we have got it beat now.:2tsup:

Regards,

Colin.