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Storing Nuts and Bolts ?

SteelArt

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Oct 11, 2010
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228
Location
Brisbane, Australia
Ok So I am doing a shop rebuild and want to come up with a good solution to store my nuts and bolts.

It needs to be organised well, have easy access and look neat and tidy when done.

So any pics / ideas ?
 
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saabman

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Oct 8, 2009
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Location
Sebago Lake, Maine
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

Many years ago I bought nuts and bolts from an Auto store that had a "Pick-a-Nut" retail sales display. I liked the way the box system was laid out. Very easy to find what you were looking for. Some years later, I found that Pick-A-Nut sold starter kits which included a steel frame and an assortment of starter boxes. I bought a US and Metric kit and mounted them to the wall in my shop. I typically restock with generic nuts and bolts from Bolt Depot or McMaster.

Pick-A-Nut is still around and last I knew was owned by Dorman. I believe they even have the starter sets available.
 
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SteelArt

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Brisbane, Australia
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

Pick A Nut huh ... ok will have a look.

As a rule I buy Nuts and Bolts in box's of 100 - 1000 depending on size. So I need to be able to fit that sort of qty in many different styles, lengths, threads etc.

I liked the look of these.

img38.jpg


But then I found the price $1,448.00 ... ummmm nope not for me ... :lol
 

PCO6

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Newmarket, Ontario
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

I use plastic storage bins with my own mounting system that can be built to suit where you want to put them. I use 1"x3" pine with drop ceiling aluminum angle screwed to the top side of it. It can be cut to any length that you need and screwed to walls, the inside of cabnets, etc. It's inexpensive and works great.
 

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Licensed to kill

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Aug 2, 2010
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Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

I just use a regular bolt bin. I can take a picture if you like but it's laying on the floor right now as I am building a mezzanine and mechanical room and the bin was in the way and I'm not yet ready to remount it.
 

Griff93

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Jul 25, 2009
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Huntsville, AL
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

If you can find one for a good price, Lista or Vidmar cabinets make awesome hardware storage.
 

ctfortner

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Dec 7, 2009
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Location
TN
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

This is what I just did with mine. I had a small 3' section of wall between 2 closets and thought this would be perfect for that.

I am using baby formula jugs, they were plentiful for a while (twins) and work great for small stuff!

IMG01609-20101027-2029.jpg


IMG01608-20101027-2029.jpg


IMG01610-20101027-2035.jpg


IMG01613-20101027-2041.jpg
 

PCO6

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Newmarket, Ontario
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

Not sure what "drop ceiling aluminum angle" is...do you have a side view photo or drawing...and...why the 1" x 3"?
"Drop ceiling aluminum angle" is the support / finishing peice that you attach to the perimeter walls when you install a drop ceiling (see first photo below). All Home Depots, Lowes, etc. carry it in the "drop ceiling" section and it's inexpensive (10' for about $4). The side view photo of my "bin rack" shows it screwed (#6 x 3/8") to the top face of a peice of 1"x3" pine (other types of wood would work too).

Start by cutting the wood to match the total width of the bins you are using. Take into account the "gaps" between the bins and add that to your measurement. A row that's 10 bins wide would require less than 4' of wood and aluminum. Then screw a peice of the same length of aluminum to the top edge of the wood. Finish by screwing the wood to the wall. The back lip of the bin hooks onto the aluminum just like it would on a "factory" rack. The wood provides a surface for the back of the bin to rest on. You can make as many racks that are any length that you want. This works best on hard plastic bins vs. the ones that are softer as the back lip on the softer bins aren't as straight.

I like it because you can customize the width of the rack to suit what ever space you have on the wall. That plus it's simple, fast and cheap.
 

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gumbudah

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Location
Northern Wisconsin
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

I use plano boxes , about 1.5" deep in the 8"x14" version. I've built a rack that holds a bunch of these cases. That way I can put a bunch of different bolts/nuts in one case and take with when needed, plus their clear so their easy to see through, lastly, their completely enclosed, so everyting in each bin doesn't get dusty.
 

crewchief888

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Dec 3, 2009
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NW indiana
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

heres what i use for most of my small storage needs. a few more have been added since the pic was taken.
i had a lawson nut and bolt bin at one time, ran out of space for it.

most of my storage solutions have been from dumpster diving expeditions.


:beer:
 

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wantedabiggergarage

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Feb 25, 2006
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Location
Independence, MO, USA.
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

Pick A Nut huh ... ok will have a look.

As a rule I buy Nuts and Bolts in box's of 100 - 1000 depending on size. So I need to be able to fit that sort of qty in many different styles, lengths, threads etc.

I liked the look of these.

img38.jpg


But then I found the price $1,448.00 ... ummmm nope not for me ... :lol


Sam's club has a shelf with a bunch of those on it, for a LOT less.
HF sells a small one that I use around the house (two shelves I believe), but I am too close to the hardware store for a lot of storage (and smaller house).
 

MichaelP

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IL/WI border
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

PCO6, isn't the angle too flimsy to carry 10 large bins full of metal?

Nice and simple design, by the way.
 

PCO6

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Newmarket, Ontario
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

PCO6, isn't the angle too flimsy to carry 10 large bins full of metal?

Nice and simple design, by the way.
Originally I thought that it would be too but with the back of the bin resting on the wood it's the wood that carries the bulk of the load. I screwed the aluminum to the wood at about 4" intervals but I probably could have gone with 6". You can apply pressure to the bins with your hand that exeeds the weight of a bin full of hardware and the aluminum will flex a bit but it will not let go or even bend. The first one surprised me ... so I made more!:)

BTW - I have only made these with small bins. My guess is that they would also work with larger bins and the wood appropriately sized so that it matches the back bottom corner of the bin.
 
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Tink

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Aug 26, 2009
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Location
Old Bridge,N.J.
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

If you just want a small inventory to have handy for odd jobs use a couple of the cases with the small pull out drawers(3"X 6"). I ran a row of the various size nuts down the left side of the case and then ran the different length bolts of that size across the case. I use another case each for screws and washers.
 
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SteelArt

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Oct 11, 2010
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Brisbane, Australia
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

Thanks for the indeas and feedback guys I have a few things to follow up on now. Some of your setups are very impressive.
 
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TagMan

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Aug 1, 2010
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Location
Alvaton, Kentucky, USA
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

I bought a file card cabinet from a Library sale. The Library was getting rid of them and switching over to computerized record keeping. It cost me a $100 and they delivered it and put it in place for me.

It's got 72 drawers, with inside dimensions of 5"x14½"x3½" in height. I keep all my nuts & bolts in the drawers, as well as a ton of other "stuff".

The little one, next to the main one, was bought at a junk store for $40.00........but I had to move it


LibraryCabinet.jpg
 

jwillis

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Aug 24, 2010
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SW Ohio
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

A really cheap way is to start eating a lot of applesauce in large glass jars. Or pickles. Or olives. Or whatever. But,whenever you get quite a few of the same jars, just put a screw in the lid, and screw it underneath the shelf. Put the nuts and bolts in the jars and just screw them into the lids. They will hang there and will be easy to see. When you want something out of one of them, just dump it into a shop towel, pick out what you want and dump the towel back into the jar. Or, you can make a rotating rack to hang them on and just turn the rack to the desired jar.
 

jwillis

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SW Ohio
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

I bought a file card cabinet from a Library sale. The Library was getting rid of them and switching over to computerized record keeping. It cost me a $100 and they delivered it and put it in place for me.

It's got 72 drawers, with inside dimensions of 5"x14½"x3½" in height. I keep all my nuts & bolts in the drawers, as well as a ton of other "stuff".

The little one, next to the main one, was bought at a junk store for $40.00........but I had to move it


LibraryCabinet.jpg
Wow!! Nice cabinets. But they look too nice to be nicking up with nuts and bolts. ;)
 
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SteelArt

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Oct 11, 2010
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Location
Brisbane, Australia
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

hmmm lots of ideas.... biggest isue I have with most of them is that they aren't a blended solution and I need whatever I do to be bothe blended and closed in so it doesn't fill up with grinding dust etc.

Looking at all my options I am thinking I will make some custom draws to fill my need and fit in with the rest of the new layout.

Thansk for the input though it has given me more than a coupel of ideas to mull on ..
 

csp

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Mar 23, 2010
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Franktown, CO
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

I have an eleven drawer file card cabinet with removable bolt bins in each drawer. The cabinet itsellf probably weighed 150lbs empty, so it has the capacity to hold a lot of fasteners. I like it for the fact that it closes and stays relatively dust free, and I can remove a bin and take the fasteners to whatever I'm working on.
 

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SteelArt

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Oct 11, 2010
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Brisbane, Australia
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

Ok I ended up makeing a set of custom 2mm alluminium draws. They are 165w x 700long x 100 deep and slide in outer sheet matal supports which I will build into the bench.
I will split each draw into 100mm compartments so I will get 7 per draw and there will be 20 draws when done.







I will get some better photo's later as I was in a rush to get to work. :beer:
 

mrb

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Dec 31, 2008
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Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

the durham type bolt bins are so expensive, has anyone considered making their own (cad drawing, have sheetmetal laser cut, formed, and spotwelded together) ?
 

type550

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Jul 19, 2010
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141
Location
Melbourne Australia
Re: Storeing Nuts and Bolts ?

I've been collecting old coffee jars over the years to use. They are great because you can see everything instantly and always looks organised.

PICT6968.jpg


PICT6967.jpg
 
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