Bolt bins ..show me your creative cost effective solution

[Dan in Pasadena]

Another version using the Harbor Freight parts storage cases. The cabinet is 5' high with 20 spaces. One of the best things I did was put in a pull-out shelf on drawer slides to provide a place to put whichever parts case you are digging through. This picture was taken right after I built it - needless to say the cabinet is now full...

I like this idea because these HF bins (I assume) are relatively cheap and making the shelf unit would be easy/cheap. The casters make it more useable.

My problem is I don't have enough of any one type fastener, nail, washer, staple, you-name-it to really justify a separate bin for each of them. My dad always had his stuff in coffee cans and I HATED having to turn them over looking for a specific nut or bolt and then having to put them all back in again.

I suppose putting similar things together is the best I can do.

 

[slodat]

What's the print vs buy trade-off?

I already own the printer. Depending on size of the bin, it’s essentially a wash. And, custom sizes. I can’t see me buying more from Schaller.

 

[Firebrick43]

This is my grandfather's solution! Worked well. He always had a mishmash of containers. Once you learned what kind of container held what hardware, it sped up finding something. The big downside for me was that the glass would break.

My grandfather collected baby food jars (the larger one) from all his grandkids. He screwed the lids to the under side of his wood shop cabinets and could easily see the first row. Further back rows were usually a longer version. They are 3 rows deep. Just unscrew the jar from the stationary lid. Uncle now owns the house and they are still in use.

 

[Max78]

bin-store.com for the bins,

McMaster.com for populating the bins.

Cheap as heck, I plan to get more than a few when the time comes.

 

[rdoty]

I like this idea because these HF bins (I assume) are relatively cheap and making the shelf unit would be easy/cheap. The casters make it more useable.

My problem is I don't have enough of any one type fastener, nail, washer, staple, you-name-it to really justify a separate bin for each of them. My dad always had his stuff in coffee cans and I HATED having to turn them over looking for a specific nut or bolt and then having to put them all back in again.

I suppose putting similar things together is the best I can do.

This is actually a good point. It turns out that there is a symbiotic relationship between good parts storage and bulk purchases of parts.

The Harbor Freight bins are normally ~$9.00 and go on sale for ~$5.00-$6/00. I started using the Harbor Freight storage cases after starting to buy fasteners in bulk from places like boltdepot.com and Tractor Supply. Instead of running down to the hardware store when I needed something, I planned what sizes and styles would be needed and made bulk purchases in advance. Then there was this huge close-out sale on fasteners at Grainger that led to more storage cases that needed to be organized...

It makes a huge difference having the parts you need, when you need them - and an even bigger difference when you can actually find them! Not to mention the previous situation of having three of a specific bolt when you need four...

Building on the success of nuts and bolts, this approach extended to electrical connectors. Bulk purchases of high quality connectors from places like waytekwire.com is the only way to go if you are doing serious electrical projects. Like, as a totally random example, upgrading the electrical system on a 1963 Imperial.

It is really nice having the parts you need when you need them. And the tools to use them. And a good place to work. Plus the skills to do the job. Oh well, three out of four isn't bad...

 

[zippyslug31]

Here is mine using h/f bins and castor's and wood found in the shop.

I have the same yellow tray thingy hanging from my parts organizer just like you have. When somebody is looking over my "parts tower" I usually also point out the tray since it's not a piece that many consider. These trays are super handy for quickly dumping out a bin, sift through it, then dump them back into the bin using the 'funnel' on the corner. Very quick and convenient.

 

[brownbagg]

i had five gallon buckets of bolts, 30 of them. i would never need that many, so I down size

 

[Innovate1]

I have about 30 metal drawers about 4" square by 10" deep that would be perfect for bolts and the like. Don't have the frame for them though. Have thought about making a frame - I have a bunch of scraps of plywood that would work.