Bolt storage

[Sumboodie]

These make sense for bolt storage?

I'm not needing to store hundreds in each size, if a project would need a bunch of bolts I can go buy a bag.

Mostly to not need to run to the store for a couple bolts.

I got setup with a "common sizes" kit.

1/4" .5, .75, 1, 1.25, 1.5
5/16" .75, 1, 1.5, 2
3/8" .75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 2
1/2" 1.5, 2, 2.5

M6x1.0 20, 25, 35, 40
M8x1.25 16, 20, 25, 30, 40
M10x1.5 16, 25, 30, 40, 50
M12x1.75 20, 25, 30, 40, 50

Durham 102-95-IND Gray Cold Rolled Steel Individual Large Scoop Box, 18" Width x 3" Height x 12" Depth, 24 Compartment https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006WQBM4O?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[FTWingRiders]

That’s about where I started. A good mix, now I’m starting building my nylon nut/varied washer size etc supply, and some SS fasteners.
I like this place.

Bolt Depot - Fastener Shopping Made Easy

boltdepot.com

 

[Sumboodie]

That’s about where I started. A good mix, now I’m starting building my nylon nut/varied washer size etc supply, and some SS fasteners.
I like this place.

Bolt Depot - Fastener Shopping Made Easy

boltdepot.com

Looked into them. Super expensive for shipping.

I got what I have from Fastenal, US Bolts and Nuts and Bolts.

 

[kbeefy]

I have some of the durhams, they're pretty nice but spendy. The racks for them even more so.
I wound up with a bunch of these tackle box type organizers from Harbor Freight and built a rack for them.

 

[Sumboodie]

I have some of the durhams, they're pretty nice but spendy. The racks for them even more so.
I wound up with a bunch of these tackle box type organizers from Harbor Freight and built a rack for them.

That these?

Durham 102-95-IND Gray Cold Rolled Steel Individual Large Scoop Box, 18" Width x 3" Height x 12" Depth, 24 Compartment https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006WQBM4O?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[PCustoms]

I have some of the durhams, they're pretty nice but spendy. The racks for them even more so.
I wound up with a bunch of these tackle box type organizers from Harbor Freight and built a rack for them.

I need to do this, all in one shot.

Bought some.nice Stanley organizers years back, bought only got 3 or 4. They stopped selling them shortly after. Figure I should go buy 10-20 matching boxes and just set a rack up.

 

[Fixr]

These make sense for bolt storage?

I'm not needing to store hundreds in each size, if a project would need a bunch of bolts I can go buy a bag.

Mostly to not need to run to the store for a couple bolts.

I got setup with a "common sizes" kit.

1/4" .5, .75, 1, 1.25, 1.5
5/16" .75, 1, 1.5, 2
3/8" .75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 2
1/2" 1.5, 2, 2.5

M6x1.0 20, 25, 35, 40
M8x1.25 16, 20, 25, 30, 40
M10x1.5 16, 25, 30, 40, 50
M12x1.75 20, 25, 30, 40, 50

Durham 102-95-IND Gray Cold Rolled Steel Individual Large Scoop Box, 18" Width x 3" Height x 12" Depth, 24 Compartment https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006WQBM4O?tag=atomicindus08-20

Small Akro-Bins or copies (HF does pretty well), and a cabinet with shallow drawers, or maybe a wall rack if you have wall space. When you get some sizes that fill in the gaps in the starter kit, you can shuffle the bins. That's really awkward if not impossible with the Durham style cases.

I have several other systems for hardware because I've got a lot of some things and just a few of others, but if I had to start over I'd start with the bins. Use small bins for the small short bolts, and big bins for...well, you get the idea.

 

[Jeff]

These make sense for bolt storage?

I'm not needing to store hundreds in each size, if a project would need a bunch of bolts I can go buy a bag.

Mostly to not need to run to the store for a couple bolts.

I got setup with a "common sizes" kit.

1/4" .5, .75, 1, 1.25, 1.5
5/16" .75, 1, 1.5, 2
3/8" .75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 2
1/2" 1.5, 2, 2.5

M6x1.0 20, 25, 35, 40
M8x1.25 16, 20, 25, 30, 40
M10x1.5 16, 25, 30, 40, 50
M12x1.75 20, 25, 30, 40, 50

Durham 102-95-IND Gray Cold Rolled Steel Individual Large Scoop Box, 18" Width x 3" Height x 12" Depth, 24 Compartment https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006WQBM4O?tag=atomicindus08-20

Good start. Now pick...

• Grade
• Finish
• Washers
• Lock Washers
• Nuts
• Nylock nuts
• Wide (fender) washers

 

[charbar]

If it fits it ships! Does it work for you? If so then run with it. Everyone has their own needs. Gotta start somewhere and expand from there if you need to.

Having said that....those trays are awesome but expensive. My 'common' sizes are in a bin I made from 1x4s. It is 7ft. by 4ft. and holds a heck of a lot more bolts than you listed and cost me half the money to make it.

 

[Sumboodie]

Already have all that. Thread is about storage.

 

[Sumboodie]

If it fits it ships! Does it work for you? If so then run with it. Everyone has their own needs. Gotta start somewhere and expand from there if you need to.

Having said that....those trays are awesome but expensive. My 'common' sizes are in a bin I made from 1x4s. It is 7ft. by 4ft. and holds a heck of a lot more bolts than you listed and cost me half the money to make it.

Open bin will get full of junk. Been there, done that, not again. Trying to keep stuff closed off, why I'm looking at bins. Also portable which is nice. Rare I'm working nearby.

 

[charbar]

I think yo

Open bin will get full of junk. Been there, done that, not again. Trying to keep stuff closed off, why I'm looking at bins. Also portable which is nice. Rare I'm working nearby.

I think you already knew the answer to your question before you made the thread then. I dont think there is anything out there that is going to hold up to portable (service truck??) storage other than those metal bins/trays. Cheap plastic will end up in a shattered mess.....we've all been there, done that.

 

[slodat]

I have a lot of fasteners in my shop. I’ve settled on Vidmar cabinets with plastic bins in the drawers. I used Schaller bins for years. Two years ago a started 3d printing my own with a tab for a label. This works well for me.

Vidmar cabinets:


Schaller bins:




3d printed bins with label tab:

 

[kbeefy]

If you can find Vidmar or Lista secondhand thats best. I've never been able too.

 

[Sumboodie]

If you can find Vidmar or Lista secondhand thats best. I've never been able too.

I have 2 that make up a workbench. Got them at DRMO years ago, before corporate auctions got their dirty fingers in on it.
Rarely find anything worth a **** anymore, it's mostly the 3rds pile, may as well throw out.

Id have to make dividers and all that, plus rehome all the stuff that's been in them for going on 15 years. Too much headache cs new bins

 

[kbeefy]

Oh my gosh..... I totally forgot about DRMO auctions.

I used to browse them all the time, rarely bid on anything. I was a broke MF back then.

 

[slodat]

If you can find Vidmar or Lista secondhand thats best. I've never been able too.

I just bought the two pictured. I have had four counter height for several years. Needed additional space. I actually bought four. Headed to pick up the other two in the morning. Agree on buying used. I bought all four for about what one new was going to cost by the time I got it here.

 

[marak]

I have a lot of fasteners in my shop. I’ve settled on Vidmar cabinets with plastic bins in the drawers. I used Schaller bins for years. Two years ago a started 3d printing my own with a tab for a label. This works well for me.

Vidmar cabinets:


Schaller bins:




3d printed bins with label tab:

May I ask what 3D printer and filament you use? Thanks.

 

[slodat]

May I ask what 3D printer and filament you use? Thanks.

I started out making them with a Prusa i3MK3s with Overture PETG. I bought a Bambu X1C a year ago and never looked back. I also have a Prusa XL. Now, I use a very inexpensive IIIDMax PLA+ for the bins. It works great and is about $11-12/kg shipped.

 

[darrowco]

When I was a kid, I had glass jars on the wall, full of bolts, nuts and fasteners. When I organized recently, I looked at everything else: stackable boxes, bins on the wall, bins on wheels, cabinets, drawers and came to the conclusion that I liked being able to see my inventory at a glance. Also, like being able to say "Yeah, I had some of them do-hickeys, let's see, one of these jars over there." So, I built my own Wall of Plastic Jars out of a few lengths of toe-kick, drywall edging and some bike cable:





New, unused fasteners are in labeled jars; the used and miscellaneous are loosely organized by size in unlabeled jars. I keep the bottom row free for keeping track of small pieces of whatever project I am working on at the moment.

I need to expand this to hold a more complete selection plus I need to a section for wood fasteners and a section for electrical/electronics bits. The downside is that I need to keep a step-stool handy and it does not work for larger/longer bolts or large amounts - those are still in a bin or drawer although. I need the smaller stuff more frequently and when I have to occasional need for large sizes or quantities, I pick them up locally with BoltDepot as a backup.

 

[casmurbax]

How portable do you want?
https://www.amazon.com/Fastener-Sto...age&tag=atomicindus08-20&tag=atomicindus08-20 here are some suggestions

 

[Jgaz]

I don’t stock as much as a used to since the last move but still almost never have to stop in the middle of a project.
3 drawer approx. 17”W x 9”H x 10”D. As you can see 1/4” thru 1/2” NC and a smaller assortment of 1/4” thru 1/2” NF. Just basic fasteners. Lock nuts, longer bolts, Allen head, etc are stored elsewhere.



Most NC sizes stocked up to 3” in this cabinet.

 

[16again]

@Sumboodie I just got a couple of those Durhum boxes that you linked. Currently on a shelf, thinking about building a rack and getting a couple more,
BTW, that AMAZON price with free shipping is very good. I got mine from Bolt Depot and the shipping was brutal. That said, Bolt Depot does have excellent customer service.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I was slowly moving most, if not all of the small parts into a cabinet. The first picture of a grey cabinet has 100 spaces. I keep the small stainless machine screws separate.

 

[evildky]

Depending on where you are and what you do, consider the type of metric hardware you buy. I buy only JIS metric hardware. Severely cuts down on frustration. If you play wiht European or American cars that wont help you.

 

[fourjeepin]

I have the tabbed dividers and dont love them. They take up some space and I have cut them off some of my dividers.

Storing some hardware is a slippery slope. I started off with leftovers dumped in the bottom of a small drawer. Then went to jelly jars for a few years. This led to a desire for some better storage bins. I was able to score waaay more bins than I needed and it came with more hardware than I ever could have imagined - an entire Home Depot worth and the bins for $800.

These hold most of my collection. The top 5 drawers on the left stack are 1/4, 3/8, 5/16, 7/8, and 1/2” graded hardware. I had to full a few holes initially and top a few off over the 15 or so years since I got these. The bottom 3 on the left are lags and carriage bolts. They were overfull but a few sizes are now running low.

Right side has so much little stuff. All the little bits and bobs from the hardware aisle at HD stuffed into one bin.

 

[bb29510]

i think the jars are the best, you can see what you have and take the jar with you

 

[Bessy]

I need to do this, all in one shot.

Bought some.nice Stanley organizers years back, bought only got 3 or 4. They stopped selling them shortly after. Figure I should go buy 10-20 matching boxes and just set a rack up.

This. I've still had good luck getting the Stanley organizers that I was using from HD, but buying them as an online-only item. I have amassed a collection of 30 of the sort-master junior organizers that you can click three together when you need to carry many. The only thing I don't love about them is that the bins are a combination of statically located center bins and dividers, so you have to take the whole kit to wherever you are working, rather than having the option to grab an individual cup like the ones from Harbor Freight and leave the organizer behind.

I am considering buying a few more and taking a dremel to the insides and 3d printing custom organizer cups and seeing how long they stand up to the regular abuses of my shop. I'm curious how much that centrally located divider section aids the strength/durability of those cases. I just recently completed my organizer and shared it to the "What did you do "IN" your garage today?" thread.

 

[PCustoms]

This. I've still had good luck getting the Stanley organizers that I was using from HD, but buying them as an online-only item.

Got a pic/link?

Sounds like what I was using....

I also thought of it yesterday, I might get a bunch of the hanging akro bins, but install them inside a cabinet to keep the bins clean.

 

[ZRX61]

I use boxes I pick up at Hobby Lobby, about $2 each.

 

[Bessy]

Got a pic/link?

Sounds like what I was using....

I also thought of it yesterday, I might get a bunch of the hanging akro bins, but install them inside a cabinet to keep the bins clean.

Stanley SortMaster Junior 14-Compartment Small Parts Organizer STST14022 - The Home Depot

Secure your tools and supplies with the Stanley (R) SortMaster Junior. 8 removable dividers let you customize the box for small parts or large hand tools. Design allows storage of hammers and angled tools

www.homedepot.com

These look like the ones. They're about $11 CAD when I last purchased them, and usually $15 regular price. If I ever need any more, I may make a trip cross border the next time.

 

[PWC Repair]

What on earth!? Are some of you guys building hotrods or bikes on a daily basis in your shop? Why would any normal guy need anywhere near that much hardware? Is it a compensation thing......like a Corvette? J/k I have 2 coffee cans for bolts,....like I thought every normal man had. One is sae and one is metric. Then I have a tin for washers and a tin for nuts. Then a couple of those cheapy plastic drawer cabinets for oddball hardware. Between tearing down broken stuff and saving the hardware, and actually needing a piece of hardware, I rarely ever have to go buy a piece.

 

[tarmy]

Here is mine

 

[Sumboodie]

What on earth!? Are some of you guys building hotrods or bikes on a daily basis in your shop? Why would any normal guy need anywhere near that much hardware? Is it a compensation thing......like a Corvette? J/k I have 2 coffee cans for bolts,....like I thought every normal man had. One is sae and one is metric. Then I have a tin for washers and a tin for nuts. Then a couple of those cheapy plastic drawer cabinets for oddball hardware. Between tearing down broken stuff and saving the hardware, and actually needing a piece of hardware, I rarely ever have to go buy a piece.

Not sure. I got setup with the more common sizes. If I need a bunch for a project I'll go get some vs stocking several thousand $$ just in case.

 

[racecougar]

What on earth!? Are some of you guys building hotrods or bikes on a daily basis in your shop?

Yes. And it sure is handy to have the hardware on hand.

 

[PWC Repair]

Yes. And it sure is handy to have the hardware on hand.

That......I can understand.......because there's purpose.

Lots of random 'stuff' with no immediate purpose = hoarding.

 

[slodat]

I encourage you to check out the shop threads of the guys with lots of hardware and organization on hand.

 

[Refuse1]

I'm a fan of the Stanley bins. They are easy to grab and take to where you need them.

I also have a rotating divided parts bin thing that I use for bolts, nuts and washers that I access often. One level for 1/4-20, one for 5/16-18, one for 3/8-16 and then one for bigger than that.

 

[Sumboodie]

Got it loaded up.

Might need a 2nd to seperate SAE and Metric if I get more sizes.
About 3500 nuts, bolts and washers in it.

 

[PCustoms]

Got it loaded up.

Might need a 2nd to seperate SAE and Metric if I get more sizes.
About 3500 nuts, bolts and washers in it.

Lot different then your OP.

Seems flimsy/brittle for the larger hardware. I've never had luck with this style for anything above terminals or maybe 1/4. YMMV