Cleaning up the mess...

djkeev · Apr 23, 2012

OK, how many of you have containers of hardware?

You need a bolt or a nut so you dump it out, sort through it, find the item that you desire and now, you need to pick up the hundred pieces you don't want and put them back into the container.

I've held the container under the edge of the bench and carefully swept the pile back in and then picked up the 8 or 10 items that fell on the floor! Grrrrrrr! There has to be a better way!

Tonight I poured out a Baggie of VW parts to get a bolt and now was faced with returning the rest to the Baggie.......hmmmmm

OK...... Wait! I'm a carpenter! I build buildings! ..... STEP FLASHING!.... Bend to 90 degrees.... Perfect! (I've also got coffee laced with Whiskey....)

Scoop them up like a small dust pan....

Slide them back into the Baggie using the 90 degree bend as a funnel...

Viola'! Done, didn't drop one! :beer:

Dave

atotalnincompoop · Apr 23, 2012

pure genious!! :beer:

Stick Figure · Apr 23, 2012

add a couple more bends, and make it one of these:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?...leBase&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=Google

Ray-CA · Apr 23, 2012

I turn a baggie inside-out, hold a magnet in my hand, put hand (with magnet) inside the inverted baggie. Run it through, over, around the parts. Turn baggie right side out, remove hand and magnet, seal baggie.

Ray

Zeke · Apr 23, 2012

I always dump the contents of a bin out on an old towel or shop rag. It keeps the dust and debris when I grab the corners and pour the hardware back into the bin. I thought everyone did that.

NUTTSGT · Apr 23, 2012

Stick Figure said:
add a couple more bends, and make it one of these:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?...leBase&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=Google

Man, I think I can make one of those. :thumbup:

I have some step flashing too.

DGC15 · Apr 23, 2012

Zeke said:
I always dump the contents of a bin out on an old towel or shop rag. It keeps the dust and debris when I grab the corners and pour the hardware back into the bin. I thought everyone did that.

Works for me too! :beer:

JimVonBaden · Apr 23, 2012

Zeke said:
I always dump the contents of a bin out on an old towel or shop rag. It keeps the dust and debris when I grab the corners and pour the hardware back into the bin. I thought everyone did that.

I usually do. However, since I am starting fresh, I actually have spent the last few days sorting nuts/bolts and everything else to put in my parts bins. I labeled them tonight, but have a ways to go.

It is about half full now.

I think I need another one! :lol_hitti

Jim

MadMechMaster · Apr 23, 2012

I use an old cookie sheet. Seeing some of those pics, makes me want to cut one corner off.

Need4racin · Apr 23, 2012

plastic coffee cans (would I still call them cans?). Bolts/washers/nuts/screws/misc junk/junkyard hardware

Dale B · Apr 23, 2012

When you go to the swap meet , pick up a bunch of baking pans for $1 each , put the washers in one , nuts in another, etc , then they are laying in plain view for easy ID. Expand as neccessary It's worked for me since the pans used to cost 10 cents .......

64dragnwagon · Apr 23, 2012

MadMechMaster said:
I use an old cookie sheet. Seeing some of those pics, makes me want to cut one corner off.

That's just what I was thinking, get a small to medium size a little deepr than a baking sheet, like a cake pan then cut the corner out.

JimVonBaden · Apr 23, 2012

64dragnwagon said:
That's just what I was thinking, get a small to medium size a little deepr than a baking sheet, like a cake pan then cut the corner out.

Hit the Dollar Store. I get them and cookie sheets for a variety of maintenance uses.

Jim

NUTTSGT · Apr 23, 2012

JimVonBaden said:
I usually do. However, since I am starting fresh, I actually have spent the last few days sorting nuts/bolts and everything else to put in my parts bins. I labeled them tonight, but have a ways to go.

It is about half full now.

I think I need another one!

Jim

Will that shelf hold the weight of that cabinet full of fasteners ?

JimVonBaden · Apr 23, 2012

NUTTSGT said:
Will that shelf hold the weight of that cabinet full of fasteners ?

I hope so! :shocking:

Seriously, it holds my fat ****, so I immagine it will be fine with 50 pounds of nuts and bolts, instead of 240 pounds of screw loose. :beer:

Jim

Murphy4570 · Apr 24, 2012

I have a couple small cardboard boxes full of hardware. Think the size of MAF sensor boxes.

Parting out cars means I have gobs of hardware lying around.

BJ42LX · Apr 24, 2012

djkeev,

Put that hardware in a jar of Evaporust for a day or two. Rinse. Douse it with some WD40 and you'll have "new" hardware next time you go back to the bag for a piece of something.

gonefirefighting · Apr 24, 2012

just something to think about. I have a very large media tumbler in my shop just for those random piles of nuts, bolts and hardware. when I find all that stuff i dump it in the tumbler and let it ride. once it gets full i the pull out all the fresh looking goodies and sort accordingly.

sxk122 · Apr 25, 2012

No mess to start with....

http://www.harborfreight.com/24-divider-storage-container-94458.html

Just have a stack of these boxes, I can easily peek in the top to see everything. I prefer it to a bin system because I can see everything alot easier!

JimVonBaden · Apr 25, 2012

sxk122 said:
No mess to start with....

http://www.harborfreight.com/24-divider-storage-container-94458.html

Just have a stack of these boxes, I can easily peek in the top to see everything. I prefer it to a bin system because I can see everything alot easier!

I use those for my smallish parts and elextrical, but they are not really good for larger bolts, nails and brackets kinds of storage.

Jim

Kevin54 · Apr 25, 2012

Look into one of the small vibrating tumblers and toss those rusty nuts and bolts in it to clean them up before storing them back to a container. Myself, I hardly keep rusted nuts and bolts. As cheap as they are, I run to the hardware store and pick up some new ones.

http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-shop/tumblers-vibrators/5-lb-metal-********-tumbler-67617.html

Falcon67 · Apr 25, 2012

Coffee cans. Why sort - it's more fun to dig through a big pile of bolts on the bench top, looking for the perfect one.

Stick Figure · Apr 25, 2012

sxk122 said:
No mess to start with....

http://www.harborfreight.com/24-divider-storage-container-94458.html

Just have a stack of these boxes, I can easily peek in the top to see everything. I prefer it to a bin system because I can see everything alot easier!

I have been working on that recently...

but still have a LONG way to go...

poor tote is like 350 lbs and even with two ratchet straps holding in the sides its still starting to burst.

jamesemery728 · Apr 25, 2012

hf has these also for $2.99, very handy.

Tim Kennedy · Apr 25, 2012

Zeke:
x2 -- I'm like you -- thought everyone did it this way!

Outlawmws · Apr 25, 2012

MadMechMaster said:
I use an old cookie sheet. Seeing some of those pics, makes me want to cut one corner off.

Or a brownie pan...

I have a SS tray someone bent up and TIG welded to dump things into, but I also keep most everything in bins or drawers by size, so I rarely need to resort to that expedient any more. My son calls it the "hardware store". Storage is like this:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117174

Outlawmws · Apr 25, 2012

sxk122 said:
No mess to start with....

http://www.harborfreight.com/24-divider-storage-container-94458.html

Just have a stack of these boxes, I can easily peek in the top to see everything. I prefer it to a bin system because I can see everything alot easier!

JimVonBaden said:
I use those for my smallish parts and elextrical, but they are not really good for larger bolts, nails and brackets kinds of storage.

Jim

THIS ^^^^

A couple for the small quantity speed and screw gun specialty fasteners, (bulk stay in original boxes) and 5 for crimp on electrical connectors; one setup as a "road box" for electrical with basics and a crimper tool; One with brass pipe fittings and one oversize one for my limited supply of metric fasteners.

I couldn't fit all my nuts and bolts in those even if I filled an office supply cabinet completely with the plastic bins, and if I did it would collapse, unless I got the ones Jack uses...

djkeev · Apr 25, 2012

I was simply posting an idea of how to return the items to the container. The thread has taken a few good turns though.

I clean my hardware as I need it. It's a lot of time to have everything in storage clean, nice I'm sure but a lot of time.

Just buy new hardware!?!? You're kidding right? Most of the hardware that you find on shelves today is quite simply sub standard low grade garbage from China. To get quality hardware you need to shop somewhere other than Home Depot or Lowes. An outfit like Graingers or Fastenal for sure. It won't be "cheap" but it will be quality and quality that is backed up by documentation of origin, many industries require this for safety (such as the amusement industry).

I reuse most of my old hardware except where fastener stretch is critical, such as torque angle head bolts.

Storage, there are a lot of really bad systems on the market. The open bins do nothing but collect dirt and debris. The drawers make items hard to locate. Many parts trays are not spill proof though if you keep them in a drawer all will be well. Portable compartment organizers are by my standards poorly made, tend to crack and actually fail to keep item A in item A's box and they end up in item E's box!

This is what I use, there are larger ones but this one is absolutely ideal for all of those little parts You have in limited quantities. The cover is clear so you can see without opening the box, each tray is separate and removable so you can take the tray of screws to the spot you are working without lugging the whole case with you!

A little spendy? Yes, they are. But if you want quality, it isn't the cheapest available most of the time.

Open with some trays removed....

Dave

dittle fart around · Apr 25, 2012

View media item 18895
The shop I used to work at had these metal drawers similar to the Stanley you have. They were filled by the vendors with specialty fasteners and small parts. They outlasted me on the job. Hard to find used but you can buy new for about 20 bucks a box.

djkeev · Apr 25, 2012

dittle fart around said:
View media item 18895
The shop I used to work at had these metal drawers similar to the Stanley you have. They were filled by the vendors with specialty fasteners and small parts. They outlasted me on the job. Hard to find used but you can buy new for about 20 bucks a box.

Yes, I've got a number of these boxes. Problem is, not spill proof, excellent for a drawer setup but not good for carrying around in a briefcase like fashion.

The trouble with my favored Stanley box is that they air difficult to find in stores.
Sears sells a similar unit, not as good, Harbor Freight sells a similar box, again, not as good.

These are way cheaper than Stanley's but the reason why is obvious once you begin to use them.

Here are the Sears (bottom/red) and the HF boxes.

Dave

dittle fart around · Apr 26, 2012

Found these on line from Store Logic
I've got to find something better to do with my spare time.

sxk122 · Apr 26, 2012

I don't have anywhere near the amount of random hardware y'all have. lol.

I have 5 of the $3.99 HF boxes, and they fit most of my random stuff. The reason I prefer them is the dividers remove, so you can store long bolts. As for quantity, if i have more than would fit in the box, it generally means I bought a box of said object, so i just store it in those boxes....

djkeev · Apr 26, 2012

sxk122 said:
I don't have anywhere near the amount of random hardware y'all have. lol.

I have 5 of the $3.99 HF boxes, and they fit most of my random stuff. The reason I prefer them is the dividers remove, so you can store long bolts. As for quantity, if i have more than would fit in the box, it generally means I bought a box of said object, so i just store it in those boxes....

Oh you must be young! The disease will grab you sooner or later!
The need to keep that odd Metric bolt for SOMEDAY (probably after I'm dead and buried) it MAY be needed!

I've got boxes and boxes of not only hardware new and old but plastic bits, rubber bits, special automotive hardware and automotive clips. I've got boxes of woodruff keys, cotter pins, grease fittings, snap rings.......... Sigh!

Why? The day of the local small town hardware store that had all of this stuff in stock is gone. You need a woodruff key today where I live, it's a half hour round trip to a place that might maybe have one that I can modify and make fit, if they dont have it then with a two hour round trip I can probably have it in my hands but then again.......maybe not.

Dave

1949 caddyman · Apr 26, 2012

I dump out can of hardware on to 4-5 sheets of newspaper. Find what you want, fold newspaper in half and use it to pour parts back into container.

PECVD2 · Apr 26, 2012

Stole this idea from ROLLING THUNDER.

sxk122 · Apr 27, 2012

djkeev said:
Oh you must be young! The disease will grab you sooner or later!
Dave

29, and my parent's and my parents never get rid of anything.... and lord forbid if it has a sale sign on it......

I have a tendency to go in the other direction.

bb1970 · Apr 27, 2012

You guys with yer fancy pants organization skills are taking the sport out of tinkering on things! :bounce:

djkeev · Apr 27, 2012

bb1970 said:
You guys with yer fancy pants organization skills are taking the sport out of tinkering on things!

Being messy and disorganized does not enhance tinkering!

Actually,

I find the opposite to be true.

Dave

OccupantRJ · Apr 27, 2012

NUTTSGT said:
Man, I think I can make one of those.

I have some step flashing too.

I saw those in Harbor Freight last week, Eric. Seems like they were a couple of bucks.

Cleaning up the mess...

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