Help Me Organize my Hardware

[dr_clyde]

Alrighty. I’m in the beginning stages of selling my company to my biggest customer and one of the things I need to do is go through every nook and cranny and inventory all my stuff. I also need to decide what I’m keeping for my personal collection and what will go with the sale.

To that end. I have a LOT of miscellaneous hardware. The buyer is interested in some of the hardware but not necessarily all of it. Whatever he or I don’t want will get sold on Facebook or whatever, but neither of us will want surplus stuff taking up space on the shop.


I would like to keep a smaller but still fairly broad selection of hardware for my personal shop. Like, a small handful of each/most of the stuff.



These bins ****. They’re awkward to move, collect dust on the hardware and generally aren’t an efficient solution to storing what I have.

My first two thoughts are a 12+ drawer Lista/Vidmar or some sort of tray rack like a Sortimo or Plano trays. I like the idea of the Sortimo boxes but they’re quite expensive.

Looking at keeping a handful of each common size of the following:

HHCS
SHCS
BHCS
Nuts
Washers
Roll pins
O rings
E clips
Snap rings
Dowel pins
Rivets
Set screws
Electrical connectors
Construction screws

For now they’ll end up either at my dad’s shop or my uncles place. If I go with something small enough I can get it down into my basement that’s an option but I’d rather not.

Any suggestions or thoughts?

 

[loganb]

If it doesn't need to be mobile, the common industrial solution is the mentioned Vidmar or Lista cabinet. Highly modular, high storage density when setup well, highly visual...only downside is they're spendy and the 24 to 30" depth doesn't work for everyone. But if it's viable it's amazing

 

[dr_clyde]

If it doesn't need to be mobile, the common industrial solution is the mentioned Vidmar or Lista cabinet. Highly modular, high storage density when setup well, highly visual...only downside is they're spendy and the 24 to 30" depth doesn't work for everyone. But if it's viable it's amazing

I have a few Vidmar in my shop already and love them, but they are definitely not mobile haha.

Right now that’s the front runner but if a better idea rolls along I’m all for it.

 

[loganb]

I have a few Vidmar in my shop already and love them, but they are definitely not mobile haha.

Right now that’s the front runner but if a better idea rolls along I’m all for it.

If you want mobile, you can bolt a pair of 30" tall units together, casters under and toss a butcher block on top. Now you have mobile when necessary but easy to park along the wall for a workbench. The 5' tall units definitely not mobile friendly

 

[ecotec]

Dr Clyde, do you have a walkout basement?

 

[kbeefy]

I agree Lista/Vidmar cabinets are the nicest option. I can't justify the cost so I use the HF Sortimo style containers.



Other people that are much better at cabinetry build some very nice racks for them, but this is what I did instead.

 

[dr_clyde]

Dr Clyde, do you have a walkout basement?

I do not. Hence the resistance to carrying weight down stairs lol

 

[dr_clyde]

If you want mobile, you can bolt a pair of 30" tall units together, casters under and toss a butcher block on top. Now you have mobile when necessary but easy to park along the wall for a workbench. The 5' tall units definitely not mobile friendly

Mobility in the shop isn’t an issue, forklifts and pallet jacks make that easier.

I mean mobile as in, I want to occasionally take an assortment of screws to the job or on the road without having to take the entire cabinet.

That is fairly minor compared to a good storage solution, but if I can kill two birds with one stone, I’m interested.

 

[ecotec]

I do not. Hence the resistance to carrying weight down stairs lol

I cannot imagine bringing a couple Vidmars down basement stairs, even with all the drawers out.

If you do, it should probably be the house you want to stay in well into retirement.

 

[Skellyii]

Mobility in the shop isn’t an issue, forklifts and pallet jacks make that easier.

I mean mobile as in, I want to occasionally take an assortment of screws to the job or on the road without having to take the entire cabinet.

That is fairly minor compared to a good storage solution, but if I can kill two birds with one stone, I’m interested.

Sortimo clones. Could be Stanley, HF, Home Depot or other.

Portable, and you can build or buy a shelf/cabinet to store them in.

 

[rharman]

@dr_clyde - No suggestions but congratulations on selling your business. Retiring?

 

[dr_clyde]

@dr_clyde - No suggestions but congratulations on selling your business. Retiring?

No, not retiring yet. Just one of those business opportunities that I would be dumb to not take advantage of.

 

[Steve_P]

Lista/Vidmar is the industrial standard. For a reason..

 

[showags]

Admittedly not on the same level as a Lista/Vidmar, nor do I have the volume of hardware that you do, but I went with the Milwaukee Packout low profile trays in an existing tool chest. They are pretty cheap when you buy just the trays and there are vendors that offer 3D printed multiple configuration dividers. The height for me was perfect for the box it was going in (older generation 36" masterforce) and it allows me to piece together a 'to-go' set into a low profile Packout Box as needed. This way all the hardware can be stored in the rolling chest and I only need a couple of the actual Packout Boxes for travel purposes. The flexibility allows me to choose whichever items I might need for a certain project. Supplyhouse has the 5 bin set for under $6.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Milwaukee-31-01-0502-5-Piece-Bin-Set-for-Low-Profile-Organizer?utm_source=google_ad&utm_medium=Shopping_Tools&utm_campaign=Shopping_X_Tools_X_SSC_Hybrid&utm_campaignid=22227341202&utm_adgroupid=170135304170&utm_targetid=pla-2435455402009&utm_product_id=31-01-0502&utm_matchtype=&utm_keyword=&utm_adtype=pla&utm_category=Tools&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22227341202&gbraid=0AAAAAD_WAys4jGTZ-UNsj4QgLeG5Md70M&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmYzIBhC6ARIsAHA3IkSy62ZwHDZ0kMgNgG6fe3fU4CIIc7xkSB8sjUysJwQKvYoYYSBgOoIaAsHGEALw_wcB

 

[Aaron_W]

I agree Lista/Vidmar cabinets are the nicest option. I can't justify the cost so I use the HF Sortimo style containers.



Other people that are much better at cabinetry build some very nice racks for them, but this is what I did instead.

This seems like ideal small parts storage to me. I've been slowly working towards a similar arrangement.

I like your shelves, sure they are not pretty, but they work. It is a shop not a display space.

 

[niget2002]

I agree Lista/Vidmar cabinets are the nicest option. I can't justify the cost so I use the HF Sortimo style containers.



Other people that are much better at cabinetry build some very nice racks for them, but this is what I did instead.

This is also the route I went. It has worked well for me. I just need to do a better job of labeling.

I've also vastly reduced the fastner sizes I keep on hand. I'm down to 4 SAE sizes that I keep stocked and I use all those in my personal projects. I have a lot of the small metric kits from 2.4mm up to 6mm in the little plastic boxes they come in from amazon. Any other onsey-twosey fasteners get bought as needed from big box store.

 

[Dave455]

Random thoughts -

First off - don’t be in too much of a rush to dispose of hardware you don’t have to. You won’t get much back but it will be expensive to replace, and you sometimes have quality issues too.

I’m totally in agreement regarding the bins you have. I’ve worked with that style and hate them. As you say, there’s no protection and I don’t find them easy to access or stock check. Critically, I find them to be huge space wasters as most of what you are storing is fresh air!

With the right storage you would condense that lot down to a fraction of the volume, then it’s less of a drama to keep.

As to storage solutions, that’s the big question…!

For really small parts I tend to use these Raaco “assorter” boxes. Raaco is a European company but I’m sure similar is available to you. Critical thing I find is to get boxes with a flexible / shatterproof lid. I’ve seen too many with breakable lids and they usually end up broken!


For bigger parts, bigger boxes in the same style have to be considered. They give the contents a lot of protection, and if suitably organised you can just grab the right box and take it to a job.

I resisted the Milwaukee Packouts when they were first introduced. I thought they were a bit over priced. But I’ve come to realise how good they are and am using them more and more. They’re very durable, rugged, well designed and have some fantastic features. Made in Israel by Keter too. All my electrical connectors are stored in these now.


I’ve seen other similar boxes, such as these De Walt, which I can get really cheap. But every time I see the actual boxes they seem.. really cheap, and just nowhere near the quality of the Milwaukee.




For fastener storage I’m using a mix of small glass bottles


And larger polypropylene bottles


I was probably influenced by being able to pick up a whole load of these cheap from a surplus store, but even if I had to buy them in I find they work well.

I can store them on shelves so I can easily see the contents, they seal up tight so the contents are protected, they are easy to grab just what is needed for a job, and when I need more storage I just open another pack of 10. Very flexible.

Increasingly, I find a lot of family and friends are taking vitamin supplements etc. I ask them to save any plastic bottles now, and they work o.k. too.


In honesty, the Lista cabinet you suggest is probably the “Rolls Royce” option. They will store the most in the smallest space, they’re perfect for access, and they take the weight. Downside is weight / portability (and cost). If you can handle these, go for the Lista (or similar).

My dream workshop includes loads of these…!