Nuts & Bolts Storage - What Do You Guys Prefer?

[Old Moparz]

I've been "remodeling" the work space in my basement that's mostly used for wood working projects. It's not really remodeling so much as just finally setting it up to be a more efficient space to work in. One thing I do like to have & use, are the storage drawer units that stand upright that have the clear drawers so you can see exactly what you're getting. I've bought a bunch of these over the years & have them loaded up completely. A few months ago I got two more that I needed, but had no place to put them that was convenient so I started to plan the new shop layout.

Last week I bought some building materials including sheet rock, rigid insulation, lumber, a few odds & ends, & finally got busy. The hardest part was moving 24 years worth of accumulated ****. When I got around to moving the storage drawer units, I noticed that some of them were all cracked & starting to come apart. They haven't been moved in years & weren't hanging on the wall, they were on shelves. I know I had loaded them up pretty good but not to the point where they were binding up, bent or sagged. That's what I get for buying cheap plastic I suppose.

I've been checking craigslist & looking online for metal ones but have had no luck. Other than spending a small fortune on steel units, like the $259.00 one pictured below, what do you guys use?

http://www.medicus-health.com/stackable-medical-supply-cabinet-w-clear-drawers-large.aspx

 

[383 240z]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177025

 

[forrestlaw]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177025

This. Or similar containers with little drawers.

 

[Ray-CA]

I can't help with your search, but, if you find a set that you like without the clear plastic drawer front, you could always hot-glue one item to the front showing you what is in the drawer.

Ray

 

[Old Moparz]

Hmm, I missed that topic.


I do like the plywood shelving that KCarGuy made for the Plano cases. I may sketch up something that can hold all the clear drawers I have, but I'd like to avoid starting another project right now.

 

[M17715]

Those type of drawers are good. I also like to save my old (large) pickle or applesauce jars. I screw the metal lids to the under side of a shelf. Fill the jar with screws and then just screw the jar up into the lid. That way you can easily see what's inside. And all you have to do is unscrew the jar and get to the contents. Been doing this for decades. You'd be surprised how much weight they hold. It works for me.

 

[waggie]

durham boxes are pretty good, but their cabinet is ****. so i built my own cabinet.

 

[Zick]

durham boxes are pretty good, but their cabinet is ****. so i built my own cabinet.

Very nice!

 

[RTcat]

durham boxes are pretty good, but their cabinet is ****. so i built my own cabinet.

Sweeeeeeeeeeet

 

[Old Moparz]

durham boxes are pretty good, but their cabinet is ****. so i built my own cabinet.

That is nice.

Want to sell it?

 

[Jeffvette]

I've got some cabinets that were from ACE. They are 18 little slide drawers that fit what I need or usually want to keep sorted and in order. I think they were less that 20 bucks each.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I've been "remodeling" the work space in my basement that's mostly used for wood working projects. It's not really remodeling so much as just finally setting it up to be a more efficient space to work in. One thing I do like to have & use, are the storage drawer units that stand upright that have the clear drawers so you can see exactly what you're getting. I've bought a bunch of these over the years & have them loaded up completely. A few months ago I got two more that I needed, but had no place to put them that was convenient so I started to plan the new shop layout.

Last week I bought some building materials including sheet rock, rigid insulation, lumber, a few odds & ends, & finally got busy. The hardest part was moving 24 years worth of accumulated ****. When I got around to moving the storage drawer units, I noticed that some of them were all cracked & starting to come apart. They haven't been moved in years & weren't hanging on the wall, they were on shelves. I know I had loaded them up pretty good but not to the point where they were binding up, bent or sagged. That's what I get for buying cheap plastic I suppose.

I've been checking craigslist & looking online for metal ones but have had no luck. Other than spending a small fortune on steel units, like the $259.00 one pictured below, what do you guys use?

http://www.medicus-health.com/stackable-medical-supply-cabinet-w-clear-drawers-large.aspx

$259 for that POS?

Does it come sterized and have a medical certification? No wonder why Health Care is so expensive.

 

[Old Moparz]

$259 for that POS?

Does it come sterized and have a medical certification? No wonder why Health Care is so expensive.

That's what I was thinking, too.

I did a google search for metal nuts & bolts storage drawers & that was one of the first few things that popped up. Any company that provides equipment & supplies towards a "specialty" service must add the "I don't care what it costs because it's not my money" surcharge.

We needed a blueprint file box at work, the type that allows you to store the rolled up plans vertically. This is a small, 16" square, by 12" to 18" tall box with dividers inside like a wine bottle box. The least expensive one was $50........FOR A DAMN CARDBOARD BOX!

I have an old metal one & an old plastic one from the early 1970's that my father had. They are both still in perfect shape, except for a missing drawer. I wish I could have gotten more of them.

Here's the $50 box....

 

[bullitt67]

durham boxes are pretty good, but their cabinet is ****. so i built my own cabinet.

OUTSTANDING job you did there!!!

 

[Glenn M.]

durham boxes are pretty good, but their cabinet is ****. so i built my own cabinet.

I really like the job you did on that!

 

[crewchief888]

this is what i have in the garage for misc storage.
everything from nuts & bolts, to springs, knobs rubber bumpers, AN fittings, pipe fittings, fuses, relays, self tapping screws, fender washers and spacers.

i keep woodworking, electrical, plumbing stuff, large boxes of drywall screws, ect. stored in a few stanley bins and in a spare roller cab in the basement.

i dont keep many nuts and bolts around, all the big box stores, and ace hardware are within 5 miles, and my service truck is 50 feet away.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I need to get some blank labels and sort out a parts cabinet on one side of the garage. It's going to get woodworking fasteners while the nuts/bolts are on the other side of the garage.


I saw this about a week ago and called about it before he had a price on it. It was out of my price range.

http://mansfield.craigslist.org/grd/3878365873.html

 

[admranger]

Well, you're probably not going to like my answer, but I store them in a Lista cabinet. I had crappy plastic ones you get get at the big box stores and they sucked. So when I got my Lista cabinets I got one that was essentially for nuts/bolts/misc. stuff. Ended up just pulling the plastic bins out of the cheapy cabinets and transferring them over to the Lista. the drawer dividers hold them in place really well and it has worked out fine.

I have a Griot's Garage nut/bolt/screw assortment that uses drawers similar to the ones Waggie used in his excellent stand (needs plugs for the ends of the tubing though...).

I don't know how close you are to Motorhead Extraordinaire, but their scratch and dent Lista's are really affordable, especially if you can pick them up instead of pay for shipping.

Good luck!

 

[bull_duck]

Warning !!!!
The shelves referenced here are worth more than their contents.

Therefore:

a) throw the would-be contents into the trash, or

b) go to Walmart, fishing supply section, and purchase several inexpensive containerized divided plastic boxes for fishing equipment.

 

[Always_Thinkin]

I've got some cabinets that were from ACE. They are 18 little slide drawers that fit what I need or usually want to keep sorted and in order. I think they were less that 20 bucks each.

Is it me or is the shelf above the bench not level?

 

[mtnwalton]

I started out using the plastic organizer cabinets (small drawers), then got metal drawers and built wooden cases to hold them. The picture below is a cabinet I still use; sorry for the crappy image I lazily used my phone. it came out of an old Penneys store that was closing. Each drawer has permanent dividers to make 3 open areas. Baby wipe containers fit well.

I'll continue using that cabinet for miscellaneous hardware but I plan on switching to portable cases in the future. Comparing the Bosch LBoxx to Stanley fat max to sortimo boxes. Being modular and stackable is great for some but not a real issue for me. I'd rather have cases I can pull out on a bench when needed. I figure I'll need about 24 cases to cover most of the hardware I use. Everyone has their own ideas as to what works for them.

 

[DCarr]

I bought a similar Cabinet to this in 1991 that has 81 bins, with a 4-5 week old receipt showing it had just been stocked recently, grade 8 hardware from 1/4" to 1/2" Fine & Course and various lengths. I've kept it stocked up as nice and full as I could remember.

For a larger assortment, I wouldnt never consider using anything else again.

Remember, mine has 81 bins

 

[mike_81]

Baby food jars here

 

[jeffmoss26]

Several Plano boxes, a couple sets of cabinets with drawers, a stack of 5 Jandorf plastic boxes for all my key blanks, and 2 Durham-style metal drawers. Plus I have several of the 6 drawer bulk fastener cabinets, from the hardware store display.
Don't feel like taking pics lol

 

[frankush]

I've prefer the Durham drawers and the cabinets to hold them. I usually pick them up from Zoro when the discounts are big. Labeling them is the best thing you can do. Pick up the largest ones they make. I picked up 4 of them and a slide cabinet for about $100 the last time they were on sale.

 

[kevinstj]

I just started buying these for my bolts,nuts and small misc stuff. They are made by Plano Molding (model 5231). I buy one for each size of nut/bolt. I put the nuts,washers in the top section. The bolts go in the bottom. I plan to make a cabinet to hold them. I get them from Amazon for 13.00 .


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[NUTTSGT]

I've prefer the Durham drawers and the cabinets to hold them. I usually pick them up from Zoro when the discounts are big. Labeling them is the best thing you can do. Pick up the largest ones they make. I picked up 4 of them and a slide cabinet for about $100 the last time they were on sale.

Zoro tools, interesting place.

 

[bgarrett]

I use punch card file cabinets. 5 of them. No need for labels since they are only full of three things. Nuts, bolts and washers

 

[Jeffvette]

Is it me or is the shelf above the bench not level?

I just checked, it is level. Just the perspective using the iphone.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

here's what i use

 

[rshadd]

I using these Durham Mfg. Small Trays now...

but I'm always on the look out for a Durham 9" bolt bins.

 

[Mr onetwo]

I really like my Akro-Mils bins.Got them from Zoro using coupons.

 

[Steevo]

I like the old metal drawer units.
I purchased this card file cabinet for $26 from a local county auction.

 

[Holt]

durham boxes are pretty good, but their cabinet is ****. so i built my own cabinet.

Straight badazz. Ill take 1

 

[bull_duck]

Is it me or is the shelf above the bench not level?

IMO, not level.

 

[ez-duzit]

Still have some small stuff in baby food jars from over 50 years ago. But I have a strange collection of other more purpose built systems. Most of my new stainless fasteners are in an assortment of rugged, older, Plano type opaque, divided boxes. The clear boxes are generally too prone to breakage.

Additionally There are various yard sale metal cabinets with (breakable) clear plastic drawers. And some metal drawer units (garage sales). Also several coffee cans full of mostly ancient nuts and bolts.

 

[BFBOB]

Very nice drawer arrangement, but I find things like that annoying - anything on the workbench prevents opening the lower drawers. My solution was to build a simple base of 2x4's to get it up off the workbench, but not too high to see into the top drawers. Q&E.

here's what i use

 

[JasonJ]

What I currently use. It needs a good cleaning and reorganization though.

 

[muibubbles]

ANYTHING with drawers. dont get the open bin style..... they just collect dust... eventually i hope to pony up for a nice vimdar cabinet that i can store all my misc **** in one spot...

 

[Outlander]

Stop posting your neat set ups, and your tons of fasteners. I hate my set up and haven't addressed it. You make me feel like I need an intervention. I can't find stuff (cabinets full of parts) on CL, Kijiji etc - although my indy garage guy found a real steal on cabinets so they exist.

Ah never mind, post away...I need the ideas.