Storing Nuts and Bolts

[paulsomlo]

I've searched the numerous threads, and there are lots of great solutions for storing hardware, as long as it's all one type/size. But I've got several jars of mixed size hardware, segregated into machine screws, wood screws, washers and what not - far too many different pieces to sort. When I need something, I dump it out onto a flat surface, find the one I need, then try to get it all back into the glass jar without losing half of it on the floor. I've used a five gallon bucket lid with a large hole in it, for sorting, then dumped the hardware back into the jar through the hole.

I thought I once read about something here on the forum that was commercially available, where the container attached to the bottom of the sorting platform, making it easier to get the stuff back in - anybody remember this?

 

[lakeroadster]

I don't, but I am interested too. Sounds something like what pharmacist's use, but on a bigger scale.

FWIW I use this backwoods technique:

Store fasteners in plastic Planter's Peanut containers.

Pour the fasteners into a dinner plate sized plastic bowl, sort through it and find what what you want.

Make a funnel out of a 2 liter plastic soda bottle. Cut the lid large enough to fit into the peanut container, pour the fasteners back in.

 

[gdocktor3]

I've used a large towel or something to line the bucket with, fill it with nuts/bolts, and then pull the entire towel out with everything inside. Lay the towel flat on the floor and rummage through, then grab the corners and put everything back in bucket. Like a giant sling I guess you could say. I also use plastic and metal storage organizer boxes like this. Nice thing is you can fit all your, lets say 3/8" nuts, bolts, washers, lock washers, etc in one case.

 

[PelicanPines]

I used to do the "dump onto a tray" find what you want... dump it back...

Then I sorted everything... Durham cabinets like the grey one shown in the post above...

I also have a pretty good Hillman cabinet collection. (Visible on my profile) (in a photo album)

 

[jumpstart]

I've used a large towel or something to line the bucket with, fill it with nuts/bolts, and then pull the entire towel out with everything inside. Lay the towel flat on the floor and rummage through, then grab the corners and put everything back in bucket. Like a giant sling I guess you could say. I also use plastic and metal storage organizer boxes like this. Nice thing is you can fit all your, lets say 3/8" nuts, bolts, washers, lock washers, etc in one case.

Great idea on lining the container with a towel.

 

[Marcm157]

This is what I use. Got it and a second one just like it from work when they upgraded to newer / larger storage...

 

[fourjeepin]

If you have to dump the jar, it is time to upgrade your storage. I wanted some of the bins like shown above, but they are expensive. I started looking around at other options and found that I liked the bins at HD and Lowes. Then I got stupid lucky and bought all of the bins from a HD that was closing. All the bins were $800, which I thought was a steal, until the guy told me I got all of the hardware too. It took me 2 months to sort it all and I had to spend a few dollars to fill in some holes, but I have a lifetime supply of some hardware. And I sold off a bunch of the bins in order to fund the whole thing.

Radio Shack is supposed to be closing some more locations. Plus Sears and Kmart, but they don't have stuff like this that I am a aware of.

 

[TNBurban]

ask your grandpa about saving those old Folgers cans...



Honestly, I do the equivalent of the same. I just put them all in a few trays I have. When I need something I go through it until I find it. And if I don't find it I get in the truck and go buy it for less than a buck.

 

[pi_guy]

These are the way to go for most hardware.
There are several bin configurations. And they have shelving with pull out trays that the bins sit on that you can stack.
HF has a plastic sorting tray with exit lip good for small parts and hardware.

 

[jimreed2160]

First--Go to HF and get one of these sorting trays.

Second--Go to HD or somewhere and get some divided boxes. Use your sorting tray to sort a few handfuls of screws and fill up the box. Then you can put the dang pail away somewhere and sort another handful when you need to replenish.

ORGANIZATION will make your projects go faster with less frustration. And you can ease into organization in a way that is not too painful. If you bite the bullet and make baby steps now you will see a big improvement. That improvement will motivate you to organize more.

Good luck.

 

[alexb2000]

Hardware is one of those things where I have really been forced to get organized. Before I got it together every project was highlighted by at least one or two trips to the hardware store where I would pay super retail for every item and that came after 30 min of digging through coffee cans. LOTS of lost time and money. I finally spent $900 on a used 60" tall Vidmar cabinet with 4" drawers. In those drawers I put Akro-mills plastic bins so I can quickly take hardware to the job if need be. I figured out I can order a box of something for the same cost as a few (nuts, bolts, washers) at the hardware store. So now every month I spend $50-60 building my hardware collection by filling in my blanks on Amazon. When I'm in the shop and notice that I'm running low on say 3/8 fender washers I just pull out my phone and add a box to my Amazon cart, very efficient.

Once you get organized you'll be amazed how much quicker things get done. Just watch out for the neighbors who will quickly learn there is a quick source of free/cheap hardware just around the corner.

 

[nes999]

I use Schaller bins for everything.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

[StillTooManyHobbies]

I second the yellow sorting tray. I have had one for years and it makes it much easier to return stuff to the little drawers like in the cabinets on the right of Lakeroadster's picture. For example, I don't have enough machine screws for each size to have their own drawer, so all the nuts are in one drawer, screws in another. I pour the drawer in the sorting bin, then pick out what I want, then pour back in the drawer.

 

[lilredex]

Was going to suggest making a sorting tray, but HF already offers one (shown above).......I'll be getting one too next time at HF.

Pay attention to the containers you are throwing out. In addition to peanut butter jars and coffee cans, I use these.....

 

[nh_yota]

My father uses a bunch of those old 3.5" floppy disk storage boxes for his larger fasteners, you know, the ones with the clear flip-up lids. It would have never even crossed my mind to use them for that purpose but he had a bunch of them left over from the old days.

 

[lakeroadster]

First--Go to HF and get one of these sorting trays..

Hmm.. was psyched about that, can't seem to find it on their website... guess I'll make one from a cooking tray.

Thanks for the inspiration...

 

[nh_yota]

I use clear tackle boxes from the sporting goods section of Walmart. Made in USA, fairly inexpensive, and they have adjustable dividers.

 

[Rewind97]

A sorting tray like shown above would be nice, but I think the Paul's idea of a bucket lid with a hole is just as good. For storage I use any clear plastic jar (peanut butter, mayo, planters nuts, etc.) and put on a shelf. I would stay away from anything glass as it would be bad if it broke. Here's a pic of my set up. I also have a couple of the 24 drawer Akro-Mils plastic storage bins holding more stuff.

 

[lilredex]

You can find the sorting tray here for about $3:

http://www.harborfreight.com/easy-sorter-funnel-tray-37081.html

http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=70669&cat=3,41306

 

[paulsomlo]

You can find the sorting tray here for about $3:

http://www.harborfreight.com/easy-sorter-funnel-tray-37081.html

http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=70669&cat=3,41306

That's what I'm talking about - thanks!

 

[Brad54]

Go on Craigslist and start searching for "Nut and Bolt Bins." They pop up all the time.
You can also get storage systems that have plastic bins that sit on shelves in a cabinet.
Or you can just buy the plastic bins in bulk and build your own cabinet.
They're available in many different sizes. I got my original ones from a company called Flambeau, so that might help your search too.

I've now got a 7-foot tall two-door cabinet with many shelves and six or seven bins per shelf, that I bought at the General Motors Doraville plant auction.

-Brad

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Sometimes, I work on things or try to fix things when I get home at 3am. Walmart is open, but doesn't have much in the way of hardware. So, I get extra when I can, and try to keep them organized. Metric is mainly in a bigger box.

And a little music wire and tubing.

 

[mtnwalton]

Here's my mobile hardware cabinet i made last year, got some ideas from another thread here at GJ. Parts containers from Amazon; doesn't hold everything hardware related, but really makes projects easier.

 

[Dingleburry]

this works well if you wanna spend 130$

 

[DaveIRL]

Hardware is one of those things where I have really been forced to get organized. Before I got it together every project was highlighted by at least one or two trips to the hardware store where I would pay super retail for every item and that came after 30 min of digging through coffee cans. LOTS of lost time and money. I finally spent $900 on a used 60" tall Vidmar cabinet with 4" drawers. In those drawers I put Akro-mills plastic bins so I can quickly take hardware to the job if need be. I figured out I can order a box of something for the same cost as a few (nuts, bolts, washers) at the hardware store. So now every month I spend $50-60 building my hardware collection by filling in my blanks on Amazon. When I'm in the shop and notice that I'm running low on say 3/8 fender washers I just pull out my phone and add a box to my Amazon cart, very efficient.

Once you get organized you'll be amazed how much quicker things get done. Just watch out for the neighbors who will quickly learn there is a quick source of free/cheap hardware just around the corner.

this reminds me of a project manager, who comes in the morning asks every trade what they need and goes to the shop only to find a half hour later a carpenters comes in with an empty box and starts shaking it , looks in and says here its empty look. if you know you will run out why didnt you tell me an hour earlier. ahhh

and this continues though-out the day and little management gets done nothing gets done.

 

[landrover bodger]

i use this a file cabinet and home made plastic deviders

 

[Pitalplace]

The wood shelves were built from reclaimed wood and the bins I have collected over many years.

 

[erty67]

i use this a file cabinet and home made plastic deviders

I want to find one of these. I'm currently using a regular 3 draw with HF ammo boxes stacked in. each one has a specific size nut/bolt/washer.

https://www.harborfreight.com/Ammo-...zIjoiMy45OSIsInByb2R1Y3RfaWQi OiIxMDA4NCJ9

 

[Danglerb]

I fill a box with misc, put it someplace, repeat. This sorting thing sounds interesting though.

If I REALLY think I have the nut or bolt I need then I will dig for it, but mostly stop at the industrial hardware store with two aisles of bins of nuts and bolts all sorted out and buy what I need.

 

[anndel]

this works well if you wanna spend 130$

Out of curiosity I clicked on that like to Ebay and wow, shipping to Hawaii is $152.00

 

[EOC_Jason]

The Durham boxes are really reasonably priced on eBay... About $12 for the small one, and about $21 for a large one. Search "durham small scoop box" & "durham large scoop box" to see their selection. I like them because they are metal (the bin insert is plastic).

People like the HF plastic boxes too that allow flexible storage too...

Depending on how many you end up with, either stack a few or buy / make those sliding shelves to access them easier.

My level of "sorting" is based on usage. Things I use a lot get sorted down to exact item in each bin. Things I rarely use (or just leftover one or two) get grouped together and if I happen to need one I can spend a minute digging through.

 

[landrover bodger]

I want to find one of these. I'm currently using a regular 3 draw with HF ammo boxes stacked in. each one has a specific size nut/bolt/washer.

https://www.harborfreight.com/Ammo-...zIjoiMy45OSIsInByb2R1Y3RfaWQi OiIxMDA4NCJ9

hard to find cheap here so I got a new one from ebay £90 delivered

 

[sberry]

My level of "sorting" is based on usage. Things I use a lot get sorted down to exact item in each bin. Things I rarely use (or just leftover one or two) get grouped together and if I happen to need one I can spend a minute digging through.

This too.

 

[4Kings]

Here's the thread of a cabinet built for he HF storage boxes. It's a good read.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=289281&showall=1

 

[z-edition 006]

I use Essbox for nuts and bolts. I also use this for all the hardware i have.

 

[Rarified27]

Here's my mobile hardware cabinet i made last year, got some ideas from another thread here at GJ. Parts containers from Amazon; doesn't hold everything hardware related, but really makes projects easier.

What brand of organizer are those?

 

[dwasifar]

For a long time I kept random hardware in those flat cans that Danish butter cookies come in. The lid of the can provides a sorting tray. But eventually I had about five of them all full of random nuts and bolts and screws, and it got to the point where they took too long to root through. I don't have the patience to hand-sort 25lb of random hardware, so I gave them all to my OCD friend George, who likes nothing better than to do this, and started over. As of now, I don't have enough new random **** accumulated yet to make sorting an issue.

 

[4 FN 27]

OP I feel your pain...I hate digging through hardware and I detest having to run to the Hardware Store. When I buy 1 I buy a box.

I ended up buying a bank of Rousseau Parts Cabinets on an Auction. I modified them and for the last 18 months sorted through all my hardware and have been organizing it along the way. Lucky for me I had most of it sorted by type and size but my Hardware collection was scattered between my house garage, my old shop and all throughout my new building. Now I have almost everything all in 1 location with room to expand.

I still have the small stuff 8-32 and smaller to deal with. Need to order some of the little red trays for those items.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=314641

 

[d.mcfarland]

I just use the plastic fishing tackle boxes that have the adjustable dividers.

Can get many different sizes for really cheap and they are easily seen into without even having to open them up.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Plano boxes for the majority of my stuff. Also have a couple metal boxes from Curtis Industries and a bucket boss 'cinch' bag to hold drywall screws, anchors, and stuff in small boxes.