Hardware storage and organization

[kmcclary]

Originally Posted by Cory

Anyone do anything that they think works well that hasn't been mentioned yet?

In addition to the Plano 3700 storage boxes for most of our hardware items (see item 11 in this thread...), we also use pill bottles for VERY small items. Example: we use them to store tiny electrical components, and the various Digikey C-grid connector pieces for making our own PWM connectors. Different bottles hold the m and f pins, various shell sizes, dip switches, etc.

The best part is that they were FREE. We went to a local pharmacy and asked them to sponsor us! As a new sponsor, they simply donated a huge bag of standard tall orange pill bottles to us!

BTW, when choosing a bottle type/size, just be sure to...

A) Get the kind where the lids can be set to either childproof or not. This allows you to carry them in childproof mode to avoid spillage, yet still set them to non-childproof mode while in use, for speed. (This is normally either done by "flipping" the cap over, or push-pull snapping of a latch vertically.)

B) Plan ahead on bottle sizing, for compatibility with your box storage system. We found a size that allowed us to simply cut out two of the cross bars from a single Plano 3700 box, and they all nested perfectly inside, as two vertical rows.

[edit]
Oh yea... We typically peel and stick the Digikey label onto the bottles, and highlight pen the part number (or print a label with DTP). Not only does this mark the bottle quickly and neatly, it allows for faster reordering. To assist in sorting, we also use a basic Sharpie pen to make a unique note on the lid. Warning: use some clear shipping tape over the label, or the label's info will wear off quickly.
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I hope this helps!

- Keith