MOTM

Hello,

This is a tough question to answer... So much depends on what parts, 
how many of them you normally keep around; and whether you are just 
building kits or building an electronics parts collection 
for "prototyping" or "production"...

So I'll tell you what works for me, and covers all these bases.

Starting with few parts, and the thought that you are building a kit, 
then another... And working up to the ridiculous point I am now at...

Lets put together an "analog" modular electronic storage system! 
(actually the analogy is not too far off<G>)

Get some "bankers" boxes. These are like your first "module 
cabinets". They say 703 on the side and are used by business's to 
keep records. Sold in sets of 6 or 10 at Staples or office max for a 
few bucks. Then get some 4x4x12 carboard "bins" which are sold flat 
and fold up into a tray. In my area these come from the "box store", 
but most industrial maintennance supply houses carry them. These are 
inexpensive and I first saw them used at an elctronics firm where I 
worked in the early 80's. No need to spend lots for the plastic Akro 
bin type, IMO.(save your cash for buying more synth modules! Or my 
soon to be released synth cabinets<G>) You may also want to 
eventually get some 2x4 and 6x4 (first number is width), but the 4x4 
is the "universal" size, IMO. 

Anyway, six of these bins (think modules) will fit in each bankers 
box, and will leave room for some 8-1/2x11 instructions or binders. 
The bankers boxes are roughly 12wx16dx10h, but the inside dim won't 
let you put 4-4x4's. Now there are also smaller foldup bins which fit 
inside of the 4x4x12s (3 to a bin), so you can divide each bin into 
three different "classes"  of parts. For example, I have 10-
32x1/2,3/4 and 1 inch screws in one 4x4; each length separated in the 
smaller bins. 

The beauty of this sytem at this level is that you can easily stack a 
whole lotta parts in a small space and they're not too hard to get 
at, and put away. If building kits, the 4x4 bins are large enough to 
keep most things together that "should" be kept together<G>; and any 
plastic bags can be quickly used and re-filed. The extra sapce in the 
703's can accomodate patch cord cable bundles, wire, and 
even "spooled" parts.

The 703 boxes can stack easily 6 high, and are pretty sturdy; being 
made for heavy paper records. You can always reduce yourself "back" 
to this level when you need to do some "away" work. (like having a 
basic vco,vcf,vca,eg system you can "travel" with...)  

But when you outgrow this... 

The next level is to add some shelving, and leave the bin boxes out 
in the open. Home depot white pb shelving and adjustable shelf 
standards and brackets work well. Be sure to place the standards in 
relation to your 4inch "module" width(the bins). Don't ask me why I'm 
stressing this point... 

If you mount the shelf standards to a 3/4 ply backing (pick something 
like 2x4 or 4x4 or 4x8, and I'd suggest using an "interior" grade, as 
the nowadays typical sheathing grade will warp badly), then you can 
mount just the ply with fewer screws into the walls and you'll be 
able to match any stud spacing. Even better, if you move from your 
living space; or need to expand and re-arrange, you can just move the 
whole ply panel instead of fiddling with all those standards and 
screws. 

I have a 4x8 panel with 36 inch standards and 6 shelves (might be 
seven). The "lowest shelf is not a full bin space vertically (kinda 
like Larrys magic bus, and I use it the same way. The use of 36 inch 
standards on a 48 inch high ply panel, means that there can be some 
room above the "top" shelf. You can put some of your "extra" 703 
boxes here, holding larger parts, or junk which will never again see 
the light<G>.  

I mount the ply as high on the 8 foot wall as possible, which means 
the bottom shelf is about 4 feet off the ground. This works well with 
a desk, or with a Home depot kitchen countertop; which is what I use
(8ft long). Mine has multiple outlets, as I bought it from an 
electronic assembly house that was having rough times. But you can 
put the countertop on a couple of file cabs, or home depot 
kitchen "base cabinets".

Next, I eat a LOT of peanut butter; and always buy the same size 
clear plastic jar... Which also fits in the 4x4 bins... 

Finally, I have three of those blue (useta be metal, now is plastic) 
multiple drawer units, which each has about 25-40 little plastic 
drawers. They're really "left-overs" from when I had fewer parts to 
manage, but they DO serve a purpose...

To the right of this all are a few purpose built cabinets. (Think of 
these as the rack-mount studio gear part of the setup.) The first is 
a 4'wide, 8'high cabinet loaded with more 4x4 and 4x6 cardboard bins. 
next to this is a bookcase with electronic books and parts catalogs.

My favorite o'scope sits on a roll-around cart I made, and an 
old "space program" huge rolling industrial rack sits behind me, with 
power supplies and test stuff. 

One previous response mentioned the need to use antistat, etc. Good 
advice. Purposely left out of this already too long post...

So there it is, my modular storage system (mostly analog, but with a 
few "digital" parts). Maybe I could call it the "Room of doom" (oops 
already taken<G>)

Hope this helps,

Ballendo

P.S. I'd like to thank "stooge" Larry for telling me about this 
group...  


  
 
--- In motm@y..., rogers t <winky_dinglehoffer@y...> wrote:
> Here's what I'm wondering:
> How does everybody here keep his/her electronic
> parts--resistors, caps, IC's, etc.--organized?  I need
> to move from collections of bags in boxes to something
> a little tidier and more systematic.  I figure there's
> got to be plenty of good ideas on this subject here.
> 
> Thanks
> Tom