Help, please. Suggestions for organizing parts.

[javacody]

I just got two big parts boxes with clear plastic drawers. Half the drawers are large, and the other half are small. I was going to put my resistors in coin envelopes (RG's suggestion) and sort them by value into a couple of different large drawers. Not sure if I should keep my metal films in a different drawer from my carbon films?

Anyway, what to do with my trannies, JFETs, Mosfets, caps (film, ceramic, elctrolytic and tantalum),  etc. etc?  Right now my transistors, ic's etc are in different plastic baggies of 30, 50, or 100.

[smoguzbenjamin]

I keep all my resistors in one draw and all my caps in one draw and all my IC's and trannies on another. I only have 6 drawers, haha lol

[M.D.]

I use these cool plastic containers from plano,it has adjustable compartments and i seperate all my values and types of components in it.
I get them at wall mart and I also find that the fishing section has the best selection of cool containers for cheap,I dont buy them from ellectronics places cause they charge way too much for em.

I also use an old small tackle box for all my ellectrical effects tools and assortments of different things in it,the only thing with this is that you dont want to drop it or tip it upside down or you get a big jumbled up pile of stuff every where.But i like it as it opens into a couple shelves which is nice for me cause I can see where everything is quickly instead of doing the old hunting trip across the bench..

Just a few things that I do anyways,others might have better ways than me.

hope you find somthing that works for ya.Take care.

Mike. :twisted:

[troubledtom]

every part has it's own drawer. the small is used for res , caps ,diodes, leds , trannies , opamps...........     . the large i use for pot's.
    all drawers should be labeled !!!!!! that's just the way i do it. :wink:
             have fun,
                     - tom

[ExpAnonColin]

I use fly boxes, like the ones you get at a fly fishing store, you know?  I got a bunch of various sized  boxes for like 12$.  Then, you can "customize" the size of each compartment depending on how you place the walls.

-Colin

[javacody]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I already have more than enough spaces for parts, but dividing up the larger drawers is a great idea. What would you guys suggest to use as dividers?

Also, my wonderful wife (who gave me the parts drawers) gave me this kick ass labeler. It's all digital and prints out  multilines, symbols, etc.

Now that I think about it, I still need a tool box for my soldering iron, etc.  :wink:

[MRTelec]

I use small coin envelopes for my resistors and one of those boxes with 50 drawers for everything else.  Once you get going, you'll find that you can fill up a whole box just with resistors.  Its much easier using the envelopes.

[MarkB]

how do you organize all your caps? different drawers?  
I started organizing the stuff.. but it's been a little tricky.
I put all my trannys in one drawer, in little baggies labelled by type..
another drawer for pots, one for switches, etc...
but I'd like to separate caps and resistors by value (so I can find them without going blind)..
"-)

[Ansil]

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cemaynard1134/detail?.dir=/Yahoo!+Photo+Album&.dnm=organizerbox.jpg

i use these little 1$ sewing kit organizers that i get from the dollar tree.  this is my miscleanious one the one i use when i transfer the parts from their respective boxes to one to hold the project i am workin on at the moment.[/img]

[Xlrator]

Plano or Flambeau modular tackle boxes. Various sizes. Resistors in a couple, electrolytic caps in another, ceramic and metal film in another, diodes and transistors another.. I keep my opamps in antistatic foam. Each bin is labeled. I "recycle" old electronics for parts. Works great for saving $$ on common values.





And when I'm working on a project, I have a seperate bin with it's label on it with all components that I have in it. This method hasn't messed me up too bad yet...

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Xlrator, that looks a lot like my setup.. and I have boxes like those (but without dividers) to keep delicate cables in (like spare CRO probes). And one box with "most used tools" in, stops them running all over the room.
If you have REAL miscellaneous stuff from salvage, especially hardware, it is a lot easier to rummage for stuff with these flat boxes than with drawers.
Mark, you should get 100 of these for your 'cupboard of shame'

[aron]

I used to use the clear plastic dividers etc... until one day the whole thing fell down and everything flew out.  :x

I bought a ton of those coin envelopes and now I have them clearly labeled and stuck in a box.

I have them sorted by value, so it's easy to find what I need.