Component Organization: Which Values??

[chris.knudson]

I am a big fan of the baseball card holders in 3-ring binders. I can keep all of my resistors, transistors, ceramic caps, diodes, LDRs, etc.in about 8 inches of space on a bookshelf. It also makes building super easy and quick. I just start with the lowest values and work my way through the book.

 

[Robert]

They have an overdraw(?) tab that doesn't catch on the drawer dividers, unlike whatever I bought 10 years ago (left):

The one on the left looks like it might be a Stack-On. I have two different styles of those and wish I could get more but they've apparently gotten out of the parts bin business and now only sell safes and heavy cabinets.

 

[Robert]

I've almost bought both of these a couple times, but always talk myself out of it because they're cardboard and I know I'll destroy them in no time.

 

[Erik S]

What is this Baseball? These are Magic the gathering card holders. I don’t think keeping resistors in there is for me, but I did start putting boards in em. Figured if I’m just gonna keep collecting them I might as well treat them like a collection.

 

[KR Sound]

That’s a great idea. I have so many in a box, I need to do this and label them as well.

 

[jwin615]

If budget and space were bo concern, I'd do drawers for more but I have no more room for them on my bench(have 2 snap-on branded units I scored at an estate sale) without dispacing my benchtop tools.
I could mount them elsewhere but it's nice to have everything in arms reach. I don't want to run laps to get parts.
I'm also a silicon hoarder.
If I ever get to build a shop, I'll build an electronics only bench and will definitely do it differently.
But the cardholder method is definitely the more economical way to go. And like I said before, way easier to reconfigure for new parts if keeping them in a particular order matters.
I do plan on getting more parts bins for general hardware. I hate stopping everything and taking an hour and a half to got get 1x 2 inch M12 pan head...

 

[chris.knudson]

If budget and space were bo concern, I'd do drawers for more but I have no more room for them on my bench(have 2 snap-on branded units I scored at an estate sale) without dispacing my benchtop tools.
I could mount them elsewhere but it's nice to have everything in arms reach. I don't want to run laps to get parts.
I'm also a silicon hoarder.
If I ever get to build a shop, I'll build an electronics only bench and will definitely do it differently.
But the cardholder method is definitely the more economical way to go. And like I said before, way easier to reconfigure for new parts if keeping them in a particular order matters.
I do plan on getting more parts bins for general hardware. I hate stopping everything and taking an hour and a half to got get 1x 2 inch M12 pan head...

Yeah, space is my biggest issue. I'd love to have bins of parts, but I just don't have the space for it. I do keep pots, switches, ICs knobs, etc. in these stackable compartmented boxes. They go nicely on the bookcase too.

 

[chris.knudson]

That’s a great idea. I have so many in a box, I need to do this and label them as well.

Sadly, mine are in a box too. I think it would be much more productive to do what @Erik S did, but I have way too many and I keep fooling myself into thinking I'll just get them all built.

 

[jessenator]

The one on the left looks like it might be a Stack-On. I have two different styles of those and wish I could get more but they've apparently gotten out of the parts bin business and now only sell safes and heavy cabinets.

if yours were any kind of quality, the one I have must be a (evil) clone.

Dividers it came with flanking a good one I pilfered from the Ace Hardware set.

 

[finebyfine]

I've almost bought both of these a couple times, but always talk myself out of it because they're cardboard and I know I'll destroy them in no time.

I’ve thought about something like the bottom for 1/8 resistors - I ended up going the binder route for them. If they were actual drawers I don’t think I’d mind cardboard.

I bought a few of these but haven’t set them up yet and forget if there was something I had in mind for them

 

[Robert]

My ideal storage would be an old library card file cabinet....

 

[chris.knudson]

If there are any new builders reading this thread, one thing I highly recommend is starting a spreadsheet of the parts you have. I can't tell you how many times I've ordered a dozen transistors, only to realize that I already had 100 of them.

 

[Erik S]

If there are any new builders reading this thread, one thing I highly recommend is starting a spreadsheet of the parts you have. I can't tell you how many times I've ordered a dozen transistors, only to realize that I already had 100 of them.

I could imagine doing the initial inventory and data entry, but the upkeep sounds like bummer.

 

[chris.knudson]

I could imagine doing the initial inventory and data entry, but the upkeep sounds like bummer.

It's actually really easy after you have it built. Whenever I order parts, I just add them to the list with a note that they're on order. when they come in, I take the note off. That way I don't end up ordering something that I have already ordered -- which used to happen to me all the time.

It also helps me keep track of whether or not I have received all my orders.

 

[jessenator]

If there are any new builders reading this thread, one thing I highly recommend is starting a spreadsheet of the parts you have. I can't tell you how many times I've ordered a dozen transistors, only to realize that I already had 100 of them.

the trick is actually updating it when parts get used …or at all

 

[chris.knudson]

the trick is actually updating it when parts get used …or at all

Yeah, I don't bother with that. When I use a part that is running low in the inventory, I just reorder more. You get a sense of what gets used a lot and what rarely gets used. When I'm down to my last 10 4k7 resistors, I just order another 100.

 

[jessenator]

don't bother with that.

the reason I have hundreds of NPNs I'll never run out of or find uses for …though there might be some FOMO mingled in my GAS buying

 

[chris.knudson]

the reason I have hundreds of NPNs I'll never run out of or find uses for …though there might be some FOMO mingled in my GAS buying

There is always that risk. I usually end up buying 10 times what I need because I keep thinking to myself, my guitarist is going to steal this pedal from me, and I need to have enough parts to build another one when that happens. It's not that big a deal when you're buying resistors, but when you're buying $10 or $20 ICs, it's a problem.

 

[Robert]

I order resistors for every project, I don't even bother to see if I have them...

So yeah, my resistor stash is growing out of control.