# Finally getting organized!



## mdocod (Apr 14, 2008)

If you are like me, you probably have a ton of little parts and pieces laying all over the place starting to build as a result of this hobby. I spend most of my time experimenting and building things these days, so I'm starting to accumulate a lot more than I ever anticipated. Before it was a terribly unorganized mess of plastic baggies and cardboard boxes. 

If you have a harbor freight near by, they have some pretty good solutions for getting organized at pretty reasonable prices. I'm a huge fan of these multi-tray/bin containers I picked up..













Finally feel like I have my head on straight now


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## warlord (Apr 14, 2008)

Looks good, your making me jealous!

I just got another US plastics catalog and I think I'm going to be getting some of those Polypropylene stackable/hanging bins.

FYI, I priced 24bins for $15.96 plus shipping, what a deal.


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## adamlau (Apr 14, 2008)

Nice setup, looking really good there :twothumbs .


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## saabluster (Apr 15, 2008)

mdocod said:


> a terribly unorganized mess of plastic baggies and cardboard boxes.


This would be my current state of affairs.


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## VanIsleDSM (Apr 16, 2008)

I need to dedicate some time to organization. It's getting to the point where I think I spend more time looking for parts than working on projects? Hmm :thinking:


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## Torque1st (Apr 16, 2008)

A place for everything and everything in it's place works best!

The trick is having enough room...


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## JimmyM (Apr 16, 2008)

I made the "mistake" of visiting Mac at his place. It made me realize what conditions I was working in. I built a new 11 foot long bench, wired new outlets. So far I'm not quite finished, but I'm getting there. One of the most useful parts is a PC on the bench. It's just an old P4-1.8GHz machine, but it works well for what I want. No more going upstairs to print IC spec sheets. Next is an articulating wall mount for an LCD screen and some storage bins/shelves, etc.


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## tvodrd (Apr 16, 2008)

You're a better man than I, gunga mdocod! 

Larry


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## DM51 (Apr 17, 2008)

You're looking quite well organised there. I'm not posting a pic of my workstation - it's a total mess, miscellaneous parts all over the place, some stuff even on the floor, lol.


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## LuxLuthor (Apr 17, 2008)

After many attempts, I'm convinced that being organized is something you are born with, and I never got that gene. Curiously, I know exactly where everything is amidst the chaos.


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## DaFABRICATA (Apr 17, 2008)

Its amazing what benefits come with being organized. While my work areas do get outta hand at times, I do have a place for everything to go, which makes clean up time a snap! I bought a few of thoe "PLANO" brand organizer boxes from the hardware store. They work great for small flashlight parts.


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## mdocod (Apr 17, 2008)

There's still more in boxes and on shelves that needs to be sorted out, but I have filled all these bins and trays, so I guess I'll have to buy some more. I was talking to my grandfather-in-law about that. He says it doesn't matter how many bins and trays you own, it's always a few less than you need.


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## VanIsleDSM (Apr 17, 2008)

Yeah I think that's an unsolvable problem.. with so many different things, how can you possibly have a place for every one of them?


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## JimmyM (Apr 17, 2008)

LuxLuthor said:


> After many attempts, I'm convinced that being organized is something you are born with, and I never got that gene.


Too true. Some people are just naturally organized. It's like being naturally thin. Either you are or you ain't.


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## Torque1st (Apr 17, 2008)

LuxLuthor said:


> ... Curiously, I know exactly where everything is amidst the chaos.


That is until someone like a significant other or child helps "organize", clean up, or looks for something, -disturbing the order in the chaos.:sigh:


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## mdocod (Jun 21, 2010)

Dragging this back up for an update in monumental organization!

Since the time of originally posting this, I have spread to 7 of those yellow and gray multi-bin organizers filled with stuff, and just picked up this tool box the other day!













and no, I'm not showing you my junk drawer!

Finally, no more chips getting all over my tooling. 

I spent a lot of time looking at tool boxes online before heading out to look at some in town in person. There are some really awesome tool boxes out there that are more "machining" specific with more small drawers and probably built even better, but of course, I have to find a happy balance between price and performance. For about $100 the good ole craftsman ball bearing box is hard to beat.

On the subject of tool boxes. While I understand that there are those out there that need really well built ones and spent thousands of dollars for chest style boxes of rollers; we have a "US General" brand big chest tool box on the other side of the garage. They sell for $400 (I think we caught it on sale for like $350 or something like that) and have ball bearing slides. It has been more than adequate for the home garage and I can't complain about it one bit. They are a true bargain for what you get IMO. 

Eric


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## precisionworks (Jun 21, 2010)

> just picked up this tool box the other day!


That's a great way to both organize & protect. I have a Craftsman box/roller chest by the lathe and now wonder why I didn't do this years ago 

Look at getting a roller chest to go under the box. They have a huge amount of storage space & allow you to wheel the box/chest out of the way when that space is needed.


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## gadget_lover (Jun 21, 2010)

Great idea.

I scored a "Stack-on" cheap junk 4 piece roll around tool chest last week for $50. The neighbor across the street set it at the curb. She had no takers at $80.

But...

It has 12 tool height drawers and two storage cabinets. I can see all my 5c collets fitting well in some of the 3 inch high drawers, the end mills and boring bars and such in another. Measuring tools get a drawer of their own at last.

Even cheap crap is better than cardboard boxes. 

Dan


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## 65535 (Jun 23, 2010)

MMMMMM tooling pron.


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## ICUDoc (Jun 23, 2010)

65535 said:


> MMMMMM tooling pron.



Yup. Love it.


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## unterhausen (Jun 23, 2010)

I have a fairly large pile of those bins from the OP, but all I have to organize them with is pegboard holders. That never really worked out that well for me, I wish I had something else to hold them with.


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## mdocod (Jun 23, 2010)

Hi unterhausen,

Those blue and orange bins came with a plastic panel that they lock into. I actually don't really use those little bins much anymore. I prefer to have things under a "lid" when possible. I do need to get myself some stacking bins large enough for organizing large parts as they are on the "production line" so to speak. Those little bins don't cut it....

As I understand, most of those bins like that should work on louvered paneling. Which can be purchased at various places online and probably also in most large cities. 

Eric


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