Workshop Storage Question

[Cajonpassfan]

You guys are way too organized...
Here’s my method, I have several of these, by type. Aberfeldy, Balvenie, Creag Isle, Dalmore, Edradour...
Seriously, I‘m a bit of a packaging nut and just hate to throw out attractive containers. I store things in hard candy boxes, coffee wafer and cookie cans, even Hungarian paprika containers with the lids off... I’ve been known to purchase an item just for its container...like the Aberfeldy for instance...
Otto K.

[haasmarc]

I bought a whole bunch of 1" and 1/2" clear plastic tubes from (... um... U-Line? can't remember) and a bunch of red rubber end caps to match.  I cut the tubing apart into 14" sections (Evergreen styrene strips are not 12" long), put the end caps on, and use one of those P-touch label makers to make a label for the end of the tube (something like ".010 x .050").  Every single size of styrene I have goes in its own tube.
I bought two cheap plastic milk crates and I can put 3 or 4 of the 1/2" plastic tubes into each hole, horizontally.  The bigger 1" plastic tubes are for big stuff like large brass strip and other stock I have besides styrene.  The two milk crates stack one on top of the other, so only takes up a floor footprint about 1 foot square.  As for how long it takes to find a particular size, just a few seconds.  The tubes are sorted by size, so I just look at the labels on the ends of the tubes, pull out the tube I need, and I have what I need.  I do not keep the packages.  I remove the styrene from the package and put it into a tube.

I like having horizontal clear tubes, as opposed to vertical, because when pieces get short, they are still easy to see and find in a given tube.

The only drawback to this system is that you need a LOT of tubes.  I have dozens of sizes of styrene strips and shapes, and buying enough of those clear tubes and caps gets a little expensive.  I suppose I could have used 1/2" and 1" PVC water pipe, but I like the transparent tubing.

Max,

I like this idea but it takes up a lot of space that I don't have.  The milk crates are what 13" square, so over 2 cubic feet of space.

[Sokramiketes]

I have a love/hate relationship with my styrene stock too.  Because it's over 12" long, it doesn't fit most normal storage solutions.  And with commercial storage solutions, I always weigh cost against how much I have to move out of the way to get to something.

Evergreen sells their stock on a glorified peg board, so that what I use for "long term" stocking.  I do stack series of shapes on one hook to limit the overall footprint, for example all .010" thick strip stock goes on one hook in numerical number.

For short term, or a stock of stuff on the bench or being used currently, I have an Allit case marked "cutoffs".  Once I use a bit of a strip, it ends up in this case.  Same with wire, sheet stock, scale lumber, etc.  I don't worry about labeling anything, as this is more of a "see what fits" endeavor.  If I'm following specific instructions, then I'll go to the pegboard stock to get a specific strip.  Otherwise, most seat of the pants modeling is done by perusing the cutoffs for something that might work. 

I store everything I can in Allit Europlus boxes.  Next project is to make a sliding rack so I don't have to move a stack to get to the bottom one. 



https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/hardware/storage-and-organization/containers/70869-allit-modular-storage-cases

The Europlus are the most cost effective, and still give you modularity.  As a plus, you can pull one bin out, and the rest of the bins are still locked into their locations.  So I'll grab a bin of screws, for example, bring it over to the bench and leave the rest of the case.  When done, right back into its home in the case. 

[peteski]

My idea to organize those is to use PVC gutter downspouts (with rectangular cross section). I'll cut them to size and glue several together. They I'll use something to create the base. Each tube will hold several bags of the strip styrene.  When I need certain size, I'll just thumb through the packages and fish out the one I need.  I have lots of those packages (a good portion of what is offered on the large Evergreen carousel display in the hobby shop.

I bought the downspout tube years ago - I just haven't gotten to that project yet. 

[Sokramiketes]

My idea to organize those is to use PVC gutter downspouts (with rectangular cross section). I'll cut them to size and glue several together. They I'll use something to create the base. Each tube will hold several bags of the strip styrene.  When I need certain size, I'll just thumb through the packages and fish out the one I need.  I have lots of those packages (a good portion of what is offered on the large Evergreen carousel display in the hobby shop.

I bought the downspout tube years ago - I just haven't gotten to that project yet. 

Some day I'm just going to buy a carousel, LOL.

[mmagliaro]

Max,

I like this idea but it takes up a lot of space that I don't have.  The milk crates are what 13" square, so over 2 cubic feet of space.

Maybe you don't need two?  I may have missed it if you specified how many different styrene sizes you want to store.

The milk crates have 15 holes (3 x 5) that are about 1.5" in diameter.  I can easily put 3 1/2" tubes in each one.  (You can go to 4, but it starts getting clumsy to pull one out without disturbing the others).  So you can store 45 varieties of styrene strip in about 1 cubic foot of space, with labeling and direct access to every one.

Another thing you might consider.  You can use much smaller tubes.  1/2" is way bigger than necessary for the small sizes.  You can get 1/4" and 3/8".  Amazon has a 6-foot 3/8" clear plastic tube for $10.  You can get 5 14" pieces out of that.

[txpitmaster]

You guys are way too organized...
Here’s my method, I have several of these, by type. Aberfeldy, Balvenie, Creag Isle, Dalmore, Edradour...
Seriously, I‘m a bit of a packaging nut and just hate to throw out attractive containers. I store things in hard candy boxes, coffee wafer and cookie cans, even Hungarian paprika containers with the lids off... I’ve been known to purchase an item just for its container...like the Aberfeldy fo instance...
Otto K.

and a good excuse to get some good scotch!