Parts organization

[ctwilkie]

Hey all, I've been collecting random electronic parts over the years and have a terrible storage system of basically throwing everything into a couple different boxes and searching through my "parts dumpsters" every time I'm bored and want to work on some sort of weird beginner/hobbyist project. Just curious does anyone have any tips or want to share their own storage systems for managing large amounts of electronic parts/tools?

[mdszy]

These plastic parts drawers are basically my favorite thing. I have a couple and use a label maker to label the drawers. They work perfectly for small parts, and for bigger parts they have versions with some larger drawers too.



Otherwise I really like to use these for parts that are much too large for the drawers.

[ctwilkie]

Hey, those look cool! I think I might have seen those parts drawers at Harbor Freight? Also happened to find this from some google searching for some more ideas http://www.opencircuits.com/Component_and_Parts_Storage

[Wimberleytech]

Because I have so many low-count items for my arduino, I use these:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-11-in-Parts-Bin-Organizer-83052N13/204536847

There is a smaller version as well.

One bin is dedicated to sensors (accelerometers, gyros, temp sensors...) and another box with just radio stuff.
The smaller bin has various arduino implementations (e.g. Nano).

[Domagoj T]

I use this for SMD passives.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AideTek-SMD-resistor-capacitor-storage-box-Organizer-0603-0402-144-compartments/281543611085?hash=item418d4e92cd:g:tsQAAOSwxu5ZMMh7:rk:2:pf:0

I have one for each package size. Each compartment has its own hinged lid (not that flappy plastic thing that breaks after a while, it's a proper hinge) that seals with a good click. Each compartment fits a few hundred 1206 resistors.

[Old Printer]

Try your local Lowes. I have given up on Home Depot for a lot of things like this as the quality of the products they sell has really dropped the last several years. My Lowes stocks three different configurations of small parts organizers having a mix of smaller and larger drawers. Prices are pretty reasonable in the $15-$25 range.

[exe]

AideTek and smd books FTW. AideTek comes in two flavors: normal and ESD-safe. For sensitive components I suggest buy an ESD-safe storage. Although, there are debates if this is really needed and what are changes to kill something. But I prefer to be on a safe side.

I also bought a cheap label printer. I like the idea, too bad keyboard is not qwerty.

[spec]

@ ctwilkie

In addition to the physical storage methods already posted, it can be very helpful to keep a record of your components. Of course, it would be a mammoth task to enter all of your parts, and sub assemblies are particularly difficult. But the core components: resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, transistors, chips, etc are not too difficult to record.

I just use a simple Word table rather than a fancy database.

[tggzzz]

I use this for SMD passives.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AideTek-SMD-resistor-capacitor-storage-box-Organizer-0603-0402-144-compartments/281543611085?hash=item418d4e92cd:g:tsQAAOSwxu5ZMMh7:rk:2:pf:0

I have one for each package size. Each compartment has its own hinged lid (not that flappy plastic thing that breaks after a while, it's a proper hinge) that seals with a good click. Each compartment fits a few hundred 1206 resistors.

I prefer to keep SMDs in the strips they come in:

• less work upfront
• SMDs out of their strips all look identical; mark type on the strip
• when (not if) a slip occurs, the SMDs will fly all over the place
• I don't see a benefit to the small "pill containers" vs putting strips in ordinary drawers

Others disagree; basically it is personal preference

[exe]

putting strips in ordinary drawers

Use SMD books! I totally agree repacking from strips into pill containers is useless. But I have enough smd and TH parts in small quantities that are not in strips for some reasons.

+1 to the database. I use google spreadsheet. There I put part number, source (distributor name to distinguish real parts from part from ali express), location, and parameters (voltage, tolerance, etc). Now I have ~1k different parts grouped into 10-20 categories (e.g., bjts, fets, opamps, mcu, passives, etc). Makes my life much easier.

*UP* attached an image how I store my components. I have a box with bigger compartments for bigger parts. I try to organize stuff by rows.

[David Hess]

Those are or are based on the Akro-Mills plastic cabinets.  The wider drawers are nice because 1/4 and 1/2 watt sized parts fit side-to-side allowing two dividers to produce 3 spaces within each drawer.  I used to find them at art supply stores.

Akro-Mills used to make a lot more styles of these cabinets including metal ones and stackable ones but the selection is very limited now.

[Nusa]

Since you apparently are close to a Harbor Freight, look over their options. They have a decent selection of the various options.

Exactly what you need is going to depend on how much stuff you have, how organized it needs to be, some room for your future needs, and of course your own preferences on the matter.

[FriedMule]

ctwilkie great thread you have started! Hope that I may add a question that I do think that you also are looking to get answered.

How do you all sort your components, resistors, caps, IC's, diodes and so on?

[exe]

How do you all sort your components, resistors, caps, IC's, diodes and so on?

Sort where? Physically, or in the spread sheet?

Anyway, in spreadsheet I sort by function, application, performance, package, etc. For example, resistors: smd (subcategories: 0402, 0603, 0805), TH, high-power and shunts separately.
ICs: separate group for each application (MCU, opamp, PMIC, voltage references, digital isolators, drivers, and others).
I also put characteristics in separate columns (e.g., power rating, tolerance, etc) in a hope that one day I'll learn how to sort by columns. Also, I specify item location and quantity.

Physically: I try to cluster things (e.g., opamps, PMIC, MCU). This is not always perfectly possible as I have just a few MCU, but many,e.g., voltage references. From time to time (once a years or so) I re-balance stuff. A bit tedious, but well worth it. With smd books it's not really needed: just insert a new sheet if previous one is full. Boxes with compartments require physically move parts and change labels.

[Shock]

I try to avoid putting parts in front of me, it takes up too much space and looks cluttered. Mine are in desk A4 file drawers at the moment on a shelf behind me. You do want a system where you can easily grab them and move them to the bench however.

My preferred system would be small configurable parts boxes but stacked vertically like bookshelf books. Or use antistatic bags or envelopes upright in partitioned roller draws similar to a card file system. Both are fairly efficient and easy to scale in size.

[FriedMule]

Sorry for not be clear enough, After choosing a physical sollution as above, i.e. a cabined with lots of drawers, how would you sort them in these drawers?

[Shock]

Sorry for not be clear enough, After choosing a physical solution as above, i.e. a cabinet with lots of drawers, how would you sort them in these drawers?

The idea is to recreate the vintage card file system in a modern roller drawer. Go for drawers slightly higher than your antistatic bags. Partition the drawers front to back with a thin strip of wood/card/plastic according to the width of your antistatic bags. Now you have your miniature drawer file cabinets. Add labels near the top of the bags for easy identification, color code them if need be.

You can use pocket envelopes for non static sensitive components, also store small parts boxes vertically. So this way you should be able to store leaded, smd and loose components like a box of caps all in the same drawer.

You can get creative on how many types of components you can vertically integrate into one static bag or how you make your bags or pocket envelopes.

[Microcheap]

I use a mix of storage methods to keep my parts, I had to adapt as the components numbers started growing. For resistors and capacitors with a wide range of values I use plastic drawers, I think it easier to pick a value and they are modular so I can stack them as needed. The SMD components I keep in these little boxes https://www.aliexpress.com/item/fast-shipping-50pcs-SMD-SMT-component-container-storage-boxes-electronic-case-kit-the-1-Automatically-pops/32367611676.html I found it is a PITA to organize in the first time, but after it is done it's easy to keep it. And finally, the ICs e Arduino type modules are kept in some plastic organizer box. Every compartment is individually labeled so I can easily identify what is in it.

Regarding a system to keep track of my stock I didn't bother to have one yet. I have a look at Partkeepr, it looks cool, but I think it might be an overkill for my needs, I will end simply using a excel spreadsheet.

[MudAndSnow]

I like keeping parts (cut tape or reels) in the bags they arrive in.  Filing cabinets work well for that since file folders are similar dimensions to bags except usually a bit bigger.

[Nusa]

I use some old filing cabinets to keep power tools in. Works well, especially for keeping the extras and spares with the tool.

[Back2Volts]

I went with a combination of Akro-Mills drawers, plastic baggies and an Excel database hooked to a Brother label printer.   You may want to look at my (and others) posts in this old thread
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/how-do-you-organize-all-your-components/msg1132066/#msg1132066

[rdl]

Actually, when buying from suppliers such as Mouser, Digi-key, etc, I think it's best to just leave parts in the packaging they come in and store those packages in boxes or whatever. I keep a spreadsheet so I know what I have and where it is. I do have a bunch of loose parts from when I first got started in electronics and didn't know better, which are stored in Akro Mills cabinets.

[castingflame]

It takes a lot of effort outside of your 'electronics' days to organise your components. Personally I believe it is the single most important factor in being successful with this subject. A label maker and lots of small resealable bags is mandatory. Treat it as a religion and it will pay you back many fold when you are working with a lot of stuff in your head an you just pick a component from a box like magic without stress in a matter of seconds and continue your work.  It is a major non-stress factor for me. We are not all the same though. I can show photos of my setup if it will help. God luck.

[rcbuck]

I have 5 of the plastic parts drawers like mdszy shows in post 2. I keep the most popular parts values in these drawers, in sequential order. Example: 10 ohm, 22 ohm,....1K, 10K,...47K, 100K, 220K, .001uF, .01uF,...1uF, 10uF, 22uF,...100uF, 220uF, 470uF, etc. The resistor and capacitor drawers hold both leaded and smd parts. Semiconductors are handled the same way, most popular discrete parts such as transistors and voltage regulators, most popular ICs. I do not keep any microprocessors in these drawers. I also have drawers with most popular hardware such as 4-40 in and 3 mm screws, spacers, washers, and nuts. Each drawer is labeled with contents. The cabinets came with plastic insert dividers so most resistors drawers have 2 values in them with the dividers in between. The cabinets tend to have common components in them, one cabinet for resistors, one for capacitors, one for semiconductors, etc. Since the hardware items are not very many, those get mixed in with other stuff in the misc cabinet.

All other parts are stored in boxes according to the type of part. Semiconductors in one box, resistors another, capacitors another, inductors another, and so on. There are a few misc boxes that store modules and items that I may only have a couple of. All purchases from suppliers that do not go in the plastic drawers are kept in their packaging inside the boxes. Each box is numbered and some items are in separate large bags in the boxes. As an example, I keep leaded capacitors and smd capacitors in separate larger bags. The bags are marked with sub-numbers. That is, one of my capacitor boxes is number 3. Inside the number 3 box, are large bags marked 3-1 and 3-2. The 3-1 bag has leaded capacitors and 3-2 has smd capacitors. I have 9 different spreadsheets that keep track of what part is in what box.

I implemented  all of this about 10 years ago when I found out I kept ordering parts and a few days later found out I had several of the items already in a box. It took me about 2 weeks to go through and organize everything in the boxes and enter it all into the spreadsheets. Ever since then as parts come in, they are put where they belong and the spreadsheets updated. Before I place an order for parts, I simply check the spreadsheets and cabinets to see if I already have the parts in stock. It was initially a lot of work but has paid off.

I also have several larger boxes on the shelves to store stuff such as larger transformers, large electrolytics, circuit boards removed from equipment (for parts salvaging), wire, etc. The ends of the boxes are marked with their contents.

I have used this system for so long that I pretty much know from memory which cabinet or box to go to when I need something. Occasionally I do have to scan the cabinets and boxes when my memory fails me.

[FriedMule]

Thanks, you have helped me a LOT!! :-)

In the start I was concerned about how to sort the components. I could see a giant sorting nightmare before me, alone the resistors: value, percentage, wattage, E24 and so on:-)

Now I it seems less of a task but yes something that shall be done every time:-)