Keeping track of things in the lab

[gore]

"I was thinking of creating an Excel spreadsheet... is that what other people do?  Or some fantastic bar code scheme??"

It's not worth doing that, in my opinion. You'd lose a lot of time trying to keep track of every item. I thought about a similar idea myself, but didn't do it for the same reason. I doubt there is an efficient way of doing it without consuming extra time. I'm open to ideas though.

The way I keep track of things is by boxing everything up and labeling them. Pretty much the usual way. Different sized boxes for various items. I keep the small stuff like transistors or capacitors in component drawers. Bigger stuff like chemicals or hardware parts go into transparent plastic boxes. I try not to stack too much stuff on top of each other. It helps to keep things visible for a quick inspection. Oh, and not to forget about a billion plastic zip bags of various sizes. Very useful. For example stacking a number of different value resistors in one drawer. That's about it.

[Gribo]

For SMT parts I use something similar to this:
http://www.amazon.com/WenTai-Anti-Static-Component-Small-Part-Organizer/dp/B00JZ3N3P2

There are several sizes which interlock like Lego.

[rdl]

I just happen to be cleaning out my biggest closet today when I noticed this thread. I looked around the apartment and best estimate is that I have somewhere between $300 and $500 invested in plastic storage containers - all kinds and all sizes. Close to half are 14 liter size, like an oversized shoe box, clear plastic with snap clamps to hold the lids on. Stuff is separated by type/function, and the boxes are all labeled. It's a lot like Mike has done.

When I first got started with electronics I bought a few of those cabinets with many little drawers to store parts in. Eventually I realized it's best to just leave them in the bags they come in and started putting those in plastic boxes. That's when I started logging them in to a spreadsheet. There's still a lot of stuff not in the spreadsheet, but everything for the last 8 years or so is there. That's about as far as my "keeping track of" has progressed.

[rolycat]

This is the only source I can immediately find:

And it is also reasonably priced. UK shop won't work for me, of course, but at least now I know what to look for. I would not have though people need plastic containers for peel off labels

If there is a non-UK supplier please let me know, postage isn't worth it. Aliexpress would be handy.

I have already posted an eBay link in this thread which offers free international shipping - reply 16.

Not outside the UK as far as I can tell. Shipping is higher than cost of boxes for all of those. I haven't seen "Collect at Argos" before, which could be useful, but it also seems to be UK only.
I can have them shipped to Northern Ireland and then re-shipped to a collection center near me but tbh a Chinese seller would be easier and probably cheaper.

Apologies, I was deceived by eBay, which stated "Free International Shipping" when I searched on ebay.com. The claim vanishes if I specify a country to ship to.

Edit: I suspect these boxes are actually manufactured in the UK, which may explain their absence from the usual Chinese suspects sources.

It's possible. I was hoping that they were manufactured in China and sold under some generic name, and the "peel off sticker" term is a Western thing.

Theory confirmed. I dropped into a couple of local craft shops (Hobbycraft and The Range), and both stocked these boxes. They are branded "WestonBox" and manufactured in the UK. Link here.

[Wirehead]

I put most components in one big spreadsheet with their datasheet linked to it. Lots of component drawers and component cases as the ones attached to this post (but in a bit better quality).

In the spreadsheet, I note down either the component drawer or the case + location in the case. (see attachment; in this case, most of them are in storage case 13/14 - next to it is the location in that case) Also, for most components I note down the rated spec. Quite handy if you're looking to substitute some parts in an amp or such. Saves you time looking it up in the datasheet.

I do not keep track of amount.. When I see some running low and I use it frequently: I order some..

[ataradov]

Theory confirmed. I dropped into a couple of local craft shops (Hobbycraft and The Range), and both stocked these boxes. They are branded "WestonBox" and manufactured in the UK. Link here.

Well, that's sucks. Postage to the US is 3 times the price.

[NivagSwerdna]

I have now bought 5L twenty plastic storage boxes and am about to embark on cataloguing the contents of my piles of stuff...

Ideally I would like to take a photo, add a description and then log each item and then put it in a numbered box.

Anyone know of an app that would attach to my PC webcam and allow efficient cataloging?  Or do I need to write my own?

Thanks

PS
An android app would also work for me but I ultimately want the database accessible from my PC.

[Psi]

A few spreadsheets for keeping track of your IC stock is a good idea.

[NivagSwerdna]

That's the idea but I would really like a little data entry app that allows me to type some text in, takes a photo, asks me which box and then I move on...

Maybe I should just write one!

[Chris Mr]

I use plastic sandwich boxes - 89p for 5 from Wilko's (when I got them a few years back) - in a rack made from 6mm MDF which looks just like pigeon holes.  The rack goes floor to ceiling and there are 207 boxes in each rack (now I have 4 racks).

If you look at the problem to only solve 80% of the storage requirements the sandwich boxes do just that (for me).

The racks were made by using a router with a 6.35mm cutter to put slots half way in the verticals and horizontals so they just slot together.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastic-500ml-Microwave-Takeaway-Containers/dp/B007SA1IE2 is like the boxes which I can't find on Wilko's web site - not bad at 14p each though 

If anyone's interested I'll put up a picture (which I haven't taken yet!)

[NivagSwerdna]

Wow! That's a lot of boxes!

I'm going smaller scale... just bought 20-off 5L really useful box from Robert Dyas and was planning a similar wall based grid arrangement.

Looking forward to your photo.

I really want to have a PC based catalog of every item in every box including a photo... possibly over the top but it's an idea.

[Chris Mr]

It'll be tomorrow before I can send a photo but seriously, why such big boxes?

With lots of little boxes you can write on the front what's inside and then you go straight to it (we put labels on both ends so it doesn't even matter which way round you put it back).  You can even organise them into similar things to make them easier to find.

With larger boxes, even with a spreadsheet, you still have to find whatever it is inside the large box.

[NivagSwerdna]

but seriously, why such big boxes?

This is for home, not a work environment, so I decided that I would be project focused rather than component focused.
But I do see your logic.

[tggzzz]

but seriously, why such big boxes?

This is for home, not a work environment, so I decided that I would be project focused rather than component focused.
But I do see your logic.

I predict you'll end up doing both...

When a project ends, you'll want to store the unused components.
There's no point in ordering the exact number of 0603 components, because that's expensive and you'll lose a few anyway.
If you want £x of a component, but you can get free postage if you spend £1.25x, then you'll probably find something else to buy.
And did you put the 100nF 0603 decoupling capacitors in project X box or project Y box?

There is no right solution, but flexible solutions can approach the ideal.

[Chris Mr]

As luck would have it a picture has arrived of the rack.  We call it the Chinese rack as the first person to see it asked how much Chinese takeaway had be consumed in the making of it!

[rdl]

As luck would have it a picture has arrived of the rack.  We call it the Chinese rack as the first person to see it asked how much Chinese takeaway had be consumed in the making of it!

It would take me forever to find anything in all those boxes.

[rrinker]

 Not if it's organized from the start. Let it get all messed up where in any given row or column you might find resistors, MOSFETs, opamps, capacitors, relays, etc - and I'd agree.  If say one column is all resistors, another caps, another half linears and half logic, etc. it wouldn't be too hard to narrow down the area to look based on what you are looking for. Then clear readable labels on each box is another given. Worst case, you zero in on the column you need and have to scan down that one line of boxes to find the one containing the part you are searching for.

 I know this because the small parts drawers I currently have are willy-nilly and I can't find a darn thing, and there are still many empty drawers. I need to fix that, soon. My friend has about 2x the compartments of that but it didn't take me long scanning his labels t figure out the system he used to group like things together. Aside from misc. hardware, I was able to quickly zero in on a component of interest, and that was the first time I've ever seen his home lab.

[raptor1956]

Inventory and storage are like hand and glove -- they go together.  A good storage method makes it possible to avoid the more tedious task of counting and inventory though having a periodic inventory isn't a bad idea either.

I'm just about finished with my small lab and have Acro-Mils cabinets for much of my through hole stuff as well as connectors, pins and other such things.  For equipment related storage I use three difference sizes of Sistema Kilp It plastic boxes to organize my test leads, cables and adapters etc. 

I have a video for this as well...




Brian

[Berni]

As luck would have it a picture has arrived of the rack.  We call it the Chinese rack as the first person to see it asked how much Chinese takeaway had be consumed in the making of it!

I use this freestanding shelf rack of plastic boxes method to keep most of my parts. I just don't have as many boxes.

I keep the grid of boxes easy to look trough by sorting by rows. For example 2 rows are dedicated to ICs. All the labels on those IC rows are the same color to make sure the box does not end up in another row when you pull out multiple boxes. Then those IC boxes are labeled by the function such as "Opamp" "Memory" "Switching regulator" "Data converter"...etc. There must also be a misc digital and misc analog box for weird parts. Then next row might be discrete semiconductors that has a different label color.

The problem i have ran into is overflowing tho. For example the standard connectors bin that holds things like Dsub, RJ45, XLR etc is really full. There are many connectors that go in there, plus they often come in tray packing that takes up even more space. Its not easy to split a overflowing box in to two more specific boxes since all boxes are already used and the labels have to be printed on my color printer to fit to the color coding.

For projects i tend to just label a Digikey or Farnell box that the parts came in with the name of the project and then add stuff in to it. Also the date of ordering is written on to it so that i can go look at the receipt to search trough the list of parts when im looking for a part. When the project is done or abandoned the parts from the box then get sorted out in to the plastic boxes

[TerraHertz]

The problem i have ran into is overflowing tho.

Overflow and new categories are the killer of all full-grid-shelving storage systems.
To avoid this, for anything requiring boxes I just stack the boxes randomly on the floor, and large shelves in storage areas.
For small parts with a lot of numerical values, I use this 'cardfile-like' system in the pics below.
The containers are sold in hardware stores as 'under-bed storage'. Covers to keep dust out.
I add rigid partitions inside using cheap (discard & offcuts actually) 3mm MDF board, just butt-joined with urethane glue. Held in place with tape and weights while the glue dries.
The spacing is chosen to suit little paper envelopes, that can be bought very cheaply in bulk. For this I use paper ones rather than plastic, because they stay upright like a card, and you can write on them with pencil and erase if required.

I have a bunch of these boxes in the loft, just stacked on the floor. Most hold through-hole parts, some SMD.
The two shown contain  small transistors and the other 74LS and 74HC ICs.
Loose ICs don't pack well in envelopes, so for density and also static protection I bundle them in bricks wrapped in al-foil,  that just fit endways in the envelopes. One envelope can hold about 120 DIP14s this way.

The advantage of this system, is you can just insert new values with no trouble at all. Overflows are easily dealt with by just adding another envelope. And it can hold a LOT of different values, also sequentially sorted so ease of finding things is about as good as it can get. And you can write rough quantities on the envelopes if you care. No messing with computers required.

The downside is the plastic of these containers is brittle, and probably won't last many years. You have to handle them carefully or they'll crack. I haven't broken any yet, but I know I'll never be able to buy identical ones in future.

For bigger parts like large transistors, I just jumble-dump ziplock bags in stackable cubes and cardboard boxes.

[System Error Message]

use GPS trackers 

[all_repair]

You need do 3 things to keep track of things in the lab: organise, organise, organise.

And you need 3 things to organise: time, time and time.

Why are you still on the forum 

[Berni]

That is a pretty good way of doing it.

I use clear plastic tubs with no lids that i got at a hardware store reasonably cheap. In my opinion lids are time consuming and i keep my tubs on a shelf rack that has a shelf spacing just barely higher than the tub to keep the top mostly covered and it seams to keep dust out reasonably well.

I like to keep my components in the plastic/antistatic bags that come from the component supplier so that i have the full partnumber and order code still on it. I am considering getting some of those yellow envelopes that you use for repacking things that come packed in a annoying way or for parts that i salvaged or got from somewhere.(So far i use zip lock bags for that but they are not the best to sort trough in a box)

[Chris Mr]

Ah yes, lids are time consuming but worth the effort when you drop one on the floor  especially one that has parts that bounce 8 feet which are < 1mm diameter 

[Berni]

Ah yes, lids are time consuming but worth the effort when you drop one on the floor  especially one that has parts that bounce 8 feet which are < 1mm diameter 

I did once drop a partitioned box of E12 trough hole resistors, while trying to catch it i somehow opened the hinged lid and got it to drop face down while open.