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- Опубліковано 3 лип 2024
- Through-hole component storage, what a space waster! ► PCBWay $5 for 10 pieces www.pcbway.com ►Use coupon code PCBWay8th-RSB to get $10 off a $40 order! Coupon lasts for THREE months. Limited number of coupons available.
So I've finally discovered an easy way to store my through-hole resistors, the ones we all need when doing breadboard projects. Some constructors even use them in their final projects, yes, bizarre, I know! 😂
Also a quick update on the 8-bit shift register (with latch) project I'm working on to show error states in our Arduino projects.
00:00 Welcome Back!
02:22 Sponsor Message
03:36 Video Continues
14:56 74HC595 8-bit Shift Register with Latch update (very quick)
More information (including all links, sketches & PDFs in my GitHub):
github.com/RalphBacon/248-Res...
Link to "test tubes" I used:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172152850427
► List of all my videos
(Special thanks to Michael Kurt Vogel for compiling this)
bit.ly/UA-camVideoList-RalphB...
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My channel, GitHub and blog are here:
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I have just had the same issue - storing 130 values (2600 resistors) from China but I'm VERY limited in my storage space, so I used small resealable (in my case 9cm x 6cm zip seal) plastic bags that I labelled. A couple of cards to use as place markers and they all fit (sorted vertically) into a 2 litre box similar to those shown at 1:36. Quicker to make, cheaper and easier to access.
Yes, my drawer shown in the video probably has that many. I dread having to get them all out and stuff them into those test tubes. Your way sounds quicker.
I bought a load of approx 150mm x 100mm (6"x4") antistatic ziploc style bags, a roll of sticky labels, and put each value of resistor and power in its own bag and labelled it with value, power rating and tolerance. I then sorted them into order of value and put them in a small plastic box (the kind with the clips on the lid you get in supermarkets for food storage). The ones I got the bags fit into neatly. I put the labels on so that if you stand the bags vertically you can flip through it like a filing cabinet and find the resistor values you need. As long as you put them back in the right place, you'll always be able to find the right value, tolerance and power rating quickly. I've done the same with capacitors and loose hardware. I've used the same size of food storage box for all my small components and hardware, it makes for very compact storage of everything, and the anti-static bags (the pink type) provide some measure of protection for sensitive components.
Another advantage is that when a particular value is running low, I can keep the bag out on the desk to remind me to buy some more!
This is the system I settled on a few years back as well. It does indeed make for very compact storage yet easy to find the needed values. With all of the components I've amassed over the years it's the only sane way I've found to store them.
My comment above added about 2 hours after yours = I essentially do the same, only difference, I use old shoe boxes.
Sorry, Ian, you lost me at "As long as you put them back in the right place..." I don't understand that bit. 🤣
Like you, spent a lot of time trying to think of different ways. I am very happy with what I came up with. 3" x 4" LDPE Clear Zip Top Bags, 6 Mil, Then labeled each bag with typed stickers
(looks more professional) and then put all the bags in a box not bigger then bag dimensions, but label is at top of each bag so very easy to riffle through sorted ranges. Love it. Takes the least amount of room and does not pack air like you said. Thanks for your great videos.
I do the same, though not so neatly by the sound of it. The important thing is how many different resistor values you end up with. Remember that E24 means 24 values between 10ohms and 100ohms, another 24 between 100 and 1000, and so on. In practice i have most E12 values between 10R and 100k, which is nearly 50 values and then a few interspersed E24 values where I specifically need them, and a few more below 10R and above 100k. Probably 70 in total. This card-index-like bag system is very compact and very flexible when you have values all over the place.
Good stuff! I will need about 60 tubes, I think, to cover all the main values (I'm not going to muck about for the esoteric 10MΩ+ types).
Very innovative resistor-wrangling solution there Ralph!
A couple of other options.
1. In your old plastic drawers, instead of the vertical divider, you could use thin cardboard the length and width of the drawer to separate different resistors so you could probably get 4 or 5 different resistor values in one tray, with the cardboard separating them in layers like a cake.
2. Your SMD book is great! A through-hole option could be using those old CD/DVD albums that we used to use to hold our hundreds of disks. Just use a different pouch for each value of resistor with the value written on the clear pouch and you could easily store hundreds of values in just ONE of those 3" thick albums. Could be a good use for those old disk albums gathering dust worldwide.
Best wishes,
Gord
Good suggestions, Gord. I don't personally like the 4-layer cake method though as I just KNOW I will pull out the top two layers by mistake in my eagerness. CD/DVD books sounds good though.
Yes, a video on your new computer would be of interest to me.
Thank you for your informative videos.
OK, that's a + vote.
I think you approached it from the wrong end, you needed to fill up all the component drawers with more resistors to remove the air.
Who invited you to the party. I didn't see capacitor in the title lol
@@jstro-hobbytech it was the word “resistor” that attracted me here, haven’t you seen my resistor storage, one value per drawer with 100 drawers, ps most of the drawers are full to the top.
@@TheDefpom I was going to also add that you watching this video has created a time constant which means you and Ralph are oscillating with each other...
@@TheDefpom I have seen it. I just remembered haha
Well, I could cram more resistors into each drawer, Scott, but I HATE that drawer unit! And this is my opportunity to get rid of it once and for all. Perhaps a ritual destruction video when it happens?
you can actually organise your TH resistors like a photo-album, I use normal photo albums to store them, a different album for a different tolerance. Get those with ring inserts so that you can expand the album as needed. But to stop them from falling out, you need to stick a little strip of velco, not too thick, just enough to stop them from falling out and not too difficult to disengage. Iif you are more adventurous, you can even use a normal ring file and some sheet plastic to make your own, you just need some hole punchers and a plastic sheet sealer to make the right size slots with flaps. The great thing about this approach is that you can use indexes to indicate like the range of values and reach the value that you want at one glance.
I store my ceramic caps the same way too, even for like leds. But electrolytic caps are more bulky, hard to put in albums, still have to use drawers for them. So my component store is actually a bookshelf. Anyway I also tried to design such that one resistor is always dangling out of the enclosure and just need to pull as many as I want without having to open it and just cut to use but I failed, maybe you can come up with a better design.
I use sheet protectors and folder to hold the resistors, capacitors, etc
Yes, you can many others here, Frank. I have no idea why this didn't occur to me first.
I use my plastic prescription pill containers
with 1 inch round labels added on top. These drop in a diy foam board box with holes to the dimensions I wanted.
I also use the same idea but hot glue small screws, nuts and electronic parts on top of the blank label.
Ah, yes, plastic pill tubes are very similar to the test tubes I use. Singing off the same hymn sheet, John.
An old fishing lure tackle box would be the thing, but have not been able to find the sort I had as a child.
In practice, my ordinary 1/8th to 1 watt THTs, live in clear-top compartmented boxes for sewing crafts.
The real nightmare is organizing capacitors. There are just too many types!
Not just that, but there are various quality grades, voltages ... and the physical sizes vary greatly.
In the end, most of my components live in labeled, nested zip-locks. The plastic bags go into rough categories in labeled shoe boxes, and those shoe boxes go in plastic bins, and the plastic bins are stacked on each other.
I also use these fishing boxes
Funnily enough, caps don't bother me. They get slung into a drawer in their respective bags they come in, all marked as "Just Caps". Oh, I also have some compartmentalised boxes too, as bought. Very easy to use.
I bought a baseball card album (presumably the same size as football cards etc.) and put the resistors in zip bags in each pocket. Then I can flick through the pages until I find the right value.
Sounds great, Dominic, just what I should have thought of first.
Ralph, cut those ribbons of resistors to 11 inches and staple them to a thin bit of cardboard and put them in a binder. Sort the pages by resistor size, and you have got something almost as efficient as your smd resistor binder. Plus no test-tubes, laser cut plastic, just a 8.5x11 inch binder and 30 sheets of thin cardboard, and a 3 inch spot on your bookshelf.
Now you tell me this, James? Sigh. 😒
I like that idea. Thanks!
Yes, please! A video about your new PC and how you went about choosing the components used. Thanks as always for your informative videos!
OK, vote accepted.
Slick solution, Ralph! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
I use similar draws to the clear ones you replaced, but they are different plastic like nylon and don’t squeak. In one draw I put a 2 digit label, like 47 for example, and in that draw I put 4R7, 47R, 470R, 4K7, 47K, 470K, and 4M7. That leaves very little wasted space. But that is only suitable for 10 or 20 of each, not a hundred or large quantities like you have.
I do the exactly the same.
That's a great idea! At least it makes searching a lot quicker. How often, though, do you accidentally pick a 4K7 instead of a 47K (depends a lot on whether you can read the resistor colour code, I guess).
@@RalphBacon I try to stick with the light brown 4 band carbon resistors so the coulours are easier to read (hate those blue ones). And I leave the resistors in strips until I need them. I write the value on the edges of the strips. After a while I end up with loose resistors in the mix which means I have to decode the 3rd colour band.
I have small paper envelopes. R value written on top edge. A box that is filled perfectly with them so they all stand up very neatly. Easy to flip the top edges to find the right R. It makes a perfect neat compact "brick" of all my resistors. The paper envelopes work much better than plastic bags. I like what you have done, also. I haven't found the right search terms to find exactly what you found, though.
Took me ages to find these particular tubes (all others were smaller):
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172152850427
Actually, cheaper than I remembered, only £10 for 25. I bought 50 but I might have to buy another 25. Or keep those strange values you never use separately somewhere!
Excellent idea sticking them in tubes.
Been looking for ideas. I think I'm going to use the 3d printed gridfinty system with 25mm hole's to stuff the resistors in.
Go for it!
Your videos are always fun to watch... so I encourage you to talk about your new PC.
OK that's vote #3 (this could be a slow count).
Great Idea!
The organization and storage of all the neat little parts is WAY HARDER than ordering them...
Think I'll have to build one, however Ill have to use LOO(TP) Roll for the PVC and Prescription Bottles for the containers; ever since buying BOTH a cabbage and a turnip at the same time a week back.
EDIT-ADD I use Coke/soda 24 can cardboard flats as 'storage-in-waiting' or project collections. Stackable, contained to be mobile, easily put in a corner and ignored...
It sounds like your Coke cardboard flats is rapidly becoming your storage solution of choice, Scott! Oh, BTW, on the news this morning: they are REMOVING the cardboard tubes from loo paper. Not kidding. www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/26/no-country-for-roll-men-tubeless-toilet-paper-a-catastrophe-says-blue-peter-star
Great video. Coul also use a shallow plastic container and drill 30mm holes in the lid
Great idea. That would also work, of course. Hmm, an ice cream carton [c/w]ould work or a "proper", more solid storage box with a drillable lid. Indeed.
For years (how many? I've lost count!) I keep my resistors in 2" x 4" plastic bags, sticky backed hand-written labels, stacked in order in a cardboard box. Whole E96 range (about 100 x 1% values) fits in a box about 3" x 8". Takes about 15 seconds to find a particular value. Works for me.
Oh wow! But do you remember/be bothered to put them back there too?
@@RalphBacon Yes - I'm a good boy, I am!
Mind, that's 96 values per decade, so about 500 values!
I use containers meant for spices made of glass or plastic. They are usually cylindrical more or less 10cm tall and 4cm wide, perfect size for resistors and diodes. The value can be written on the cap. It takes a simple box (1l ice cream) to hold 12 of them. boxes can be stacked on up of the other. All together my resistors and diodes take a relatively small volume of storage. I find it definitely not very nice to look at, but very cheap and above all most practical.
It's a workshop so aesthetics comes second place to practicality. Sounds like you have it covered. And when you solder a resistor you get a whiff of Cayenne Pepper (or other spice) too! Win win!
I put my resistors on envelopes. Very simple, take any space, doesn't fell down by themselves. I put all of these in a cardboard box.
I guess that it works for you, so it's definitely a solution!
On eBay there are component boxes with hinged lids that clip together. Both ca. 2x3x2cm for SMD and 2x3x7 that fit TH.
I clip them together in number ranges, like 47 or 22, and put them on the shelf, readable from the front.
You'll have to search for "SMD component box" to filter out all the other types of boxes.
The lid quality is not always brilliant
And yes, I use TH for breadboarding.
Interesting that they come in different sizes AND interlock. 👍
Here is my vote for the PC related video. True, it is not Arduino related but we all PC to view this and what do we program our Arduinos with?
That's true, Michael. I'll take that as vote #5.
I got a book of through hole resistors from SparkFun. It's basically the same cut tape resistors as in your big box, stapled into a folded cardboard "book." But I've also got a few plastic bags of frequently used values (like 330 for LED current limiting, or 10K pull up). The ones in plastic bags need better storage that makes them easier to find. Those plastic drawers are probably fine for a small set of frequently used values. I can go to the book for less frequently used values.
Capacitors are currently more of a hassle for me. I got an assortment from eBay that came in a bunch of small, unlabeled, plastic bags. Alas, those bags are just a little too wide for my plastic drawers. I've been contemplating getting a few of those briefcase-sized storage bins with subdividers. I think one of the most important bits is easy to read labels. Your example 39 ohm test tube looked very readable.
Looking forward to a video on your misadventures with the 74HC595. I can only guess that it was one or two small details (like a missing pull up or down on an enable pin?) that ended up being trivial in hindsight.
I'm currently working on a project involving a unipolar stepper motor. As I was integrating the other pieces of the project, it stopped being able to step one direction, and it wasn't stepping smoothly. I finally narrowed it down to two of the four phases not getting a signal. My first thought was that I had burned out one of the H bridges in the dual H bridge chip. I pulled all the wiring apart and put it back together, and was able to determine that the dual H bridge chip was indeed working. I can only assume that the wire to the enable pin of the misbehaving H bridge had come loose.
Breadboard projects are the bane in my life! they work (mostly) for most of the time but now and again they stop or misbehave. I blame the rubbish "DuPont" cables. Or me.
Yes, the hiccup in my 74HC595 was not realising the RST pin had to brought HIGH (via a pullup, I guess, the datasheet is a bit vague), it cannot be left floating. Otherwise, well, read the first paragraph again!
12:44 chop saw/mitre saw. For component storage I use brown paper wage envelopes in an open top plastic storage box, which holds them like files in a filing cabinet. The box is akin to a shoe box but smaller. I printed labels for them. The stock keeping part of electronics...
You are not alone in that envelope solution, others here too.
Interesting comment near the end about the booklet approach. Some time ago I bought a ring binder with a lot of A4 pages made up of plastic pockets, which I planned to use for my "coin collection", which is currently just sitting in an old tin. I never got round to putting the coins in, and feel sure that it could be utilised for through hole resistors.....
(btw, you can still get Dymos, although these days you enter the text first and it prints it all in one go rather than having to do it letter by letter - oh the joy when you realised you made a typo. A friend of mine in the US used one to label everything in his huge basement - including the Dymo itself 🤣)
Labelling the Dymo? What, just in case he forgot what it was? That reminds me, I must put a label on my computer, "COMPUTER". Just in case.
Dad used to use old glass jam jars, ones with the metal lids. He set up a piece of 4x4 timber with a bolt in each end of a 400mm piece. This then rotated on two brackets off the wall.
Lids were screwed/nailed to the four square sides with clearance for the bottle to screw on. Could fit around 5 or 6 bottles on each of the four sides of the 4x4 timber.
When complete, one could see what was inside, took up very little room and rotate the bottles to get to each row.
One could write what is inside with a marker pen on the bottom of the bottle.
Ralph, you could do the same as your bottles have screw on caps....cheers Jorgo
Yes, that's certainly an option, Jorgo. We'll see how the container bin works first, though!
Do you remember the hangover cure Underberg from the 1970s? The little bottles used to come in a gun belt thing hung being the bar. If you got two pieces of canvas someone with a sewing machine and they could take up even less room. A smaller version of the IKEA shoe storage.
Never used Underberg for hangovers but sure did after over indulging in too much rich food. Still used them well into the late 90’s and early 2000s.
Disgusting things. My mum sometimes had one (as a treat after a meal if I recall, oh, the irony).
Hi Ralph. I'm new to your channel. I've watched and enjoyed several of your videos. Your component storage video inspired me. I had the idea of using a my old CD folder, to store bags of my through-hole resistors, (in a similar way to your surface mount component folder). It keeps everything in order, it's portable, components are easily accessible, it's ready made, free or affordable (under £10), space saving, and keeps everything dust free! :-)
Welcome aboard! And, yes, that sounds very do-able, good suggestion! 👍
I have a resistor storage similar to yours. The difference is that I have organized it by the first digit. So, the top left drawer has 1, 10, 100, 1K, 10K, etc. each in bags labeled as such. I have all the resistors I need at hand on my bench, and they only take like 12 drawers. I do have some "special case" ones that are stored separately. It works for me, and if a drawer runs low I go into my bulk storage and replenish it.
Great tip! Once I have all my resistors "tubed up" I can experiment which way works best for me.
After messing with different storage for years, and inspired by SMD storage in a binder, I now used transparent baseball card pockets (9 pockets a page) and 3 holes binder to store all small components!! I now have one 1.5 inch binders for all small thur hole resistors/caps/transistors/diodes/inductors that I need, instead of 100's of drawer/compartments! Saved a lot of space, easy to access, can easily see what is missing.
Sounds a very popular solution to have binders. I'll consider it for my diodes and maybe other stuff.
Yeah, I tried that myself. And then you drop the binder and all the resistors fall out.
@@SodAlmighty Staying in could be a challenge. I used some tape (or scrapbook sticky) at the opening for very loose pieces (small caps), others usually have enough friction to stay in the pocket. It is not perfect.
i only have 20-25 zip pouches with 100-200 resistors each, in one of those 10"x8" white plastic boxes.
100-200 resistors "of the same value"? Or mixed? The first sounds like a lot of the same value resistor; the second sounds tricky to get the value you want. Does it work well?
@@RalphBacon yah, same value 100pcs in each of the pouches. since 100pcs 5% ones cost about 20 cents.
useful to have resistors stocks in numbers. when doing analog stuff, it helps with value matching, and sometimes some circuits need a lot of them (ex: 7 seg led ones).
When I was a young lad I had one of those drawer organiser cabinat things with 15 drawers. I took 9 of them and put the colors brown, red etc on the front and then organised the resisters in the three compartments inside the drawer based on the highest color of the resistor and where on the resistor that color was. So 470 ohm; 7 is the highest, in the second band so it was in the second compartment in the violet drawer. 31k was in the third compartment of the orange drawer, etc. Yes each compartment had multiple values of resistors, but back then resistors where %.25 a piece or something ridiculous like that so you never had so many that searching a single compartment was a problem.
A unique way of ordering resistors indeed, but if it works for you that's all that matters.
Good idea. I’ve ordered some tubes.
Go for it! Let me know how you get on. 👍
I can reduce even further by stacking the strips of resistors and small capacitors like documents in a sheet protectors (like photo album)
Easy to get out again when you need them?
A resistor box was one of the first things I designed when I got a 3d printer. It works great, and is really compact.
Go on, rub it in. You KNOW I don't have a 3D printer. Meanie.
@@RalphBacon I didn't mean it like that (of course). But I ran into the same issue, resistors being either a mess or taking up too much space. Just meant to say it's great people solve the issue themselves instead of buying an expensive niche solution.
In my OCD days I’ve used ring binders for smaller component storage with first-day cover holders and medal holder insert pages ... but they are ridiculously expensive now. These days zip lock bags in range specific boxes suffices. Not pretty but gets the job done. Keep up the great work 😀👍
Ps .. if the error logging could becomes reusable module it could become a big seller and a useful addition to the pcbway project library.
Ring binders often suggested here, must work, I guess. I've just designed the PCB for the dual mini-LED thing, we will see how it goes. (If you never hear anything about it ever again, you'll know why 😲).
Hi Ralph you were kind enough to send me a PCB board once. I would like to repay you for that kindness. Just so happens I am in the business of making storage racks for the
hobby industry. I already sell a product that is exactly like the first solution that you discussed. If you will reply we can get together and I'll send you what you need no charge.
David Morris
That's very kind of you, David, and I will take a rain check on that (sorry for the US expression) as I think my solution will now work. 🤷
I will need 3 storage boxes of the type you saw but the massive advantage for me (when it's done) will be that I can quickly get the value I want, from a dust-free box.
The challenge will be to put them back in the right container rather than chucking them in a drawer labelled "Components"!
If I get stuck I shall contact you again, thanks again for the offer. 👍
I uses a drawer systems for my leaded resistors, it is 6 columns with 12 rooms in each column (One drawer handles two columns). I have considerable more resistors in each drawer and because I have more depth I can have more types of smaller resistors (They do not have space for power resistors). I have used these drawers for MANY years and never seen the wall space as a problem.
For SMD resistors I use the books for seldom used sizes and have found some nice SMD boxes with many small compartments for the used sizes. The books are nice, but it takes way to much effort to get a single resistor out of them and they have to few resistor in them for most stuff anyway. In the boxes each compartment can handle a few 100 0805 resistors or capacitors (My preferred size). This also means that I can buy the cheap SMD parts (Resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors) in multiple of 100.
You mean you buy them in multiples of 100, so 50 of them scattered on your floor still allows you to go ahead with your project! (Just kidding, you know it). 😁
With SMD resistors shipping is a large part of the cost when you buy small quantities. You have to buy more than 100 before shipping is a small part of the price.
I may loose a few resistors, mostly when moving them from the strip to the box. When mounting them I usually use tweezers to move the directly from the box to the PCB.
We all need a computer - To do our Arduino stuff on. And at one point, most of us will need to switch to Windows 11.
So all issues that you have had to deal with, in this regard, will be well worth knowing about.
Please make a video about your Windows 11 issues, choices and what ever else you discovered in the process of picking the right computer.
My last three computers have all been laptops. Did you also go the laptop route for your latest computer upgrade?
@MrAlvinDude ... Glad you said "most of us" as the last version of Windoze I used was XP but became truly hacked off spending my time fixing issues caused by Windoze bloat and instability.
It also wrankled that I couldn't upgrade without buying a new machine. So over 20 years ago, I switched to Linux, as did my technophobic wife who just didn't like Windoze 7, and I haven't looked back!
In all that time I have spent very little time (pretty much zero) on fixing software issues or hardware problems and I'm STILL using a 20 year old machine, albeit with a 14 year old AMD Mobo ... I wanted more memory ... 8GB v 4GB.
I now run a whole pile of additional software like FreeCAD, KiCad, Cinelerra, 3D print tools like Prusa slicer, Slicr, Gcode tools, CNC tools etc. All on that 20 year old system with that 14 year old AMD Mobo, 8GB memory and some FREE ex Sky box 500Gb disk drives. Years ago I tried to load Win 7 (the version that came with my wife's laptop) ... It wouldn't even load!! Linux ... No issues and I have switched from Ubuntu to Debian to Mint and now on v20.4 of Mint. I was NEVER able to do that with MS.
Microsoft?? Who needs them? I don't, and I won't use them ever again. EVERY device in our house is Linux based. From Android phones & tablets to the 2 laptops, (four if you include the two old Dell laptops) they can't even load Windoze 7 let alone install and run it, but happily, they run Linux just fine albeit slowly with their 4GB mem limit and run 32bit Linux. There are also two desktops. Plus a 12 year old Compaq 2u server in the garage.
One of the desktop machines, itself a free skip retrieval and rebuild to run 3D printer, CADCAM and 2D CAD software, also sits in the garage.
@MrAlvinDude ... A thought ... You do know that a raspberry pi can be used to program and run Arduino IDE under Raspbian (or I think they call it Raspberry Pi OS now)? True for Pi model 3 and 4!
If you have a monitor with dual selectable inputs (need one to be an HDMI or DVI with an adapter) you can easily switch between the pi and your usual computer. With a keyboard and mouse switch it makes for a perfect dedicated Arduino development platform.
@@boblewis5558 Hi, and thank you for sharing your positive experiences about succeeding in doing things your way 👍
It is for that exact reason I chose the phrase "most of us".
At my local hackerspace I have many friends who are devout Linux uses. Several of them have no recollection about: when was the last time they touched a computer that was "infested" with a version of windows 🌞
Even though I have tried to make the switch to Linux several times, I have not yet succeeded.
And by now, I find that I am too set in my ways - so I will stick with the version of windows that I have - until I am absolutely forced to make a switch. At which time I will - again - re-try and re-consider using a version of linux.
So I am always glad to hear about people who are happy about their Linux setup.
And I will likewise, be glad to hear about someones challenges with selecting their preferred hardware, in order to run windows 11. Because I will be postponing my need to change, as long as I possibly can.
I find that as I get older, I have become increasingly stubborn about not making too many changes to my daily rutines and habits. But I still realize that sometimes, for my own good, I must at least adapt 😊
I'll take that as vote #4 (it's a slow voting process, this one). Yes, I'm almost forced into Windows because of the apps I use, although Windows 11 has been a bit frustrating and I've "hacked" it back to look more like Windows 10. 😲
@@boblewis5558 I'm with you 100% on this one. I have run nothing but linux since 1999...
Like you, I have been accumulating these wonderful and useful parts for 30-40years. But I have mine partly sorted in a large number of partly labeled boxes, so that even a small project is a call to discovery and adventure.
Certain components and/or circuit boards pass over into the realm of legend. Am I SURE that I still have that?
Am I SURE that I really EVER had that?
Did it ever even EXIST? Memories get fuzzy, mutated, criss-crossed.
But when I seek a long-lost something, I can enjoy the same prolonged sense of discovery and adventure (and hardship) that the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition experienced.
Now make no mistake, your family will throw away all of your priceless treasures without even blinking. So we tech folk do need to plan, and eventually act. We may pass on a few things to a museum, but young people are the main hope. We must never miss a chance to infect the younger generations with our strange ideas about lifestyle.
I have no illusions, Thomas. When I snuff it, my wife will get a-man-and-a-skip and just load all my workshop into aforementioned skip, no questions asked. Then she will use the workshop as a summerhouse. 😲
Hi I have 5 racco cabinets ( like your one ) that store my E24 resistor collection plus most of my capacitors - and lots of my
drawers are full . I have lots of some values and different sizes ( watts ) . Most drawers have only one value , just below 10 ohm and
above 10M ohm drawers have more than 1 value . Re-seal plastic bags keep them sorted . I also have my SM resistors ( various sizes ) in the re-seal plastic bags in the E24 drawers . The few values 'better' than E24 are also in bags in another container . A chest of drawers ( from MFI ) store my collection of Transistors , ICs etc , mostly sorted using boxes and bags by type , function etc .
Alan
FIVE of those cabinets, Alan? FIVE??!!! 😲😲😲
I've only got one and it's too much (although I do love the noise it makes when I open some of the drawers). To be fair if I had more (wall) space then I would have more of those cabinets too (but smoother drawer function, so probably plastic).
@@RalphBacon Hi Infact I have 6 of them . No.6 has my nuts bolts washers and spacers in & is in a different part of the room .
Nice solution to the TH component storage problem. I would like to see a video about the shift register PCB, the new PC, and any other projects. You know, an update video.
Thanks for the ideas!
I too have one of those plastic drawer thingies that I've had for many decades, which isn't totally used and only has some odds and ends in it, stuff that will make good use of the space in a drawer. I used to have a whole lot more of those things in various sizes, but not any more.
My current solution to the storage of small parts is to use small zip lock plastic bags. I see where some folks mention these or small envelopes in something just the right size to store them where they nicely stay upright and in order, and that doesn't work for me. I order them with what the suppliers call a "hang hole", and put them on rings, similar to the rings you'd fine in a loose-leaf binder, which keeps them nicely in order even using a number of different sizes of bag. Initially some years ago I was given some of these that were 3 by 5 inches, which is a pretty useful size, but for some parts where I only have a very small quantity of them I also find 2 by 3 inches useful, and for some where I have a lot of something 4 by 6 inches works well. I can mix these up and the rings keep them in proper order. A bit of sticky label on the front of each bag tells me what's in it.
I not only use these for resistors, but also capacitors and transistors and diodes and much else besides. A given kind of part goes in a box, which may end up with several rings in it, when one fills up, typically for things like electrolytic capacitors (I salvage a *lot* of parts!)...
Ziplocks feature a lot here, by many viewers. I guess it must work!
A few years ago you could buy mini-M&Ms in tubes with caps. Ideal for resistor storage, especially as they were coloured suitably for the decades. Essentially free!
Or Smartie tubes?
@@RalphBacon better chocolate, hexagonal “tubes” now so excellent packing. Bit frail though, so would need periodic replacement. I think I might have missed an opportunity there!
I've found that card collection sheets for a 3 ring binder are perfect. They sell them as clear sheets with about 12+ pockets on a sheet. They are meant for baseball cards and the like, but they are perfect for those resistor strips folded up. It's very compact and a lot like the SMD binder.
Ah ha! I wondered if there was a solution like this out there.
Had exactly the same issue with my resistors. In my case I had MANY zip seal poly bags. So, my solution now is that I have a large bag in which there are smaller bags each containing a decade of resistors.
The bags contain, for example 1R to 10R, then a bag with >10R to 100R, >100R to 1k, >1k to 10k etc, I keep the series together on their tape strips of ten (or more if you want) and in value order so that specific values can easily be found and detached.
After trying many different solutions, this has proven the simplest of all to manage and keep updated/stocked and quick to use also. It takes moments to open the big bag, find the decade bag needed, remove the whole roll/flat run of resistors, find and remove the relevant values, make a note if that value is running out, replace the roll (I keep strips of ten so keep them flat actually but then roll up the whole decade if required).
They can then be kept in whatever type of container suits. In my case it's in the top covered section of a carry case of portable multi section clip top "drawers" which contain various other generic components used for small projects & testing using breadboards.
Interesting that you, too, keep all "1" resistors together. Been suggested here a lot. I will have to experiment.
You kinda can still get things like that these days, lol. Lidl and Aldi near me both have the plastic tape Dymos at the moment for about £8. I just bought one just a couple of weeks ago. They have the more modern digital Dymos that use the thermal tapes, too and I already had one of those, but I wanted the old school one as well because I needed that plastic tape aesthetic for something. :)
As far as through hole resistors, though... I pretty much only use them now on the breadboard while testing and figuring stuff out. So, I keep new ones all together in a box and when I'm done with ones I've used on the breadboard, they go into a little baggy with a label on it to keep all resistors of a given value together and then into a small drawer for easy access next time.
I'm a modern, technical person so I, too, have the thermal tape-style printer... but it's not a DYMO where the letters are actually, physically squished into the tape! Although as my ones are now 30 years old and still very readable I guess I know which label type will last longer... 😲
A related problem related to storage is knowing what you have. This is particularly true for small active SMD components, which can be expensive. For example, when I work in parallel with many different hobby projects, they drag out in time, but the bought components are all over the place. Thus, when sorting out what I already possess, I found that using Mouser free inventory program is a great solution. So next time I plan to buy something, I scan my digital inventory and then purchase. This is not for these super cheap TH components, of course. Just my2c. Cheers.
And your 2c worth is most interesting, Sgt-Bond. Interesting indeed. I shall check this out.
@@RalphBacon They have a great tutorial on their site, and it is easy to get started. Of course, it can be a minor challenge if one is not used with the terminology. I found doing some tests, and if I was not satisfied, I simply deleted the whole thing and started all over again. I buy most active devices from Mouser or DigiKey; if not, LCSC has the particular part. Adding parts from Mouser is rewarding since adding them to the inventory requires only six letters/numbers from the package label. The program automatically adds lots of information right into the inventory manager. Try it out now (Lol; stolen phrase). Cheers.
I use the multi draw systems for most of my components but had the same problem took up too much room. So I built a frame on wheels and put the draw systems so they are back to back . It takes up not much room and I usually keep it pushed into a corner and can wheel it around and be accessible from either front or back. It's easy to move for cleaning. I know a picture is worth a thousand words so if you want a pic let me know. Thanks for your ideas as well as time and work.
Ah yes, you can buy those back-to-back ones. In fact you can get four of them in a sort of square, on castors. The trouble is twofold: one they take up floor space instead of wall space. Secondly, they are several hundred pounds each. 😂
@@RalphBacon I built my own but pushed against a wall until needed, you are right do loss floor space. The other problem with it is the floor needs to be non carpeted !! Learn that one. !lol
I bought a lot of small zip bags that are just the right height instead, and then marked each bag with the measurement and sorted / grouped them by 10,100,1k etc into those horrible sorting boxes.
Zip bags feature heavily here (in the comments). Not sure I could cope with dozens of them, though.
I tend to use 1k more than all the rest combined. Brother 12mm tape printers are great, plastic labels (non branded - much cheaper) different colours, I use white on black a lot, great for labeling plugs. Cheers
I label my plugs too. And the cables at the other end, sometimes (USB cables to the computer, for example).
I have limited storage space! So, I implemented the most space efficient organised storage that I could find, for my TH resistors, capacitors etc.
For resistors, firstly I remove them from their paper strip. Storing them on the paper strip is hugely wasteful of space. It’s very easy to just cut them off, up-front.
With the individual resistors now quite compact, I store them in individual component drawers, all labelled with their E series value for very quick & easy access.
The trick here was that I couldn’t find quality compact drawers, small enough to “efficiently” store the number of resistors I had, per value.
The solution was to 3D Print my own drawers, to the drawer size that would allow the most efficient use of my available storage space.
For resistors I used the 2x2x1 sized drawer box (from ThingiVerse), with 4x six section drawers in each stackable box. I therefore store 24x E series values per compact storage drawer box.
I also printed some double height boxes / drawers (i.e. 2x2x2 size), for larger components like the higher value electrolytic’s, 5mm LEDs etc.
This has given me an easily accessible, highly organised, and optimally “compact” storage, for all my TH components etc. 🤓
I hope this is helpful to others with the same space / organisation challenge.
Drawer design used: www.thingiverse.com/thing:3873672
I liked this picture:
www.thingiverse.com/thing:3125601
but was too jealous of your 3D printer to do much else. 😂
I mainly use 0604/0805 smd, which are very convenient in storage with those books.
But I still got 6x8 pack of glued together matches boxes (55x35x20mm individual size, almost perfect for a decent amount of leaded component),
that is a lot older than me and I am a 90s kid..
It is the cheapest and while pretty dense storage for resistors that I witnessed.
SMD are not the problem. It's those through hole (leaded) components on thin strips of paper that are really awkward. Real matchboxes? Hmm, I wonder what you did with all the matches 🚒
@@RalphBacon They were natural leftovers before gas lighters mass production. Someone simply smoked tabacco, they we not mine, I only inherited the whole thing from my grandpa. It is so old, that it just began to slowly disintegrate into "sand".
I use bank plastic coin bags of like-resistors (using the multiplier bands black, brown, etc.) in a large biscuit tin, sorted into increasing values in the bag. They're easy to find and ultra compact. It takes a bit of initial organisation, but I have no issues with space or accessibility.
Did you buy the biscuits so you could "use the tin later" but had to eat the biscuits first? Sounds very suspicious, Mark. 🍪
@@RalphBacon The tin of biscuits was a Christmas present. The biscuits were in the way and had to be disposed of. I was naturally very happy to dispose of the biscuits over a short period of time.
When taking SMD resistors out of their reels, use a pair of scissors to cut them, instead of peeling off the plastic covering.
Sounds sensible. That would deffo prevent 3 others falling out at the same time. I will try it, thanks for the heads up.
When the Time Comes to Clean Out the Attic, what about making some grab- bags. You could charge to cover shipping, or support the channel, etc., etc. Some parts sellers do this, and it can be a great help to the newcomer as they get to know electronics.
It's an idea certainly. Better than just dumping the stuff, I guess.
Label the lids Ralph!
Yes, the lids will have labels too. I did show one with 39Ω on it although I wish I had a broader white pen.
Chop saw, neat solution, I have all my through hole resistors all together in a box ! but only really use 'em for breadboarding yeah give us thoughts on your build....cheers.
Drop saw or mitre saw.
Chop-your-hand-off saw?
There is probably a cnc company specialized in acrylics that could laser cut a sheet for you.
In my opinion time is money.
The time consumed drilling a bunch of holes or cutting pipes is probably more expensive then a custom part.
Then again i got a cnc plasma cutter available to me so cutting a bunch of holes in 1mm sheetmetal is childsplay.
I like the way you put them in a box, probably going to do the same.
Oh, yes, there are plenty of firms willing to sell me a piece of acrylic for a reasonable price. Then I mention that I need a few holes and the price goes stratospheric.
@@RalphBacon the place I normally order my acrylic (in the Netherlands) adds 10 cents per hole no matter what size or shape.
Only thing that is expensive is adding engraving to it.
Must mention I do deliver a DXF ready to use with their post processor for their laser.
Have used my MPCNC to cut it with a router in the past but again time and space are more "expensive" for me.
Alot of companies want profit and often people just pay the premium price, got 1 product I make that cost 5 euro's plus 5 minutes of work and I sell them at 90 euros, the joy of a cnc business.
You can use a booklet system for storage, you just have to make it yourself. I am using an A4 folder with A4 plastic pocket with 9 pockets per sheet, used for football cards or pokemon cards and such. Then a small plastic bag 60 by 80 mm to hold the components. It easily holds 20-30 resistors and not much air. it won't take much space, A4 folder, 40 mm wide.
Im looking forward to your shift register video, many people forget the decoupling capacitor. About 100nF across the power pins on the chip should do it.
Same here with non-esd items. A "composition" notebook, items taped to pages. The notebook gets thick, but manageable.
Lots of suggestions for booklets. Hmm, I haven't used decoupling caps on my breadboard and the datasheet doesn't mention them. I might well do (now you've reminded me) on the PCB though.
I use a lever arch file with card holder leaves to slot the through holes in and put the resistors in that along with diodes and unductors labeled and with a divider for the watts and so forth I see Sean O'neill uses the same system
Yes, another variant on the book system, seems pretty good.
Funny. I guess anyone who is into electronics has faced this issue but the industry never got around to creating inexpensive and practical solutions.
But search for "foto tassen a4" (sorry, it's in Dutch but you'll get the point).
Those should do the trick, but you may want to refrain from holding the book upside down 🥴
BTW: why are these plastic resistor lead bending tools so stupid expensive? I'd expect it should be possible to injection mold these things for very little money.
I agree about the bending tool which is why those with a 3D printer will knock one up very quickly.
I use plastic pages used to store sports cards. They have 9 pockets per page and store in a binder, like you SMD resistor booklet.
When he showed his SMD book, I was thinking that was the optimal solution.
An A4 version of the SMD book might work with pockets?
Or use cardboard tubes, amazon has a lot of them in different sizes. Also more ESD friendly for transistors etc.
But you can't see through cardboard? Also, now that they are removing the tubes from toilet rolls the price will probably go up too.
I think you should show us your thoughts about building your new pc.
OK, I'll take that as a vote. 👍
I'm currently experimenting with quadropacks as storage for small stuff. They're relatively cheap in high quantities. I'm not yet entire sold on them.
I think for the small "bottles" I'd go with 45 degree wooden boards and drill lots of holes in it. The Geocaching scene has similar containers, I think here they call them "petling", could be easier in terms of availability.
Those 'pelting' containers are mega expensive; I guess in their real use they are made to a particular standard?
@@RalphBacon 100 pcs 135 mm (also available in other/shorter engths) long for about $16 on Amazon, probably similar at the other usual sites...
They're what when heated and inflated forms PET (thus PETling) water/soda bottles.
New lids/screwcaps about 5cent each, or reuse from your and friend's consumption, as the top/opening/screwthread is already formed and unaffected by the inflation to fully formed, bottle.
I have the same problem, All my resistors are in one big box, t's apain to find the ones you need. All values up to 3M, different tollerance and some for 1/4 w others for .5w, 2w, 3w. When youu finde the resistors you need you have forgotten to what and why you needed them in the first place,
Sounds like the perfect solution! It's basically what I have now 😒
You COULD put vertical clear plastic dividers in your drawers to avoid air and in the same time fit hips of resistors in a small space, right?
If I wanted to faff around and become very annoyed every time I wanted to get one out... yes, I could 😂.
The issue with this whole component storage problem is that it must be _easy_ to get at stuff. Just like that excellent mixing bowl in the kitchen you want to use but it's right at the back of the cupboard with umpteen things in front of it... you ain't gonna get it out!
@@RalphBacon You must have fat fingers then LOL
I have sausage fingers... with a name like Bacon it's only fitting 🐖
Next project: An automated resistor dispenser robot. Could even have a validation before delivery 👍🏻
Cool idea! I'll get working on it right away... 🎄
I’d be more interested in why you got a new PC and what you use it for in electronics and any difficulties with software compatibility after the upgrade.
The only software compatibility issue I had was Windows 11 (from Window 10)! But I would include that info in the video too.
These are called "skirted 50 ml centrifuge tubes". I suppose I'd use a laser cutter at my local maker space if I wanted to make a rack.
Personally, I use ring binder baseball card organisers for my resistors for a similar arrangement to the SMD books.
Yes, skirted thingy whatsits, I knew that, honest I did 🤥. At least the stand up (courtesy of the skirt, I suppose).
been a DIYer, I'm surprise you don't have a 3D printer.
I have the same kind of drawers (45+ years!). I still have LM741 from the 70's.
the problem I have with thje SMD is that they are small and I'm shaking more and more as I age.
I'm getting ready for retirement and will probably come up with a 3D print solution to store everything neatly (but don't hold your breath).
I do now have a 3D printer, Yves! Finally! My latest video #264 makes a brief mention of this with a few samples.
Where do you get those SMD book holders. Are they stamp collector books or something ?
Have seen them on aliexpress
They are "proper" SMD books. I got that populated one as a prize from Pimoroni.com (shop.pimoroni.com/products/smt-smd-0805-resistor-and-capacitor-book?variant=27663754823 ) a few years back but they also sell empty books too. AliExpress also sell the books.
yes please video on PC
Hurrah, another vote. Is six votes enough to declare a resounding victory for a PC video?
@@RalphBacon Its a topical subject and I have full confidence you will cover it with a throughough practical and impartial manner. I used to understand PC hardware but some how I been left behind.
If you have values that you rarely use and keep in small numbers, you could put a piece of plastic or card stock in the tube dividing it in two. Draw a line on the cap and indicate the values one on each half, and Robert's your father's brother.
That is true and I might do that, I will see how it goes when I get around to it. A round tuit, I know.
I know the problem Ralph and I have found that this simple formula applies, Storage = existing storage + X where X is yet to be determined but is always greater than 1 :)
So true. If you have ever seen that excellent Sci-Fi program "Warehouse 13" you will know the size of workshop I need. w.televisionheaven.co.uk/assets/warehouse_13_001.jpg
Dude, you only have two through hole resistors! 😀 I keep all values that start with the same first two numbers together, regardless of exponent. So one container holds 1.2, 12, 120, 1.2K etc. The containers are full and it takes about 10 seconds to find the right value after pulling the container...
10 seconds? Is that Arduino seconds? So about 10 seconds to find the correct value and 50 seconds to put all the others back into the box?
If I need any acrlic holders / stands etc, I use our local plastics company Abex Plastics in Leigh
I will search them out, for sure.
Hi. How do you get the holes lined up with any holes you might have in your pcb in your 3d prints. I tries but it takes me several print to get it right
I'm unclear to what you are referring, Hans. Which holes in what PCB? Can you give me an example? Does it pertain to this video or is it just a general question?
Most PCB CAD lets you export a STEP file of the board which CAD like Fusion can import - then you can align holes like you would between "pure" CAD components. You need to make sure you have 3d models for everything in your PCB CAD though, really.
@@RalphBacon i just mean any random pcb or any thing with mounting holes that did not come from CAD. Ie i measure the distance of the centers of the holes and i try to design my holes at the same distance but so far it always ends up in trial and error. It bothers me a lot. So t9 be clear i mean matching up 3d printed holes with real life objects acurate. Bow it useally takes me about 6 tries ti get it right. I mean a square box with an m3 hole in each corner should be easy. I dont think its a printer calibration isseue
I bought a bunch of coin envelopes and use those to hold resistors.
I don't know what "coin envelopes" are (and I haven't got time to Google) but it sounds like a variation on the themes here which all seem to work well. Thanks, Mark 👍
I go away from round storage objects long time ago - they have big air gaps even between containers..
Best solution is to put multiple values in same drawer and label it as You desire.. Example 10R-500R, 510R-1K etc.. ZIP bags is great for sorting single values without ribbon..
Thanks for sharing! I wish I could have bought square/oblong test tubes (but I guess that's not a test tube then).
I watch your vids on an x570 amd mobo with nvme drives that read and write at 5000 mbs. There are some faster but I won't be needing to throw more money at this baby for awhile.
Ridiculously fast those M.2 drives, for sure.
10pcs torage Box Small Tool Screw Object Electronic Component Parts Storage Lab Case SMD Automatically Pops Up Patch Container
Yup, found them on eBay but they are only 76mm long; a bit tight, not sure. Could have worked. 👍
So why are you using the bits of pipe? Surely the tubes in a box do not need any extra support? Also I use photo albums to store my thru hole components.
No, no, no. I immediately found the tubes, by themselves, fell about all over the place. I could have used some non-slip draw liner (that rubbery stuff) on the bottom (inside) but as tubes were withdrawn there was enough room for others to fall over - and guess what. Yup. Hence the supporting tubes, I guess I should have mentioned that!!! 🤦😉
For minimizing the space wasted to air, the container needs to be able to adjust to the volume of that which is being contained. For me, that means a flexible bag. I simply stack, vertically, the ziplock bags that my resistors come in in a plastic shoe box. The label contains the information about the item. Meaning, I do not need to create a label = another step saved. I just flip through the bags to find the needed value. I leave a place in the zipper open, so that any trapped air can escape. It works well enough, but there must be something about it that I don't like, because I am here, looking for other solutions.
Bags stuffed into those drawers never works for me. I can never get the drawer back out again because the bag has now relaxed and expanded.
I'm mightily amused by this. I do have little drawers for resistors (eg. 500 < value
Indeed. You saw my big box of strips (in more than 10). They get all tangled up and really awkward to use.
Quality Park #3 Coin and Small Parts Envelopes
I had to look that up so here's the link for other to see:
amzn.to/3B4SooF
I use static safe ziplock bags that fit upright in a shoe box with labels on each bag. No more storing air! 99% of my components are stored this way. ICs in longer plastic tubes are stored separately with a card in the shoe box as a place holder. And some large components won't fit, for example plumbing solenoid valves. I'm up to 5 shoe boxes now. It's all basically alphabetical.
Don't plumbing valves belong elsewhere, with other plumbing paraphernalia? Whatever, you sound as though you have it covered.
@@RalphBacon The plumbing valves have electronic solenoids, thus part of my "electronics collection". I was going to use them to shut off the water in the event that I got a plumbing leak in my basement.
I like your solution. But I think there is a better way to store resistors. In my case I have a drawer, not high, there I have, 3D-printed 40x55x17 mm (homemade), open boxes with my resistors cut and prebended 10mm. 63 boxes I think is enough for my assortment. I can't find a way to send a picture.
You could _email_ me a pic, Lars! But yes, 63 boxes sounds about right.
I mean, it's not perfect, but as a trading card game player (I play Yugioh, but I'd recommend something like MTG because the slots will be larger) we do get binders designed to fit cards in. If you overlap the resistors so that they fill the inbetween gap, then maybe that could work?
It could indeed work, Liam. There are many roads to Rome. To mix my metaphors!
Being an old guy, I request my prescriptions in the same sized viles (Pill Bottles) My pharmacy is obliging and it works awesome. I bought a small CNC machine just to make the racks.
Sounds a great (and cheap) solution. Very obliging chemist!
@@RalphBacon 16 dram pill bottles are just right for most axial lead components. The only down side is the child-proof lids :-) The project did validate my purchase of a 30x40 cnc router ;-)
Update to your already excellent idea, A thin sheet of metal somewhere under a shelf and magnets inside the lids and Voilà desk space saved.
So the box of tubes is magnetically held under a shelf? I was going to put the box on TOP of a shelf. Actually, it will be at least two boxes, maybe three.
@@RalphBacon that is a good way too, i was just thinking if the tubes of resistors are held by a magnet under a shelf with the label forward it would be easy to grab without having to get the whole box or dig through it. i'm in the process to making my electronics work area
Someone may have Already said this I’ll say again Aldi’s had them in resontly and Lidl hav them in as of today when I was shopping including spare rolls of tape
What, Kendrick, what? What have LIDL got (with spare rolls of tape)? I've checked the Midl of Lidl website but could see nothing to which this applies!
@@RalphBacon I was in the shop don’t know if it got online.
shot gun shell amo box's the plastic ones.
I think I would have a visit from the Boys in Blue if I started promoting the use of shotgun shell boxes, given the highly restricted nature of all firearms (and the ammunition) in the UK, Kenneth!
I just use a zip lock bag for a range of resistors.
Don't they get tangled up together?
Sometimes. But if you have five six different types. It is easy to sort it.
Hi Ralph! I left a comment with Ali link to a ready to use 2 digits 7-segment module, exactly what you are looking for. However, your UA-cam setup does not tolerate any link... So, how to share it with you?
You need to disguise, such as ali express dot something dot something but be warned! The bots are clever and still might zap your post. Or email me.
@@RalphBacon I would prefer e-mailing you... Would you share the address?
@@RalphBacon I've dropped you the link by e-mail address listed in your youTube profile...
@@RalphBacon try to search the following item at ali
@@RalphBacon Static drive 2 3 4 segment Digital Tube LED Display Module 2 Digital 74HC595 tube
Resistor Storage Solution: Actually, I feel I have the perfect low-cost and infinitely expandable resistor storage solution. Actually, this came out of poverty but it has worked for over 50 years and I have no incentive to change it. My solution is personal-letter envelopes (Quality Park #90070 available on Amazon) and plastic shoe-boxes from Wal-Mart. I have 1/2W, 1/4 watt carbon, 1/4 watt metal-film, 1/8 watt along with end-standing and long-standing 10 turn trimpot, ceramic capacitors (regular and NP0), polyester-caps, poly-styrene caps zener-diodes, TTL-chips! So, as you can see, if I was to put all these components in containers or plastic drawers, I'd be out of house space! So, the afore mentioned is at least 12 collections and my metal-film collections contain over 200 values alone! And, if you get a new (but numerous) new value of resistors,, you just make up another envelope and your done.
Anyway, I put each individual value in its own personal-letter envelope then into a plastic shoebox with a snappable lid. Two things to look out for: First, the envelops have to have be the ones WASHOUT a deep-V for the flap, otherwise the resistors will fall out when you have a lot in them (I can comfortably store 400 1/4 watt resistors in a single envelope (if it gets too full, just make another identical envelope); second, the plastic shoebox must be wide enough and tall enough to accommodate the envelopes sitting straight and not being crushed. So my 1/4 watt metal-film collection is the largest and uses 4 filled shoeboxes, 3 for my 1/4 watt carbon etc.. I simply write the value of whatever component value on the envelope flap and put them in the shoebox with the back-sides facing you. So, for all the components mentioned, I have about 3 columns of shoeboxes that would stand about 5-6 feet high. If you think about it, that's not bad even laid down about 4-high by however long. The only thing I don't house this way is static-sensitive devices like CMOS, memory, voltage-references and Op-amps; for those I do use multi-drawer units with multi-layers of carbon pads in the drawer-floors. For all my other components such as switches, variable-caps, relays, battery-holders, LED's, heat-sinks etc. I use a set of uniform-sized reclosable cardboard boxes; otherwise just use the plastic shoeboxes directly. With hundreds of thousands f components, they all fit in one bedroom that is also my laboratory, workshop and computer room. Most of the shoeboxes are under the lab-bench, some in the closet on shelves and others stacked away in 'dead-spaces' here and there. Anyway, I hope this helps and 73...
That is quite some solution you have there. It obviously works for you so I won't knock it at all. I'm hoping my solution works for me (otherwise I'll be adopting someone else's!)
Brillent
Good of you to say!