Show me your screw organizers

Wes Billups

Member
Messages
72
Location
Central Ohio
I've been putting my shop together for the last year and finally have dust collection setup so I can start cutting wood. The first projects need to be for storage and I'd like to start with screw storage. I have approximately 100 plastic Akro bins which I want to build a hanging cabinet. My thoughts are to make it similar to this but with individual slots for each bin. Before I start I'd like to get some alternative ideas from everyone here. If you have a unique solution using these bins please let me see what you've done.

Any suggestions on this project would also be appreciated.

Thanks,
Wes Billups
 

Attachments

  • 0313.jpg
    0313.jpg
    34 KB · Views: 175
I don't have a picture handy, but I have them hanging from the steel panels they sell specifically for that purpose. I've thought about building a cabinet around them but haven't ever done it. I wouldn't make a fixed shelf system--if you ever get any larger bins you won't be able to use them--I just got some of the larger ones myself last night so that thought is fresh in my mind.

The steel panels are very sturdy. I'm not sure how much they run since I got three of them free several years ago.
 
Matt, thanks for the response. I've thought about making a version of those steel panels by using plywood and thin pieces of angle iron but have two concerns. The first is that the bins would sag over time due to only being supported by the back lip. The second reason for a cabinet is to reduce dust from getting in them. If you think the weight isn't an issue I may go the plywood and angle iron route and just build a box with a door around the hanging rack.

I'd also like to hear everyone's comments on building a cabinet with drawers. My thought is the drawers would hold the bins and I could just pull out a drawer and lift the bin out. I don't like this idea as it would be harder to read the bin labels and I'm looking for something which would be relatively cheap to construct.

Thanks,
Wes Billups
 
"I could just pull out a drawer and lift the bin out."

I think when your in work mode you find this rather cumbersome.

I know there is a move in some shops to try to keep dust out of just about everything & that is a great idea but can we make it work in every area?

So in keeping with this idea & having a small shop I used plastic drawers that I got from Copelands when they closed & also drawers I got from Ace when they changed out theirs for new ones & put them in 14" deep shelves that also hold all my electric hand tools & glues, biscuits, dowels etc.

I do have & use a DC system & a vacuum on my ROS & a shop vac which gets lots of use helping to keep chips & dust under control.

Is my shop dust free? (NO) But it is after all a shop & when needed I wear a Dust be gone mask.

This is my storage system it is simple & no doors because of it being a small shop they limit what you can do. Wall space is non existent. I sometimes need to lean plywood or other material against this cabinet if it had doors it would make things hard to just lean the material out & reach in to get the item needed.
 

Attachments

  • A1 myshop 084B.jpg
    A1 myshop 084B.jpg
    43.6 KB · Views: 177
Last edited:
I don't have a picture, but one of the easiest ways to hang those plastic bins is from one of those wire shelves they sell as 'closet orgnizers.' Just fasten the shelf flat to the wall, vertically, and hang the bins off the cross wires.

I picked my shelves up at a garage sale for about 50¢ each, and got some of the bins at garage sales, and others at Harbor Freight. The shelf-as-hanger works quite well.
 
Screw storage

Although the shop was not really looking good at this time, this photo was taken as a "before" and the doors were not completed. But it still shows how I utilized the plastic organizers for screws and small parts.
Sorry about the disorganization.
Chuck
 

Attachments

  • shop before 05 (864 x 648) (648 x 486).jpg
    shop before 05 (864 x 648) (648 x 486).jpg
    87.5 KB · Views: 165
I store screws,nails, bolts etc. in:

  • bins on the wall: Screws, etc in bins on the wall.JPG
    Only about half my bins are in this picture.


  • containers in systainers: Screws in systainer.JPG
    I have three such small parts systainers.


  • their own removable drawers: (there are some such drawers near the bottom of the picture above of the bins)
 
No pics but my dad has a rig he built 40-50 years ago using baby food jars with a screw through the lid into a square axle with rounded ends that pivots in a frame. There are about 40 of the jars in a pretty compact space. It works pretty well except if you dont get a good grip on the jar when you unscrew it from the rack you end up with broken glass. I've thought about doing something similar with small plastic jars. I'm currently just using a stack of some plastic organizers with small compartments.
 
Last edited:
Wes,

I used those Akro bins, along with the sheet metal hanger they sell specifically for them. I mounted the rack to a false wall I built under my bench, then loaded it up with thirty five bins. Pictures can be found here.

I really really like the setup. I can reach back there for a few screws, or if I need a bunch, I simply remove the bin (or bins) I'll be needing then replace them when I'm done.

Since the Fastenal guy stocked them, I have the bins plenty full, and haven't noticed any sagging. And those are the lorger size bins too, so they hold LOTS of screws!

Dust isn't a problem. Sure, some gets in the bins, but it's not a problem.

If I had to do it all over, I wouldn't change a thing.

Post pics of what you come up with.

- Marty -
 
I don't have a picture, but one of the easiest ways to hang those plastic bins is from one of those wire shelves they sell as 'closet orgnizers.' Just fasten the shelf flat to the wall, vertically, and hang the bins off the cross wires.

Now that's inspired thinking Jim!

I've put several bins above the workbench with drywall and square drive screws. These are what I reach for the most. Nuts and bolts are in circular lazy susan type bins on shelves in the corner. My smaller quantity and misc. bits are going into baby food jars.
Doug, if you do get a chance, I'd like to see your Dad's set-up!

Good luck,
Wes
 
Project update

I wanted to update everyone on my progress toward organizing my fasteners. Based on input here I decided to make my own hanging board rather than build a cabinet with individual bins.

I’ll start by apologizing for the format. I haven’t figured out how everyone imbeds the pictures within their posts.

I began with a half sheet of MDR core cherry plywood and 1/8” x 3/4” aluminum stock. With my dado stack setup in my table saw I made two passes to make a 5/16” x 1” dado. I then lowered the cutter and made a 1/8” x 3/8” dado for the aluminum. In total I made 12 of these stepped dadoes. Once these were done I cut the sheet in half to make two 24” x 48” pieces.

With that done I cut the aluminum to length and drilled and countersunk holes for some 5/8” screws every 6”. The final product is shown in the last picture.

I need to get some more aluminum as this was all Ace Hardware had. Once I’ve got all the aluminum bars in place. I’ll run over both the plywood and aluminum with my ROS and then apply some shellac.

I’m planning on building a box around each piece with a plexiglass door. Once completed I’ll post some pictures of the final product.
 

Attachments

  • Aluminum with bins.jpg
    Aluminum with bins.jpg
    56.4 KB · Views: 63
  • Aluminum.jpg
    Aluminum.jpg
    28.7 KB · Views: 48
  • Dado.jpg
    Dado.jpg
    26.3 KB · Views: 35
  • Dado1.jpg
    Dado1.jpg
    40.9 KB · Views: 41
Very nice looking setup there. I think if I ever do something like that I'm going to be a bit lazy and rebate some wood strips and screw them to the sheet.
 
That's a very trick set up Wes. I have something similar with some slot wall. My bins came with some brackets and I just screwed them to the slot wall. I like your ides better.

Doug
 
Thanks for everyone’s comments. I looked into the slotted panels as many have mentioned. I actually have some of the plastic panels that came with a few of my bins. The problem I’ve always had with these is if you really load up the bins they begin to sag over time. My thoughts with the slotted panel is to support the back of the bin to prevent this. Hopefully it works. I’ve included a couple sketches of what I’m talking about.

I’ve also included a sketch of another idea I had using 1/8” x 3/8” aluminum angle and a kicker strip to prevent the sagging. This would have been much easier but I figured my method would look better plus I couldn’t think of a good way to attach the aluminum to the plywood.

I will warn those thinking about doing something similar that there may be cheaper options. The aluminum cost me $66. Steel 1/8” x 3/4” stock would have been about half the cost but cutting, drilling, and countersinking steel is much more difficult in a woodworking shop. In total I’ll have room for 120 bins which should cover my current and future storage requirements.

Thanks again,
Wes Billups
 

Attachments

  • Image 2.JPG
    Image 2.JPG
    8.2 KB · Views: 21
  • Image 1.JPG
    Image 1.JPG
    5.5 KB · Views: 19
  • Image 4.JPG
    Image 4.JPG
    11.5 KB · Views: 18
Well, I am sure folks are tired of looking at this one but if you have a military auction (DRMO) near you something like this should be relatively easy to acquire.
This cabinet has been mighty handy for many years.

100_1168.jpg


It's a bit heavy to move when you want to though. :rofl:

SettingUp_012.jpg


DT
 
Top