Best methods for storing small metal off-cuts

[mart]

It occurred to me that one reason why my garage & work area often appears untidy & messy is due to the small bits of steel that I save “that will come in handy some day”.

I`ve had stuff for years. I’ve saved pieces of round bar & flat bar as small as 100mm long . Others bits are about 2ft long. Then there are bits of plate. Some about 2ft X 1ft, but other plate only about 100mm square.

Then there is the issue of where to put it (type of container etc as it is too small to go on a shelf or rack) so that it is tidy while being easy accessible when you need to use it. Also, where does one draw the line on what to save & what to throw away?

 

[cumbriasteve]

I use the plastic storage boxes for my small bits, 3 boxes, flat bar, round bar and anything else. Once full I have enough and throw the rest.

For longer bits I have 6 lengths of plastic drain pipe about 30" long fitted together and standing on end, they are ideal for storing short lengths and seperating the different profiles.

 

[mart]

Thanks for sharing your idea with me Steve. That is much better than i am doing. I will adopt something very similar to you

 

[naughtyboy]

i use lin bins for smallstuff and some wood racking i made for other stuff

 

[chunkolini]

When I moved into my new workshop I made some open topped boxes out of softwood, about 1.4m long by 150mm square to carry all my odds and sods.
I emptied one of the on the floor before storing all the bits and bobs, then a light went on. Screw the boxes to the wall. So I did, one for bar, one for strip and one for box section. All bits less than a metre long. Easy and safe to access and dont take uo any space.

I notice when I am feeling a bit flush they fill up, when I am skint they get used up.
for bits of sheet and plate I have a pair of containers made from chopped up chemical spray containers from my landlord.

Hope that helps.
Chunko'.

 

[keith19]

Good idea about the short lengths of drain pipe, Steve. This will suit my shorter lengths of tube, pipe, etc.

I keep very short stuff (30 cm or less) in old baking trays on the shelf, easy to pull out and look through, classified in m/s, s/s, and ali, and square, round, rectangular section tube, and another for bar, another bits of plate, etc. Small shapes of thin stuff for repair patches go in an old filing box, standing upright.

Always a problem is the bits of metal objects picked up in the street, or salvaged off something that got broken, and put away because they are sure to be useful one day... When I get enough I'll weigh them in...

 

[chunkolini]

The plastic stacking boxes they use in supermarkets are great for bits and bobs, I have three trolleys using shopping trolley wheels loaded with these three deep and rolled under a workbench.
They once upon a time were sorted by type etc but now are a right mix.
I found the first six boxes in a hedge by the supermarket full of crates of wine.Called a mate pronto and whipped them off home.
Turns out the night staff were passing them over the fence to be picked up later.

Bargain.

Chunko'.

 

[knoba]

I use strict policies for stock control. I hate stock cutting into my workshop space. Even tooling has to be good, at what it does, to be taking up workshop space.

Limited & predefined sizes of m/s sections (nothing to be kept under 1m). Racked.
M/s zintec sheet (nothing to be kept under 300mm sq.) stored under racking.
M/s plate (nothing to be kept under 150mm sq.) stored under racking.
Any stainless & ally section (incl. sheet & plate) is ok. stored outside.
No old nuts, bolts, screws, etc (predefined range). Stored in wall mounted maxi-bins.

I'll buy in special stuff as and when for any job at hand.
Standard m/s section, plate & sheet, it's easy (and relatively cheap) to get. Not worth storing it.

Have a similar policy for my woods section too.

I don't miss the odds n' sods. It also makes the work more pleasurable to have a nice space to play in.

 

[graffian]

I have several 2 draw filing cabinets, any scraps go in the cabinets. Not the easiest place to find stuff but it works.

 

[MarkMG]

I just find a gap somewhere....

 

[the snooper]

do you have any ?

 

[MarkMG]

Can always squeeze a bit more in

 

[dai]

isnt that what a "corner" is for

 

[Robotstar5]

Can always squeeze a bit more in

But can you find it again?

 

[MarkMG]

My recovery rate for stuff is about 95%, not bad, but it does mean that I will ultimately fill it up.....

 

[rory1]

isnt that what a "corner" is for

by that definition my whole workshop would be a corner!!

 

[Shox Dr]

I just find a gap somewhere....

View attachment 21974

That's one of those "Where's Willy Pictures".

But in your case it's called "Where the fook did I put..."

 

[keith19]

Mark, how do you actually get any work done in there?

 

[MarkMG]

I do have to shuffle some stuff around, I am very slowly doing an MG Midget up, thats in there too... it does seem like I'm forever tidying up just so as to make space.

 

[mart]

I have 6 lengths of plastic drain pipe about 30" long fitted together and standing on end, .

Steve, i`ve got the box sorted How have you secured the pipe(s) to prevent them falling over? I thought of a piece of ply with holes cut in for each pipe and fitted so far up the pipe. This ply is fastened to whatever wood the pipes are standing on.