On 23/12/2010 14:37, Mike Harrison wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:17:15 +0000, you wrote:
> Jellybean stuff like SM resistors and caps are generally in long enough t=
apes that a binder solution
> works well. Farnell sell spare binder pages for their resistor kits which=
 are ideal.
> http://uk.farnell.com/multicomp/mcinsert-chipkit/file-insert-component-st=
orage-pk5/dp/5412067?Ntt=3D5412067

Think I'll grab some of those - my SMD caps/resistors are the worst=20
organised, mostly just stored in a box and I have to rummage through=20
hundreds of packets to find the right value..

> However these are only good for 8mm wide tape, and only lengths long enou=
gh not to get lost down the
> long cavities. Iin the past I've also used film negative and baseball car=
d binders.
>
> For through-hole parts  with relatively few values, e.g. capacitors, elec=
trolytics, common
> transistors, trimmers etc., Raaco and similar assorter boxes work well, b=
ut compartment boxes don't
> work well with SMD tapes
>
> That leaves all the ICs and other more random parts which are a collectio=
n of SM and DIP, in tapes,
> tubes, sample boxes, bags and loose, in typical qtys from 1 to 20 per typ=
e.
>
> Over the years, I've distilled  the storage criteria down as follows :
> 1) You want to store them by type/function per box (e.g. RS232 drivers, v=
oltage regulators, 74HC
> CMOS, opamps etc.), not by individual part numbers as there are too many =
different types.
> 2) The container must be reasonably long in at least one dimension to acc=
ommodate tapes and cut-down
> tubes
> 3) The container must be reasonably shallow so you can stack lots of them=
 in a reasonable space, and
> can easily see parts at the bottom
> 4) Need to be able to quickly find parts within a container
> 5) Need to be able to just chuck parts into the right box when clearing u=
p after a project but be
> able to  find them easily later
> 6) Cheap - I need at least 40-50 of them to cover the range of parts I wa=
nt to store.
> 7) Need to be continuously available, so you can expand as required. or c=
heap enough to buy plenty
> of spare.
>
> 2 precludes almost every type of cheap very small plastic box - e.g. jewe=
lery display/sample  boxes
> etc.
> 4 and 5 preclude boxes full of poly bags - too fiddly&  just ends up as a=
 mess.
> 6 Precludes most of the stuff specifically targetted at the electronics i=
ndustry
>
> So just a basic undivided wide, shallow plastic box   with a lid of some =
sort, into which I can put
> a  sheet of conductive foam to hold DIPs. Once you've lined the bottom wi=
th conductive foam, the box
> itself doesn't need to be anything exotic like antistatic. Clear is nice,=
 but not essential.
> Not hard to find you'd think... actually surprisingly so!
>
> I recently stumbled upon these, which are pretty much perfect :
> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-x-PEEL-OFF-STICKER-BOXES-PLASTIC-STORAGE-CONTAINE=
RS-/390229081229?pt=3DUK_Crafts_StickersScraps_Decoupage_SM
>

Some very good points/info there, thanks - often the=20
divisions/dimensions with boxes are not required, so having an undivided=20
clear box would come in handy. In fact a large shallow drawer(s) lined=20
with conductive foam would be great for ICs, something like you may use=20
to store artwork (e.g. an architects desk or suchlike) Will do a bit of=20
goggling...




--=20
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