Hardware (Nuts / Bolts) Organization in Home Shop

[TrikeKid]

I keep my new hardware in Akro bins on the wall, don't stock a ton but I try to keep 1/4, 3/8, M6 and M8 stuff on hand. If I had more floor space I'd have one of those Fastenal bolt bins so I could stock more.

 

[PAToyota]

I picked mine up at auction - mom & pop hardware store going out of business. I got a good deal because most people were likely thinking of the effort to get it home and where to set it up. It was two fullsize pickup loads and the cases are a bit on the flimsy side - ok for sitting there loaded up, but not something that you can pick up a full case and carry it around. So I had to pull out all the boxes and trays, stack them up, and carry them out separate from the case.

The store obviously wasn’t taking care of hardware for awhile. Some of the bins were empty, others had miscellaneous crap in them, but for the most part I have at least a small stock of things. I know another local store that carries Midwest Fasteners stock and I know the owner pretty well so I've been getting some different assortments from them to change out things I have little use for to things I use more often. I've also been perusing the clearance items in Fastenal's stock and filling up where my stock is thin. For other items, we have a local discount fastener distributor with pretty good prices.

 

[mjlogan88]

Love these. You and whoever else uses them need to exercise self control. They become clutter magnets if you don't stay on top of it (as seen by the bottom row). Grabbed this one from work for free and hung it on the wall

 

[Landslide]

Purchase a used vidmar cabinet on craigslist or auction. Very high density for storage.

So far I have 5 units with 3 packed full and I just need to setup up the remaining two. I have each drawer setup for a different item. A standard bolt drawer, standard nuts/washer drawer, etc. This things can hold some serious amount of weight per drawer.

Sample image for the web

I’ve got a big one I picked up off of CL a few years ago for $80. He wanted $100 and he took my $80 offer. Timing was everything on that as I was first to reply and was 20 min away. No luck finding anything like it under $1,000.00

 

[Landslide]

Love these. You and whoever else uses them need to exercise self control. They become clutter magnets if you don't stay on top of it (as seen by the bottom row). Grabbed this one from work for free and hung it on the wall

One of mine which is a big unit is full of odd ball stuff like hooks springs pins trailer balls etc etc. the other one has large bolts and nuts in it 5/8” and up. I have three more not being used right now. I’m not a big fan of them because they take up too much of a foot print vs the actual storage space you get from them.

 

[Landslide]

Some of my hardware storage for your viewing pleasure.

I know my shop and storage is a mess but I’ve been remodeling my house last couple years and have neglected my shop areas.

 

[Landslide]

I have boxes of hardware from my old job. Leftovers from different jobs we did that would otherwise be tossed. Most of it is SS hardware. Metric and SAE. I haven’t touched most all of it or sorted any of it out yet. A bunch of it is specialty stuff from McMaster Carr

 

[Hooligan]

And for those of us with less junk, these Dewalt storage bins are at Home Depot for $10.

 

[Hooligan]

I do need to think of some way to use metal filing cabinet, they are usually on CL in the free section. The drawers are usually too deep, to much stuff could hide on the bottom. Cutting a drawer in half would leave too much empty space.

 

[TrikeKid]

I do need to think of some way to use metal filing cabinet, they are usually on CL in the free section. The drawers are usually too deep, to much stuff could hide on the bottom. Cutting a drawer in half would leave too much empty space.

I have a couple, they kinda suck for small parts. Work great for chemicals or items in bulk cases like those Dewalt ones you posted.

 

[aczlan]

I have a couple, they kinda suck for small parts. Work great for chemicals or items in bulk cases like those Dewalt ones you posted.

Those file cabinets are great for spray cans and cordless tools as well.

Aaron Z

 

[SomeGuy]

And for those of us with less junk, these Dewalt storage bins are at Home Depot for $10.

I've got a few of those, they're alright, not as nice as the durham metal ones but they work. I 3d printed some sub-divided compartments for mine too, so that I could put more tiny stuff in a few of them.

 

[[486]]

I do need to think of some way to use metal filing cabinet, they are usually on CL in the free section. The drawers are usually too deep, to much stuff could hide on the bottom. Cutting a drawer in half would leave too much empty space.

the slides don't tolerate a full drawer of steel anyways
I made up some boxes that fit into the drawers on one
think foot tall square coffee cans
pretty quickly realized that that's way too much density

the card files work real well, though they're getting rare and expensive in the last... 40 years since one has been bought new

 

[Lbhsbz]

I’ve got a big one I picked up off of CL a few years ago for $80. He wanted $100 and he took my $80 offer. Timing was everything on that as I was first to reply and was 20 min away. No luck finding anything like it under $1,000.00

What trays are you using and where do I buy some? I have a bunch of toolboxes but need some better drawer trays for hardware.

 

[arse_sidewards]

the slides don't tolerate a full drawer of steel anyways

My ass they don't

I'd have opened the drawers up the whole way but there was so much shit packed in there it was getting caught.

They do slide a hell of a lot better if you grease the sliding faces I'll give you that. I made the mistake of not doing that exactly once.

Back in my tool crib days we literally an entire file cabinet full of cat40 tool holders (of course we had real tool cabinets for the stuff we cared about more).

 

[Landslide]

What trays are you using and where do I buy some? I have a bunch of toolboxes but need some better drawer trays for hardware.

I don’t have any small hardware in my blue Stanley just storage for electric stuff and machinist tooling. It came with the metal dividers in the drawers already and I never moved any of those.

 

[Landslide]

As far as full sized filing cabinets go, if you want to use them for bulky things like I do, find the old school ones as they’re over build and can handle weight in them without issues.

 

[Lbhsbz]

I reached a point a few years ago where I threw almost everything in trash with the exception of 5/16-1/2" and M6-M14...and maybe some specialty OE stuff that you just can't get. If I need something special, I just order it from McMaster...I get it next day. For the cost, it simply isn't worth all the room it takes up to store the shit that I'll very likely never touch again. When the job is gone, most of the leftover stuff goes in the trash.

 

[BUCKWILD]

Bolt bins all the way I dont have pics if my shao but up against the wall and have course and fine thread standard and metric. Payed for itself 10x over and contact Fastenall to refill. You can buy them on amazon for a good deal to start out

 

[Hooligan]

I reached a point a few years ago where I threw almost everything in trash with the exception of 5/16-1/2" and M6-M14...and maybe some specialty OE stuff that you just can't get. If I need something special, I just order it from McMaster...I get it next day. For the cost, it simply isn't worth all the room it takes up to store the shit that I'll very likely never touch again. When the job is gone, most of the leftover stuff goes in the trash.

What a sorry excuse of a hoarder you are.

 

[Yotota]

Since we know that social media knows way too much about us...

This popped up as an Instagram ad today. Looks like a decent option, though I have no idea about the vendor.

Hardware Fastener Bin Kits

Click to see our selection of Hardware Bin Kits complete with the most common needed sizes of hex cap screws, hex nuts, flat and lock washers, and nylon lock nuts!

usboltkits.com

 

[SomeGuy]

I reached a point a few years ago where I threw almost everything in trash with the exception of 5/16-1/2" and M6-M14...and maybe some specialty OE stuff that you just can't get. If I need something special, I just order it from McMaster...I get it next day. For the cost, it simply isn't worth all the room it takes up to store the shit that I'll very likely never touch again. When the job is gone, most of the leftover stuff goes in the trash.

True rusted out useless junk can go but having misc hardware on hand has saved me trips to the store or let me finish projects that day so many times that I wouldn't give it up that easily.

 

[speed bump]

I built a rack for harbor freight cases a while ago. Mobile and stores enough hardware to keep me going. If I need more Murdoch's is 5 minutes away.

 

[Landslide]

True rusted out useless junk can go but having misc hardware on hand has saved me trips to the store or let me finish projects that day so many times that I wouldn't give it up that easily.

Pretty much why I acquired so much hardware. A trip to a place to get what I need is just too far away. I never know what I’ll need on some jobs and it’s nice just to be able to keep going instead of having to wait to get what I need.

 

[92 Green YJ]

Pretty much why I acquired so much hardware. A trip to a place to get what I need is just too far away. I never know what I’ll need on some jobs and it’s nice just to be able to keep going instead of having to wait to get what I need.

This. Especially now we are living rural again. It’s nice to not have to run to town for one or two bolts. Now when I am at TSC I’ll grab a few lbs of commonly used hardware to keep my stock up. Hell I’m even getting case quantities of brake cleaner and stuff now too.

 

[PAToyota]

Yep. Yesterday - Sunday night - my father - "Hey, do you have a 5/16" coarse thread lock-nut so I can put my lawn tractor back together."

Yes, yes I do... 😉

I'm constantly pulling a few of this or that out to finish something up or fix something. Waiting until the store opens or stopping work to go get a half dozen pieces of hardware cuts productivity.

The shop I work at never seems to have even basic supplies on hand. There are days I spend more time searching for something that will work, modifying something so it will work, or waiting to have a handful of bolts delivered than I spend getting something done.

 

[Landslide]

This is posted on CL north of me for $150. I think $75-$100 is more in line. I bought one same thing just older with different handles in it and I haven’t used it yet. I paid $50 for the one bought but that’s been around four years ago.

 

[A4L7E3X]

Here's my humble little hardware collection.
I got these at an auction for a tool warehouse that went out of business.

The drawers are divided up with whatever I had handy, mostly old plastic kitchen containers and spray can lids.

Also have a few small plastic drawers up top for random little bits and pieces. The stainless bowl collects hardware that needs to be sorted out into the big drawers. The bill file is for sandpaper.