I also went the DIY route, but much less fancy compared to @HDRyder.
Something about the plastic boxes the endmills come in really irritates me (irrationally) so I wanted something that didn’t use them.
I also went the DIY route, but much less fancy compared to @HDRyder.
Something about the plastic boxes the endmills come in really irritates me (irrationally) so I wanted something that didn’t use them.
You folks are so well organized and I appreciate you posting your personal work spaces. Great community here, look forward to hanging around here…
Found a similar organizer which goes front–back:
(but at a local hardware store for $2.99)
Unfortunately, the 10 Tray Utility Box
has been discontinued as has Amazon.com: Performance Tool W5199 Organizer Tote with 1,000pc Home Fastener Assortments : Arts, Crafts & Sewing , though a similar size of container is used by some folks selling on Amazon for various hardware (but I haven’t been able to come up with a search which will find them reliably — if folks find any gems which come in such packaging I’d be glad to hear of them — this packaging also has nice removable dividers and a latch (usually blue, I’d love to find other colours so as to do colour coding)), though unfortunately, it’s too large in one dimension, and also:
(at least the square ones)
So, I’m going to pivot to:
and Gridfinity:
and probably the new mini toolboxes such as:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Mini-10-83-in-2-Drawer-Black-Steel-Tool-Box/5014017009
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-11-in-W-x-7-4-in-H-Friction-3-Drawer-White-Steel-Tool-Box/5015171619
https://www.harborfreight.com/mini-steel-toolbox-black-72431.html
probably creating a Gridfinity/2 fork (based on a 21mm grid) which hopefully will be workable, and incorporate the South Bend Maurice Sporting Goods #UB6 6 Comp Trans Tackle Box linked above as at least the current project tool organizer since it’s working well for that (though I may make a small mod to help that).
The afore-mentioned organizers are being clearanced — hopefully this will tide me over until I take up 3D printing — we’ll see if the order goes through and in what state things arrive.
I figure 36 (or maybe 39?) will fill out one drawer of my Craftsman tool chest, allowing me to consolidate a reasonable assortment of hardware and misc. items, and the balance will serve as spares…
I did find matching containers (w/ black latches) at Michaels once (but not since…) and there is an assortment of hardware sold on Amazon (and other places?) in a similar size w/ a blue latch, so there is some possibility of colour-coding…
Re: color coding, it might be worth trying a good old fashioned dirt cheap enamel coating.
Every color under the sun, you can even get pearlescent or glitter filled ![]()
(Nail polish
not sure if it’ll stick to that particular plastic but it may be worth a shot
)
Oh and the system I’m thinking of trying next on the 3D printing front is this mini systainer system (maybe modified for gridfinity or wallboard)
https://makerworld.com/en/@ben.maurice/upload
I’ll be trying with transparent filament but I doubt it’ll have any useful clarity ![]()
Yeah, there’s a guy working on a 3D printed Systainer clone which is compatible w/ Gridfinity:
and adapting that to make the Mini size is one thing I’ve been considering.
That said, the current state of things is:
(photo from my basement, opposite my machine, hence the dehumidifier — there’s also an Artist’s Taboret w/ X-Acto knives and a modicum of art supplies at the upper left w/in easy reach for post-processing parts)
and anything which I do has to be an improvement on that, and the only reason I’m considering a change is that the particular style of organizer tray I’m using in the above seems to have been discontinued (if someone knows of a source for them, or a closer size match than the ones I’ve found thus far, I’d be glad to know of them).
Unfortunately, transparent PLA ends up printing as milky white. Transparent PETG is a bit better, but still not clear. PC is the best FDM filament for getting clear prints.
To get clear prints, you basically have to do a lot of post-processing. How to 3D Print Crystal-Clear Transparent Parts: Settings and Filaments - 3DISM
I believe that these:
would be the same as the 5-box organizers linked above — unfortunately, shipping is quite expensive, and I haven’t convinced myself that I need still more of these…
However, found this at:
https://www.jbtools.com/homak-ha01053029-8-portable-parts-organizer/
now I just need to see if I can justify shipping there…
Found a few odds-and-ends at JB Tools, so placed an order — perfect match, and the table where I keep stuff for my machines is more consistent thereby…
Turns out it’s also on Amazon, I just didn’t find it:
https://www.amazon.com/Homak-8-Inch-Portable-Organizer-HA01053029/dp/B001KWCGWM
Amazon’s search is, in my expeience, next to useless. I have learned to keep a Google tab open in parallel with the Amazon tab and do my searching there.
Lowes has tiny toolboxes. I got a couple to use for supplies for my laser.
Portable Mini Toolbox 10.83-in W x 5.91-in H x 5.91-in D 2 -Drawer Blue Steel Tool Box https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Mini-10-83-in-Friction-2-Drawer-Blue-Steel-Tool-Box/5014017035
I used my laser to engrave my logo on the top
Of course I found out later they are cheaper at HF and come with the drawer liners already.
I hadn’t thought about using it to store bits and clamps but maybe could work.
I actually got a pair of them a Christmas or two ago, and use them for overflow of my CNC stuff — each only affords two drawers and the lid storage area, so not enough sub-division for my preferences.
I thought about making some small dividers with the laser or CNC