Tip: "I can't believe it's not butter" tubs usage

I can't believe it's not butter tubs usage

I have been using these tubs/containers for the past couple of years for maintenance storage and they work so well that I thought I would share the idea. When ever I remove something from the plane I put all of the fastener hardware in one of these containers, put a strip of masking tape on the lid and write what assembly it is for on the tape with a Sharpie. Once used the container has its identification affixed to the lid even when not in use. Other than the obvious keeping the area organized and the hardware together it serves a check list function to make sure all of the right hardware (I use several different length #8 screws and some #10s) goes back into the right assemblies and the reassemblies are complete. I now have labeled containers for "Upper Cowl", "Lower Cowl", "Nose Landing Gear", "Baffle", "Left Main Gear", and "Right Main Gear." They work very well for me.

Bob Axsom

Good Idea

Good Idea, another is one I stole from an I/A pal. He uses muffin pans to hold various nuts/bolts/washers/screws etc as he takes them off an aircraft. I found it useful also.

Ziploc bags

Personally, I'm a Ziploc baggy fan. Use the 1 qt. heavyweight freezer ones, and just stick in a 3x5 card with a description of the parts written on it.

Recycleable, just use a new 3x5 card.....

gil in Tucson - who has dropped the butter tubs and spilled rivets...

az_gila said:

Personally, I'm a Ziploc baggy fan. Use the 1 qt. heavyweight freezer ones, and just stick in a 3x5 card with a description of the parts written on it.

Recycleable, just use a new 3x5 card.....

gil in Tucson - who has dropped the butter tubs and spilled rivets...

Click to expand...

since I make Ziploc for a living PLEASE keep buying them ,you are paying for my plane

Well that's what the lid is for

I've never had one come open in a fall and they are very conspicuous. When you get into Phase E as the NASA guys say the same applications happen over and over. I find it very handy to have the labeled container ready for the task.

Bob Axsom

az_gila said:

Personally, I'm a Ziploc baggy fan. Use the 1 qt. heavyweight freezer ones, and just stick in a 3x5 card with a description of the parts written on it.

Recycleable, just use a new 3x5 card.....

gil in Tucson - who has dropped the butter tubs and spilled rivets...

Click to expand...

ZIPLOC CONTAINERS

I don't eat enough "tub butter" in my house to have the stash of containers I need. I had my wife purchase several plastic Ziploc containers from the supermarket (translucent cup/blue lid). They come in a usefull variety of sizes and are not very expensive. I use the smallest sizes to separate and store those pesky rivets in thier magnitude of different lengths. Just write directly on the side with a Sharpie what's in them (I no longer write on the lids in order to keep them interchangeable).

Build strong, fly safe.
Fred Magare
magaref "at" hayscisd.net

Rivets are a different problem

I still use the same multi-cell plastic boxes for storage of unused new parts thgat I bought when I started the project. Where these tubs realy standout in application is in the disassembly function where the same hardware will be used in the reassembly. This is most common, but certainly not limited to, the operational phase of the project where you need to remove things to perform maintenance.

If not properly controlled it is easy to forget washers, lock washers, screws during reassembly or to install fasteners from a concurrent disassembly into assemblies where the length or even the diameter (#8 screw will go into a 10-32 nut) are incorrect. The separate maintenance storage containers help make sure that all of the hardware is reinstalled into the right assembly.

Bob Axsom

Try an egg carton...

I am fond of using egg cartons when there are a lot of small parts and the order of assembly is important.

As I take each piece off, I put it in one egg hole and work my way down. During reassembly I just work backwards. (Of course, some of my fellow builders think I'm working backwards even when I'm not.)

as i work in a G.A. shop, the favorite of ours is zip lock bags, especially during an engine overhaul. everything is bagged and tagged, n number, quantity, and of what.. i.e. r/h wing insp. plates. just get the ones with the white area that you can write on and a sharpie works wonders...