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Rivets & Hardware Storage Ideas

tgraytn

Member
I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place for this topic so if not, please feel free to move. I'm in the process of having a 22 x 50 shop built and looking for ideas regarding a rivets and misc. hardware storage cabinet. Does anybody have any pictures or ideas to share? All responses greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Tom
 
I have a unit similar to this, that came from Sams club.

$_35.JPG


I would suggest you either get something on wheels, or something with removable bins--------or both. I like to use the large bins to hold smaller containers of like items.

There are wall racks also.

30-Bin-Wall-Mount-Parts-Rack-Organize.jpg


And nice cabinet units with storage on the door as well as the shelves.

qsc_4804.jpg


Also, service carts are really nice to have.

CARUC4018-23.JPG


Let Mr Google bring you inspiration:D
 
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I advise AGAINST using any of those open , removable trays for small pieces like nuts, rivets, etc. Why? Because you will pull that out, it will bump or snag, and you will have rivets all over the floor.

A portable parts storage case like this is a better idea.
http://t.harborfreight.com/tool-storage/part-storage/19-bin-portable-parts-storage-case-93928.html

Inexpensive, get about 4 of them for an RV build. Don't mix the same "thing" in the same bin, like nutplates. You can mix a single SIZE of nutplate with a single size of cotter pin, combinations like that. You can label those small removable plastic bins with the part numbers.
 
This Works Out Great!

VfEaXqI.jpg


The rivets are in empty plastic water bottles, and the nuts and bolts and that sort of hardware are in labeled bins. White on clear works best for the labels.

This was worked so well.....

If I drop a rivet bottle nothing happens. No lost rivets. Thanks to whomever suggested it.

Dave
 
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Exactly what I've been using from the beginning. Fuselage being delivered Monday and it has worked great thus far. I use one for rivets, one for nuts, bolts, washers, and one for nut plates, screws, and misc parts bags. You can see the small container to the right. I use that to hold the rivets while shooting. Fill it up with a bunch and go to work.

843D31EB-0342-4056-AC93-73E09939CB1F.jpg
 
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I advise AGAINST using any of those open , removable trays for small pieces like nuts, rivets, etc. Why? Because you will pull that out, it will bump or snag, and you will have rivets all over the floor.

A portable parts storage case like this is a better idea.
http://t.harborfreight.com/tool-storage/part-storage/19-bin-portable-parts-storage-case-93928.html

Inexpensive, get about 4 of them for an RV build. Don't mix the same "thing" in the same bin, like nutplates. You can mix a single SIZE of nutplate with a single size of cotter pin, combinations like that. You can label those small removable plastic bins with the part numbers.

Ditto. I got a couple of these before the wing kit came and I have a third standing by for what I assume will be lots more hardware with the fuse kit. They're cheap and portable.
 
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt98/h60av8tor/843D31EB-0342-4056-AC93-73E09939CB1F.jpg

I started off with something like this, actually a two level unit, but it bothered me that a little mis-queue with one of the containers could dump a thousand rivets on the floor.

I supplemented it for each size rivet with a variety of clear 35mm film canisters (remember them?), pill bottles etc. each with a 1/2" hole drilled in the top. Yeah I could still drop them but when it happened the lids would stay on and spill only a few rivets...
 
here is where the box that opens to 20 bins is gonna bite you. sooner or later you drop a rivet in the wrong bin. then you have to search until you find it or worse.......you use the wrong size rivet because it ended up in the wrong bin.
i keep all this kind of stuff in the trays that slide out of the unit. only have one container out at a time and no mixed rivets.
just a matter of time i think.
 
Welcome

Welcome Tom.
Mine is similar to Dave Paule.
I bought the mini drawer bins at Harbor Fright.
For rivets I also use water bottles for larger quantities and pill bottles for smaller. For other stuff I use Truvia sweetener containers. They are clear with a snap top. For larger stuff, I use storage bins then for really big stuff, I have the wing crate up against a wall. Long parts are on the top shelf of my shelving.
Whatever you choose, open every bag and separate the parts. Vans plans don't reference bag #s. You'll go nuts trying to find things in bags.
Also, start an inventory spreadsheet with a column for shop location.
 
I went vertical. Rivets, bolts, washers, nuts, screws, clecos, etc. Couple of 2x4 verticals and a base with some recessed castors make it mobile (with care!). Pegboard on the back and some "in-box" type vertical paper holders hold catalogs and reference material. It has served me well through a re-build project, on-going maintenance support, and now the 8 build.
IMG_1711a_zps5631f725.jpg
 
here is where the box that opens to 20 bins is gonna bite you. sooner or later you drop a rivet in the wrong bin. then you have to search until you find it or worse.......you use the wrong size rivet because it ended up in the wrong bin.
i keep all this kind of stuff in the trays that slide out of the unit. only have one container out at a time and no mixed rivets.
just a matter of time i think.

You're right this does happen - every now and then; like one rivet in an adjacent bin. Totally a non-issue though. The two I use most often -3.5 (silver) and -4 (gold) are different colors. Even if they were not, you quickly get an eye to judge when a rivet is the incorrect length - even between 1/2 sizes. A whole size... very obvious.
 
Thanks to everyone for your replies! All of you have provided great suggestions and they are much appreciated!!
 
I can confirm that these storage trays don't take a change of location in a moving truck very well...:(

Even when kept vertical and with the trays taped in place.

Gil,
I actually made a couple moves in a Ryder truck (ten miles or so) without incident. Watch for speed bumps! I wrapped the stack in shrink wrap. Hardest part was getting it into the truck (vertical lift with minimal tilting (alone!)). I did leave a few rivets in the door trough as an offering.
 
I did the same thing as pictured here without the plastic bottles. All of my hardware is in drawers. I marked each drawer with the number from the bag the items came out of. When I get a callout for a particular piece of hardware, I can check the inventory sheet, get the bag number and then find the drawer. All of my rivets (pulled or set) went into their own drawers. That made it easier to find the rivets since I use so many more rivets than anything else.

2eqgv8y.jpg


The rivets are in empty plastic water bottles, and the nuts and bolts and that sort of hardware are in labeled bins. White on clear works best for the labels.

This was worked so well.....

If I drop a rivet bottle nothing happens. No lost rivets. Thanks to whomever suggested it.

Dave
 
Exactly what I've been using from the beginning. Fuselage being delivered Monday and it has worked great thus far. I use one for rivets, one for nuts, bolts, washers, and one for nut plates, screws, and misc parts bags. You can see the small container to the right. I use that to hold the rivets while shooting. Fill it up with a bunch and go to work.

843D31EB-0342-4056-AC93-73E09939CB1F.jpg

I also use these trays from Harbor Freight Aircraft Tool Supply. All the bins are removable, so I just pull out the size I need when I'm riveting.
 
Baby food jars!

OK, I used baby food jars for rivets and small screws. Easy to get your fingers in. Tough container with easy to open top. I've dropped them several time and no breakage yet. Easy to label and refill too.

Get them from friends and family, or ask at the local day care center. You can also offer a treat to your cats. They come in two sizes.

1yjr76.jpg
 
I can confirm that these storage trays don't take a change of location in a moving truck very well...:(

Even when kept vertical and with the trays taped in place.


I transported several of these in a moving truck from VA to CA without a problem. Buuuut.... I put the contents of each drawer in its own little plastic sandwich bag and then put the bags back in the drawers; plastic wrapped all the drawers closed. Not a single rivet, nut, bolt, or washer out of place when the trip was over.
 
I built this

to cut down on steps. The plans hang on one side and the rivets, bolts, nuts and washers on the other. It rolls around so it can be next to where I am working.

PlansStation07_zps240346ba.jpg


PlansStation04_zps9ec155ae.jpg
 
I'm in the horizontal-organizer-with-removeable-bins camp. So easy to look down, scan the hardware and find exactly what you want.

 
I bought one Home Depot Model # 17185073 Hardware Organizer for the empennage hardware (pictured below), but ended up with four for the wing and fuselage kits; one for rivets, one for nuts, bolts, screws, and washers, one for plumbing fittings, and one for miscellaneous small parts:

FP31122011A00002.jpg


The tray and lid are designed so that parts cannot migrate from one bin to the next as long as the lid is latched. Just remember to latch the lid every time you walk away from it. No need to ask me how I know...:eek:
 
I'm in the horizontal-organizer-with-removeable-bins camp. So easy to look down, scan the hardware and find exactly what you want.

+1 - I use Plano boxes and easily carry them to the work. I am up to 14. Near the end of this project, many sub projects are hanging open and Keeping each project's hardware in a separate box keeps the searching down. They will travel well.

Latching covers a must, separators that fit tight to the lid are required - no jumpers. And, don't put 3 next to 3.5 rivets, stagger with different sizes, or tint differences.

I like the separate, removable containers, of these HF boxes, but I was already committed to the Plano's.
 
+1 on the "Clear Lid Boxes with all the little yellow boxes inside"

..although I bought the Stanley brand ones, because there's less chance of the little yellow boxes inside mixing due to a flimsy top (like the Harbor Freight ones). Here's a tip: I organized each box with a theme (one box for squeeze rivets, one for pop rivets and nutplates, one for screws, etc), but in each box I have a few little ones that are empty. This way, when I need, say, 30 or so rivets or screws or bolts or whatever, I use the little empty yello box to scoop up a few out of the larger yellow box. This way, if it spills on the bench, it's not the whole shebang..
 
Not storage but here's a good use for two bad flap spars and a piece of crate. Plans rack on the end of the wing cradle.
Scroll to the bottom.
airplane-shop.html
 
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here is where the box that opens to 20 bins is gonna bite you. sooner or later you drop a rivet in the wrong bin. then you have to search until you find it or worse.......you use the wrong size rivet because it ended up in the wrong bin.
i keep all this kind of stuff in the trays that slide out of the unit. only have one container out at a time and no mixed rivets.
just a matter of time i think.

+2 on this one. Not to sound contrarian, guys, but honestly, you can spend so much time organizing and getting ready to get ready, you'll never get the airplane built. It takes long enough as it is (I should know, I'm slow!) So I keep things simple. No offense to anyone. There are some beautiful ideas presented here. Just one mans opinion.

I have one little box of slide-open trays for hardware like bolts, nuts, washers and so on. But when it comes to rivets, most of them are still in the bags they come in from Vans. I cut the corner off the plastic bag so if it drops, none will spill. And it's easy enough to take a few out at a time. The paper bags, I use them as you see them here. Easy to take out of the cabinet and put away when I'm done.

For the most commonly used rivets, those that you will use a LOT of, I got these squeezable containers from Home Depot. There's a slit in the top. You squeeze it and the slit opens and you shake out a rivet or a few at a time. Drop it or knock it over, and no worries! Carry it to wherever you work. This is the only way to deal with rivets, as far as I'm concerned. They come in different sizes and colors, so it makes it easy to separate sizes or lengths for easy recognition. You can see, though, that I still have all these bags for all the others that aren't used very much. I just keep them in the cabinet in the shop like this. Keeping it simple. They're clearly labeled so I know what's in them.

100_5865%20(Small).JPG


I noticed I'm not the only one that found these. It looks like Scott Ahrens has these on his roll-around chart holder. Try 'em, they're great! :)
 
Rivets and Hardware

Heres something that i copied from someone else. Get the print bound by punching holes and screw posts with a piece of .063 and add a blueprint spine. Mount them down to the top of the board and flipping through prints are a lot easier. The area under the lid can hold seldom used prints and construction manual AC43 etc. i also copied other data sheets and clipped to the area around the parts bin. Parts bin is used to hold common items, someone else on this forum has spreadsheets by Vans bag number and contents and if you sort by common part number you'll come up with bins for all the 3/32 rivets etc. I also used the rivet trays for smaller quantities and plastic bin boxes for special parts. larger parts went in an old filing cabinet and larger yet parts went under shelfs under work benches.

Here's a few of the pictures, P.S. had a lot of hardware left over, but again with all the aircraft plants and sources around Wichita it came down to a matter of who was closer, quicker to get something.

RV7 60 hours Since Oct 15th and Smiling and still can't believe how easy it was to build the 7 (after scratch building a DA2A)

Photo link:
http://tinypic.com/a/3e7hs/4

Keith Rhea :)
 
Complete RV Hardware storage for $150

The Harborfreight storage cases are unbeatable as mentioned earlier in the thread. They are anti spill, clear, modular, portable, cheap, lightweight, unbreakable. They have reduced my looking for hardware time to 0. I pull out the cases, remove whatever little trays I need for that section. Everything can be seen top down at once and is ordered sequentially by size. Especially screws, this saves a ton of time when things are organized in rows by size 507/526 etc.

Its been a few years but I had a few cutoffs of 3/4 ply for the side and 1/4 for the case shelves. A little time on the table saw to create my wheeled RV hardware dolly. Glued and finish nailed. Easy to move anywhere and the top is pretty useful as a worktop. This is a complete RV hardware kit in an easy to move and access tower. Move the entire hardware kit to the airport? No problem load it in the truck in 2 minutes. So $100 for the cases, $40 for plywood and $10 for the HF wheels.

If I made it again I would do it a few rows higher. I have another 2 bins for electrical not shown.

n4NQoQ4.jpg
 
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I used these low profile containers from the Dollar Store. They are stackable have a strong lid and come in several colours. The lid is substantial and stays on well. I like that they come in different colours. I coloured coded them for different rivet types & sizes. I really like that they are low to prevent knocking them over and that they have a big opening making grabbing rivets easy. Very inexpensive as well.
 

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I've reposted the image on post #6. That post's been referenced and perhaps those posts should be updated so it includes the image.

Alternatively, PM me your email address and I'll email it to you.

Dave
 
Hardware storage

I put a few storage bins under one of my work tables for commonly used hardware like nuts, bolts, screws, rivets, etc. It shortened my search time for hardware drastically but these bins are not suitable for transport.
 

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I’m a big fan of the Harbor Freight organizer. A few years before building an RV was even on my radar, I built a cabinet to hold a few Harbor freight organizers.

When my Empenage kit arrived and I was doing the inventory, I immediately re-purposed several of the organizers into RV hardware storage. Many of the bins are labled for frequent use items such as rivets. There are lots of bins that just have the “bag” in them. I marked the packing list with the box location of each hardware bag. It’s a weird system but it works for me. I fully realize the cabinet is overkill.
 

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Great job on the cabinet!


I’m a big fan of the Harbor Freight organizer. A few years before building an RV was even on my radar, I built a cabinet to hold a few Harbor freight organizers.

When my Empenage kit arrived and I was doing the inventory, I immediately re-purposed several of the organizers into RV hardware storage. Many of the bins are labled for frequent use items such as rivets. There are lots of bins that just have the “bag” in them. I marked the packing list with the box location of each hardware bag. It’s a weird system but it works for me. I fully realize the cabinet is overkill.
 
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