Raw Material Storage Methods?

[Anthony SalisburyParticipant @anthonysalisbury72898]

[Anthony SalisburyParticipant @anthonysalisbury72898]

I’m just setting up a new home workshop and have been going through all the raw material I have. I’m after a few ideas of the best way I can store my material? I have just sorted it out into steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, copper etc. Each with a variety of sizes and shapes. Including round, flat, hex, sheet, plate etc.

I’d appreciate everyones experience of there method of storage. I want to be able to look straight at the material and know where everything is.

Any comments are great comments.
Thanks
Ant

[Hugh GilhespieParticipant @hughgilhespie56163]

Hi Ant,

 

I used plastic bins from here

 

They are good for me as they slip under my work bench and don’t waste any precious space.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I just have 2′ square shelves under a bench, fairly close together, then boxes for the offcuts and bits.

 

Neil

[DoddyParticipant @doddy]

Four plastic boxes Ferrous, non ferrous, Ali and others, spread all stock out and take photos. now I know what I have and it’s in the box just have to dig it out

I’d love a better solution but I’ve not got the space

[Rob StevensParticipant @robstevens54297]

I have used 65mm square section plastic downpipe (available in white,brown and black) stacked both horizontally and verically in two columns (one for round section and tubes, the other for square/rectangular section etc).

 

This is arranged so that the verical sections form the rear end of the horizontal and the horizontal sections form the floor of the veritical sections. In my case it’s all stuck together with hot melt glue but upvc solvent glue would work.

 

The way the sections are arranged gives storage for lengths from about 24″ down to approx 6″.

 

I would take a photo but everything is tucked away between benches / cabinets.

 

Rob

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

I stand on most of mine!  After a lifetime of  ‘collecting’ interesting bits of metal storage was becoming rather a problem for the larger heavier stuff. My lathe was a little high for me so I killed two birds with one stone. I made a 5″ deep rectangle about four foot by eighteen inches from 3/4″ MDFon the floor in front of the lathe and store most of my material in that. Top is covered in MDF and anti slip matting. Lathe is more comfortable to use and the material is now out of sight and mind (for the most part).

Small stuff is kept in one of those filing drawer units  that can be bought at stationary suppliers.

 

I have had two short lengths of square down pipe to use as Rob suggests but have still not got round to sorting that out – perhaps in another five years which is about how long I’ve had the pipe I guess

 

Ramon

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Mine is similar to Rob’s but using round plastic pipe sections (central vacuum system plumbing) stood vertically and arranged honeycomb fashion. The sections increase in height from front to rear increasing in height from front to rear, the front being about 6″ and the rear about 18″ or 24″. In the rear sections I can stand 4 foot or so lengths of bar. The pipe sections are glued together with the adhesive they sell for this stuff. All this is mounted in a simple plywood box with an extra “tray” built in the front for small off-cuts.

 

The off-cut tray is a problem …. it’s not nearly big enough for all the bits and pieces that seem to be found or generated daily. It’s impossible to see what’s in there and physically dangerous digging around to find out. Any day now I’m going to tackle this problem.

Edited By Sid Herbage on 13/09/2010 01:04:07

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