This is a wood working group. I had the luxury of some good solid
wood bookcase shelving built in. The sections were roughly 48
wide with 3 sections roughly 12" tall each. This stuff was and is
all utilitarian - it ain't pretty or fancy.

I subdivided the spaces with some scrap horizontal ply making 3
spaces in the top and middle sections and a vertical break at mid
point to stiffen the shelves. I made boxes from scrap - 1/4 stuff
for the sides, 1/2 for the bottom and ends with some additional
blocks in each "drawer" to create smaller spaces. The drawers are
about 2 1/2 tall, 4 wide, and 12 long. I did belt sand the
outside corners to make them easy to hold. I have used MDF, ply,
and wafer; they all work well/ This stuff is shot together with
staples, and if something starts to wear out they sure are easy to
remake. The bottom section of the book case requires bending
over, so avoided like the plague; but it is just right for dairy
cases (of course I bought them g).

The top left box has 1/4-20 nuts, spacer block, 1/4-20 washers,
spacer block, lock washers, spacer, anything odd that is 1/4-20
like wing nuts, couplings, nylox, etc. There are 5 boxes total
for 1/4-20, each subdivided into various lengths of bolts. Number
4 is divided only into mixed flat head and machine bolt. Number 5
has carriage.
Repeat row 2 for 5/16
Row 3 for 3/8
7/16
1/2

Right hand top section. Same boxes split at mid point.
Coarse 1 1/8 drywall / fine 1 1/8 drywall
C 1 1/2 / fine 1 1/2
2's
2 1/2's
3's

The rest are filled with hex drive screws, self drilling, fender
washer, square drive, etc Write what they are on the ends of the
box. If it changes, swap ends or sand it again.

I did acquire a really nice card index from a library. Nice wood
cabinet with high grade plastic drawers. I had a neighbor who
used LOTS of medicine who collected prescription bottles for me.
Make sure they are clear or yellow so you can see what is in them,
the blue or white ones suck. One drawer for air fittings, one for
electrical testers, replacement blades, etc I have one small
bread pan, like for a rum cake, full of all those mixed nuts,
bolts, fine, coarse, long, short, hex, square, phillips, straight,
flat, pan, hex mixed hodge podge for everything smaller than
1/4=20. Larger quantities of any one thing get a pill bottle, but
the bread pan gets used every day. Make a spill tray to dump it
out, search, return to bread pan. Everyone needs a Junk fastener
bucket.

Hope this gave you a few ideas.

There are other sections of little home made drawers. It is
always a work in progress. Quit worrying about exotic cabinet
grade work, just create something that works, works well, and
doesn't scream - oh, don't scratch me!. Don't have so much time
or material invested that you wouldn't be willing to toss for a
better idea.



--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"mark" wrote in message
...
Greetings All,
I'm trying to get a handle on straightening up my shop/basement
and need an idea or three on how to keep hardware organized, but
not hidden. I'm sure you all are like me, with all sorts of
nuts, bolts, screws, widget holders, ad infinitium.... I have
the cheap organizers that can be bought just about anywhere,
blue sheet metal chassis with thin plastic (sometimes sliding)
drawers. This just don't cut it any more. I need something
with different sized drawers, fairly abuse resistant, and
something that can be labeled on the front so I know what's
what. I think McFeeleys may have something, so I'll look there
also. I know some people still like the old baby food jars with
the lid screwed to a shelf bottom, I'd rather not..... Anyone
have a good system they'd like to brag about??? Thanks as
always, Mark