Organization

[Mike Powell]

How do you guys organize your pen kits/bushings/extra parts and what not? Right now Im using a small screw organizer but I need to expand that out a little bit.

 

[carlmorrell]

I previously used a tackle box. I thought it was great. Had each compartment labelled. Then it got knocked off the workbench. With a hundred or so now un-categorized bushings, I decided I needed a better plan.

I now use a vintage wood toolbox. I just like the look of a really old toolbox on my bench, I have two. One for tools, and one for pen parts. In one drawer, a short and narrow one, I put all the bushings in their original labelled bags. They are managing to stay organized.

YMMV:biggrin:

 

[The Penguin]

bushings, extra parts, and "stuff" go in drawer cabinets like these:

Stack-On | Products | 60-Bin Plastic Drawer Cabinet

if I have more than one set of bushings for a pen type, I'll hold each set together with a small wire tie in the drawer - so one drawer may have 3 sets of cigar bushings in it.

kits are kept shoe-box sized clear storage boxes under the work bench. One box for 2-tube kits, one box for single tube kits, and one box for kits that my son can use.

 

[HamTurns]

I keep all my bushings in their original plastic bag, marked with the pen kit(s) it goes with, I keep those in two of the bins in a small plastic box.

They're easy to find, and stay organized. If the box ever gets dumped it's no problem, they're in marked bags.


I move my turning operation inside in the Winter, it's too cold out in the garage in Wisconsin. So keeping all of those little parts in their bags in a box makes it easy to transition to the inside shop without a lot of "retraining".

Happy turning

 

[Edgar]

The original baggies are usually too small for my fat fingers & the text too small for my old eyes, so I use these writable zip log baggies from ULINE. Handy for other small things too.

3 x 5" 2 Mil White Block Reclosable Poly Bags S-1307 - Uline

 

[Parshooter11]

I use a couple of pill boxes for my bushings. I used solvent to remove the days of the week on the lid of each compartment and then wrote on the lid the part no. of the bushing and style. For blanks, I made a 3-shelf (saw the idea somewhere) assembly that has cookie baking sheets that slide onto each shelf. Put all my blanks in there and can slide each sheet out like a drawer.

 

[OLDMAN5050]

Holes drilled in hardboard with pill bottles.

 

[dtswebb]

Pen kits go in plastic shoeboxes; the size varies depending upon the amount of kits to store. Labeled on the exterior. For example, all the Cigar kits from the various suppliers go in the same shoebox, separated in heavy duty zip top bags that show the contents. The CSUSA click Cigars use different sized tubes and bushings so they're in a separate shoebox. El Grande ballpoints, fountain pens and rollerballs are in a separate shoebox.

Bushings go in plastic snap top containers that will hold two sets in the original plastic baggies. Labeled by bushing number on the top (where available) with another label on the side identifying the kits that the bushings go to.

Spare parts in plastic compartmented boxes, labeled on the outside for identification.

It works well for me.

Matthew

 

[monark88]

Same as The Penguin uses, except I use some with larger drawers for pen kits. Large amounts of pen kits, wood, PR blanks, and special tools, chucks, mandrels and the like go into Sterlite boxes.

 

[sbwertz]

I have some of these, stacked 4 high for pen kits, and a divided plastic case for bushings and small parts.

Amazon.com - Quantum Storage Systems Qtb306gy Tip Out Bin Unit, 6 Tip Bins

 

[flyitfast]

I have been using these boxes for several years. I got them at Harbor Freight. Sometimes you can find them on sale or use a percentage off coupon. At $4.99 they are pretty cheap.
Having them in individual boxes sure helps if you drop the main box.
Each little box has plenty of room for any bushings.
I cut the name of the bushing off the bag and put it in the box.
I have three boxes and lable the main box A, B, C and then number each little box 1 -24. So, a Sierra bushing set might be in B17. I then have a spread sheet for each box with the bushing description (pen name, etc), the vendor name, and the part no.
Sure is easy and quick to find a bushing.
24 Container Storage Box

Oops - sorry for the picture size..........
Hope that helps.
gordon

 

[southernclay]

Peg board for the kits, keep all alike in a Ziploc bag hanging with instructions inside the bag, bushings stay in their original bag and then in a compartment box (kinda like a tackle box) clear lidded and I write the bushing name on the outside of the box. Drill bits all together in a plastic box. Shelves for blanks, glue etc.

 

[Ted iin Michigan]

I use the same Harbor Freight organizers that "flyitfast" does. Love them. I borrowed my wife's label maker to mark each container. It works!

 

[Mason Kuettel]

Pegboard for the kits (one kit type per peg...keep in the original bag until needed).

Don't keep too many bushings, but I use this:
15 Bin Portable Parts Storage Case

Blanks are on a wooden box divided into compartments for different colors/species.

 

[Karl_99]

For pen kits, I use a HF freestanding rack with plastic bins that hang on rails on the back of rack. Works well for me.
I use the bushing storage system as Fly it Fast.

 

[commercialbuilder]

I built a rolling pen storage unit that has two wide shelves on each side at the bottom and the top I made so it will hold 40 of the harbor freight gray plastic trays on each side. I use a 32 bin I think plastic storage unit that I bought at Ace Hardware to keep bushings, extra drill bits etc. in and that is mounted on the end of the upper cabinet.

 

[dogcatcher]

Clear plastic shoe boxes for each kit. Each shoe box has all of the kits and bushing and anything special needed for that pen. When it comes to ordering I can look at the boxes and order my resupply in almost no time. I try to make large orders, once or twice a year, I would rather have everything in stock than waste money on shipping charges if I order a few kits every week or so.

 

[navycop]

I use this for my bushings in their bags. I write the kit name on the top. Pen kits and blanks are in clear shoe boxes.
24 Compartment Large Storage Container

 

[jimjam66]

Organise? Or ... gan ... ise ...??? No idea what that means, Must be some poncy American thing ...

 

[JohnGreco]

Here's a shot of how I keep my kits:

Instagram

It doesn't look like it, but I have roughly 90 kits there, grouped by pen type and then different hooks for different platings for my more popular kits where I keep a lot on hand, others with just 2 or 3 of each plate type share a hook with the others of the same kit.

Bushings I keep in a small plastic case with dividers in their original bags. I have another case for drill bits where I took out some of the dividers. Tubes/spare parts go into an empty coffee can, but that is starting to fill up and will probably be replaced during Spring Cleaning.

 

[The Penguin]

I'm sure I'm not the only one that doesn't Instagram.

can you please upload the pic here?

 

[JohnGreco]

I'm sure I'm not the only one that doesn't Instagram.

can you please upload the pic here?

Did it not show the picture or did you not click it? Pic is on my phone, will try logging into the forums from there when I get a few minutes later.

 

[walshjp17]

Shows right nicely for me and I don't even know what an Instagram is :wink::biggrin:.
(MacBook Pro running Firefox)