Blank organization

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treeturner1962

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Mar 22, 2009
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OK... it was no big deal whenI had 20 blanks and started turning..... organization was easy and always a snap to find a blank. Well, then I started collecting more and more> I would find neat blanks from suppliers, websites, ebay etc. I stocked up on my favorite hard to find blanks as well as continually adding to my collection. Well now I have over 200 blanks and they are everywhere and unorganized.

What organization system works for you when it coms to organizing your blanks? I could use any suggestions.... it's become a epidemic...my blanks are spreading everywhere!

JOhn
 
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I hit the wall when I ended up stashing over 200 species and about 600 blanks. I used some scrap 1/4" luan and some 1 x 6 that i had kicking around the shop and made a very simple wall hung shelf using the luan to form 6" x Bins similar to the shoe racks you see in closet storage systems
 
storage,

I have over 1000 blanks and I keep adding, I bought something similar to the picture, mine has 375 boxes, it's on a wall in my shop, on wheels, and labeled. I will try and get a real picture,
 

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Mike put a link to mine and that is for the ones I sell. The way I have it setup is for large bins that will hold about 140 blanks and the small ones about 70 blanks. These numbers are for 3/4 blanks so Jumbos are a little less. So based on these you can hold right around 7000 blanks on the shelves. I also have another storage system for my personal stash that holds a thousand or so. The best part with this is you can get different sized bins for your different blank types. You cant tell from the photo but I have bins for pens, stoppers, pennants, gun grips, etc, etc. Hope this helps.
 
I use recycled Post Office boxes. I use the 7" square ones and tape them together and then put them on metal shelves (also recycled). I will post a pic once I find it.
 
I have used the plastic food storage gizmo's from Walmart - the lidded ones - that are often sold in boxes of 10 I believe. They have nice tight fitting lids that will help keep them dry as can be. These are approximately 8" wide by 6" deep and 15" or so in size. I have no idea what I paid for them five years ago. The bottom is a bit narrower than the top and designed to fit into the recessed portion of the lid on the container underneath it IF you decide to stack them on a shelf. They are somewhat clear and easy to move around if need be. :smile:
 
Had a neighbor that was anal and cheap. He used cut off 2 liter soda bottles that he screwed to a board. Numbered the container and kept track of it with Excel.
 
I also use recycled postal boxes (the ones that are about 9" x 11" x 5"). It really doesn't matter what you store them in. The catch is having them organized in a way that you can find them. I have approx. 14 of the boxes which fit about 120 blanks each so rough figuring that is around 1700 blanks and about 300 to 400 different species/variations. So what I do is write the name of the species on the side and then give each species a number, that I write on the end. I write this number on a piece of paper and then enter it in the computer so I can quickly cross check if I have that species or not in my collection. The blanks I basically set on end so only the number is showing. About once a year I go through and re-organize the boxes in numerical order. This way I can pretty quickly check to see if I have a particular species if I need it or someone else is looking for it. This has worked pretty effectively for me for the last 7 or 8 years. Bob I.
 
Organization?!?!? Whats that!?
I used to use a big box, didn't really work.
Now I use plastic bins kinda like shown above, need to get more though.
I wont post a pic because then you will wonder how on earth I get in my garage, let alone turn around! That's my next project and I'm dreading it!

Arvin
 
A friend made this for me in a woodworking swap on Family Woodworking Forum.
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It works pretty good to hold the blanks but there really is no rhyme or reason to where the blanks go. I have just as many blanks sitting in boxes as well.

It's a great place for my IAP mug to sit. I'm not much of a coffee drinker, one in the morning with the paper. That's it for me!
 

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emccarthy said:
@cnirenberg I just want to point out that the part number you suggested points to bins that are only 2 inches wide...I might suggest instead 89795249 which are 4" wide and are $.97 ea for orders of less than 50...also 89795264 are 6" wide and are $1.17 each. Those numbers are both for http://www.mscdirect.com
Click to expand...

Never said I could read, just suggested that these cardboard containers were available. I'm sure that they have larger sizes. I'm also positive that Enco, Uline etc carry something like it. Just a suggestion. Sorry for the confusion
 
No worries man...I wasn't criticizing, I just wanted anyone interested to know that those ones were only 2" wide, which may limit what can be placed inside. :)
 
I completely brainfarted on Staples/Office Despot/etc... so went google hunting a source that was cheaper. I couldn't find any under $0.22 a piece that didn't havea huge minimum order amount...


ouch $15 to ship is a bit more. though about the same or less then the staples price you had. If your work lets you ship stuff there try unchecking residential and putting in the work addy, should drop at least a few bucks....
 
If you want to put everything in flat rate boxes from the Post Office, they will ship all the boxes you want to your home free of charge. The catch is that they are prepacked in groups of 10 I think, so you have to order in multiples of 10 for each size you want. They don't ask how or when you will use them, they just deliver them to your front door. However, if you ordered like 500 boxes I have a hunch they might have a slight issue with that. you can always put some shelving up on the wall, then cut the top off the boxes and store them on the shelves.
 
I went to the dollar store and Bought clear plastic shoe boxes W/lids for a $1.00 a piece, they stack on top of each other and I can write on the outside with markers and see inside without taking the lid off. They had about 100 I took 30 to start with.
 
Hey Rick, Did you make the boxes or buy them. I need something like that myself.
I have somewhere in the neighborhood of about 12 or 1300 blanks and running out
of room to them. Thanks for the info.
Al
 
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