Blank storage ???

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Pipes

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Ok like a LOT of you I have a well a LOT of blanks HOW do you guys store them so as you can find one ?? And keep track of Inventory right now mine are under benches and in boxes all over the place ! I need help here :(
 
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Put lables on the boxes, and write on the blanks (or put stickers on them). I use the little plastic drawers they sell at Target and Walmart to store them so I can see inside.
 
Originally posted by JimGo
<br />Put lables on the boxes, and write on the blanks (or put stickers on them). I use the little plastic drawers they sell at Target and Walmart to store them so I can see inside.
Click to expand...

I write on them now with a maker BUT I need a system so I an keep track of all the @#$%^&*( blanks I think Iam up to around 2000 errrrrrrrrrrrrr[:D]
 
I have separate labelled bins for each type of wood. The bins are approx. 6"H x 7"D x 9"L that we got from the dollar store for, yep you guessed it, a dollar each! [:D] They are stackable and really neat. I have 26 or so of that. Attached is a pic.

Of course I also use bigger trays and used USPS flat rate boxes [:D] and some shelvings.

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Why organize them? Half the fun of not knowing what you have is discovering them all over again. I've gone looking for a forstner bit or something and found some great blanks that I didnt even know I had. It's like Christmas!
 
Scott,

I do have a few bins that are mix of different blanks...I call those my "stash" and yes there is joy in re-discovering blanks you forgot you have.

That said..it is difficult to have them all mixed up when you are dealing blanks by atleast a few hundreds any given time. [;)]
 
Quick I will cover Dario's eyes, someone run in and grab those bins. Should be easy to know the "good" stuff, its all labeled. Shop is probably spotless too. [:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p]

I use tubs and label them.
 
I made a cabnet that sets under my work bench. It has shallow draws that are about 1 1/4" deep, 20" wide and approxamatly 24" long. Each draw holds about 100 blanks, they all are layed on there sides so that I can see the grain.

Wayne
 
Organize your blanks??? Who would have thought!
I'm gonna add that idea to my list of things to do. Meanwhile, they're in piles all over the place. And that's why I never sent in a picture of my shop.
 
My blanks are stored in shoe boxes as well as plastic boxes with lid (the shoe storage size)that I buy in $-stores. Cheapest way to do - for me. The boxes are stored a heavy duty storage shelf. At the front of the box I write with marker what's in the box.
 
I just have mine more or less, neatly stacked on a shelf.

Here's a question: Shouldn't the blanks be allowed to breathe, just in case when you got them they were not totally dried and to keep the dry ones from absolrbing mosture from those in a plastic bin or sealed bin that might be more wet?

thx,
Liz
 
Mine are almost eaxctly like Dario's set up. I don't have the boxes labled and I don't have as many. I have 6 right now under my lathe and I cut some hardboard partition's so I can keep 2 or 3 seperated. Wal-mart has clear ones for about $1.00 each. Well worth it as the wood chips can fall out of the box and they have good air flow thru the boxes. I number the blanks with a sharpie and have a note book with what is what. I am in the process of building a nice stand for my 1939 Altas built lathe and when done I will have a door on each side, one for the motor and on the other side it will be shelves for supplies. The center section will have 2 rollerball drawer slide pull out trays that will house 6 of these containers so I can just pull the tray out all the way to view the blanks. It will be pretty sweet when it's done. Oh, I will also have a "box" under the lower center tray that has a top that can be removed if the tray is removed. This will be filled with sand for low slung weight.

Anyway, here back to topic, here is my set up for now
storage.jpg
 
I use heavy cardboard document boxes (about 8 1/2"X11"X2"). Some are labeled on the outside with special blanks (BOW, stabilized burls, etc.). But every blank is marked with type of wood. Have about ten of those stacked. Pluse piles of what I cut and sell. (osage orange, dogwood and red cedar)
 
I use the thrown in boxes method myself. but have always written what they are as well as the price I paid for them. I have them sort of graded now in the "will never see again","premium", "good" and "have to get real creative if this will ever make a decent pen" catagories. but that is as sorted as my blanks will probably ever get. the only inventory I have is my memory and it is not very good. so I get to get new blanks all the time, like every time I dig around in one of my boxes.
 
I do not have many blanks but this is my system. It is made from PVC drainage material that is 5 dollars for a ten foot piece. I then cut it in 6 inch lengths and glued them together with PVC solvent.

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Hey you's guys with organizational skills...Quit making pens and contract yourselves out to help the rest of us slobs! You could make a small fortune![:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
 
Solved my blank storage problem with a couple of shoe storage bins.
Originally was going to mount on the wall but due to wall space limitations decided to make drawers out of them. They were almost 12" deep so I cut them down to 7". These were smaller ~20" x ~24" with nine compartments.(Had to fit an existing wood storage rack) Other sizes were available that were bigger with 25 smaller compartments.

Tom


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The drawers are under one of the shelves where I store my sheets of plywood and pieces of wood that I use in my scroll saw work. Those are scrollsaw blades.(My other woodworking passion). The pipes are a nice idea. Now I have to go thru and mark the blank ends and arrange the wood varieties. May also subdivide the larger holes in half for each wood.

Tom
 
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