Parts Storage........ugh

[Jim M]

Over the last 10 years I have collected boxes of spare parts for my Roadster. I have a bad habit of ordering "extra" just in case I need it. Then I have lots of slightly used parts that are too good to be thrown and you never know when you or one of your friends needs one. I have tried making spread sheets on my computer, note pads, etc to keep an inventory. Problem is not only recording it somewhere but then FINDING it when you need it. It is sooooo easy these days to hop on the computer and order another one. I hope this spurs some ideas from others in this wonderful hobby and you will share them with us.

Until then - Jim "still lookin"

[nhusa]

I always find lost parts and tools in the same place.

It is the last place I look!

I am trying to figure out how to look there first!

[Oldbluoval]

I have several friends that save plastic coffee containers for me. I put parts (new or used) in them and label the top with a permanent marker as to contents I have also used the method of numbering containers and then keeping a detail of what is in #1, #2, etc. I have accumulated some really neat metal drawers where I keep nuts, bolts, screws, rivets, etc

But sometimes order what I already have. And feel still less-than-organized

[Farrell In Vancouver]

This is always a problem, but easily solved with investment in storage systems. Bins and shelving marked for easy Identification. I have some plastic bins about 9" deep that fit the custom shelving. Each bin has been labeled for what in it. Heaviest stuff below such as Transmission bits, Diff. Bits. Engine and so on. Next come brake system components. Steering parts then Fuel, distributor, lighting, interior etc. I find its all about being organized. Once a year, (Winter project) I will go through every box, just to make sure I have what is needed. I look after Three As and one AA and to be a good custodian you need to keep mopping!

[SeaSlugs]

https://www.google.com/search?q=card...w=1600&bih=769

I really like the way Rainmaker Ron organizes his shop. He uses shelves with hundred or so of those storage bins labeled as to what. The boxes come in all sorts of sizes to only a 2 inches wide to 8" wide. Take brake springs for example - dont need one 8" wide for that but you might for transmission parts so a variety is nice - no wasted space on the shelf so you fit more and can fine tune your organizing. The end of them has space for a label so you can just stand back and scan along with your eyes till you see the right label. Dedicate a garage wall and build some shelves and organize! Separate things out like brake pins so when you need one you just go to that box labeled brake pins and grab one - no need to rummage thru a big tub full of springs, rods, wedges rollers and everything else brake related. Need a brake rod eye? get one from the bin that only contains eyes - sure it might have front rear and emergency but much easier to organize than if it were a big bucket full of everything brake related.

I too am ashamed of my "only I know where stuff is" organization problem using whatever containers, boxes, old toolboxes, milk crates (great for big things like backing plates though). I need to clean out a section of the garage and build shelves, get an assortment of those boxes and start organizing.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Isn't it FUN, when you discover something you forgot about?
One Guy, here, lost his Stainless Acorn nuts for his woodie station wagon door handles.-----"Look in your Kitchen Junk drawer"-----"Bill, you're a GENIUS"!!!----"But, while searching, I found '29 headlights in a deep, dark closet, I had forgotten about them or where??? I got them"!!!
One Guy bought 10 yards of PINK Silk---"Whut's it for"?----"My Wife's makin' a new night gown"----"You don't need THAT much"----"The searchin' is more FUN than the DISCOVERY"!
Bill Awful

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Jim M

Over the last 10 years I have collected boxes of spare parts for my Roadster. I have a bad habit of ordering "extra" just in case I need it. Then I have lots of slightly used parts that are too good to be thrown and you never know when you or one of your friends needs one. I have tried making spread sheets on my computer, note pads, etc to keep an inventory. Problem is not only recording it somewhere but then FINDING it when you need it. It is sooooo easy these days to hop on the computer and order another one. I hope this spurs some ideas from others in this wonderful hobby and you will share them with us.

Until then - Jim "still lookin"

I'll call your hand and raise you on this one. How about being in our shoes and keeping up with parts for 19 different Model-A projects simultaneously?

Presently we have 24 sections of pallet racking that is 16' tall. We use an order picker (basically a fork lift that you ride up with the load) that we use to stage parts on the different shelves. I will be straight-up honest with you that it is very time-consuming and expensive to be organized. We basically adapted Ron's method several years ago, but what I did is used a Ford Model-A Parts Price book for the numbers of each item and then set-up an Excel spreadsheet listing everything in chronological order by part number since often times part numbers vary between vendors. On each row, you can set-up your spreadsheet to reflect what you need to purchase, the quantity, whether you have purchased the item, and the location. Then label your shelves like A1-5 which A would be a vertical section, and the first number would be the shelf number, and the last number is the box or bin it is in.

For us, within the next year I am going to purchase a pallet of two or three different size boxes, and we will be using a bar code scanner to know where a specific item is at all times. For example, when an item such as a service brake cross-shaft is removed from the vehicle, it will be placed on the customer's rack on the 3rd shelf. From there it will be gathered and sent to media blasting. With the scanner, we will know where it is and we can give the media-blasting company a manifest of everything he is taking. When he returns, the item will go back onto the shelf and will stay there until it goes to our Metal Shop to be disassembled and the shafts ends welded up. From there it may go to our Machine Shop or it may be placed back on the customer's shelf. Once the machine work has been done, it will either go to the shelf again or it will go to the Paint Shop. From there it will go to the Assembly Parts Room where each customer has a set of shelves which their restored parts are laced on. The scan tool will allow us to know exactly what item is where. What makes this technology even better for us is each of the guys can use their iPhone to scan the barcode on the box that will tell them what is inside that box on the shelf. As far as my used parts inventory, I am not near as big as what Steve is, but again we have the item name listed in alphabetical order on a sheet with the section and shelf number listed so the guys can walk right up to the location and get what they need.

I realize this is WAY more than what you are asking, but I thought it might make your task seem less daunting. Below is a couple of pictures that show one area of storage for us.

.

[Dennis Pereira]

Wow, my method is separate piles and lots of cans/boxes to rummage through when I'm bored. Nice set up Brent.

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by nhusa

I always find lost parts and tools in the same place.

It is the last place I look!

I am trying to figure out how to look there first!

I always love it when someone says this. I tell them "it should be, if you kept looking after you found it your an idiot".

[JDupuis]

I ran the parts department at our dealership.
I try to organized my parts deptartment in my shed the same way.
Electrical, brakes, motor, cooling,....all separately.
I usually can grab exactly what I need, when needed.
BUT.......sometimes, I forget that I already used that part, or gave it away.
Oh well....
Jeff

[Anteek29]

Brent...Henry would be proud!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Dennis Pereira

Wow, my method is separate piles and lots of cans/boxes to rummage through when I'm bored. Nice set up Brent.

Thanks Dennis but much of my inspiration came from fellow Fordbarner Will Cronkrite who IMO wrote the book on how to be organized in the shop. His NASCAR racing career mindset & ideas spill into the way I chose to organize my stuff. I just quickly took some crappy pix with my cell phone, so excuse the quality but it does show a little more about how we do things in the shop.

I mentioned having a parts room for finished/restored parts, each of these row of shelves is a particular customer's project. Our Assembly Shop is set-up to work on 8 projects at once, and there are 8 rows of shelves in this room.


Our new parts room is kinda messy right now with post-it notes everywhere as we are doing inventory and re-organizing boxes but I think you get the jest. We also use 3 different sizes of bin boxes to inventory new parts. If you look closely at the pictures, you will see they are in chronological order by Ford part number, and also we have the Brattons & Snyders part number on the label as a cross-reference.







In addition to organization of parts, we also have tried to do the same thing with tools. We have an Assembly Room where sub-component assembly takes place before it is shelved or installed. One thing that Will taught me, is that you need all of your tools and fixtures for each task in a centralized place. What I did is put three tool boxes together to make a work bench, and then each drawer (-or drawers) has everything necessary to do that task. Each of the drawers are set-up with hand-tools, fixtures, etc. to do a specific job. Even though in the top center of the workbench is a complete set of sockets, ratchets, etc., in each drawer is another socket or wrench that is specifically dedicated to rebuilding/assembling that item.






...and even dedicated shelves for items that won't necessarily be used in the Assembly Room, but they have a box with a label that has everything that would be needed for that task. For example, there is one box there that is labeled Radiator Shell, and it has scissors, an awl, the split rivet tool, the emblem remover that Tom Wesenberg made for me, tape, clothes pins, and probably another item or two that I am forgetting. This way, all someone needs to do is retrieve the black tote from the shelf and walk to the workbench or the vehicle and know they have everything needed to do the task. This really helps on time efficiency.


.
I realize this is way off track from what this thread started for, but maybe it will help someone in some way.


.
.

[Tom F OHIO]

Brent, your shelving system looks like the back warehouse of Snyder's. I wish I had a 1/4 of that room to do this.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

All this sophisticated organization is makin' me DIZZY!
I'm only organized first thing in the AM:----PET THE DOG, PEE, PILLS, COMB MY HAIR, COFFEE & COMPUTER!
Bill Shiftless

[redmodelt]

Ok I am getting shelf/storage envy! LOL

[Tinbasher]

The best way I've seen to keep track of parts was from a customer of mine. Start with a clear plastic box with lid. I like the ones that are about 8" wide, 8" high and 16" long. Then on the ends use a black magic marker to identify what unit is inside. I.E. Water Pump. Then use zip lock bags that fit inside the box nicely and place the piece of the "Water Pump" in the bag along with a cardboard card with a part I.D. and any info on it. Make the card fit tightly in the bag and this way they will stand up in the box. I tried it, like it and now i use this technique. The great thing is it's easy to find the part and it's easy to figure out what you need to rebuild the part. And when the part is rebuilt it's in the box ready for assembly.

John Poole

[GPierce]

Brent's done what we called in the engine plant I worked in; A place for everything and everything in it's place, labeled.

[denniskliesen]

I bought a bunch of containers from Walmart and Costco a couple years ago. I made my shelves in my garage keeping in mind the size of container that would fit there. Inside the Costco containers I fit 4 of the small containers again from Costco. Every container has a number. Small containers inside the big containers get a number also. I use Notes app on my iphone giving each container it's own note. I can then use the search function to either tell me what's in the container or I can enter what I'm looking for and it will tell me what container it is in. Three years ago I could barely walk through my garage, now I can keep 2 cars in there and still work on them. If I need room to work on I just back one of them out and put a cover on it. I keep wheel dolleys and floor jacks handy so I can push one of the cars to the side and give me more room to work on something.

[desotoguy]

On a side note, most of us think we are the ones who will need to find and use or sell the parts we have stored away. Getting older has made me think that I may not be the one, and even though I can identify parts, those who will come behind me, (estate sale) will not, therefore I have started tagging my stash with wire tags, tape, even the plastic containers with data to identify them and what vehicle it fits.

[crock]

I found a use for all those plastic pill bottles. Great for small parts. Wrap with masking tape and mark the item.