[TriLUG] OT: PC hardware organization techniques

[Scott G. Hall]

On 12/19/2004 01:33 PM, William Sutton <william at trilug.org> wrote:
> OK, it seems that my collection of ribbon cables, screws, card slot slips, 
> and so on has multiplied while I wasn't watching.  Right now I have it in 
> various zip-lock bags in a cardboard box but that's kind of a mess.
> 
> How do you guys organize your miscellaneous parts?

I used to run a small PC shop that had an extensive repair and custom dept.
Even now the 3rd floor my house completely taken up with pretty much the
same setup -- I have enough material for about 40 PC and Sun workstations.

What I use is an arrangement of 5 tech benches on 3 walls, with books
shelves and a desk on the 4th.  The 3 walls and area above the desk has
slat-wall paneling, and more paneling attached to the back of the tech
benches (slatwall like you see at various retail stores).  The tech benches
are basically old solid-wood doors with formica glued on, or simply old
countertops, with standard metal legs below, and open-frame "hutches" above
(these are short metal shelf units like those at Home Depot).  In the
center of the room is a big flat table for working on (this 6x12 old
conference table).

Now for the good part: I use those plastic bins that you can buy at Northern
Tool in Cary.  I try to use bins already made for slatwall, or pegboard
(slatwall takes regular peg hooks), but I usually have to modify them by
adding 1/4" plywood to their backs and attaching peg hooks.  By using bins
that stick out 12", most ribbon cables, power cords, sound cables, etc fit.
The 4" and 6" bins work great for connectors and parts of various kinds.
Most of these are the standard 4" width, but you can various other widths
as well.  I find that 8" and 12" work great for SCSI cables, video cables,
and other stiff-to-fold items.  I also borrow another trick from retail
stores -- I fasten shelf-holder slots between the 24"-width slatwall panels,
and can adjust 2' and 4' shelves at any height surrounded in any fashion
by the bins.  Besides the bins and shelves, regular peg hooks work for
hanging longer cords by their ends -- think those tool hooks designed to
hold screw drivers.

Where I previous lived, I used just standard pegboard and cardboard bins,
but in the same arrangement.  Easier to modify, but they don't last as
well.

If you go by any hamfest, you'll see tables of parts in the same sort of
arrangement of bins -- I just hang mine neatly on a wall.  You can
sometimes obtain the slatwall paneling, the heavy-duty hangers, bins and
hooks and even shelf hangers and metal shelf units at auctions for
retailers going out of business.

Most all of the bins, and heavy-duty pegs for retail use, can be labeled
with a standard P-Touch type labeler -- though I usually print mine on
label paper.  I find that clear box-tape makes a fine laminate to protect
labels printed on a laser printer from the lettering rubbing off.

Note, You can start with that simple metal shelving with wooden shelves
from Home Depot, get extra shelves to space them about 6" or 8" apart,
and just shelve the same sort of plastic bins without any modification.
That is how my wife organizes her extensive crafts area (takes up 1/3 of
the second floor in the bonus room over the garage -- she could open her
own Michaels store ...).  Faster and cheaper, but I was raised by my
father and his workshop (both wood and electronics), and like the retail
store look myself.

-- 
Scott G. Hall
Raleigh, NC, USA
ScottGHall at BellSouth.Net