Reusing old containers.

[Mike C.]

Now that the doctor says I can't have any more sugar I've been buying this sugar substitute that comes in these containers.  Don't just put them in the recycling bin. They make great containers for small parts.  I have one for street tires and another for street wheels.  Off road tires and wheels are in a larger container. 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Mike C.

[Mike 1017]

I also use that type of container. The lids of containers are great for mixing paint and epoxy glue.

[NOBLNG]

I keep all my old small containers. I also bought various sizes of small ziplock baggies at the dollar store. That way I can keep sets of parts together and don’t have to hunt for the fourth wheel back later.🤔 I cut my empty cereal boxes into 2-1/2” squares and mix my epoxy on them. The flat surface makes for easier mixing than a bottle cap.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I've been reusing containers for decades, and old credit cards for mixing surfaces for catalyzed model fillers, or cut into strips and special shapes for spreaders, etc.

Plastic coffee can lids also make great mixing and spreading tools.

The lunch meat I usually buy comes in clear containers with easily removable labels, perfect for storing every part (except the body itself) of an ongoing model build, and in the big-car shop for sorted small hardware on the bench. They're impervious to most solvents, and work well for various kinds of strippers too.

Cheapo baggies, as mentioned, are perfect for storing all kinds of small stuff you need to be able to keep together, and identify visually.

I used to use yogurt and cottage cheese containers for mixing aircraft epoxy when I was working mostly on planes, still use 'em in the big-car shops for mixing epoxies and polyesters, and for short-term storage of some types of release agents.

In the shop, I use the large high-quality cardboard boxes that parts are shipped in for templates for sheetmetal fabrication.

Coffee cans, especially steel, are great for larger fastener storage, and for brush and roller cleaning solvents for composite work.

Etc., etc., etc.   

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy
CLARITY

[CabDriver]

25 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

In the shop, I use the large high-quality cardboard boxes...for templates for sheetmetal fabrication.

CAD.

Cardboard aided design 😁

[Ace-Garageguy]

18 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

CAD.

Cardboard aided design 😁

Yup. That's a running joke when I work.   

Edited September 9, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy
TYPO

[CabDriver]

Old ones are the best!

 

Back on the topic of containers - I used to use a lot of the stuff mentioned above for storing parts, half-finished projects, etc.etc. but eventually moved on to three of these:

https://www.tenaquip.com/product/quantum-storage-system-drawer-cabinet-plastic-39-drawers-15-x-6-1-4-x-18-3-4-black-pdc-39bk-cg064

I got tired of having jars and tubs and a bunch of smaller containers and then having to remember where I put them or find a good spot for them.  I like not having to think about storage for my storage

Having identical ones lets me rearrange the drawers to suit whatever organizational system I end up settling on, some day (probably alphabetical, once I've finally decided exactly how many racks all my stuff will be spread across...) - plus they'll wall mount if that's helpful.

Cheaper versions of these racks are like $20 at most hardware places - well worth it, to me...

[Mike C.]

25 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

Old ones are the best!

 

Back on the topic of containers - I used to use a lot of the stuff mentioned above for storing parts, half-finished projects, etc.etc. but eventually moved on to three of these:

https://www.tenaquip.com/product/quantum-storage-system-drawer-cabinet-plastic-39-drawers-15-x-6-1-4-x-18-3-4-black-pdc-39bk-cg064

I got tired of having jars and tubs and a bunch of smaller containers and then having to remember where I put them or find a good spot for them.  I like not having to think about storage for my storage

Having identical ones lets me rearrange the drawers to suit whatever organizational system I end up settling on, some day (probably alphabetical, once I've finally decided exactly how many racks all my stuff will be spread across...) - plus they'll wall mount if that's helpful.

Cheaper versions of these racks are like $20 at most hardware places - well worth it, to me...

Oh. I got tons of those too. 👍

[Danno]

I keep all the caps from bottled water. Perfect little vessels for small amounts of paints when detailing. A separate cap for each color and when you're done -> clean up is no more difficult than tossing in the trash. I have so many (I think they multiply at night) I should already have enough for the rest of my life.

I also keep no longer useful CDs -> great pallets for daubing out globs of gel type CNA glue (for use with toothpicks, etc.) or mixing epoxy. A CD goes a long way and when every square inch is covered with hardened glue globs, it goes the same route as the used bottle caps. 

Another thing I do with expendable CDs (yes, I seem to have a lifetime supply of these, too) is to use them for spray painting. Loop some masking tape on the CD, stick the parts on, spray away.  Rinse and repeat.  Reusable for an amazing number of model assemblies. 

And, larger parts are masking tape-looped onto the cardboard backing sheets from paper tablets.  They last for a long time, and when you're done with them . . . well, round-file them.  Another big $ investment in tools, huh?

 

 

 

[1930fordpickup]

Some good ideas for storage. I like the drawers because they are easier to put in the same area but they don't hold as much.  I have several boxes of small containers I use. I just don't like how they are a different size and that makes it hard to put on the shelf. Shelf storage Tetras is what I call it.