Screw storage

[James Harris]

Given that there is a very large number of different types of screw how is it best to store them?

By differences I am thinking of things like these:

Material and colour: steel, stainless steel, brass, black steel Head type: countersunk, round head, others Driver type: pozi/phillips, slot, hex (carriage screw) End: point (woodscrew), flat (machine screw) Measurement: metric, imperial Specialism: self tapping, double thread Width and Length

I have some screws in boxes, some in plastic envelopes, some in organiser trays, some in cabinet drawers and some more specialised screws which are effectively loose.

None of these storage arrangements is ideal for different reasons, especially because none has enough compartments to store all the different types and sizes. Is it worth mixing some together in tubs?

How do you store your screws (and washers and ...)?

James

[The Medway Handyman]

Don't :-)

All you need are Quicksilver & Turbogold. You can get both in organiser cases, very often on a cheap deal.

[newshound]

The only time I would mix them is for close matches between imperial and metric. I have some mixtures of single and twin thread.

I find the big metal boxes with multiple plastic chambers best (expensive when empty, good value when bought full of screws). Some of the plastic boxes are OK too, e.g. for coach and for concrete screws. When you find one you like, get several so that they stack conveniently.

I threw away my very big box of mixed slotted screws a long time ago.

[stuart noble]

Do you need to take them out with you? I got a case in Aldi a while back. You put the dividers where you want, and a central tab stops everything falling out when the case is vertical. But, if a compartment is full, the remainder ends up in its original box on a shelf somewhere else. You can't win :-)

[newshound]

None of my shelves have space on them any more

[Bob Henson]

Lidl have got some double sided, partitioned, see-through topped, plastic boxes at the moment that are very cheap. They would be ideal for the smaller sizes, and at the price they were (can't remember how much, but a daft price) you could buy a shed full.

[stuart noble]

They had some in Poundland but every one had stiff hinges that broke after a couple of uses. Shame

[Andrew Mawson]

a/ Woodscrews: In original boxes on a shelf in order of diameter b/ Machine screws 6 mm to 16 mm in Linbins on the wall in order of sizes with appropriate nuts plain washers and spring washers c/ Machine Screws 2.5 mm to 5 mm in Raaco drawer unit on the wall again with nuts & washers d/ BA sizes as c/ above for 8 BA up to 2 BA e/ Whitworth, and BSF in a comparmental 'organiser boxes' f/ UNF & UNC also in organiser boxes g/ Roofing screw in a plastic tub with there special tacky washers h/ Coach Bolts & Screws in original boxes on a shelf

(Specials such as Cycle Thread, and British Standard Brass and the two styles of BSP I have to make as needed )

Andrew

[Bob Henson]

I didn't try the Lidl ones, but I've never had anything like that that turned out to be duff from there - yet.

[fred]

I use these. Label on the end to identify the contents and snap on lid hold the contents secure. I can just take out the ones Im likely to need and throw them in a toolbox

[Peter Parry]

You carefully sort them by size and type into a number of partitioned and neatly labeled containers. You place the container outside so it is to hand for the job you are doing.

SWMBO comes along when you are not looking and closes, but does not latch, the lid. You come back, lift it up and spend the next hour collecting everything into a bucket along with a good helping of grit and grot. In the future, whenever you need a screw you delve into the bucket of increasingly rusty screws for the one you want (it is never there of course).

SWMBO makes off with your storage box declaring it is just what she needs for storing her earrings and you don't need it any more.

Simples.

[spuorgelgoog]

That's the advantage of using tobacco tins; they're not sought-after by SWMBOs.

And even when the Dymo(tm) tape falls off, you can still read the legend through the dried adhesive.

Owain

[meow2222]

I dont think theres any 1 way that suits all. Just ensure containers are burstproof.

NT

[James Harris]

...

Yes, sometimes.

James

[GMM]

The problem I always have though, is that I run out of one size while hardly using many of the others. No problem - buy a box of that size and fill that compartment. Then another size runs out, so you buy another box, etc, etc. Before you know where you are, there's a heap of boxes of screws and a plastic organiser, or two or three....not to mention the ones you 'salvage' from a job in case there's an odd size you need and keep in some other improvised container, but never use (a bad habit I inherited from my father).

On the other hand, there is a certain pleasure in starting a new case o screws and, indeed, they are often a very good deal if you keep an eye open...

[Bob Eager]

I got all my tobacco tins *from* SWMBO before she gave up smoking (her pipe).

[spuorgelgoog]

Thus proving that even pipe-smoking SMWBOs don't regard tobacco tins as suitable ear-ring receptacles.

Owain

[John Williamson]

Unfortunately, this doesn't work with the new Dymo that prints onto an adhesive tape, but only with the type that embosses the lettering. The new stuff also fades quite quickly in sunlight.

[MattyF]

I look after lots of screws!

Basically there is a section of shelves for anything that there is a lot of. So there's a section for metric, unified and Whitworth and BA, and subsections for fine threads. Steel is separate from brass. Stainless and high tensile and plated are just in with mild steel but in their own boxes. There's a separate section for metric coach bolts. Wood screws have an entire room and have separate sections for round head, countersunk etc and brass. Washers are sorted on inside diameter and have separate sections for lock washers and flat.

[dom]

I started with a trade case, but rarely even use that now.

6x45, 6x80, 6x100 for construction/studs. 4x20, 4x25, 4x30, 4x40 for joinery. 5x60 - odd stuff.

Though I mostly use Spax and Reisser these days.

Also means for fixing I only require 4mm drill/PZ2 bit or 6mm drill/PZ3 bit.