My junk boxes range from small plastic containers used for little parts, to large cardboard boxes that store boards, assemblies, and other big items. Some other items (such as disk drives, power supplies, backplanes, etc) are stored in various nooks and crannies in the basement and attic. I've inventoried the major components, such as DEC modules and other spares, but the smaller stuff is located by memory. If I need it I can generally recall which box it's in. Kevin -- Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca

I have several storage methods: For Micros, I built a rack wide enough for each micro to sit next to its disk/tape drives on a shelf and still be usable... there's a composite monitor on top of the rack and a switcher (built out of 2x4s and plywood in about 10 minutes. 4 shelves with brackets to hold spare cables on the front. Looks quite nice, actually. Rather easy to do it you have woodworking skills. I had my miniframe sitting on a table for a while, then back to its floor case. I have my laptop's docking station and a 386 (for my BBS) sitting on the same table. ICs and other small things go in an old Sears parts holder (designed for screws I believe) that I built into my workbench. I have three rubbermaid cabinets for motherboards, expansion cards, disk drives, manuals, etc. Two are around three feet tall and have one shelf in them and one is around 8 feet tall and has 6 shelves IIRC. I built a small shelf for magazines and books next to the large cabinet and is a convenient surface to drop things onto when I come into the room 8-). Cables go into two large plastic boxes that someone gave me a long time ago. Everything else is still in cardboard boxes from when I moved about two months ago. Hope this gives you a few ideas. Kevin ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It's you isn't it? THE BASTARD OPERATOR FROM HELL!" "In the flesh, on the phone and in your account..." -- BOFH #3

Upon the date 08:33 PM 7/6/99 -0400, Max Eskin said something like: Wow Max, this is can be considered a broad question which can have an equally broad answer as it depends upon the amount of storage space (shelf, under-workbench, closet, under-bed, etc.), quantity of stuff to store and the type of person who's doing the squirreling away of the parts and/or the exact location of the storage. I use anything which is a sturdy enough container for the subject items -usually corrugated cartons. Heavy, triple-wall cartons (275 lb burst test) for extremely heavy items (transformers, etc.) and normal double-wall types (175-200 lb test) for most other stuff. These were gotten from the receiving department clerk at my ex-employer. We got all kinds of parts and supplies for our manufacturing operations and there were quite a few to choose from of a ggodly range of sizes. Check with grocery stores and other merchants to scrounge cartons if not many can be had from your workplace. Also Rubbermaid storage containers and those from Rubbermaid competitors work well for me too although I have to pay for them. I keep The Special Stuff in them :) What I meant by "the type of person" I wrote above is this: Some folks are a bit more fastidious than me (just ask my wife!) and don't like the 'ugly' corrugated cartons stacked around the place. Or, the only storage is out in the open where all or at least most of one's visitors can see the storage containers (tiny appartments come to mind here). Hence, under these points, the classier looking Rubbermaid type containers work better. I've got half the basement and two garages to stash my stuff and Beverly doesn't care too much what those areas look like just so there is not the appearance of a tornado aftermath ;) Of course, others here have other suggestions based on what they need/want to do and they may chime in with their own experiences. HTH, Chris -- -- Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association Check our redesigned website! URL: http://www.antiquewireless.org/

I just bought a 1000 3x5 pink plastic bags (static dissipation), and my current plan is to put all the common parts I find, ie all the good chips off a bad motherboard etc., into a bag then write something meaningfull with a magic marker and tape it closed. My next level up of storage are plastic shoeboxes, sweater boxes, storage boxes, up to the big daddy those flip lid storage containers. My goals are to retain ID of what is in the bag, don't lose bits, and don't let things get tangled again. I am a firm believer in fairly large "misc" boxes that I can just stir around in to find items of a generic variety.