Storage of "over flow" fastenings, this tray has a lid system and note the long box made out of a cereal box to store long stuff. Some of my boxes are deeper than normal so larger bits such as bearing can be stored while work proceeds . The closed lid both on the box and the tray helps to keep dirt out. System of 12 awaiting filling, always before I start a job get a whole system ready, since then I have never lost a bolt or a part while taking vehicles apart, plus the oil and grease resistance helps. In vechicle restoration sometimes stuff needs to be stored for months at a time.
Wednesday 24 October 2007
Juice Box Storage
Necessityis the mother of invention, well back in 1991 I needed a storage system to store loads of screws, fastening etc after I started to buy stuff in bulk. I looked around for a system which was readily available, cheap, durable, strong and water proof. Could not find a suitable system so looked for a way to make such boxes out of any thing I could find.
I noticed Juice Boxes which stored fresh juice on sale in supermarkets, so set about designing and making small storage boxes out of them. Since then I have never really needed to purchase any small storage system, the boxes themselves have lasted well, very durable, strong, water & oil proof and above all FREE. The real break though came using "jigs" to make the boxes with speed, I reckon about 1 minute per box once you have made the Jig
The box
I noticed Juice Boxes which stored fresh juice on sale in supermarkets, so set about designing and making small storage boxes out of them. Since then I have never really needed to purchase any small storage system, the boxes themselves have lasted well, very durable, strong, water & oil proof and above all FREE. The real break though came using "jigs" to make the boxes with speed, I reckon about 1 minute per box once you have made the Jig
The box
But the best advantage is that they can be stored in the trays they came in, either open or closed, this making a system, the trick is to design the box and make so the lid is the same size as the depth.
The open boxes are very handy when taking things apart , anything which has lots of different nuts and bolts such as car restoration projects, this you do not lose any small parts. By the way the same box is used in both systems, the lid just folded back in the tray on the right.
Keep all 12 in a tray and they can take quite a weight, plus keeps storage space down, very handy when you want to sort bottom of tool kits out and find lots of odd screws, nuts etc.
Also used in the house as drawer dividers, especially batteries which if they leak the whole box can be thrown away, for kids rooms ideal for small collections such a toy soldiers, coin collections, model making.
By storage in trays they lend themselves to stacking, thus taking up little space
In order to make them quick use a Jig like below, that I'll leave that for you to construct, the trick is to make it slightly deeper than required and add cardboard to the bottom and using trial an error find the correct depth, remember the lid must equal the depth, then you will find the the boxes can be used in the open system as well as the closed.
Juice Box Construction
Good news once you have made the jig you only need a pair of scissors and a Stanley Knife, but no blade, its purely used for making the folds
There are two types of Juice box, both can be used, but the sealed ones at the bottom are easier to clean, its the case of trial and error of finding the best box and the nicest juice, these came from Aldi
Should look like this. The two sides form a lip and the back the top and a top flap.
Using your fingers form roughly the folds for the side and back, then cut off any surplus so that the side lips are not too long, and allows for open storage in trays
There are two types of Juice box, both can be used, but the sealed ones at the bottom are easier to clean, its the case of trial and error of finding the best box and the nicest juice, these came from Aldi
First cut the top off and throw away, then wash and dry the inner, place in the jig with the plain front facing you and the seam at the back like so. Note the jig has front on marked on this because the back will have a guideline to make the correct size fold for the top lid lip.
Using a pen mark the front off, then using the scissors cut down the side at a slight angle, this forming the side flaps, cut down the back straight to form the back. Then remove from the jig a little and cut off the front, place back into the jig.
Should look like this. The two sides form a lip and the back the top and a top flap.
Using your fingers form roughly the folds for the side and back, then cut off any surplus so that the side lips are not too long, and allows for open storage in trays
This is where the Stanley knife, without the blade comes in, a teaspoon will do. Remove from the jig and form the 3 top folds like so, this makes a neat solid box so quite important. I used to store the fold, but this method is quicker and the boxes last longer
Place back in the jig, note the line on the jig close to the end, this is the guideline, fold back the top lip like so
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)