First, I find resistors are one of the things I swap/try the most. So I wanted them as easy to access as possible. I organized mine (5% 1/4 carbon film resistors) in an old akro-mils metal cabinet with plastic drawers (4 rows, 6 columns). Each drawer divided in half lengthwise. This means for my 5% resistors at E24 increments, I could fit each decade in 12 drawers, or 2 rows. I do NOT like have multiple decades of the same value near to each other... why? Because I've found I have a nasty habit of grabbing the right value of the wrong decade.

Things get worse when you get to 1% resistors, SMT resistors, or Metal Film components. In my experience, I will generally use 1% resistors of values in the E24 series. So I have found that I can buy SMT strips of 25 resistors and still fit them in the same cabinet. That said, I ultimately may find another way of storing these.

I will also say, I left some drawers that are odds and ends divided from each decade. That way resistors with trimmed or bent leads can be thrown in the "Orange" (1K decade) box and used for a quick test or soldered in if the leads are not trimmed too short. I"ll try to post a pic tonight of how they turned out.

 

That way resistors with trimmed or bent leads can be thrown in the "Orange" (1K decade) box and used for a quick test or soldered in if the leads are not trimmed too short. I"ll try to post a pic tonight of how they turned out.

For me, "red" is the 1k decade and "orange" is 10k decade.

 

For me too.

But technically, Stuntman's probably right.

 

You're both right. If you use the third band as a multiplier, Stuntman is correct because you are multiplying the first two numbers (bands) by it.

If you use the third band as a general depiction of the overall value, you guys are correct.

This is probably obvious to you, but I figured I'd post it for any newbies who might read this thread later on.

 

Oh, I get it now. I didn't see it before that "orange" means 10^3 , i.e. 1k.

With my 5% resistor stock, I look in the "orange" drawer for 10kΩ to 91kΩ resistors.

Now my life gets really screwed up with 1% resistors. I always have to double check with an ohmmeter to be sure.

 

Hi everyone, I figured I'd go ahead and post an update--

I had a little money to spare after getting my paycheck today, so I decided to take a trip over to Kmart, where I bought two of these:

Each one was $18.49, so I spent less than $40 for the pair, which I think is a pretty good deal. The only problems are a) they didn't come with dividers, and b) the "tracks" for the drawers only go back half way. It's sloppy construction, very poorly designed, but should still get me by. I plan to add a hinged plexiglass "door" on the front so I can latch it for easy transportation, without worrying about the drawers falling out. As for the dividers, I'm sure I could just use pieces of corrugated cardboard. Anyway, we'll see how this works out for now, and move on from there.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm sure they'll come in handy in the future, as I don't see these things lasting very long. I'm actually leaning towards the envelope storage method, as well as film canisters (if I can get my hands on enough).

Hope everyone is well!
Best wishes,
Matt

 

Hi everyone, I figured I'd go ahead and post an update--

I had a little money to spare after getting my paycheck today, so I decided to take a trip over to Kmart, where I bought two of these:

Each one was $18.49, so I spent less than $40 for the pair, which I think is a pretty good deal. The only problems are a) they didn't come with dividers, and b) the "tracks" for the drawers only go back half way. It's sloppy construction, very poorly designed, but should still get me by. I plan to add a hinged plexiglass "door" on the front so I can latch it for easy transportation, without worrying about the drawers falling out. As for the dividers, I'm sure I could just use pieces of corrugated cardboard. Anyway, we'll see how this works out for now, and move on from there.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm sure they'll come in handy in the future, as I don't see these things lasting very long. I'm actually leaning towards the envelope storage method, as well as film canisters (if I can get my hands on enough).

Hope everyone is well!
Best wishes,
Matt

Good buy.
I have around 20 of those, and some are definitely made better than the rest. The best ones have steel cabinets, and sturdy drawers. I use the cheaper ones for electronic, light duty, storage.

Two or three of the best cabinets, my Wife found at yard sales; for 2-3 bucks each. They were loaded with all kinds of mechanical parts. One was loaded with every size and style cotter pin, imaginable. They have really come in handy over the years.

 

Good buy.
I have around 20 of those, and some are definitely made better than the rest. The best ones have steel cabinets, and sturdy drawers. I use the cheaper ones for electronic, light duty, storage.

Two or three of the best cabinets, my Wife found at yard sales; for 2-3 bucks each. They were loaded with all kinds of mechanical parts. One was loaded with every size and style cotter pin, imaginable. They have really come in handy over the years.

Unfortunately the sturdy, steel cabinets were significantly more expensive, and had to be purchased online. I've also seen some small storage cabinets at yard sales for fairly cheap, but they were way too small--15 drawers max. I decided I'd be better off buying the full-sized ones, and I figured I couldn't go too far off at only $18.49 a pop. And with the modifications I'm thinking of, I think they'll serve me fine for the time being, until I can get a real steel desktop cabinet.

At some point in the not-so-distant future I plan to buy a new house, preferably with a large basement or garage. Once I'm there, I'll look into building a real electronics workshop, with a real workbench rather than a couple of wooden tables set next to each other in a corner of my basement. That's off in the future though, so I'm not going to worry about all that for now

Thanks again, folks!
Matt

 

as I don't see these things lasting very long.

More if you furiously bang them with the multimeter or apply any hot air tool for several minutes.

Anyway, it is much better a so so thing than nothing. Just keeping things neatly in one place is a REAL improvement.

 

......
As for the dividers, I'm sure I could just use pieces of corrugated cardboard. Anyway, we'll see how this works out for now, and move on from there.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm sure they'll come in handy in the future, as I don't see these things lasting very long.

For divider's I've used some thinner cereal box or six-pack cardboard with tabs bent on the ends and a bit of double-sided tape on the tabs to hold them in place.

I've had some similar cabinets for years and they're still OK.

To store a lot of different IC's or whatever in a cabinet like this and still find the stuff later, I numbered the drawers and made a list (in a notebook) of what is in each drawer. Easy to add stuff later. Just don't lose the notebook.

EDIT: I suppose you could set up a database... But

 

Thing I have liked about my bag method is it is extremely small and surprisingly sturdy. Heck of a lot of effort to set up, but it was worth it.