SMD storage for board pulls

[throbscottle]

I decided I should get some tiny compartment boxes so that I can strip the smd's off all the old boards taking up space in the shed and give myself a bit of space back. But first I need to get some storage for the parts. So I found on eBay some open out cases with 72 holes on each side, close the case and they're all safe inside (Box-all made by Aidetek). I also found some little clip together modules, unbranded but also sold by Adafruit. Seem to be better construction, nice flip up lids. Cheapest I could find of either were pretty similar in pence per slot. Other types of box are either too expensive or unsuitable.

So bearing in mind this is for board pulls - no tapes, reels or whatever else they come in, what does anyone recommend for smd storage? Any experience with the above products?

 

[throbscottle]

Ok answering my own question here - 1.5ml centrifuge vials look quite promising. I'd just need to make a box to store them in...

 

[jpanhalt]

I got some 1.5" (approx.), heat-seal, anti-static poly tubing like this, but smaller: **broken link removed** . You need to wait a little for a good price on the right size. Whatever you get will probably be a life-time supply.

Centrifuge tubes are also a good idea, but can be harder to write on, and static can make it hard to remove parts and/or destroy them.

John

 

[throbscottle]

Oooh nice...

Worth keeping an eye on then. OK you got me looking at anti-static stuff now...

The majority of parts I have to strip are resistors anyway, followed by capacitors, followed by bipolar transistors and diodes. Not much need to for static precations there. Though I agree static cling is a pest. I'm sure there's some kind of spray you can get for that

I was just looking at these: **broken link removed**

Reckon I might have difficulty filling 500!

 

[JonSea]

Does it really make sense to scavenge resistors and caps off old boards? You can buy some nice assortments off eBay that have a number of different values, all sorted out.

Chips and more expensive components sure, but the cheap stuff hardly seems worth the effort.

 

[throbscottle]

Well yes that's a really good point, and one I have wrestled with from time to time.

I actually bought a big pack of through-hole resistors a while back, very handy for the breadboard and also for the values you hardly ever find in scrap. On the other hand, I don't build much, so with that pack I probably have a lifetime supply of resistors, however the supply from scrap would probably have been adequate, but for the lead-length and those odd values. With SMD's, a nice range of new parts would be very nice, but I know I'll have more than I need from scavenged stuff, with the occasional need to buy less common parts. And of course lead-length isn't an issue

It comes down to budget (I don't really have one) and the almost pathological need to recycle/reclaim/reuse stuff as much as I can.

Thanks for the response - I get tunnel vision from time to time, it's nice to be reminded to look to the sides!

 

[throbscottle]

Now wondering if I can do a variant on the ring-binder theme, but each page has little pockets for individual devices instead of long ones for holding tapes. Hmmmmmm...

 

[jpanhalt]

In the days before digital projectors when we used 2x2 color transparencies, they were often organized with such sheets. They used to be readily available, but I have not seen them at the stationary store recently. They were 5 pockets high by 4 pockets wide, which was slightly larger than standard American paper and fit in binders well.

The pockets were not closed on one side, so you may want to put your parts inside a folded sleeve anyway and then into the pocket.

John

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Doing a little searching, I came across this: https://www.smtzone.com/mm5/merchan...store01&Product_Code=SK128B&Category_Code=111

 

[throbscottle]

Yeah, I was thinking of the pockets I used when I used to do photography, had some for negatives, pretty sure I had some for 35mm slides as well. Definitely had some for medium format slides/negs. Happy days toting my Yashica TLR around...

But anyway, I found some 2ml centrifuge tubes, 500 for £11.24. Works out as 2.248 pence per tube - don't think I'll find anything cheaper. I've been saving closed cell foam packaging, just have to drill lots of holes in that to store them.

 

[throbscottle]

Doing a little searching, I came across this: https://www.smtzone.com/mm5/merchan...store01&Product_Code=SK128B&Category_Code=111

Looks to be the same or nearly the same pattern as this: **broken link removed** which I nearly bought. I don't see a UK supplier of the Analog Technologies one. It does look to be a superior product though.
Still leaning towards the centrifuge tubes.

I got the tubes idea because I've received some parts (20mm fuses and 0.8mm drill bits) packaged in them recently and really liked them.

 

[4pyros]

You can get little tiny glassine envelopes like they use for stamp collecting and store in boxes like baseball cards with divider tabs.
https://www.bagsunlimited.com/p-2199-stamp-glassine-envelopes.aspx
They can be vary cheep, but are wax coated, would that hurt SMDs?

 

[throbscottle]

I would never have thought of this. So they could go in box similar to the sort you put photographic slides in. Good idea. They wouldn't hurt the smd's I collect. If I get anything static sensitive I generally put a bit of foil round it anyway, or put it in an anti-static bag. I'd never heard of glassine, but I think I've seen it.

 

[4pyros]

I would never have thought of this. So they could go in box similar to the sort you put photographic slides in. Good idea. They wouldn't hurt the smd's I collect. If I get anything static sensitive I generally put a bit of foil round it anyway, or put it in an anti-static bag. I'd never heard of glassine, but I think I've seen it.

I collected stamps with my dad

 

[throbscottle]

Lucky you. I can't think of anything I did with my dad...

 

[4pyros]

Lucky you. I can't think of anything I did with my dad...

So sorry.

 

[throbscottle]

Not something I missed to be honest - completely different interests. He is/was a very sporty type, I'm a very non-sporty type. When he wasn't doing sport, he was working or studying, whilst I was tinkering with circuits (or chemistry sometimes) in my bedroom...