How do you control your junk? I use screw together see through plastic jars (Stacker's) It's getting to the point where I had to make a chart in Excel to keep tract of where what is. 9 sets of jars, 6 jars per set. A thousand little spare parts. Someone somewhere has to make a storage system that is suitable to watch makers needs. One that will fit in the corner or hang on the wall with in reach of the watch maker and not cost over $50.00. Like a turntable, lazy Susan type of unit.
Any Ideas?
Patrick 1616

Patrick-

I use the bolt bins made by Stack-on. They are typically around $20-30 each and come in different styles. Here are some pics of mine just stacked on top of each other. They also have locations in the back where you can screw them to walls too. I then have a labeler and label what parts are in what drawer. I have the cabinets. I then have the cabinets split into different areas such as top left is elgin, followed by illinois, then misc companies below that. top right down is my waltham, followed by hampden, then hamilton, then mixed gears, stems, etc.

Here is my other two bins for rockford and south bend, the entire bottom being south bend parts movements. You will also notice they are just the right width to sit on top of my mainspring cabinets below. This has so far worked pretty well for me. If I run out of room, I just buy another cabinet and get the labeler out!

Also, I have not had a chance to send the cleaner to you. UPS only has one location in town that is certified for shipping liquids and I haven't had a chance to ge tthere yet while they are open. I'll let you know when I get it shipped out.

Jared

Lindell-

Before I moved to ND, I organized everything and labeled everything before packing it up. I think it ended up taking around 30-40 hours of time each between the wife and I to do it. I will say it was well worth it. I can for the most part locate my parts fairly quickly. I will say I owed the wife a couple dinner dates out of the deal too.

Jared...I'll trade you a Bunn Special 16s for your parts including the bins...
Patrick
I remember seeing them at the nuts and bolts store. Maybe good place to check out.

Patrick-

I'll keep that in mind if I ever decide to get out of working on them.

My 31 years of hoarder disorder, crystal department and tools

51 drawer watch parts cabinet.

And this hundred drawer monster, from a Calgary, Alberta watch material house McGeichie and Holdsworth, built of Oak from around the turn of the century.

Larry-

Those are some beautiful cabinets! I hope someday to have some nice cabinets like that. My father has a Hamilton map cabinet with like 30 drawers (its around 48" wide by 54" tall or so) and it works very well for movements. If you ever get to the point of wanting to sell those parts out, just let me know. you're only 900 milles away from me in north dakota and it looks like you have enough stuff there to last a lifetime for me

Larry, workmanship like that is very hard to find today! Nice collection of cabinets.

Larry, that is a monster! All of the drawer fronts appear to be quarter sawn, bonus.

All I have at the moment is a little Union machinist's chest if of 8 drawers.

I think of this hobby as hoarding in miniature.

I made little dividers to keep things in order.