Parts / MOBO Storage

How do you store all your extra parts (MOBO / RAM / PROCS / FANS / ETC...) so they dont get all over the place but still are safe and working when you need them?

Looking for a good option as my collection starts to grow..

Lots of shelf space helps to keep things organized. I like to keep things boxed in a loosely categorized manner. Use boxes that fit the board's you're storing on edge. Pairs can usually be placed together, component sides out without worry of damaging each other. Between facing component sides a shim of cardboard works well to keep things from catching on each other and getting damaged. Preferably each card, or at least pairs of cards would be packed in anti-static bags, and the whole works would be in a "climate controlled" environment (like a room in a heated house rather than the uninsulated shed out back).

Anti-Static bags is where I have everything now, but as I quickly accumulate parts, that is my issues started of stuff everywhere..

I have some large and some small totes...I figure I am going to keep tools and cleaning stuff in the small totes and then parts in teh larger ones in bags (labeled so I dont have to search for what each card / mobo is)

As I get more and more I will get more large totes..

What sucks is that I lost half of my man cave to my 2 year old for playroom and the other half is full of VHS / DVD / Games / VCR's / Game Consoles that I have no where to store this stuff in a cool way until I get my garage redone into my workshop, which is about 6 months away...If you cared!!

Good questions.

Is there any good place to acquire miscellaneous sized boxes for such devices? In many cases left over boxes from newer stuff works fine... but not too much stuff to fit full length cards out there for some reason

Depending on the size of what you have to store and how frequently you want to access it, plastic storage drawers can also be very helpful. There are varieties of sizes and are usually stackable.

I would watch out when using the plastic storage drawers, last time I looked I was going to grab a couple but they seemed to be covered in static electricity, not sure if the plastic or the store.

I'm currently using some old boxes that I got from a grocery store, just some old Apple boxes and stuff as they're sturdy and I can fit full length cards in them, most motherboards will fit as well. At the moment I have a closet with most of the stuff stacked in it as the closet is always dry, is a fairly constant temperature due to the house heating\cooling and I don't trip over stuff. The one downside is when you have to dig for stuff in the box, but that's never bothered me too much.

I have stored excess drives and cards in an old server. Keeps the cards from getting crushed.

PCBs (ISA, PCB, etc.) go into a 2x8 with kerfs cut in it at an anle. Keeps them nice and organized. Cables hung on dowels (at a slight angle) inserted into a length of 2x6 attached to the wall. Bulky parts (switches, heatsinks, fans) in large yogurt containers--they stack nicely. Transformers and motors in double-walled cardboard boxes on the bottom shelf. Small components in wall-hanging plastic drawer units (I've never lost a semiconductor in 40 years to static in one). Ribbon cables rolled up and secured with plastibands in a large cardboard box (I haven't figured out a better way). And lots of shelving units--organize them in aisles, rather than along a wall--you get access from both sides that way. Disk drives are placed in a metal cabinet, such as one you might find for office supplies.

Chuck - That is F'n PHENOMINAL...I would LOVE to get an organized setup like that...you have any pics of it?

No photos--but it does take up a lot of space--and there is overflow...