Plano 3750 storage boxes for electronic parts.
W9GFO
Posts: 4,010
In my opinion, the perfect storage box for electronic parts is the Plano 3750 (made in the USA). That is the box that came with the Propeller Education Kit, it has a combination of many small adjustable compartments and one full length wide compartment in the front that can be further divided if desired.
I have several other brands that are all the same overall size but none of them have that large compartment in the front that is so useful.
These Plano 3750 boxes are not so easy to find now. Amazon has lots of hits for the Plano boxes but in reading the reviews it seems that Plano is having at least some of their boxes made overseas and slapping their latches on them. Many of them do not even provide details on how the compartments can be arranged. I was pleased to find them on Zoro for under $7 a piece. Just search for "Plano 3750" and you will find them there. They also shipped very quickly, ordered Thursday evening - arrived Monday morning. Oh, and they come four to a case so it would be good to order in multiples of four.
There is a caveat, these new Plano 3750 boxes are made in the USA, and they are of high quality but... they are not the same as the old 3750s. They have beefed up the hinges, "improved" the dust seal and changed the front face. I could do without those changes because none of them increase their usefulness for my purposes. The pictures show how the front compartment has lost about 1/2" of useful depth to accommodate these "improvements".
I still think they are a good deal but I would welcome someone pointing out something better.
I have several other brands that are all the same overall size but none of them have that large compartment in the front that is so useful.
These Plano 3750 boxes are not so easy to find now. Amazon has lots of hits for the Plano boxes but in reading the reviews it seems that Plano is having at least some of their boxes made overseas and slapping their latches on them. Many of them do not even provide details on how the compartments can be arranged. I was pleased to find them on Zoro for under $7 a piece. Just search for "Plano 3750" and you will find them there. They also shipped very quickly, ordered Thursday evening - arrived Monday morning. Oh, and they come four to a case so it would be good to order in multiples of four.
There is a caveat, these new Plano 3750 boxes are made in the USA, and they are of high quality but... they are not the same as the old 3750s. They have beefed up the hinges, "improved" the dust seal and changed the front face. I could do without those changes because none of them increase their usefulness for my purposes. The pictures show how the front compartment has lost about 1/2" of useful depth to accommodate these "improvements".
I still think they are a good deal but I would welcome someone pointing out something better.
800 x 544 - 792K
800 x 600 - 878K
Comments
I'd like to. Currently I use a gaggle of Really Useful Boxes, from a variety of Office Supply stores, and even gimmick bags from trade shows to hold my electronic items, and parts, even Parallax stuff.
The last I saw of them was back when Radio Shack was trying to impress us, they asked Maker Shed to supply them with an amazing collection of items, that firm used those boxes to contain several series of electronic parts. Everything needed to move past their, (RS) famous kits.
And Ken? Are you aware that a relative of Bigfoot has been watching your shop for the past week? He's thinking of asking for a job, in shipping.
Those sliding inserts are - guess what - exactly the same ones you show above.
Just cheaper, made for fishing rednecks like me, not for EEs,
Mike
Can you provide some more details on these boxes so that I can check them out?
Then too I use a lot of IKEA trofast boxes with lids that I store on sliders in shelves (plus I add a proper benchtop). When I need to take some project boxes with me I just put the lid of these, stack them, and shove them into the boot.
Except for the IKEA boxes, I don't pay those other high prices though.
SMD parts
I use a shallow version of these drawers with lids for projects.
https://www.joann.com/large-grab-and-go-rack-system/9538216.html
I scored them with a 50% off anything coupon while they were on a 40% off sale, so well worth it.
Check out this thread for more ideas. Including an older pic of Erco's storage system and W9GFO's gorgeous bin rack!
https://forums.parallax.com/discussion/169335/my-wife-says-i-have-to-clean-my-desk/p1
@erco There is now way all of your switches are in one of those yellow boxes! LOL
Right-O, I have SEVERAL switch boxes!
Forgot about that thread... I've been thinking of redesigning the bin racks and making a bunch more of them - part of the reason I bought more boxes.
An update on the Plano 3750 storage boxes; cheaper than ever now at Walmart, $5.54 ea. Still made in the USA. Plano-ProLatch-Stowaway-Large-Clear-Organizer-Tackle-Box-Large-Clear
I have ordered a couple dozen over the last month or so. Walmart's system is pretty screwy, each time I went to check it would have different quantities being shipped but in the end they all arrived. Sometimes with only three boxes in one large package other times with six, and only once did they actually make use of the space available and packed 12 in a single box. One shipment, the very first one, they sent some other no-name brand boxes. I returned them.
The price is suspicious. Anywhere else sells them for at least twice as much, often much more. If you want some at this price I wouldn't wait too long, they may wise up and charge more.