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burakol

Help: spares, hop-ups, scraps

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I only have about  dozen Tamiya cars and one Traxxas Summit in my stable. I've been meaning to tidy up garage and the puny workspace I have. With the amount of space we have in our house, it is imperative that I organize the "important" stuff I have so the misses will not give me an earful. 

My main challenge is I don't know where/how to start. I didn't realized that I have amassed a fair amount of spares/extra parts from the parts trees that were unnecessary for the build, now I don't know if I have any use for them but I fear that if I throw them out, I may ended up needing something down the road. I also have bought some hop-ups and spares just because and it is in a plastic container together with a bunch of RC stuff. 

I am interested to know how do you guys keep yours organized? Do you have a plastic bin for each model containing hop-ups, extras parts, etc? Or do you organize them by type/parts (ie, motors, ESCs, servos, etc?) in one plastic container? 

For the screws, I have a small drawer with multi compartments that I just throw the screws in and any other random tiny bits. For the batteries, I do have a Bat-safe that I styore my LiPos in. 

Just interested to know what you guys do and any suggestions are appreciated. 

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It’s a tricky one as everyone’s space is different. There have been a few threads on here, searching ‘Storage’ (title only) throws up most of them.

I used to keep stuff model specific, but now the collection has grown that was getting less practical.

I just keep types of screws/fixings/hardware in groups, machine thread screws in one tub, course thread in another, ball connectors in another etc etc.

Sprue’s are kept in a Monster Beetle kit box.

Bigger bits like motors, servos and ESC’s have there own tub. I’ve tried to keep the bigger tubs the same as stacking then is much easier.

An under the desk drawer unit houses my PS paints, Soldering gear and sundries in the top.

Here’s some ideas for such stuff..


 

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This thread should help too, happy organising, I often find stuff I’d forgotten about just digging through now and again 😉

 

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I use stackable shoe boxes (plastic bins) mainly for bulky spare parts and just stack them up after labeling them.   

Labels are general too.. either chassis names or by category. 

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As you collection grows, you'll find the problem gets worse.  This comes up a lot, as evidenced by the linked threads above.  The biggest issue that seems to occur is what I call the "pigeonhole problem" (which is different to the pigeonhole principle, which is a mathematical thing), which is that if you try to sort by category, whatever category (or pigeonhole) system you come up with, it will eventually fail.

My personal method is this:

screws and other hardware into compartmentalised boxes.  Those boxes with adjustable compartments are great, but I often hot-glue the sliders in place because small screws or washers will go under them.  This system will probably fail when you realise you have more step screws than you can get into one compartment, and you'll have to spill over into a second (or, accept that you have more step screws than you'll ever need, and throw some out).  Another point of failure is very long machine screws: Tamiya supply them in so many varieties that it's not practical to have one compartment for each size, so you'll lump them all into one compartment.  And never be able to find two matching ones when you need them.  Despite these failures, this system works well for me.

Another point of failure is when you decide you need another box to expand into, but because you bought your last lot of boxes over 4 years ago from a local bargain basement store, you can't get a matching one, which really screws up your shelving.

ESCs, servos, motors, receivers etc. each have their own drawer or storage box.  Unless you're collecting for the sake of collecting, it's unlikely you'll need to categories by crawler motors / race motors / basher motors / spare motors, likewise for ESCs and servos.  The point of failure here is that it can be hard to see exactly what you've got when everything is in one bin.

I use more of the larger compartment boxes for shocks, springs, pinions, spurs, hexes, rod ends, and things like that.  If I'm going away, I just grab the box with the stuff I might need, it's easily portable.

Car-specific spares go in the box with the car.  I use those big clear plastic boxes - flat ones for touring cars, tall ones for monster trucks and buggies.  Sometimes I can get two matching cars in the same box (e.g. Top Force and Manta Ray, which share common chassis and parts, in the same box).  That means if I want to race or bash the Top Force, I just grab the box.  The spare car and all the spare parts are already in the box.  In some cases (e.g. my FF cars and M-chassis cars) I keep the tuning parts (pinions, springs) in the box as well.  The drawback is I end up with duplicate parts that I'll probably never need - I can only race one touring car at a time, but each box has a set of Tamiya tuning springs and a full set of pinions.  The bonus is I just have to grab the car box before a race meet and not have to go searching through all my boxes to find that errant spring or pinion, then have to dismantle a car to get a pinion that I probably won't need, just in case.

More generic-level spares (like spare half-empty TL-01 parts trees - I don't know why I have so many of these) go into a generic set of drawers.  The problem here is that I don't really know what I have unless I go looking for it, and it's unlikely I'll make the time to find and grab all my TL-01 trees before I take any TL-based car to a race.  Another problem, if you try to be more specific (e.g. buggy bits here, touring bits there) is that a) some stuff can't be categories (TL parts may be both buggy and touring parts), and b) one bin might be a quarter-full while another is overflowing.  So you either dump the overflow into the empty box to save space, or you get another box and have two quarter-full boxes taking up space.

Now I will suggest another option - one I started a while ago but wasn't disciplined enough to keep it up to date - is a proper parts bin system.  If you can knock up a spreadsheet or database, even better.  Then you don't have a specific bin for specific parts, you just give each bin a unique number, and each part a unique number, and you put the parts wherever there is space and note the numbers down in your database.  If your database supports tagging then it can be easy to find anything with, for example, the TL-01 tag or the TL-01B tag.  That way you're storing parts in the most space-efficient way, and using your database to track their location.  This system can very quickly fail if you don't keep on top of it, although my CarManager database does aim to make this sort of system much more convenient to use.

Happy sorting :) 

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Screws, nuts and bolts, part used motors, oils and grease. 

UAfNwKQ.jpeg

New motors and ESCs, one box for brushed, one for brushless. 

I8reyVG.jpg

Often used tuning/modding/adjustment parts like shock oils, pinions & spur, shims, etc. (note top 2 baskets are my vape gear) 

EgDrfjO.jpg

Finally, the real spares and leftovers from a kit build get shoved into the largest plastic bag in that kit, taped up and marked up with the chassis (TT01, M05, DT03, etc...) and put into a cupboard in the shed. 

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Do you take the extra parts from a kit off the sprue/tree? How about the extra parts tree you have ordered for a specific kit, do you keep them as one part tree or cut them off for less bulk? 

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10 minutes ago, burakol said:

Do you take the extra parts from a kit off the sprue/tree? How about the extra parts tree you have ordered for a specific kit, do you keep them as one part tree or cut them off for less bulk? 

I do.  For smaller parts I use a semi-clear plastic string organizer box dedicated to each chassis.. well, only the ones I like.  Then there's the general drivetrain parts bin, steering, body, suspension. 

For cars that I display, I usually keep the left over parts in small zip lock bags or use spent servo boxes and keep the spares in the original box along with any spare tires and wheels, pinions, etc for the car.. and display the box in my pretend RC shop.

My organizers are hidden away in the closet as my pretend RC shop is basically a big display case.

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8 hours ago, Mad Ax said:

Another point of failure is when you decide you need another box to expand into, but because you bought your last lot of boxes over 4 years ago from a local bargain basement store, you can't get a matching one, which really screws up your shelving.

^^^ THIS is the bane of my (collecting) existence!  :lol:

Decades ago I found these GREAT generic parts bins... bought 3, and lived happy for many years.  Then I needed more room.  Never found them again.  Did find a much nicer version by Stanley, and bought 4.  I figured it'd be easier to get more since it was a "brand name".  Skip a head a few years and NOPE!!!  Even with the OEM sticker, part number, and SKU, the world (and internet!) had been scoured clean of said itemizer.  Now I just live in a state of accepted misery knowing that my parts will live in mis-matched boxes for all of eternity.... ha ha ha!
 

1 hour ago, burakol said:

Do you take the extra parts from a kit off the sprue/tree? How about the extra parts tree you have ordered for a specific kit, do you keep them as one part tree or cut them off for less bulk? 

Depends on the sprue, the sizing, and what I'm gonna do with it.  Or where it will be stored (and if it will fit).  So sometimes?

My current "setup" is potentially a bit of a logistical nightmare, but seems to work relatively well for where I'm at right now.  I tend to have stuff broken down into 3 separate categories/methodologies:

1. Rando Spares & Such:  This is stuff like screws, bearings, pinions, standoffs, etc.  Also electronics.  These are all organized in small divided part boxes, and stacked in the same spot.

2. Kit Specific Parts (runners): This is leftover parts from sprues, spares, OEM bit replaced with upgrades, etc.  These are in a larger divided parts box, of which I have one for each car/model (i.e. I have a M03 box, a ClodBuster box, a CW-01 box, an Axial SMT box, an Axial SCX10 box, etc...).  This started when I was racing, and the idea was I could grab the M03 box for a race, and have all my "stuff" in one spot.  Indoor off-road night?  Cool, grab the DB-01 box and roll.  Kinda just kept with it after that as it seemed simplistic and work well.

3. Kit Specific Parts (display/light use) & Other: This is leftover parts from sprues, full sprues, spares, etc.  I tend to dump them in large zip-lock freezer bags and then make them "model-specific" with the help of a sharpie.  So there will be a TA-03 bag, a DF-01 bag, etc...  These bags then get stacked in groups into larger sealed bins which get the label maker treatment with such creative names as "Tamiya Parts" and "More Tamiya Parts".  I also have a bin for "Drivers", for "Scale Accessories", and the obligatory "Random". 

Occasionally I will keep "storage parts" in the kit boxes.  Usually this is when I have a second NIB body, sticker set, etc.

The biggest "learn" I have made in all of this, is to NOT shy away from spending good money on parts bins.  Far too often I have passed on REALLY nice parts bins because I didn't want to shell out the $$$ for them.  Instead I would by cheapo ones which would break, not fit parts, nor have the adjustability I required for a specific model and it's bits.  We spend hundreds of dollars (or more...) on these kits... don't cheap out when it comes to spending $30 on a parts organizer to keep your spares (and your sanity) organized.

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2 hours ago, burakol said:

Do you take the extra parts from a kit off the sprue/tree? How about the extra parts tree you have ordered for a specific kit, do you keep them as one part tree or cut them off for less bulk? 

Normally no. This is a practice from my static modelling ways as there are so many parts, cutting them off will make identification difficult/impossible. Less so for RC but still possible with similar looking but different parts. 

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Hahaha... I asked my wife to help me sort things out... Got a two letter response... N.O. hahahah!!! 

I guess my difficulty is really having to digest the fact that I might need to spend some $$$ to buy proper parts bin... or I may just ransack our cupboard and use all the ziplock bags I can find... this is fun... 

thanks for all the posting and shared ideas!!! 

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