Arrange and classify metals in the shop

[minh-thanh]

Hi All !
Arrange and classify metals in the shop
When I made a tool to re-cut the valve seat surface and the metal I used for the blade was not hard enough
Maybe I need to organize and classify the metals I use, especially the small pieces
I want to know how you arrange and classify the metals you are using, and some pics will be easy to visualize
Thank you.

 

[timo_gross]

Haha,

get yourself a handheld XRF Analyzer. Then you need one of those "benchtop combustion analysers" to determine Carbon and Sulfur content
Then all you have to do is not mix it up again after you did the analysis .

I guess the only way is to buy new material (hopefully from someone who did not confuse it) for everything where it matters. Label everything that you introduce into your workshop right away, so that you cannot mix it up later. (I whish I would have the discipline to follow my own advise )
Use old materials only for parts were it does not matter.

The metal shops here use spray paint to mark the ends of their stock, so every grade gets its own colour. (not standardized)
I saw some people using a small carbide burr and hand held grinder to engrave each cutoff right away. (I should start doing that too)

Greetings Timo

 

[minh-thanh]

(I whish I would have the discipline to follow my own advise )



Greetings Timo

 

[trlvn]

For pieces up to 2 feet (60 cm), I use:

I took a piece of 4 inch (100 mm) schedule 40 pipe and cut it into 2 foot sections. Note that I use the spaces between the pipe sections as well as the 'cubbies' that the pipe forms.

I use paint stick markers to indicate what material is what. Eg. 4140 v. 10L14, etc. But a lot of my material is mystery metal from auction lots.

HTH,

Craig
(The pipe is strong. The shelf above simply rests on the two pieces of pipe.)

 

[timo_gross]

Pipe!?
I wonder if PVC pipe could be used, but things get heavy quickly. The picture is a good push to start thinking.

 

[ShopShoe]

If I buy metal, it usually comes with a stick-on label. I try to cut pieces off the other end so the label stays as long as possible.

When I label metal myself, I usually mark it with the alloy number (in the system used here in the USA) in more than one place. Small pieces of material usually end up in the "miscellaneous" drawers I have, but most of those are used for things like bushings and brackets where the exact type is usually not so important. I have "Misc." drawers for "ferrous," aluminum, brass, copper, plastic and hardwood.

"Sheet Materials" like plexiglass, shim stock, phenolic, teflon, and others are stored in a vertically-divided cabinet or in drawers and each sheet is labeled.

Things like Stainless Steel and other things I rarely use are individually labeled and kept in boxes or plastic bags.

Materials specially ordered for future projects are labeled and stored in a pile or box labeled by project name. Notes of things to buy or plans may also be in each box as the project looms closer.

--ShopShoe

 

[PeterDRG]

I do and it works fine.
Cheers

 

[ShopShoe]

timo_gross,

PVC works very well in examples like the picture shows in post #4. I have also used the cardboard rolls that carpet is rolled on if I can scrounge them and cut them up. The same applies to the tubes used for shipping some of the metal rods I have ordered.

I am lucky to have a large pipe cutter for the pipe and I keep a hacksaw frame with a course blade fur cutting things like the cardboard quickly.

--ShopShoe

 

[Oldiron]

Somewhere I saw a similar system that used rectangular gutter down spouts pop riveted together. Less wasted space between the sections and the rectangles can be rotated horizontal or vertical to fit your space better. Bob

 

[Dalboy]

For marking the metal when I buy new stock and if it is large enough I stamp the very end with number and letter stamps, for smaller stuff I use masking tape on one end to form a small label and write what it is with a permanent marker. All lengths under a certain size go into a metal draw unit with all the same types of metal in a draw of its own, mixing the grades after marking each piece as I mentioned

 

[minh-thanh]

It seems like I went too fast and now I need to relearn seemingly simple things
Thanks for the comments
PVC pipes seem to be a good solution

 

[Wheat47]

Hi All !
Arrange and classify metals in the shop
When I made a tool to re-cut the valve seat surface and the metal I used for the blade was not hard enough
Maybe I need to organize and classify the metals I use, especially the small pieces
I want to know how you arrange and classify the metals you are using, and some pics will be easy to visualize
Thank yo

 

[Wheat47]

For pieces up to 2 feet (60 cm), I use:

View attachment 153547

I took a piece of 4 inch (100 mm) schedule 40 pipe and cut it into 2 foot sections. Note that I use the spaces between the pipe sections as well as the 'cubbies' that the pipe forms.

I use paint stick markers to indicate what material is what. Eg. 4140 v. 10L14, etc. But a lot of my material is mystery metal from auction lots.

HTH,

Craig
(The pipe is strong. The shelf above simply rests on the two pieces of pipe.)

This is what works for me:
I put three (so far) 3 ft. lengths of plastic rain gutter on the wall on shelf brackets for my small brass stock. One has 1/4" and smaller rods/squares/tube etc. The second one has over 1/4" up to 1/2" rods/squares/tube etc. The third one has OS.... Other Stuff (small steel rods/squares/tubes). The big stuff (over 1/2") and up goes on a shelf under the bench. What works for me, I can take a gutter off the wall and set it on a bench and sort thru it for what I want. I have LOTS of pieces all sizes of one foot or less.
Jon

 

[Lloyd-ss]

I have a really hard time with keeping the shop organized. The things that have a "place" are no trouble. The unclassified and half finish projects clutter up everything.
I keep raw material organized 3 ways, but first I Always mark everything with a Sharpie with the alloy number.
1.A milk crate filled with cardboard mailing tubes for longer material. It is on rollers.
2. Shorter stuff is on a single shelf, but everything is still marked.
3. A pull out drawer on wheels under my mill. It is for leftover "stuff".
It works for me.

 

[Wheat47]

I have a really hard time with keeping the shop organized. The things that have a "place" are no trouble. The unclassified and half finish projects clutter up everything.
I keep raw material organized 3 ways, but first I Always mark everything with a Sharpie with the alloy number.
1.A milk crate filled with cardboard mailing tubes for longer material. It is on rollers.
2. Shorter stuff is on a single shelf, but everything is still marked.
3. A pull out drawer on wheels under my mill. It is for leftover "stuff".
It works for me.

View attachment 154525View attachment 154526View attachment 154527

Looks good. We each have our own solutions. As I said before, I have three, 3 ft. eave troughs with my smaller brass rods, hex and small flat bar in them. One of the troughs has small steel rods, hex, and such. Out in the "big shop" I have some shelving similar to
Costco shelving, but lighter duty. I got a hold of some of that 1/4-inch plastic/nylon sheeting they put in truck boxes so the grain or whatever will slide out. I put some of that on the floor under the shelving and set some "apple" boxes on the plastic that has some heavier things in in them. With the plastic on the floor, the boxes slide in and out pretty easy.