DIY component storage boxes

[TonyDuell]

Originally Posted by ionburn

I remember these computer punched cards. I noticed one lying around recently in my mother's house. This would have been one of mine from the 1970's. I wonder how may people would know what it is now?

On the mailing lists and fora I am on, I suspect almost all people would know what it was and most would be able to read it. But that's hardly an unbiased sample.

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by ionburn

I remember these computer punched cards. I noticed one lying around recently in my mother's house. This would have been one of mine from the 1970's. I wonder how may people would know what it is now?

When clearing-out my late mother's house I rediscovered a stack of 80-col punched-cards overprinted "AERE Winfrith Laboratory". I'd given these to my parents some time in the early-1980s for use as shopping-list cards.

In times past I built lashup circuits on 80col punched-cards: it wasn't too hard to work out which holes were punched-out for each of the letters/digits, and then punch a card with the holes in the right place to take component-leads, to be hooked together underneath with 25gauge tinned-copper wire. You could even draw the circuit on the card to help you!

Also, the 'chads' punched-out of the cards occasionally got repurposed as confetti when computer-types got married. [hint: when thrown it gets *everywhere*]

[TonyDuell]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

Also, the 'chads' punched-out of the cards occasionally got repurposed as confetti when computer-types got married. [hint: when thrown it gets *everywhere*]

Don't! The chads have sharp corners and if a piece gets in somebody's eye it can be very hard to get out again without causing problems. The round chad from paper tape is also difficult to get out of eyes.

[Reelman]

I can certainly confirm that the chads from paper tape were used as confetti from my Dad's days at Olivetti in the 60s and 70s. Not only does it get everywhere it is exceedingly difficult to remove from carpets!

Peter

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by TonyDuell

Counterexample : This afternoon I sorted out some of the biscuit tins I used to store components in over 30 years ago. One of them contained nuts and bolts in little plastic cream pots with lids (meaning said pots had been sold containing a dairy product if there's any doubt). As I picked them out they broke up in my fingers. And they had spent much of their life in an opaque tin.

Fair enough. There are no hard and fast rules about this, and plastics degrade for a number of reasons depending on the chemistry involved.

[Junk Box Nick]

When I first became interested in radio it seemed compulsory for amateurs to smoke a pipe. At the local amateur radio club it was hard to see through the fug that resulted from the smouldering bowls of Golden Virginia and St Bruno. I still have components stored in the array of tobacco tins that I was given by a kindly amateur when I was a schoolboy.

I wasn't a smoker but we must have been a family prone to sore throats because I have a similar array of Strepsils tins which were ideal for smaller items.

I'm also a user of ice cream tubs though these mostly contain DIY stuff for use around the house. They date back some years and show little or no deterioration so are probably from before the biodegradable period. The problem with degradable plastics is that the resultant tiny particles are eaten by animals and fish injuring them and now in the food chain. Perhaps non-bio and re-use is more environmentally friendly?

[M0FYA Andy]

Don't ignore the fact that not all plastics are compatible. I have had problems with foam in particular, and I suspect it was caused (or exacerbated) by being in proximity to other plastic materials. The foam deteriorated into a sticky goo which was very difficult to clean off the fragile items it was supposed to be protecting.
Andy

[avocollector]

As a smoker, I found the empty cardboard flip top boxes of 20's were ideal for resistors. I store mine face down stacked vertically with the value on the lid. Stopped smoking back in 1993 but seem to have plenty of boxes left.

[frankmcvey]

H'mm, not exactly boxes, but I find a ring binder useful for storing and indexing the modern small 1/2W and 1/4W types that come in kits containing sections of bandolier-mounted resistors.

You can buy from Eblag (for not too much money) the plastic sleeves that collectors use for holding stamps, cigarette cards, postcards etc - these are designed to fit in ring binders and the A4 9-pouch plastic sheets are the ideal size for the 10-packs of resistors.

The photo will explain more clearly...

Cheers,

Frank

[Herald1360]

There are also rather more rigid multicompartment A4 filing containers- often used for off the shelf development kits of small components. These have a snap on lid which exposes all compartments at once, so there can be errrm "issues" if you're clumsy!

[frankmcvey]

Yup, you can have issues with the ring-binders as well if you turn them upside-down, hence the little pieces of green insulating tape over the tops of some of the more well-filled pouches!

[mark_in_manc]

Originally Posted by M0FYA Andy

Don't ignore the fact that not all plastics are compatible.

Yes! In work I've come across those sets of transparent plastic drawers in a steel case, where in particular 'o' rings have started to dissolve their way out!

[Lucien Nunes]

That tends to be caused by PVC and similar with phalate plasticisers being stored in polystyrene compartment boxes. The plasticiser migrates into the box which softens and engulfs it slooooowly! Even RS sell (or at least sold) PVC grommets packed this way, which I transferred into an equivalent box made of polyethylene. My O-ring kits, Viton and EPDM, are all in polypropylene packaging so no problem there. It is the same mechanism that gradualy embrittles electrical installation cables when in contact with expanded polystyrene thermal insulation, although that tends to be accelerated by the heating of the cables.

Side note- always slip a polythene bag over any PVC flexes on appliances stored in their original expanded polystyrene packaging. The appliance case might be OK in contact with the foam but the flex will gradually become part of it.

[TonyDuell]

Originally Posted by Lucien Nunes

Side note- always slip a polythene bag over any PVC flexes on appliances stored in their original expanded polystyrene packaging. The appliance case might be OK in contact with the foam but the flex will gradually become part of it.

And be careful of storing PVC flex against a plastic cabinet. The cabinet can end up with quite deep grooves in it where it was attacked by the PVC (simplification, but you know what I mean). Maybe I am over-cautious but I don't keep the mains lead of my Dansette-type record players bundled inside as the makers intended, I am worried it might attack the plastic turntable, pickup arm, etc if it get in contact with it for any length of time.

[emeritus]

The cable of the transparency scanner unit of my Epson scanner, packed in an expanded polystyrene box, was shipped sleeved in a plastic bubble-wrap bag. I continue to use it, having seen the effect of polystyrene on unprotected cables with my original ZX81.

[McMurdo]

I was so pleased with the plastic tupperware-style tubs from the local chinese takeaway that i sometimes buy them from Wilkinson etc. These are of variable quality, with the blue-tinted ones becoming brittle very quickly, but most of them are fine.

Re - polystyrene container problems. I pulled my old computers out of the wardrobe the other day; my Commodore 64 and my Spectrum. Both in their original polystyrene packing and both have melted over the mains leads making a nasty mess.