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Old 29th Sep 2020, 9:52 pm   #1
Chris55000
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Default Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

Hi!

Can anyone recommend a cheap plastic storage box with lid suitable for dismantling unrepairable Oscilloscopes into please?

Basically, I want to keep the the CRT, front panel, knobs, controls and switches, the PCB assemblies, and the mains and e.h.t. transformers, and finally the various cable forms!

What sort of size am I looking for, and who sells the cheapest ones price–wise?

Chris Williams
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Old 29th Sep 2020, 10:08 pm   #2
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

CRT won't fit most food boxes so you're probably looking at "Really Useful Boxes" which come in a range of sizes and shapes. Maybe not the cheapest but you get what you pay for, and they are good.
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Old 29th Sep 2020, 10:23 pm   #3
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

Both Tesco and Aldi (the latter a bit sporadically) do a range of bigger rectangular polythene boxes, generally somewhat less than a tenner)- not that sturdy or airtight but if they're on a firm flat floor they'll be OK. With things like mains and EHT transformers/assemblies, leave them somewhere warm and dry for a couple of days before thoroughly embalming them in polybags inside the outer box (labelled, if you're anything like me, it's surprising what you can forget squirrelling over the years....) The tendency of the universe to disorder means that the water vapour will find its way in eventually but taking a few minutes to hinder it as much as possible is well worthwhile in the long run.
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Old 29th Sep 2020, 10:59 pm   #4
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

Among several; I have used the Ikea boxes successfully from the Samla range. https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/cat/secon...e-boxes-10797/
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Old 29th Sep 2020, 11:13 pm   #5
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

I usually stuff everything in Amazon cardboard boxes with the paper stuffing around them. They then go in any available receptacle in this place. Smaller parts get stuffed in zip lock bags.
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 12:09 am   #6
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

Every Christmas we buy one or two boxes of cheese biscuits which come in orange resealable plastic boxes about 10" square. Once they are empty, which doesn't take long in our household, I use them for storing components. I've amassed a large collection of these boxes which also have the advantage that they stack easily.

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Old 30th Sep 2020, 3:32 am   #7
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

Wilco sell a good range of plastic boxes if you have got a branch near you.
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/storage/storage-boxes/c/445
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 7:39 am   #8
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

I tend to go for s/h tote boxes loads on face book marketplace for £5
600x300 mm various depths
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...14403933140213 (examble) there should be a seller close to you, but I did need to use ebay for A4 size ones I need for mags but even with postage 10 were just over £50
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 8:56 am   #9
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

Takeaway food trays with lids. Very cheap and available in quantity.
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 9:12 am   #10
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

1L ice cream containers are good for storage, but won't be big enough for most CRTs.
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 10:11 am   #11
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

The Really Useful Box range is excellent for permanent storage. They are robust and can be stacked securely without showing the strain but they are expensive. I use them for what I call permanent storage.

Lidded storage containers of various sizes that are likely to be suitable crop up frequently in the centre aisle of Aldi (and probably Lidl too) but you have to grab them whilst they're there. It might be worth checking their websites to see if there are any on offer at the moment.

I have also seen the Aldi style containers at high street type hardware/household stores. It's worth having a look if there happens to be this type of store near you. Unfortunately, they are a dying breed - my local one has finally given up the fight.
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 10:26 am   #12
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

Perhaps the scope tubes could be stored in the under bed type of storage box, which should be long enough.

I recently had a similar problem to resolve in the storage of my valve collection. The plastic food boxes that I was using were approaching some 40 years of age and had become very brittle. They would just disintegrate when trying to open the lids, so after a lot of looking around, I decided to use the A5 die cut cardboard type postage boxes and a larger postal box for the physically bigger valves. This keeps them stackable and they can be written onto quite easily. Of course you need somewhere dry to store these, as cardboard does not fair well with damp conditions. I did try to source some plastic boxes of the same type as the originals but had no joy as the size is now classed as obsolete!
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 10:54 am   #13
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

There is one BBC DIY show that dares to encourage viewers to actually do things themselves. Perhaps highland crofters aren't as litigious as the rest of us.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04wvw02
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 12:22 pm   #14
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

B&Q, but inevitably you can get cheap ones that flex and break up, or more expensive ones that are quite nice and solid. 'Cheap and good', they don't do.

Don't rely on their online stock-checker. Unless you're in-store looking at them, you can't rely on them being available. Also don't do click and collect for these unless you've already seen them in the flesh- you need to get the feel of them before you buy.

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Old 30th Sep 2020, 7:29 pm   #15
Chris55000
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

Hi!

Thanks everyone!

I think the 45 L Ikea "Samla" boxes appeal price–wise and they look big enough, so I'll see how I get on with two to begin with!

Chris Williams

I'll look at the IKEA Samla onrs
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 9:17 am   #16
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Default Re: Cheap Plastic Boxes with Lids to Store Oscilloscope Spares?

I keep all my empty Flora spread type tubs 500g / 1 kg they stack in a stable manner.
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