I'd be inclined to look at re-sealable food storage containers, many are marked as freezer proof, dishwasher proof and microwave usable, so should withstand the changing temperature of a workshop. The take-away containers will be designed for single use so won't be very robust. I've got some budget food containers that must be 15 years old at least and are still fine for everyday use. You don't need to pay Tupperware prices, there are a lot on offer in supermarkets and pound type shops.

Also it's worth searching the on-line auction sites as well as running a proper search, as you'll most likely come up with the trade suppliers for these things. Usually as long as you buy in their pack quantities they'll sell to you at a much better price than a retail outlet. Worth looking in Yellow pages for your area as well to see what's out there in catering suppliers.

Keith

You need to do the weekly shopping. Supermarkets are full of good robbust container: Grated cheese can come in really good plastic drums, jams and things like mustard still come in glass jars with a standardised sizes of metal screw cap (three or four sizes) and cooking sauces in substantial plastic tubs. These are my favourites. Chemists, phamacies, can also be a source of good plastic tubs.

However I still end up buying food storage containers at the supermarket. The plastic used is of much better quality that that used for storage boxes sold at DIY stores. They crack and split as soon as they are used.

JA

Clive

Only you can make the descision as to what's cost effective with the price /durability ratio, my experiences of picking up a couple of hundred small screws off the floor from a container that breaks as you open it, changes the perspective!

I found this website – http://www.tinwaredirect.com – that may well be of interest to anyone after storage tins. Looks like they do all sizes and the prices aren't bad for something that will last a lifetime judging from how old some of the ancient baccy tins are that I've seen.

No connection with then, just found them in a search, be interesteted to hear from anyone who does business with them though.

Keith

This is a good idea, beats leaving all the items sitting on the bench to get lost.

Most re-sealable plastic boxes come in sets and are quite cheap. Ice cream boxes are free after you eat the ice cream but get in there before the wife gets them.

The takaway cartons do seem a bit flimsy and I doubt would survive a drop from a bench full of metal parts.

My personal choice are the racking bins and I pinch one every chance I get, all I need now is the backboard to hang them on, one drawback is that the dust gets in them. Thought, pinch all the bins and they will throw out the backboard and I will get it that way!

If you are looking for decent small sized containers with a screw lid made of plastic, bee keeping supply firms sell them in 1lb size, they come out at about 38pence each. These will hold about 200 eighth inch rivets. They are squat jam jar size.

Clive Hartland

The ones that 'Munchies' ready meals are sold in at the garage I use seem to be reasonably robust. I have two take-away ones I have been using for etching PCBs for a number of years. I tend to use them as trays trather than storage.

Neil

A trip to the £1 shop will often be rewarded with several sturdy re-sealable containers for your pound.

N

Back when Pontius was a pilot, I remember my father using jam jars to store all those spare screws, nuts and bolts one used to acquire. Only he used to screw the lids to the underside of the shelves and thus double his storage space. I don't think he ever used more than a handful of these really useful bits and bobs, but you never knew when you might need that odd fixing! Happy days!

John

I use 2L icecream cartons, i'v got ones over 30yrs old that are as good as the day they left the Super Market, and the newer ones that last about 2yrs before they start to disintergrate. Ian S C

Marks n Sparks do some very nice mints in a "tin" (ali?) about size of old pastille tins. Pick up @ checkout display. Guess how I know?

Still using large round clear plastic tubs with black screw lids in which Tate & Lyle used to flog treacle, years ago. Very nice tubs.

Always wondered what I could use the large Nescafe coffee tubs for, now I know! Store disc type grinding wheels.

All of you beware! Dont use cardboard (Absorb moisture) or metal containers for steel stocks or steel tools, unless you put in some anti-rust VPI paper. They are however, handy for non-ferrous storage – I keep all my small pieces brass/bronze in the large steel sweet "tins" that come out @ Xmas. Some are now being supplied in plastic – great! Use for the small ferrous stock/steel tools.

A great storage was the oxo tins from the 1950s but now all cardboard and plastic

Geoff

A great storage was the oxo tins from the 1950s

I have one, no idea where it came from. I wish I have a dozen or so. It must be possible to press your own from tin plate.

Neil