10 replies to this topic

[Muzz135]

Hello everyone, I've not posted in quite a while as I've been busy with school, training, etc. However I need some help from you guys with a school project of mine!

As part of my final grade I have to manufacture a storage or display box/unit of some sort so I decided what better to do than K'nex! Since it can't be huge I'm making a flat storage box for micro Knex which will store all micro parts including track, 4-5 cars, motor and chain, etc. Though it will be a fairly small tub it will be stackable so you could buy more trays once you fill the first one and need more space.

So to help me I'd like you guys (especially those that like sorting all their individual parts) to tell me what you would like to see/get from a storage tub designed for Knex! This includes order of parts, size of space for specific parts and any other things that are relevant.

Please reply as it will be a great help, and can increase my mark as this counts as "research"

Thanks in advance for replies,
- Muzz

[Maxlaam]

Well, personally I have my pieces sorted in different tubs, rods are all separated to size (not by colour) 3D connectors are all in a big tub, not sorted some half assembled. My regular connectors are spread over 3 tubs, again not sorted but easy enough to find what you need. Small pieces are separated generally. Black hinges and those kind of specialty parts are in the same tub. Tubing is rolled up loosely and stuffed in a gardenhose bag/sack, it coils nicely and as I have multiple I have sorted them roughly on colour and length. And then I have like 2 or 3 big tubs with misc pieces like boosters, trains etc. 

 

If I'd update it I could use a stackable tray/container for the smaller miscelaneous pieces. But I find it very important that the individual trays are deep enough and wide enough so my hands properly fit in them and that I can easily see what I'm trying to grab.

[Spaghetti]

I use a Milwaukee Tool Sorting Bin for storing all my micro pieces, For my standard K'nex I use bags. All the VV track I have, I just put them in boxes for long track pieces, short track pieces, and turns. The rest I have is in bags.

[Mister Piglette]

I sort my pieces by color and size. I like to make sure I know the exact amount I have left and can visualize, so throwing them in a bin (like for larger parts) would not fit my sorting style. A nice bin with sorting areas for smaller parts would be fabulous for me. I have mine in bags, in boxes, so it is kind of inconvenient. Large parts are rubberbanded within the 100's range.

[CartRacer56]

I sort my pieces by size and type. Gray size here, red size here, granite size here and so on each in their own bins. Same thing with my connectors. I like like the bins on shelves instead of having drawers so I can set them by me while im building. once it gets to the smaller things, it gets complicated. I have over the door shoe organizer which i put the smaller things in and any overflow pieces. Each piece gets its own pocket in the holder by size and if its standard or micro. Gears also get put in the organizer by kind (red in one, yellow in one...) I never mix any pieces no matter what (unless they are different colors but the same size). For tubing I do the same thing as Maxxlam and roll it up loosely and put it in a plastic bag. For trains, I also put those in a pocket in an organizer. I also have a separate bin for broken rods, but not connectors. 

[Zorn]

I ended up standardizing on a clear plastic container for the bulk of my parts.  I really like being able to see what part is where without digging through boxes.  All my smaller parts (spacers, clips, hinges) are sorted in the wood boxes on the right.  I'm really picky on having every piece separated by colour and type. (with the exception of a couple rarely used parts such as tires.)

 

I would really like to have a smaller box with separated dividers where I could store 50 or so of each part.  That way if I just want to build a small prototype or something, I don't need to pull down 20 large bins of parts.

 

[KirbyCoast]

I use the K'nex boxes and I have a bag for each type of piece. I also have a tackle box that I put important pieces in while I'm building. If I were going to make certain types with others I would probably put 3d connector pieces together, lift hill pieces together (chain, chain guide, and motor), track pieces together, etc.

[frank]

I ended up standardizing on a clear plastic container for the bulk of my parts.  I really like being able to see what part is where without digging through boxes.  All my smaller parts (spacers, clips, hinges) are sorted in the wood boxes on the right.  I'm really picky on having every piece separated by colour and type. (with the exception of a couple rarely used parts such as tires.)

 

I would really like to have a smaller box with separated dividers where I could store 50 or so of each part.  That way if I just want to build a small prototype or something, I don't need to pull down 20 large bins of parts.

 

 would really like to have a smaller box with separated dividers where I could store 50 or so of each part.  That way if I just want to build a small prototype or something, I don't need to pull down 20 large bins of parts.

Then what you need is this i have one so 

http://www.walmart.c...e-Unit/47058547

[niicktam]

I ended up standardizing on a clear plastic container for the bulk of my parts.  I really like being able to see what part is where without digging through boxes.  All my smaller parts (spacers, clips, hinges) are sorted in the wood boxes on the right.  I'm really picky on having every piece separated by colour and type. (with the exception of a couple rarely used parts such as tires.)

 

I would really like to have a smaller box with separated dividers where I could store 50 or so of each part.  That way if I just want to build a small prototype or something, I don't need to pull down 20 large bins of parts.

 

 

 

 

Ohh my lord that is FAT and impressive...

[coasterdude1216]

Here's how I have mine currently.

 

 Photo Feb 10 11 12 50 AM 3.jpg   84.29KB   0 downloads

 

That's not all of my Knex but it is what I transported to my new place.  Bins on the left are unsorted (black: still in structure chunks; blue: broken down into individual pieces). Black tower is 3D connectors.  Green Yellow Red is for SS stuff, like crossties bendy rods gears motors cars.  Left tall tower is metallic pieces; from top to bottom it goes connectors increasing in size and then rods increasing in size.  Right tall tower is the same but with classic color pieces.  Small black tower has drawers with dividers in it for tiny piece sorting.  Blue bin on the far right is full of SS purple tubing.

 

Zorn, very impressive setup.

Edited by coasterdude1216, 16 February 2016 - 11:24 AM.

[niicktam]

Hiya! Just so happens I decided to organize all my pieces!

 

Here's my layout at the moment. Have approx 10,000 - 15,0000 pieces, and i've mostly organized them with the type of piece(not colour).

 

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 20160225_152643.jpg   140.09KB   1 downloads

 

The one thing I would care about "colour wise" would be the track connecters, in which I have 4 different bins for.

 

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I have "fishing organization boxes" for smaller miscellaneous pieces which comes in handy. One thing I don't like about it is the top lid, how you cant take it off as it gets in the way.

 

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I have four large bins, most commonly used for tubing, as well as pre built small items.

 

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In the end, they all stack up nice and neatly with the shelving units I have. Also have a couple tubs with other items, as my shelving units cant carry everything haha.

 

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Building with organization definitely helps me out personally. As it's much easier to grab what you need. 

 

Hope this helps you out in any way.