Sorting fuses ...

[Arfa Daily]

A while back, we discussed how we each had our resistor stock 'filed away'
in our component drawers. Over the weekend, I decided that it was time to
sort out my fuses, so I removed all the drawers that had all sorts of fuse
types and values in them, including ones that didn't quite 'belong' anywhere
because they were ordered in specially. When I wrote down a list of all the
ones I had to see how best to categorise them, I was amazed to find that I
had two columns of legal-pad sized paper. I agonized for some time over
whether to give each one its own drawer, or to try to find a way of
combining them to cut down on the number of drawers that they would take up.
I'm only talking 20 mm types for the cartridge ones. I sorted the few values
of 1.25" that I still use, a while back.

Eventually, I decided to have just two categories, 'F' and 'T' and to mix
other types in with the cartridges, as they would be easy to physically
'pick'. So, for instance, I have 2 amp as a 'T' type cartrige, an 'F' type
cartridge, a 'T' type Wickman, a pico type, and a 'T' type surface mount. I
have put all of these into a single drawer, divided in two. All of the 'T'
rated ones, regardless of type are in the front of the drawer, and the 'F'
cartridges and pico type in the rear.

I think it is going to work out ok, but I was interested to see what scheme
others on here are using, and whether anyone has come up with a better way
of separating their fuses, without wasting a lot of drawer space.

Arfa

 

[Cydrome Leader]

Arfa Daily <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

[stuff cut]

I think it is going to work out ok, but I was interested to see what scheme
others on here are using, and whether anyone has come up with a better way
of separating their fuses, without wasting a lot of drawer space.

They just get thrown in a few drawers. You can eyeball size and then try
to read the stampings to get exact.

the problem with mountains of little plastic bags of parts is they and get
worn, are no longer see through anyways, then they break open.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

I have my fuses in plastic bags, with a paper label inside the bag indicating
type and rating. (No need for size, as you can see that.)

A plastic parts box would work well, too.

 

[Fred McKenzie]

In article <b3zQt.60156$u%5.54301@fx03.am4>,
"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

I was interested to see what scheme
others on here are using, and whether anyone has come up with a better way
of separating their fuses, without wasting a lot of drawer space.

Arfa-

Plan ahead. Get more drawers.

I use the same system for all of my small electronics parts. I use 3" X
5" coin envelopes (or the closest available size) for each individual
value. My "drawers" are cardboard 3" X 5" file boxes from the office
supply store, each about 18" deep. A separate file box is used for each
category, and several may be used when one category is too large. My
resistors take 4 boxes.

Fuses are filed alphabetically by basic type (AGC for example), in order
of increasing current. The "T" and "F" fuses have separate envelopes,
but filed along with their same basic type. (AGC 1, AGC 1SB, AGC 2, AGC
2SB, et cetera.)

Fred

 

I have over 40 of the 60 drawer cabinets with one value per unit. These are categorized into resistors, caps, transistors etc. I use the coin envelopes as well, using cardboard trays for the envelopes. Using the transistors as an example, small amounts are stored in the envelopes in part number order. Large quantities have an empty envelope with the part number underlined which indicates that this particular number is in the drawer. This makes looking up parts easy. My choice was to save time rather than space for looking up parts. I don't want to spend time sorting through parts to locate the one I need. I also buy parts in bulk to save money and time. For example, I bought resistors by the thousand. I'll never use them all, but at less than 1/2 cent each, who cares. (actual cost $4.75 per thousand and at $1 each when used, charging for 5 of each value paid for the thousand.)

Dan

 

[Arfa Daily]

"Fred McKenzie" <fmmck@aol.com> wrote in message
news:fmmck-87B176.00044920082013@news.mixmin.net...

In article <b3zQt.60156$u%5.54301@fx03.am4>,
"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

I was interested to see what scheme
others on here are using, and whether anyone has come up with a better
way
of separating their fuses, without wasting a lot of drawer space.

Arfa-

Plan ahead. Get more drawers.

I use the same system for all of my small electronics parts. I use 3" X
5" coin envelopes (or the closest available size) for each individual
value. My "drawers" are cardboard 3" X 5" file boxes from the office
supply store, each about 18" deep. A separate file box is used for each
category, and several may be used when one category is too large. My
resistors take 4 boxes.

Fuses are filed alphabetically by basic type (AGC for example), in order
of increasing current. The "T" and "F" fuses have separate envelopes,
but filed along with their same basic type. (AGC 1, AGC 1SB, AGC 2, AGC
2SB, et cetera.)

Fred

Interesting, all. I already have thirteen 60-size drawer blocks, and several
others of random sizes, so I really didn't want to have to get any more. Bit
by bit, I'm rationalising the parts that I have, and brutally culling what
is never used - no matter how 'valuable' I keep telling myself that the item
is. I've been doing this for a couple of years now, and so far have managed
to do resistors, capacitors, connectors, and now fuses. Next is diodes and
zener diodes. As I have progressed, I've done some basic sorting of some
transistors and ICs. Trouble is, when you order in a transistor, you always
order five, 'just in case', which leaves a bag with three or four spare ones
in it. To date, I have tended to chuck these onto one of the benches where
there is a pile of similar bags, to get round to storing away one day. This
is potentially useful bench space wasted, something that every engineer I
know is guilty of ...

So, I've collected these up, written them down and looked up what they are,
and put them in batches into a spare set of drawers, each drawer now having
a number Sharpie'd onto a piece of orange tape on its front. So, much the
same as having them randomly thrown on the bench really, only taking up less
space, and at least I know what is there. I expect one day, they'll get
sorted, and put away properly, as well ...

Arfa

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Arfa Daily wrote:

"Fred McKenzie" <fmmck@aol.com> wrote in message
news:fmmck-87B176.00044920082013@news.mixmin.net...
In article <b3zQt.60156$u%5.54301@fx03.am4>,
"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

I was interested to see what scheme
others on here are using, and whether anyone has come up with a better
way
of separating their fuses, without wasting a lot of drawer space.

Arfa-

Plan ahead. Get more drawers.

I use the same system for all of my small electronics parts. I use 3" X
5" coin envelopes (or the closest available size) for each individual
value. My "drawers" are cardboard 3" X 5" file boxes from the office
supply store, each about 18" deep. A separate file box is used for each
category, and several may be used when one category is too large. My
resistors take 4 boxes.

Fuses are filed alphabetically by basic type (AGC for example), in order
of increasing current. The "T" and "F" fuses have separate envelopes,
but filed along with their same basic type. (AGC 1, AGC 1SB, AGC 2, AGC
2SB, et cetera.)

Fred


Interesting, all. I already have thirteen 60-size drawer blocks, and several
others of random sizes, so I really didn't want to have to get any more. Bit
by bit, I'm rationalising the parts that I have, and brutally culling what
is never used - no matter how 'valuable' I keep telling myself that the item
is. I've been doing this for a couple of years now, and so far have managed
to do resistors, capacitors, connectors, and now fuses. Next is diodes and
zener diodes. As I have progressed, I've done some basic sorting of some
transistors and ICs. Trouble is, when you order in a transistor, you always
order five, 'just in case', which leaves a bag with three or four spare ones
in it.

If there is a NTE/ECG cross for a semi I put the small bag in that
drawer so I can find them without needing a few thousand more drawers.
Ned a part? Check the cross reference. Open that drawer and look for the
original, or chose something that will work. I set that system up in
the mid '70s and it still works for me.


Boxes of five fuses, and some common hardware are stored in these:

<http://www.harborfreight.com/24-divider-storage-container-94458.html>

The dividers are removable, and the boxes are sorted by current. I can
find what I want in seconds and they hold hundreds of boxes of fuses.
Leave them on the bottom of the scope cart, and they are within easy
reach of wherever I'm working.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.