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I'm thinking about how I want to store my mini spare parts. Which option best suits how you mostly store your bits?

I have them all in a box, sometimes sorting out smaller containers for parts relevant to a current/planned project (for example, if I know I'm going to be converting some Sternguard, I'll go through and pull out all the fancy bolters and scopes and stuff). However, if you're just starting out, I'd definitely suggest organising stuff by type, saves you all the time I have to spend sifting through inches of plastic to find the right part.

Bunnings have tactix boxes dirt cheap, organize them in there. You'll still never find anything, but it'll be pretty.

Depends. If the kit just needs XYZ to make another full unit (like the Skitarii Ranger/Vanguard kit), then unused parts stay on sprue and in the original box. That way Right Arm A still has it's part number so it can be matched with Left Arm A.

For truly 'generic' parts (Space Marine Weapons, backpacks, etc.) they are sorted into compartment boxes by general type (Weapons, Armour, Dreadnought, and Vehicle boxes) and specific type (this compartment has Mk III backpacks, that one jetpacks, etc.).

While still working on a box, they stay on the sprue. Numbers can be important for matched arms. After that, the spares go into old tackle boxes. Bead boxes from craft stores might be easier to get in the right format. I also use small little ziplock bags to keep matched parts together.

I have a tub that has everything in, mostly the remnants and surviving parts of when I was into the hobby 12 years ago.

More recent stuff will stay with its relevant project at first, and then up in the old tub when I don't need it any more. It is a pain swimming trough my bits tub trying to find something specific.

I use a few of theses :

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-25-Removable-Compartment-Professional-Organizer/dp/B00005QWYF/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1455285713&sr=8-3&keywords=parts+organizer

I have a big storage container broken into compartments - I believe it was designed for nuts n bolts/screws etc.

Originally I just stuffed anything anywhere, but then one day my ex-girlfriend decided to sort it all out and so now it's divided up into weapon types, body part types, specific races (Tyranid bits are particularly ambiguous to the untrained eye haha), or miscellaneous like spare vehicle parts/terrain bits.

I've tried to maintain the organization as best as possible inside mini ziploc bags after the main box filled up, so now it's tons of little marked baggies inside a starter box.

I break bitz down by origin (e.g. Space Marine or Dwarf) then by use, stored mostly in a series of old blister packs and the occasional "tiny component" boxes you can get from electronics hobby stores.
Also an ancient* and huge box-o-stuff where everything is mixed together in a complete mess.



*old enough to have remnants of metal Eldar guardians bought new.

I used to just dump everything into one box. Made it a massive pain to find anything, which is why I (mostly) switched to the new system. There is still some old junk in my former box (the green tin).

Now with pictures!

I sort them according to faction/army and them by use... they are sorted in customizable boxes and I have a stack of these for various purposes...

All bits are cleaned, mold lines removed and ready to use... yes I am crazy


I have a large stack of these boxes mounted on a wall


They contain these customizable trays, I prefer them to the movable wall kind since I can take a compartment out to my workstation without bringing the entire tray.

You clean the mold lines from your spare bits?! That’s dedication. Or madness. Probably both.

In theory my trays have a box they belong in. They’ve been out and “in use” for a few decades now.

I have a couple fishing tackle, bead, screw/nail boxes (depends which one is cheapest at the time). Don't have a ton of bits really, and about 99% of what I do have is Skaven so not a ton of sorting required. Except I do have one box for just plague monk bits.

 Nevelon wrote:
You clean the mold lines from your spare bits?! That’s dedication. Or madness. Probably both.

In theory my trays have a box they belong in. They’ve been out and “in use” for a few decades now.

Let's say I REALLY hate mold lines But yes, madness it a description not completely inaccurate.

Sorted by faction and then sub-sorted by use.

@nevelon & granander - I also clean mold lines off of many spare bits, especially if I think there's a high probability that I might use them. Many times, I'll do it while I'm watching TV.

The only thing worse than a mold line is a mold line that I don't catch before I prime!!!


@DrDr244 - I have many, many shelves full of these, and a couple larger versions for big pieces (like terrain or vehicles):

Very similar to Tayls I do this




Each draw is roughly labelled with the game, race and then the type of bit depending on how many bits of that race I've got is how far it goes down e.g. 40k Ork Melee Arms, 40k SM Pads or Fant W Elf bits
This is the only way I can keep track of anything or find something when I need that a certain bit because I have far to much, for a few months I got into the bad habit of buying bits boxes off ebay >_<. it does help when I do my mods and conversions.

Mother of god, Nev and you sir^.

What a nice collection. I use a small drawer system and ziploc bags myself.

I've got a box with a couple of compartments, bits are organised by faction atm as I don't have enough bits to warrant any more detailed sorting than that yet.

We should all work together to have stuff available for everyone. I don't mean let everyone be greedy, simply to help out

I keep all my spare bits in a plastic cup.

I also keep the old empty sprues in a box, hoping to at some point make use of them somehow.

DrDr244 wrote:
We should all work together to have stuff available for everyone. I don't mean let everyone be greedy, simply to help out

lol

looks like it'd be a few offering items to everyone that way tbh

although if you need some skaven bits... I'm your girl ^_^

Very nice, Midget Gems!

Am I an idealist? Do you think a perma-thread with a "Does anyone have this part?" would work? I don't know - it just struck me as nice... For example, I accidentally threw out ALL the heads for my scout snipers :( Had to buy some more on ebay.

Should have asked dude, i hate the stupid scout heads and replace them with pig iron ones

My spare bits are still on their sprues in the original boxes, waiting for me to organize them. At this point organizing them will be a massive undertaking involving many man-hours of work, to say nothing of trimming mold lines as I do them. Maybe if I tackle just one box per day I might make some headway...

Similar to others I use cheap storage cases;

http://www.harborfreight.com/24-compartment-large-storage-container-61881.html

For example I have cases for each faction, or for types of bits (if I have a faction that has a lot of bits).

For larger parts, they are in a bigger compartment storage bin.

I do it like this... Everything sorted by army /game, and sorted into different component types inside.

my bitz box is a smaller representation of my general life. everything shoved in everywhere with no organisation whatsoever. and whenever i want to do something i have to sift through mounds of useless stuff. :p