Make a Small Parts Organizer!

I love organizing my shop, so I got these containers to sort all my screws. Whenever I get new boxes, I build another cabinet to hold them. Here is a simple way to do it!

Materials you need:

• Any scrapwood. I used 20mm Ikea melamin board.
• Some hardwood or plyood for the rails.
• Some wood screws. 4.5mm is my favourite diameter
• 3 or 6mm dowels

Minimal Tools:

• Jigsaw along a straight edge.
• Dowel Jig
• Clamps (These are cheap and excelent quality)

Recommended Tools:

• Table Saw
• A nail gun (this project made me buy one)
• A biscuit jointer (Somewhat of a luxury)
• A countersink bit.

Below is a cut list in which you can enter the dimensions of your containers. I used my table saw and a crosscut sled. You can also use any other type of saw, but the table saw is the best for this. Are you new to using saws? Watch a 10min safety video first and save your fingers!

I cut the height of both sides at the same time, this ensures that they are equally long. Some clamps hold them together temporarily.

Cutlist:

2x Side Panels

• Depth = Container Depth +10mm
• Height = (Container Height + 5mm + Rail Thickness) * Number of Containers +2 x Width of Top and Bottom Plywood

• Width = Width of Container + 5mm + 2* Plyood Thickness.
• Depth = Container Depth +10mm

Rails

• Number of Rails = 2 *( Number of Containers -1)
• Rail Depth = Depth of Container (Not critical)

Back Panel

• Measure it once you got the frame done.

I used this dowel jig. It allows you to preciely allign board with each others and also give a strong joint. The jig gives you the exact placement of both dowels and their holes. After this project, I also bought a biscuit jointer and I use it since then. Its more expensive, but a bit more compfortable.

You can also just use plain screws.... Who cares.

I used hardwood for the rails. You could also use aluminium angle extrusions which should look great. I made a spacer block for the rails and then glued them in place momentarily with wood glue. Wood glue does not stick very well to melamin board. I pre-drilled screw holes and then added screws. This is a bit more work, but ensures good allignment.

Add some wood glue and assemle the cabinet. The glue does not stick well to melamin, but its good enough. The back also adds a lot of strength.

Feet are very important. At least in my workshop the floor sometimes gets wet and the particle board is great at soaking up liquid.

I glued the particle board to the rails which is a wood to wood bond and very strong with enough wood glue. I also used some staples to fix it in place. A nail gun would be much better but I didn´t had one at the time. I got this one since then and I can totally recommend it.

Measure from edge to diagonal edge. If the distance is the same on both sides, all the boards are square to each others.

And you are done! Now spend a few hours sorting screws : ). Please also send me a photo if you recreate this build! Thanks