Organizing a Project Material Inventory

Tinkering Projects needs lot of components.

First option is to manufacture these components or buy them from the market.

Second option is to use similar components from junk. This option is very economical, environment friendly & creatively satisfying.

To source components from junk one need to have well organized project material inventory. This instructable is about organizing a project material inventory. We have given step by step dismantling of the junk material & preparing project material inventory. We have used computer key board & a video cassette as an example for preparing project material inventory.

Computer key board does have keys, big keys supporting metal wires, screws, key container board, keyboard back cover, rubber push buttons, Plastic Printed Circuit Board, Connecting Wire etc. On other hand video cassette does have 20 different small & big components including pulleys, plastic & metal cylinders, screws, tape etc. All these components can be segregated, organized & kept for further use.

These components can becomes part of the project material inventory. This is very useful section in tinkering lab. This section gives an opportunity to students to use their imagination & creativity in application of this material in their projects.

A scrap Computer Key Board.

A scrap Video Cassette.

A Screw Driver.

A cutter.

Transparent Plastic Bottles.

A Computer key board Front & Back side.

Dismantling computer key Board.

1. First Photograph - Removing Screws from back side with the help of screw driver.
2. Second - Removed PCB - Rubber Push buttons are visible.
3. Third - Push Buttons removed.
4. Fourth - Screws
5. Fifth - Push Buttons & PCB
6. Sixth - Keys, Push buttons, spring, screws & big keys supporting metal wire.

1. Key board supporting metal wire.
2. Screws & spring

Computer key board components are organized & kept in plastic bottles for further use in projects.

A video cassette.

Dismantling video cassette. Screws, cassette cover & rolls (these rolls can be used as pulleys in project)

Video cassette components are arranged.

All video cassette components (including small parts) are arranged. In total 20 components are available to use.

An example is shown above of a project material inventory. Here we have used tennis ball bottles to store material. If you see the material, it is easily available around us. Only thing we did is that, material is arranged & made it visible in tinkering lab.

Bigger sized project material can be stored in wooden boxes with front glass window as shown in above photographs..