Sandpaper storage

[Andrew Derhammer]

Also check out an office supply place. I have often incorporated a lot of their plastic "stackables" and vertical organizers for different things. If you aren't against keeping the paper in the original box, then I would think that a hanging file folder drawer system would work,with the "wide width" folders. Exposed sandpaper would probably take it's toll on the hanging folders after limited use. I've been wanting to make something of the such for a while but never seem to find the time. If worse comes to worse, I can always buy a two drawer file cabinet and store it under a bench, etc.

At Kmart i bought some time ago these black plastic open boxes. They were made to hold hanging folders and are stackable.

[Samuel Brooks]

I have seen the mail sorting bins that are made out of cardboard. I have one but I picked it up when we cleaned out an office after an old tenant moved out. It has worked great for storing flat sheets and boxes of sanding disk. I do not think they are very expensive and I have been using mine for 4 years and it is still holding up well.

Sam

[Doug Kerfoot]

Just ran across this thread. I like keeping mine in a 3-ring binder. I punch matching holes in zip-lock baggies and keep them sorted by grit.

It is very compact compared to most methods and keeps both moisture and sawdust out. 1 Gallon size are good for full sheets and Qt size hold my round ROS discs.

I had to do some searching to get 1 gallon bags that would fit. Some are just a bit too short to allow you to zip them with the sandpaper inside. I wish I could remember the brand name I found that fits perfectly... You can still use the standard ones OK - you just can't zip them shut.

[John Coloccia]

I bought this:

http://www.officedepot.com/a/product...mpartments-23/

You have to be careful. A lot of these are 8 1/2" X 11, and won't fit sandpaper. This particular one is a full 9".

It was a little costly, but if I made it out of plywood, it would have still cost $30 for a sheet of plywood, however much for the shelves (masonite, maybe), plus it's be very heavy and take a lot of time. This I just bought and used, and it works perfectly.

[phil harold]

http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-41742-P.../dp/B0007018ZE

I have used these for years

one in the shop
one in the truck

[Larry Fox]

You can see mine if you scroll down in this thread a bit.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=80262

[sean m. titmas]

no need to over complicate the matter with all sorts of parts and pieces, i just keep the papers in the boxes that they come in. since they do such a good job in protecting the paper during shipping i just let it continue doing its job.

[Ernie Kuhn]

Chris,
Company I worked for excessed some office equipment. Picked up several wall mounted mail holders. Fit 8.5 x 11 sandpaper. See first foto. Second foto is bunch of small parts storage system from either harbor freight or a big box store. Just right for 2" and 3" velcro sanding discs easily hold 50.
Hope this helps,
Ernie

[Roy Griggs]

The old style wooden desktop trays are big and deep enough to hold boxes of sandpaper if you buy a sleeve at a time. Then make a 1/4" thick hardboard cover if you take the paper out of the box (keeps the paper from curling). Make a slide in & out organizer with a door too hold the trays and keep out the dust.

[Salem Ganzhorn]

I'd just make an open cabinet with dadoes for sliding in hardboard for the shelves, but then use either more hardboard or even clear plastic material (also from big box stores) cut smaller so they lay on top of the sandpaper. That keeps the dust off the paper, you just lift em up to get the paper from underneath.

SHaddy

+1

Here is my very simple box:

[George Bregar]

Walmart sells 4 drawer plastic storage boxes by "Sterilite" Each drawer is about 2" deep and hold sandpaper sheets perfectly, they are also stackable".
I'm pretty sure that I paid less than $5.00 each for them on sale. They are in the "Kitchen/Houseware aisle.

That's what I'm using. They are perfect.

[Doug Shepard]

If you don't want to build your own here is a very nice unit and the price isn't to bad either.
http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11449

I've got 2 of those, although I dont recall where I bought mine and think they were less $$ when I bought them. At the time, I didn't need another shop project and those have worked out great.

[Kent A Bathurst]

+1

Here is my very simple box:

+1. Same thing here except (a) chunks of scrap 1/2" plywood for case (b) sides extend 3/4" above top shelf (no case top) so I could mount a cleat so I could hang it on a wall, and top shelf holds sanding blocks (c) no back - see wall mount above (d) about the last place I am concerned with managing saw dust is on my sandpaper. However, I'd think that the "on top" pieces of hardboard would help keep the sheets flat as well - v. curling - but that doesn't bother me either.

1/8" hardboard means dadoes in sides could be run on the blade already mounted in my TS - no blade change to dado set. Bottom butt-jointed with dowels.

OH - btw - I built a "double-wide" - one side for garnet paper, the other for wet+dry for sharpening. And, I mounted an old hacksaw blade along the edge of one side, and mounted a couple strips of hardboard at 5.5" and 4.5" - used to make half sheets or quarter sheets real fast.

Almost took longer to type this note that it did to make the box - except had to go to Borg for hardboard sheet - forget $$, but very cheap, and I have a half-sheet left over for who-knows-what-next.

[John Altberg]

I use a divided accordion file. Mark each section with the grit, holds full and quarter sheets with no curls or dust. Takes up very little space in the cabinet, too.

[Don Bullock]

While I realize that I could build my own sandpaper storage I bought the Sand Box from Jointech --- http://www.jointech.com/sandbox_sandpaper.htm --- and like it.


Picture shows two units stacked.

Once I get my new shop organized I plan to either mount this on the wall or place it on a shelf next to my workbench.