I currently primairy use Tamiya (larger bottles) paint for almost everything. I have all my bottles in a drawer in my work room. I am looking for a good way to store them so I can easily find what I need. I have seen some destop organizers and some carosel type things but am wondering what everyone else does. Right now when I work on a project I have bottles scattered all over my workbench, lol.
I even emailed Tamiya to see if I could buy a retail rack like in my LHS, but they said they only sell them to retailers, bummer. Any tips to stay organized and keep inventory of my paint on hand.
I built a “stair” case to fit the small bottles of Tamiya (the only size I can find locally, the few big bottles I have date from the late 1980s (!). This setup allows me to read the color of each bottle, and they are organized gloss on the left, flat on the right:
It’s made out of Komatex, a rigid “foamed” PVC product, but that’s only because I happened to work for a sign shop, and I was using the offcuts. Plywood would be every bit as easy to build with.
The construction is pretty much the same as stairs, the side pieces are cut like stair stringers, and I used risers and treads. I used particle board screws to put it together, again only because I had them on hand.
There are four stringers, in all. One on each end, and two in the middle. Its probably overkill to have the fourth one, but I’m a firm believer in over building things! The risers are cut to support the treads, and the spacing was calculated so I could read the color (I’m repeating myself, aren’t I?). The treads are calculated to be 1/8" wider than the bottles they hold. The very first tread doesn’t have a stringer under it, its a doubled up piece of tread. You can adjust the sizes to fit your specific bottles, I wish I could buy the big ones locally!
Here is a cross section drawing showing the construction, you will note that I have 7 shelves and the drawing only has 5. That is because I’m lazy! You’ll just have to extrapolate! [;)]
Just remember, while you build it, that no matter how big you build it thinking that should be plenty of room; you will fill it within a month. I am speaking from experience.
I did a set of steps for mine and had it filled in a week. I am now considering something so massive that I would never fill. I know I will though.
I use the drawer method. I do take the colors I need for a project out of the drawer, and just set them on the bench surface.
The problem with any rack is that I have pegboard on the back with hooks to hang my tools, and another along the left side of the bench for supplies like masking tape and such. I have added a piece of wood along the right side for my airbrush bottles, but those sideboards don’t have a lot of area compared to the back board. But, I still have tools in a drawer because the backboard isn’t enough area for all of my tools. What with X-acto knives, small saws, tweezers, pliers, etc. there sure isn’t enough room for paint.
I would tend to agree with you, if that was my only work surface. I’m a bit spoiled, however and the pic above is just my hand painting, masking and decal station, my spray booth is one unit away to the right, and my assembly area is to the left. That’s where I keep my tools.
Here is an earlier image of the assembly area, before I expanded my territory through a combination of hostile action and political annexing of neighboring countries. Originally the table top was designed to fold up and close off the bookshelf unit. You can see the paint stairs sitting on the shelf. I had already added the shelf at the back of the table to hold a magnifying lamp, and some tools, negating the folding top. The stash now takes up most of the foot well, and I have a three drawer storage unit under the left overhang for tools, as well as the small three drawer unit pictured. One day I’m planning on rebuilding everything so it’s nicer, larger and better, but it suffices so well that it’s hard to get motivated!
I’d love to line up all my paint like a stair-step spice rack, but that eats up space fast. My compromise is a plastic-drawer organizer typically used for nuts and bolts in your garage or shop. I group the paints by medium and colors to make it a little easier to find what I need. Each tray can hold about eight large Tamiya bottles. For a small footprint on my bench I am able to store 125 or so bottles of Tamiya or Testors.
I use the drawer method too. With the MM enamels and Acryll I use a silver marker and write the # on the lid, since they’re all black, and put a little drop of paint on the lid. Then it’s easy to spot, whether I’m looking for a # or a shade.
Well I decided because I have enough bench space I would build the stair method. I wanted to use the same concept as posted above but wanted a small lip around the step so I could move it without worrying about the bottles sliding off. I spent $8 for 2 2’ x 2’ squares of 1/4" oak. It has 4 steps. I will post a picture later as I am at work now but it took me an hour or so to make the cuts and assemble. A few days to stain and clear. I just used wood glue and clamps. I used one coat of stain and 3 coats of clear.Probaly costed $20 all together. For anyone who uses google sketchup (its free!!) email me and I will send you the plans I drew up. I even made cut sheets so you just have to transfer it to the wood, cut, and assemble.
