SMD Component Storage Rings

pinshape

It's a cruel twist of fate that the tiny surface mount devices driving today's super-dinky electronics require way more storage space than their through-hole ancestors. This paradox is mainly due to two factors: 1) they're packaged in tape/reel carrier strips and 2) their labels are often completely illegible, so if you want to remember what they are, you need to keep them in their original labeled shipping bags. For common resistors and capacitors on paper tape, you can sometimes just jot down the values with a Sharpie, but even folded, those paper tapes are tough to squeeze into small parts drawers. The "napkin ring" gadgets that come with this Thing, available in three handy sizes, can make your overcrowded parts drawers more manageable. Instructions I printed these in ABS at 0.25mm layer height to save time. Cut the zip closure and any other excess parts from your part's polybag, leaving enough of the label intact to tell you what it is. Roll it up and slide an appropriately-sized ring over the bag.