How do you store your Tamiya paint bottles?

I visit local thrift stores like GoodWill and buy their Keurig coffee holders. These racks originally were made to hold those disposable plastic coffee "cups". The large ones can hold quite a few bottles of model paints.  They stack nicely upon each other, they also hold Model Masters and Testors' paint bottles, and best of all, the most that I've ever spent was $2.99!

MR TOM SCHRY

I visit local thrift stores like GoodWill and buy their Keurig coffee holders. These racks originally were made to hold those disposable plastic coffee "cups". The large ones can hold quite a few bottles of model paints.  They stack nicely upon each other, they also hold Model Masters and Testors' paint bottles, and best of all, the most that I've ever spent was 

Tom,

Can you post a photo,

There are quite a few different types of the Keurig racks and I would like to see what your using if possible.

Thanks!

I have 2 of the Hobbyzone hz-s2b paint racks.  I store Tamiya 10ml bottles, Model Master, Alclad, and MRP paints on those.  I got mine from HobbyWorld USA, but it looks like they're currently on back order.  Great little storage racks though.

I'll try to post a picture tomorrow.

One of the sidebar advertisers here, PaintingStations.com  [also DBA Game Craft Minuatures] offers paint storage solutions for most brands of hobby paint.   Thay are laser-cut MDF and come flat-packed.   You assemble them with some carpenters/white glue.   I've made several purchases, paint racks and tool storage. I see a couple of additional items I need to purchase.   Im satisfied

I just got one of those 3-drawer plastic organizing units you can find anywhere from Walmart to Office Depot. Top drawer is bulk sandpaper, spare brushes etc. Middle drawer has oils, enamels and 'spare' bottles. Bottom drawer is chock-full of Tamiya acrylics, my main brand.

The drawers are just the right depth for paints. Any jars that don't already have a color on the lid I add a 'dot' so I don't have to bother looking at labels. Plus it keeps everything clean and out of the way when not working.

Here's a Good one.

      Get Some PVC pipe in the size needed for both Tamiya and Model Master. I found The Tamiya size is the same size as an old Floquil bottle. So I bought one of each pipe and then took it home. Cut it into 1/2" high rings and glued them to .080 plastic sheet in strips. Then I created a stair step center and end pieces and glued all this together. That includes using the PVC glue for the rings.

   Now I have an expandable paint storage system that can also be used for other stuff Like Vallejo and A.K. Interactive. The A.K. and Vallejo being smaller did not create any problems. I just created .010 rings that slip inside as small spacers made from Evergreen strip and .010 sheet strips for those bottles. This way one system fits all!

These fit the 10ml very well.

https://www.containerstore.com/s/12_section-acrylic-nail-polish-riser/d?q=polish+riser&productId=10034471

rcguy

How do you store/rack your 10ml bottles of tamiya paints for easy access on your work table.

Did you purchase a special premade rack for your paint bottles or have you improvise with something else? 

I'm trying to find something that will work that doesn't cost a lot of money.

Please share what you use and with a photo or link if possible. 

I've always stored then standing upright, originally in cookie tins stacked atop one another.  Then I got a reasonably priced Rubbermaid cabinet on casters and stored them in the drawers:

Since I also consider mobility for my tool and supply storage, for traveling to meetups, I eventually got a large toolbox, and the Tamiya jars store nicely in this, too:

In that photo, you can see that I added another tray, using a square baking pan.  I also store other brands in similarly-shaped and sized jars the same way.

So I found a solution to my paint storage needs but it wasn't a cheap solution like I was hoping for.

For me it's about having the paints accessible within arms reach on the building table as opposed to putting them in a closed container or drawer off to the side.

I will update next week once I get the package in the mail and post some photos.

rcguy

So I found a solution to my paint storage needs but it wasn't a cheap solution like I was hoping for.

For me it's about having the paints accessible within arms reach on the building table as opposed to putting them in a closed container or drawer off to the side.

I will update next week once I get the package in the mail and post some photos. 

The 3-drawer cart fit under my bench, and the toolbox fits on a smaller bench adjacent to my workbench, or on the floor next to my seat.  So both are in arm's reach.

The cookie tins were in arm's reach, too, but stacked 3 up on the bench.  Those I got free, at work, when people bought cookies and jettisoned the tins.  But my paint stash outgrew that storage, and it seemed like the color I wanted was always in the bottom tin.

After trying different approaches, I went ahead I build my own rack for all my paints, since I used scrap left over wood, the rack came out very inexpensive. It holds different sizes of paint bottles, including Vallejo, Tamiya, and others.

If anyone is interested, I would be willing to post a photo of it together with some instructions on how to build it. It is not pretty, but does the job.

Joe

I'm in , would love to see it .

Great let's have a look!

I have 2 storage units one is a carosel that I bought from Micro Mark. I now use it to store my enamels

The other one I have mounted on the wall was a inexpensive display case for nail polish that I got from Amazon. I use it for my Acrylics

I made my own as well. Some scrap chipboard and ply for the shelves.

This is in my models room next to the bench, these are for brush painting.

And this in the shed for spray painting.

A bit rough but they serve the purpose.

Wow lots of great storage ideas

EdGrune

One of the sidebar advertisers here, PaintingStations.com  [also DBA Game Craft Minuatures] offers paint storage solutions for most brands of hobby paint. 

Ed,

I have one of those racks and am considering getting some drawers to put underneath it.  However, I have some shelving above where the rack is, and Allen's web site(s) don't list the height of the drawer units.  Would you happen to have one of those, and if so, can you tell me the height of the entire unit and the depth of the drawer(s)?  Thanks!

For everyone else, Allen's racks like these are VERY stable - they incorporate a crosspiece, unlike these I found at https://www.thebrokentoken.com/.

These are very similar to the ones Ed mentions above and are good racks (I'd buy again), but need a crosspiece under each shelf to reduce the (very minimal) sag, if that bothers you.

daniel

I do not have a paint storage rack with shelves.   I have a tool & brush rack on which I mounted a pair of drawers

Height from desktop to top of rack (behind White Ensign Models business card) is 9.5 inches.   Unit is mounted on some 0.75 inch standoff legs so the drawer clears the desk surface.  That makes it 8.75 inches with two drawer units.  Drawer depth is 1.25 inches with 0.125 MDF frame surrounding it -- make each drawer unit 1.5 inches tall.

I enlarged the two front pockets (CA holders) to fit MicroSol/MicroSet bottles.  The other is Q-tips & toothpicks in some cut down bottles.

The Vallejo corner paint rack on the right side of the photo was a defective unit (broken holes) which I picked up at a Squadron warehouse scratch & dent sale

BTW, I color code my Xacto handles with the type of blade installed; red = #11, yellow = #16, Green #10, White = #22, blue = #17.   I use some 1/2 inch color coded heat shrink tubing from the local electonic supply discount house.   Helps me locate the knife I'm looking for on the mess that is the benchtop

Thanks, Ed!  That's exactly what I needed to know.  I'm looking at the a couple of those "half" racks, and was wondering if the MicroSol/Set bottles would fit, good to know they will with a little elbow grease.

daniel

Finally have my paint rack/storage sorted out.

It's going to work out quite well and lots on storage drawers as well that will keep things more organized on the bench.

Will be moving the weathering pigments into one of the large drawers for more paint storage on the center shelf and be adding a few more paint racks in the future.

This storage system has lots of other integrated racks to expand on down the road if need be.

Why store them on their sides? Simply put a spot of paint from each on the cap.

rob44

Why store them on their sides? Simply put a spot of paint from each on the cap.

 

The downside is the pigment settles and will be up under the upper lip on the bottle and harder to get to mix

rob44

Why store them on their sides? Simply put a spot of paint from each on the cap.

 

Most of the drawers are not tall enough. This was one of those wooden machinests tool boxes. There is one that is tall enough so I guess that's the one to use. Good tip on the paint dot.

GlennH

 

rob44

Why store them on their sides? Simply put a spot of paint from each on the cap. 

Most of the drawers are not tall enough. This was one of those wooden machinests tool boxes. There is one that is tall enough so I guess that's the one to use. Good tip on the paint dot. 

I had a similar issue with one storage cabinet I have.  I bought a couple of small, 3-drawer containers by Sterlite, like this one:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-Small-3-Drawer-Unit-White-Clear-Drawers/10877957?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101042811&adid=22222222222000033005&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10357834190&wl4=pla-4578160304141729&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=10877957_10001062187&wl14=sterilite%20storage%20containers%203-drawer&veh=sem&msclkid=ce637e575ec21ce867251e87f5a27757&gclid=ce637e575ec21ce867251e87f5a27757&gclsrc=3p.ds

and found that the drawers weren't deep enough, especially for the larger Tamiya bottles.  I found other uses for these storage units, but not for paint jars.

And to Rob's suggestion about putting a drop of paint on the lids, unfortunately for me, that's not sufficient.  Some of the colors are so close to each other that I couldn't tell them apart that way.  That's why I use small gummed labels instead.

I keep all my tamiya paints in a shoe box stored away, and only have the paints that I need on my desk for the project that i'm working on.  So, typically I have about 12 bottles on my desk and the rest are stored in a shoebox.

Sorry for not answering sooner, attached are 2 photos of the bin I build for the paints. They were built with some scrap material I had around the shop. It works good if you do not have that many bottles, but, I am finding out that it may be too small. So now I am thinking of a new way to keep my bottles. I was looking at BISH solution, and I may do something along those lines.

Joe