Pill Bottle Storage Rack

Recycle used pill bottles into something you can use in your workshop  I have lots of old prescription pill bottles that I use for small parts, but they haven't been organized well until now. Here is how I built a pill bottle storage rack that will hold 22 pill bottles to store small parts.  I built it at TechShop in Round Rock, TX.

Step 1: Create File and Send to Laser

I used CorelDRAW on a TechShop computer to create an image that is 24" long by 3.5" wide (the size of the boards I got from Lowe's) with 11 evenly spaced 1.5 " diameter circles. I added the date and other information so I'll know when I made this. I wanted to see how the laser engraved the text as well as how it cut the holes.

I used 0.5" thick pine from Lowe's for the two rows of my Pill bottle storage rack. The Trotec laser made 6 passes in order to cut out the holes for the pill bottles.

Step 2: Cut the Sides

I had another 24" long by 3.5" wide board with spacer holes that I used for the sides.

I cut this board 10.5" from one end at a 45 degree angle to end up with the two pieces for the sides.

I used 9.75" long pieces of 0.5" thick by 3.5" wide pine as the base on each side of the rack to hold the sides.  I used 1.25" self-drilling wood screws to hold everything together.

Step 3: Finished Product

Here's a close up of the Pill bottle storage rack with the laser cut holes and some of the pill bottles.

Comments

[jott_1]

Can I get the dwg or corel draw files?

[jayrob56]

I've added the Corel file I made for this. Hope it is helpful to you.

[dc.berryman1983]

This is the idea I’ve been looking for to organize all those tiny nuts, bolts and screws in the workshop. With two rows, I can put two size bottles on two different rows and glue a sample on the cap for quick ID. And this doesn’t require I have a 3D printer. Thanks!

[taria]

this isn't a bad idea in fact I think it's brilliant since my step father's hand shakes and he knocks all his pill bottles over trying to grab just one. But what about not have it a tilt so you can see the labels? or what do you do about the fatter bottles? I know I'm being to picky..sorry :)

[alcurb]

Regarding seeing the labels, I think you can, it is just the photos were taken at an angle and you can't see the labels from that view. Yet I agree that adjustable tilt would be a nice feature.I agree with you that an assortment of holes would work great. Although it's a little hard to anticipate what size bottles the pharmacist is filling on your next refill. LEDs would be useful because the horizontal wood pieces would cast a shadow over the labels under overhead lighting. The LED strips are so cheap nowadays.

[tmcdonald4]

I suffer from frequent vertigo, which makes reading that fine little print from the pharmacy very difficult at times, so I started to print out round labels with the medication name in much bigger print and stick it on the top.

[mrsmerwin]

I was thinking more like this would let you sort little things rather than keeping your prescriptions organized.

[Betsycrnfa]

I have one word for you....(you must be young)...Parkinsons.

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Very nice idea! I can see this having lots of uses :) You should enter this into the Holiday Gifts Contest!

[doo da do]

I have nine scripts this will be great, thinking outside the box. Gotta love it

[ThamarBerber]

Thanks for this wonderful idea! This will make it a lot easier to keep track of my pills, and when to order again.