Cataloging Parts.

I bought a pallet of NOS/NIB parts today and I'm kind of overwhelmed with the whole mess. I'm trying to get everything organized by brand, OEM, part number, application, etc. What's the best way to go about this?

Start from top of pallet and work your way down.

MrChaos wrote: Start from top of pallet and work your way down.

I'm talking more about a computer program or something. I'm doing it on paper currently. Pain in my ass.

What's your plans for the parts? Total distinct items? Count of each item?

Excel would probably be quickest/easiest if the item count & quantities aren't too large. Access would be your next step. Although if you're talking thousands of pieces of hundreds of items - and you're planning selling them bit by bit - now would be the time to buy a bar-code scanner(presuming they're coded already) and find some open-source inventory management software.

I would guess there's ~500 parts. It's mostly engine stuff. Bearings, rings, piston kits, etc.

I'm planning on selling bit by bit and putting some like parts in lots (like an engine rebuild kit or pairs of drag links).

For only 500 parts an Excel spreadsheet would work fine. If you don't have Microsoft Office, OpenOffice is a free download and it has a spreadsheet program that is very similar to Excel.

i did it on paper, one chunk at a time.

i picked up the entire "gm said to dumpster this stuff instead of sending it back" inventory of a small dealer once. it was everything from little plastic bits to axles. i sold the big high dollar stuff first, then tried to figure out the small stuff a bit at a time. i tossed everything i couldn't figure out application of in a box and sold it at a yard sale for $10 as "NOS GM grab box"