The Cal-look Lounge

OK... this may be the computer geek in me over thinking things again... does anyone use any software to inventory parts for their VW projects. I've got parts in several different storage locations and I forget what I have and where it is. Sometimes I buy things only to find I already have them or I can't locate that part when I need it. I'd like to start going through things and making an inventory to make some sense of the chaos. I could probably make something out of Access but I'd hate to reinvent the wheel when someone might have something ready to go.

Less computer time, MORE SANDING, CLEANING, WRENCHING, WELDING, PAINTING, FINISHING YOUR CAR TIME!!!!!!!!! no excuses, just get out there and do something, anything, cleaning bolts for reassembly, fitting fender bead, anything. it wont get done if YOU dont do it ;)

After tomorrow, I won't have a car to work on.  ;)

Just months to plan and invnetory!  ;D

Well that and maybe getting the motor started.

I saw an orange notchback that just needs assembly, get after it

LOL well there's also the '26 and the SVO and my Jeep has a blown head gasket!

In case you haven't noticed Rick, Im gonna keep pushing you to finish that car. Once you get started, all the old memories and tricks you used to know come back and you can't wait to get home to start doing something to it. You will see

Sell that crap to finance the VWs

I have no doubt that you are right my friend!

It's so odd to see that car so much in the past week.

the '26 will probably go to finance other things. The SVO is 1 of 2 cars that I will never sell with the other being the '67. And the Jeep is my "tow" vehicle. I could sell it but it would need  to be replaced.

Rick,
with all my projects I just use an excel spread sheet.  I have parts I want, parts I have, cost, where to purchase, and where I have them stored.  But as I learned a few weeks ago, if you don't update it, you won't find your parts.  case in point, my door panel clips.  I have 2 packs somewhere in my garage.
Everyone gives me the same advice (and it is good advice).  sell my cars to finance 1 good car.  The question is which one do I sell, I enjoy driving each car, and I know that if sold them I probably will never purchase another one.
Good luck with this dilema, I sure can't give you any advice.
jim

So the software Rick really needs is MS Project then  :D

Hey Rick, I thought I saw you towing your '67 today in Lake Forest? I thought it was your car?

I have a Moleskine notebook (or two) for each project car I'm working on, they're great little old school books and I keep a constant rolling inventory of parts in and out, want lists...essential and non essential, sketches of ideas etc, photos of inspirational cars/details.....I have loads of old ones going back 20 years from when I was working on my first cars,which are fun to look back on occasionally..... Best of all I always have a couple on me at a car show so I can jot down anything that catches my attention( my memory has long been ruined!!)
if they were good enough for Ernest Hemingway then they're good enough for me!
Cheers...jick

No matter how good the system (whether a software or a piece of paper and a pencil) can be in theory, in practice it will be only as good as the person that do data input.
And I know that I will not remember to do it systematically.

Luckily, my girlfriend has a perfect memory, so I always ask her. It sometimes seems funny, especially when she's not around and I have to phone her from the garage asking where a given part may be, but it works.

But this isn't probably very useful for other people...  ;)

You must have been up early!  ;)

<edit>

Oh wait... that was probably last night... down El Toro?

Got it ;-)

Unfortunately, my wife's memory is no better than mine!  ;D

That's the way I did it back in the day but unfortunately, my hand writing has never been good and as I write less and less it's getting worse and worse.

Hey Rick, great to hear about your car and a comeback of it. Can't wait to see it finished.
Just make up an Excel spread sheet of what you have in VW parts,....body parts, engine parts, carb parts and so on. And where there at.

Ted

For data retrieval I would use Acces rather than Excel, if available. Makes it so much easier to determine where a part comes from and to which (current or future) projects it is assigned to.

1) Make up your basic inventory list(s) with Excel. Use a primary key (unique part ID). For the part attribute values, try to use pre-defined lists whenever possible. Free text entries tend to cause more (unwanted) results when performing data retrieval later on.
2) Import your Excel tables into Access, make sure the primary key is maintained.
3) Create a query matching against the attribute combinations you are interested in (e.g. display all your body parts currently located in your storage facility #1). You can easily create SQL queries in the Design View if you are not too familiar with the SQL conventions.
4) When doing inventory updates, do this in the Access tables so you don't have to import your data again.

There are plenty of free SQL query tools out there as an alternative to Access.

on Jeronimo driving towards Bake Pkwy. Glad ur makin' progress. I thought that was your car. Great news! The car was on a trailor.

Software I use is a soft back notebook pad and pencil. [color not important]

I just keep a mental inventory.
No worries about glitches, viruses or misplacing the notebook !
 :)

be a woman!

Bolt em all onto one car. All you'll have to remember is where you parked it  ;D....

One other thing you may want to consider, Hideing your stash somewhere besides your ash tray. The cops are onto that spot now.

Yeah I am bad about ordering a part I already have. I once ordered the same part twice in a week because I forgot I had already ordered it the first time. I am moving more towards just in time parts ordering. Pick a project to complete on the car, order the parts, complete the project, move on to the next project. That way you don't have parts sitting around gathering dust and being forgotten. It also keeps you from having to find places to store all that stuff.

--louis

Do your self a favor rick and buy some shelves where the car is going to be assembled and a few plastic tubs and zip lock bags. {For parts} O-YA, Have sue and lisa order the parts. LOL