I've been on the lookout too but unfortunately unsuccessful... the old CPU trays sometimes come up but often very expensive, the only ones I ever got broke in shipping 😒

a cheap solution is open cell ESD foam you can just stick your CPUs in (the one specifically designed for that purpose) and then just store them in a box and you can just see all the CPUs at once.

Well that's too bad. The american solution is quite good but it costs $90/100 pcs + shipping.
The russian version is open and only holds 6 CPUs.

currently I'm just using cheap ziplock shielding bags for most of them, works too but not as convenient for taking them out often ^^ could get larger ones, that would make it easier.

they're only a few bucks for 100pcs
(disregard the K6, got that clamshell box with it already ^^)

I have a few of those chip boxes you have, they are excellent for this purpose! 😀
Too bad they cost $2 a piece.

Miphee wrote on 2021-02-18, 15:26:

Well that's too bad. The american solution is quite good but it costs $90/100 pcs + shipping.
The russian version is open and only holds 6 CPUs.

I use those clam shells. They work well for all different size CPU's (up to Pentium Pro) and provide good pin protection during storage. At a little under a dollar a piece with the ESD foam included (ebay), it is reasonable. I'm sure they can be found on Aliexpress or something for much cheaper, but I haven't looked. As far as Slot 1 / Slot A CPU's, I just put them in an ESD safe bag and put them in the box with the rest of my clamshell protected CPU's.

wiretap wrote on 2021-02-18, 17:42:

At a little under a dollar a piece with the ESD foam included (ebay), it is reasonable.

It's still too steep for me because I have 92 pcs in that size and still expect to get 254 to complete the collection. That's more than $300 to spend on CPU boxes alone, way too much. Those 775 shells only cost ¢15 a piece.
I'll probably have to custom-make them to save money.
I'll share it here when I'm done with a prototype.

imi wrote on 2021-02-18, 15:07:

I've been on the lookout too but unfortunately unsuccessful... the old CPU trays sometimes come up but often very expensive, the only ones I ever got broke in shipping 😒

a cheap solution is open cell ESD foam you can just stick your CPUs in (the one specifically designed for that purpose) and then just store them in a box and you can just see all the CPUs at once.

The old CPU trays are imo the best. CPU storage can get to take up a lot more space if not using them.

Wasn't there the option to use a 3D printer to print new CPU trays? I don't have any experience with 3D printers myself so I don't know much about them, but I thought I should mention this anyway.

EDIT:
Slot 1 CPUs I store either in a shoebox or something stacked vertically (with thus the print side readable when opening the box) or packed in ESD bags. These are not always easy to store becuse many of the ones I have come in all sorts of cooling solutions of different sizes which not always are easy to remove witho0ut breaking something.

This was the 3D printed trays thread: [Project] 3D Printed CPU Tray's

Thanks guys but these are open trays and I'm looking for clamshell types to protect against dust as well.
This is the cheapest I found so far, ¢32 a piece on Aliexpress, jewelry storage boxes.
Still a lot of money because you have to buy 500 pcs + shipping.

you could ask these guys:
http://www.memorypack.com.tw/CPU/cpu%20tray/2 … 0tray%20esd.htm

if you order a box and they're a reasonable price I'd take some too :p

Thanks but I've already seen it on sale and it's not cheap either.
The problem with these "memory packs", "designed for collectors" is that they are overpriced.
Everyone wants their share of the retro business. 😁 The cheapest I found is ¢49 a piece for this type (comes in a pack of 48).
Still $160 for 8 packs + $20 shipping.
Before anyone thinks that I'm too cheap: I can buy 35 pcs of 370/462 CPUs for that price or 20 pcs of socket 3 types. Way too much to spend on packaging.
The last 775 clamshell pack I bought was ¢4 a piece by a hungarian seller. Too bad he doesn't sell 370 packs.
But $180 for simple plastic? Ridiculous. If I had $180 to spend I'd buy most of the Core 2 Extreme line instead.
I'm not concerned about ESD either so anything goes as long as it's cheap and is a transparent clamshell.

Miphee wrote on 2021-02-18, 15:26:

Well that's too bad. The american solution is quite good but it costs $90/100 pcs + shipping.
The russian version is open and only holds 6 CPUs.

I recognize that ebay listing image!

I actually bought 200 of those holders, at the time it was more like 0.75 per unit. I can say, they work perfectly for any cpu up to those large xeon chips. part of the reason they cost so much; they have to cut that anti-static foam by hand and insert it into each clamshell. then shipping is a large cost because the box is large and light.

yea, its still a bit high on the price considering, but the solution was 100% effective.

luckybob wrote on 2021-02-19, 18:01:

yea, its still a bit high on the price considering, but the solution was 100% effective.

I'd certainly buy it if it wasn't overpriced because "for collectors".

Found a cost-effective solution that fits my criteria:

- transparent clam-type
- protects against pin damage
- fits all s370 CPUs
- super cheap
- easy to make

Overall cost of a single homemade clamshell for s370 size CPUs (with safety pin): ¢10
Overall cost of a single homemade clamshell for s370 size CPUs (without safety pin): ¢6

Tested on IBM, Intel, AMD CPUs of this size. Dropped a Celeron 433 from a height of 50 cm multiple times(~20"), no damage.
The safety pin is not mandatory, the hard, flexible plastic holds the CPU in place.
No ESD protection but this can be made using ESD proof material as well.
Other sizes are also possible, even slot1.

Cheap protection for s370-sized CPUs.

no offense, but then you could have also just taken the antistatic shielding bag route that I'm currently using ^^
that would have been just as cheap, no work involved, and ESD safe.

It's similar but not the same, the PP lid is very strong and prevents physical damage.
The ESD bag is too soft and doesn't offer clam-like protection, it was important to me.
Essentially it's the same as your ESD bag but it's size fits the CPU perfectly so it doesn't move around at all.

I forgot to mention, you can also put 2 CPUs pins 2 pins in the same (ESD) bag. If the bag is bigger, you can fold the bag and put a second pair of CPUs in there. Can't really stack them very high that way but it works pretty good for the CPUs I don't have trays for.
This will also work for CPUs with heatsinks attached like the overdrives and it works for any size.

Tetrium wrote on 2021-02-21, 12:20:

I forgot to mention, you can also put 2 CPUs pins 2 pins in the same (ESD) bag.

I try to avoid that at all costs because dropping a soft bag with 2 CPUs inside always ends in disaster unless they are taped together.
1 box 1 CPU for me. These chinese ESD bags just don't have the necessary stiffness and even the smallest ones are too big for a s370 CPU.