FAQ

Why would you want to get a box of junk in the mail?
As Mark Frauenfelder observed in Make: vol. 12, there is a certain importance to keeping a junk box for future projects. We heartily agree. Perhaps a component in the box-- or the box itself-- will inspire your next project. Or just maybe it will have that frobnicated interoceter you've been looking for forever. Or maybe you just want to join our fledgling junk-sharing movement because it's fun.

HELP! I got this box in the mail. Now what?
Don't worry-- it will all be okay. Read the Participation guide to see what it's all about. If you get lost or need help, please contact a project administrator.

How do I contact a project administrator?
The "About" page provides a current link to contact a TGIMBOEJ admin.

Who you should send the box to?
A proposed recipient should be someone you suspect of having a critical mass of (or at least sufficiently interesting) electronics junk, should have a non-zero online presence, and should be reliable enough that you think they actually will send it off again within two weeks.
We also have a list of happy, willing participants here.

Stupid acronym. How do you pronounce it?
Tig-Ihm-Boh-Edge. :)

I've got three small bins of good electronics parts that I no longer need. How do I participate?
Sounds like you need to start a box or two! See our instructions on How to start a box, and go from there. If you need any assistance in getting things started, please contact a TGIMBOEJ administrator.

I've got 24 wrapped pallets of surplus electronics to donate. Can I ship them to you?
TGIMBOEJ is a community based project that coordinates sharing of small boxes of electronics parts between end users. There is no "main warehouse," and no provision for handling any larger pieces of equipment. If you just have a large quantity of small (but interesting) parts, you might consider launching a bunch of new boxes on your own.

In exceptional circumstances, we have sometimes assisted in the distribution of a small treasure trove over several boxes. However, this really is the exception, not the rule.

Don't sweat the details.
Can you say "no" if someone offers you the box? Yes. Can you send it to someone who already has had the box? Yes. If the box gets too full, can you split the contents in two and send them in two different directions? Yes (but don't forget to add a new log form (628 kB PDF file) to the new box). Just keep it moving, and have fun.