diff --git a/src/main/java/storagecraft/storage/StorageItem.java b/src/main/java/storagecraft/storage/StorageItem.java
index e460d63b6..14999043f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/storagecraft/storage/StorageItem.java
+++ b/src/main/java/storagecraft/storage/StorageItem.java
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package storagecraft.storage;
 
+import cpw.mods.fml.common.network.ByteBufUtils;
 import cpw.mods.fml.relauncher.Side;
 import cpw.mods.fml.relauncher.SideOnly;
+import io.netty.buffer.ByteBuf;
 import net.minecraft.item.Item;
 import net.minecraft.item.ItemStack;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.NBTTagCompound;
@@ -15,6 +17,14 @@ public class StorageItem {
 	@SideOnly(Side.CLIENT)
 	private int id;
 
+	public StorageItem(ByteBuf buf) {
+		this.id = buf.readInt();
+		this.type = Item.getItemById(buf.readInt());
+		this.quantity = buf.readInt();
+		this.damage = buf.readInt();
+		this.tag = buf.readBoolean() ? ByteBufUtils.readTag(buf) : null;
+	}
+
 	public StorageItem(Item type, int quantity, int damage, NBTTagCompound tag) {
 		this.type = type;
 		this.quantity = quantity;
@@ -32,6 +42,18 @@ public class StorageItem {
 		this(stack.getItem(), stack.stackSize, stack.getItemDamage(), stack.stackTagCompound);
 	}
 
+	public void toBytes(ByteBuf buf, int id) {
+		buf.writeInt(id);
+		buf.writeInt(Item.getIdFromItem(type));
+		buf.writeInt(quantity);
+		buf.writeInt(damage);
+		buf.writeBoolean(tag != null);
+
+		if (tag != null) {
+			ByteBufUtils.writeTag(buf, tag);
+		}
+	}
+
 	public Item getType() {
 		return type;
 	}
diff --git a/src/main/java/storagecraft/tile/TileController.java b/src/main/java/storagecraft/tile/TileController.java
index 5e8b35a43..ab63ea928 100644
--- a/src/main/java/storagecraft/tile/TileController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/storagecraft/tile/TileController.java
@@ -2,11 +2,9 @@ package storagecraft.tile;
 
 import cofh.api.energy.EnergyStorage;
 import cofh.api.energy.IEnergyReceiver;
-import cpw.mods.fml.common.network.ByteBufUtils;
 import io.netty.buffer.ByteBuf;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
-import net.minecraft.item.Item;
 import net.minecraft.item.ItemStack;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.NBTTagCompound;
 import net.minecraft.tileentity.TileEntity;
@@ -293,7 +291,6 @@ public class TileController extends TileBase implements IEnergyReceiver, INetwor
 		return zCoord;
 	}
 
-	// @TODO: add helpers for sending redstone control + item storages over net
 	@Override
 	public void fromBytes(ByteBuf buf) {
 		energy.setEnergyStored(buf.readInt());
@@ -306,13 +303,7 @@ public class TileController extends TileBase implements IEnergyReceiver, INetwor
 		int size = buf.readInt();
 
 		for (int i = 0; i < size; ++i) {
-			int id = buf.readInt();
-			Item type = Item.getItemById(buf.readInt());
-			int quantity = buf.readInt();
-			int damage = buf.readInt();
-			NBTTagCompound tag = buf.readBoolean() ? ByteBufUtils.readTag(buf) : null;
-
-			items.add(new StorageItem(type, quantity, damage, tag, id));
+			items.add(new StorageItem(buf));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -326,15 +317,7 @@ public class TileController extends TileBase implements IEnergyReceiver, INetwor
 		buf.writeInt(items.size());
 
 		for (StorageItem item : items) {
-			buf.writeInt(items.indexOf(item));
-			buf.writeInt(Item.getIdFromItem(item.getType()));
-			buf.writeInt(item.getQuantity());
-			buf.writeInt(item.getDamage());
-			buf.writeBoolean(item.getTag() != null);
-
-			if (item.getTag() != null) {
-				ByteBufUtils.writeTag(buf, item.getTag());
-			}
+			item.toBytes(buf, items.indexOf(item));
 		}
 	}
 }