Gregg Brightwell

Gregg Brightwell

Well Known Member
Hey all,

I have shadowed all my tool box drawers, but over the last few years, the foam has started to rise up, wrinkle, etc.

I have found several websites online that have the awesome 6lb density phone for tool boxes, but it is outrageous what it would cost to do my boxes. (500$)

Any body have any good, more affordable options?

Gregg
 
I have always wanted to do this, just dont have a clue on how to do it yourself and make it look professional. This would be a huge help!!
-david
 
Polyethylene Foam Sheets

We use Polyethylene Foam Sheets at work to shadow tools boxes. I Googled Polyethylene Foam Sheets and found this site:
http://www.closedcellfoams.com/polyethylene.html

Do some more searching and you might find something close to you. Look for a local Industrial Supply business that factories buy supplies from and they can usually find this kind of stuff at a decent price.
 
I'd not heard of that before. I've got a business shooting polyurea. I bet if you used some inexpensive foam and shot some poly on it it would probably last forever. Of course that could be a bad thing if you got a new set of wrenches.
 
Foam sleeping pads from the camping section in Walmart work pretty well. Other retail outlets carry them, but Wally-World seems to be "just up the road" from everyone!

Best of luck,
Rob
 
rmd said:
Foam sleeping pads from the camping section in Walmart work pretty well. Other retail outlets carry them, but Wally-World seems to be "just up the road" from everyone!

Best of luck,
Rob
Click to expand...


Had an A&P friend that used the same stuff. Traced out the tool on it, and used a dremel to cut it out. Looked slick and made it easy to inventory.
 
Tried

Last Spring I decided to get things together regarding my tools. I bought a BIG Craftsman box that was being offered for 1/2 price. It was still $1000. Then I ordered a 500 piece tool set.

My initial thought was to shadow the tools. I spent hours on the Internet searching for foam. I found it but it was outrageously priced. I did find a place in Tucson that was reasonable but the guy jerked me around on ordering a thickness that I wanted.

So, I went with the thin foam matting from Harbor Freight. This is stuff that looks like netting. I also bought the plastic socket trays from Sears. They work great.

I'm glad I went with the matting and didn't spend the money on the shadow foam. Unless it is laser cut it is tough to get right. With the matting the tools are easily accessible and don't move around at all.
 
Foam

Well, my reason for shadowing is for tool control, and FOD prevention. I build airplanes for a living, and tool control is of the utmost importance. Shadowing takes time, but looks very professional if done right. I will see if I can get a pic of a couple of my box drawers.

Trace the tool with a needle point sharpie, cut out the shape with a NEW x-acto blade. Change blades often, as the sharper the blade, the cleaner the cut.

I found a site that has some specials, basically remnants. I will call them tomorrow and see what they can do for me. Hint, use a contrasting color behind the shadow foam. Makes it immediately obvious if a tool is missing.

I will let you all know what this company says tomorrow.

Gregg
 
Try ULINE, (800) 295-5510. or uline.com.

Looking at their foam, it appears that they sell it in carton quantities, so if you need just one piece this won't do.

They are a shipping supply company, and have excellent service and decent prices. I used them once for a roll of that single-sided corrugated cardboard and was happy.


Only a customer, no other connection.

Dave
 
If you want to go to the trouble...

Lay out your tools and take a top down photo of each drawer. Scale it in photoshop so the drawer in the photo has the exact dimensions of the drawer. Create another layer and on that layer trace an outline of each tool. Save it as an EPS and take it to your local laser engraver with the material (posts above). They can laser the cutouts and it is pretty quick and easy. We thought about offering this as a service or cutouts with tool kits, but it is prohibitively expensive as a one at a time process.
 
The cheap-o/fast solution

Late getting back to the game...

Here's the $5 solution like was mentioned earlier. I had some extra foam rubber floor matting. The kind you use in a home gym, or what not (what I used it for). It interlocks along the edges, super cheap, know what I'm talking about? (Edit: I just realized there are some pieces sitting next to the box in the first picture, so you know what I'm talking about.)

Cut out the dimensions of my drawer on it with a box cutter, laid out the tools, traced them with a sharpie, and cut them out with a dremel. You'll see a few of them have little chunks missing... I was experimenting with different dremel bits. Hands down the best thing to use was a regular wood drill bit. Just make sure you have something under it you dont mind scratching up. My next drawer will look better now that I have the technique down.

6jkrcm.jpg


Did the same thing for wrenches too.

Socket set I have a set I've been using on my cars for years. Cut it in half and the halves laid into the drawers perfectly.

znrgqv.jpg



Yes that's a couch next to my tool box, I have a couch in my garage.
 
I love the idea of shadowing even though I'll be the first to admit that I'll probably never do it.

I have 2 issues with shadowing:
1) It's more space efficient to store some tools (like wrenches) on their edges in a rack
2) what to you do when you buy more tools??? - Which for me seems to be never ending.
 
I do have a few drawer with strips of foam slotted for stuff like screw drivers and other things I can stand on end and still close the drawer, however the shadowing makes inventory as simple as a glimpse in the drawer.

As far as needing more space, you get to buy another bigger tool box! :D
 
Yoga Mat

I use a yoga mat, It has a thin film which is easy to clean on one side and each mat is only 20 bucks... get an exacto blade and a sharpening stone.... draw and cut. Super easy and super cheap. Or... if I can get this laser cutter.... I can just cut it out for you :)
Best
Brian
 
Bob'sRV6A said:
I get mine at Sears
Click to expand...

+1

That's what I did as well. But keep in mind that Sears sells two different styles of liner. They have the really thin foam stuff and they have the thicker non-slip grippy stuff. I've used the thin stuff and didn't like it. It will curl on you after a while. But the non-slip grippy stuff is terrific.

And I also experimented with a locking foam floor mat for my pliers drawer. The result was ok but not great IMO. The foam of those floor mats is just too stiff for my taste. For sockets and wrenches I prefer caddies that keep everything organized by size but allow me to grab a all the sockets of a particular type at once and take it to where I'm working so I can change socket sizes as needed on the fly without having to walk back to the toolbox. Just my preference.
 
Sig600 said:
Late getting back to the game...

Here's the $5 solution like was mentioned earlier. I had some extra foam rubber floor matting. The kind you use in a home gym, or what not (what I used it for). It interlocks along the edges, super cheap, know what I'm talking about? (Edit: I just realized there are some pieces sitting next to the box in the first picture, so you know what I'm talking about.)

Cut out the dimensions of my drawer on it with a box cutter, laid out the tools, traced them with a sharpie, and cut them out with a dremel. You'll see a few of them have little chunks missing... I was experimenting with different dremel bits. Hands down the best thing to use was a regular wood drill bit. Just make sure you have something under it you dont mind scratching up. My next drawer will look better now that I have the technique down.

6jkrcm.jpg


Did the same thing for wrenches too.

Socket set I have a set I've been using on my cars for years. Cut it in half and the halves laid into the drawers perfectly.

znrgqv.jpg



Yes that's a couch next to my tool box, I have a couch in my garage.
Click to expand...

You would make your AM/AD shop proud!
 
Great how to!

Anyone tried adapting an exacto knife to one of those vibrating/oscillating tools to cut the ethafoam mats?

If someone has all the supplies, please return and report.

Thanks,
Mike
 
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