Tool Chest Organisation

[variant]

Foam ordered to do my top 3 drawers, this should be fun!!

I'm too tight to buy shadow foam so found some £3 sheets in Hobbycraft. Set to them with the holesaws.

 

[roverspeed]

I have most of my "normal sized" Spanners on Magnetic wall holders. Big ones (22-38mm) are in a drawer of there one.

Everything else like sockets/screwdrivers etc I keep in the cases I got them or lose in drawers, but in a fairly Logical way. Then odd tools like brake winders etc all have metal cabinet to themselves.

I help out a lot of mates etc, so I have 2 large flight cases I keep empty, so if I am going to a specific job I can throw what I think I will need in them.

I was reconciling and tidying recently and found that i had 6 heavy duty Stanley stapler guns and at least 5 autopunches :-D

 

[svensktoppen]

I am tempted by buying sheets of foam and cutting to shape but I imagine it would be difficult to do neatly!

I've cut foam to shape for transport cases, easy to do with a small serrated knife or a Stanley knife. Even a bread knife. Just depends on the size and type of foam. You can get special electric knives as well with a kind of v-shape blade. They make for neater cutting but obviously only worth it if you do a lot of it. Basic knives work just fine.

Get double layer foam to cut through one layer and leave the bottom layer as protection.

 

[FM155]

For work stuff, I've been using double layered foam (mainly red but with a 3mm black top layer) to make equipment storage cases. The way I find works best is to cut right through the whole depth and then shave off the amount you need from the cutout to make a plug for the base. It's really hard to get it right though and takes ages.

I've previously used yoga mats cut to suit but it's not as tidy looking.

 

[dross432]

Needs a tidy but thats my racks etc. The socket trays are about 10£ off ebay do rightly

 

[ChrisR]

I've cut foam to shape for transport cases, easy to do with a small serrated knife or a Stanley knife. Even a bread knife. Just depends on the size and type of foam. You can get special electric knives as well with a kind of v-shape blade. They make for neater cutting but obviously only worth it if you do a lot of it. Basic knives work just fine.

Get double layer foam to cut through one layer and leave the bottom layer as protection.

Yep the foam I have got is maybe 7 layers deep so you can cut the exact depth then it SHOULD easily peel

 

[variant]

Yep the foam I have got is maybe 7 layers deep so you can cut the exact depth then it SHOULD easily peel

Your suspicions are correct there Chris........

 

[ChrisR]

The cutting has commenced....... this is going to take a while!

Certainly not perfect but I’m happy with how it’s turned out so far. I’ll hopefully have it perfected by the time I get to things like spanner sets where they’ll need to be more consistent.

 

[svensktoppen]

Nothing wrong with that.

 

[quattro Rick]

The cutting has commenced....... this is going to take a while!

Certainly not perfect but I’m happy with how it’s turned out so far. I’ll hopefully have it perfected by the time I get to things like spanner sets where they’ll need to be more consistent.

View attachment 296175View attachment 296176View attachment 296177

Might be worth adding in finger tip sized holes in some of the trickier pieces

Those first two for example look like they'll be awkward to remove, a small crescent on the straight edge you can get a finger into to grip might be worth thinking about

 

[ChrisR]

Might be worth adding in finger tip sized holes in some of the trickier pieces

Yep defo, going to do them all at the end.

 

[ChrisR]

Bit more progress (still to do finger holes)
Gap has been purposely left on top tray for now to either move some tools from lower down or allow expansion.

Its taken about 6hrs so far. One thing I have learned is more space is needed from initial layout to actual space needed.

 

[Terry]

I admire your patience and determination to get through all that. I didn’t get on well with foam but it was pre-made and didn’t give the option to customise.

Not sure if the empty layout would help with any ideas;





I couldn’t recommend spanner rails enough though. They doubled the amount I could put in a single drawer and would save a lot of foam cutting.

Similar to a decent socket rail too, easier to work with than lifting in and out of foam & saves a load of room.




Drawers with decent liners should in general keep most stuff where it needs to be but I can appreciate a well set up and organised foam layout too, less chance to turn into disorganised chaos

 

[-Pete-]

View attachment 296543
View attachment 296544

Drawers with decent liners should in general keep most stuff where it needs to be but I can appreciate a well set up and organised foam layout too, less chance to turn into disorganised chaos

Definitely my style of preferred layout. Get way more in each drawer and no money or time wasted on the foam. hours and hours cutting foam is just a total waste of time for me. Also, if you you're using foam in a tool chest , you clearly haven't got enough tools yet

 

[ChrisR]

My tools in the drawers with foam are carefully picked, I’ve loads of other tools I rarely use so they will go in the lower down drawers / in a normal toolbox.
All good fun!

 

[svensktoppen]

Yep, the foam can be worth it for special tools, precision tools, etc. Obviously not for everyday stuff.

Spanners and whatnot can go on rails in the bottom, screwdrivers in a tin on the worktop, etc.

 

[variant]

 

[Apis]

Been playing around with some plywood and a CNC router.
Machine dropped a fart top right, but otherwise not far away.

 

[variant]

Been playing around with some plywood and a CNC router.
Machine dropped a fart top right, but otherwise not far away.

View attachment 296603

Love that, Silca supply a lot of bike tool sets in nice wooden silhouettes like that.

You taking orders?

 

[Apis]

Love that, Silca supply a lot of bike tool sets in nice wooden silhouettes like that.

You taking orders?

View attachment 296606

That's nice, might try one sometime.

 

[-Pete-]

is it a home gamer machine @Apis or in work on something bigger?

 

[Apis]

is it a home gamer machine @Apis or in work on something bigger?

If I had a spare 28 grand I could have it at home, but it's an educational one at my work.
Denford 6600pro with 1000x600 vacuum bed and dust extractor.

 

[-Pete-]

noice. Thought you'd maybe got a x carve or shaepoko at home. better using the one at work for sure though.

 

[mrloaf]

Reckon upgrading my tool storage is next on the list, got this basic cabinet that done a good job of locating all my tools in one place albeit unorganised

Thinking of picking up this 36" cabinet to accompany it, then investing some time in organisation, those spanner rails and socket rails look to be a good job

 

[RoniN]

Reckon upgrading my tool storage is next on the list, got this basic cabinet that done a good job of locating all my tools in one place albeit unorganised
View attachment 296694

Thinking of picking up this 36" cabinet to accompany it, then investing some time in organisation, those spanner rails and socket rails look to be a good job
View attachment 296695

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