Kaizen Foam, Tool Trays vs. Drawer Trays

[CentenIJ]

Hey Guys, just got my hands on some Kaizen foam to permanently secure some of the loose tools in my tool box.

The conundrum I have now is whether I should cut sheets to the width/depth of my tool box drawers and then mark/layout the tools OR if I should cut out smaller pieces and make trays for specific tools sorta like what you get from some tool manufacturers when you buy tools sets (i.e. a tool tray for screwdrivers, another one for pry-bars, etc.).

What do ya’ll think?

 

[FuzzyTiger]

Both. Start by cutting to the drawer size. That way it will fit perfectly in your drawers. Then lay out your tools and cut it into individual trays with similar tools so if you need to grab all your screw drivers you can but your trays won't create an awkward mess.

 

[Eric Essen]

I've done bigger tool cabinets with Kaizen and smaller take in the field boxes with it. Sometimes the drawers are not deep enough/foam thick enough to have the structure to create a great removable section for my uses.

Instead of taking trays for jobs, I have my main workshop and rolling toolbox tools that mostly stay in my shop, then I have smaller portable kits in toolboxes for more specialized jobs in the shop or to go. A soldering/electrical box, general household repair tasks box, a to-go basic automotive box, vintage scooter/motorcycle box with specialty tools, Klein bag with plumbing tools and supplies, etc. Also gives me a reason to justify owning multiples variations of the same tool

 

[CentenIJ]

I have Ernst socket trays and wrench racks. I really do like the option to take them all out since sometimes you don’t know which size you’ll need.

What I do worry about with doing full drawer trays is the problem it poses if I decide to move the tools around or if I get a new tool box with different width/depth drawers. I think having multiple foam trays and joining them up to make up the full depth/width of the drawer like fuzzytiger mentioned might be a good compromise.

 

[matlok]

Dividing them up is probably a pretty good idea. It’d be less to re-cut if they don’t perfectly fit a new box. I’ve got a few that I’ve cut just to fill up the off-size space remaining from other pre-made eva sets.

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[CentenIJ]

Dividing them up is probably a pretty good idea. It’d be less to re-cut if they don’t perfectly fit a new box. I’ve got a few that I’ve cut just to fill up the off-size space remaining from other pre-made eva sets.

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

That’s a nice setup!

 

[Mallen]

I'm in the he process of making kaizen foam for my tool chest. I'm using yoga mats from Amazon.com. they are about $13 each and come in red or black and a a half inch thick. I'll cut the mats to fit the drawers. The cut the tool shapes out of the black mats. Some deeper tools like ratchets will have to go down into the red mat.ill cut the mats so that when they are pleased with the ridged sides together the ridges align I to the grooves. Once they are cut I will glue them together with contact cement.

 

[SRSemenza]

I know this is mostly about foam, but the Mantis Tool Grid (same as / made for Matco, 1/3 the price of Matco) is excellent! Holds stuff well, freely rearrange, make tools as densely packed or sparse as you like, etc. Plus it is much easier and faster than cutting foam.

Seth

 

[mds47588]

X2 on the Mantis! I have been shadowing my boxes for the past 20+ years and the mantis is far and away an easier solution all the way around.

 

[peteco]

Hope this isn't off-topic. I'm not a pro, just a messy DIY guy but I added a new tool organizing dimension a few years ago that made things a lot easier. When HF had their freebie magnetic tool holders I gathered a bunch over time and use then to hold my most used tools OUTSIDE my tool chest. When I need one of these I just grab it and use it. It doesn't sound like much but it adds up and saving 2 of the 3 steps to getting a tool (the opening and closing the drawer steps).

For my tool chest I simply bolted 2 magnetic strips back to back to stick it on my tool chest. There are not many spots for this but it is still handy. Just be careful to get the magnet in the right place as you don't want to slide the magnet to move it; it will scratch the paint. To move a strip I use a pliers wrench to grab the magnet strip to rotate it and pull it away from the box.

Along my tool bench I have some cabinets so I put a row of magnet strips along the bottom. In a few places I have a strip along the backside of the underhang to hold more.