Foam insert trays DIY

[Superbec]

So I found cheap foam for my tool cabinets.

I had experimented with this before but didn't have satisfactory results and this foam is of a different structure.

Let me know if the test result is acceptable, I'm going for an OE (ish) look, or at least not "hand made" from 1-2 meters.



I made a hot knife/foam carver from electric wire and a soldering iron, it works but there's some skill involved and the copper is a bit too soft, maybe I make another one from welding rod...

 

[dmw16]

Looks nice.

We have an A&P mechanic at work that uses those foam floor mats they sell at home depot and a hand router to make shadow-boxed drawer liners. They come out great.

 

[Mechtech]

Looks nice, but if that's the kind of foam I think it is you'll have problems with it breaking down and leaving bits and pieces all over everything in a few years.

 

[Richard Cranium]

So where is the pictures?

 

[Superbec]

Looks nice, but if that's the kind of foam I think it is you'll have problems with it breaking down and leaving bits and pieces all over everything in a few years.

well.. we'll see when we get there, chances are it won't bother me that much

So where is the pictures?

you should see some pictures, I uploaded on the forum not on another website.

So, cutting with the hot knife and finishing with a dremel seems to work best

 

[zkling]

Bluntly? They look very homemade/diy. Factory ones are extremely crisp, straight and clean; yours are none of those.

 

[bullnerd]

Yeah, theres a better foam for that.

Theyre into this stuff where I work. They call it shadow board. The foam we use cuts easy with a box cutter and stays sharp and does not break down. The foam is similar to what one of those pool noodles is made of, just sheets. I don't know the name of the foam.

 

[Daveo]

I was thinking there was someone on this forum that did something similar with harder plastic. I looked but cant find it...

 

[bullnerd]

I was thinking there was someone on this forum that did something similar with harder plastic. I looked but cant find it...

Yeah, I think I remember that, he machined them?

 

[Seagoon]

I believe his thread is titled something like "Tooling Organization" and his name may be "Lil Scorpion"
HTH

 

[rslaback]

Here's what I've been working on during slow times at work. It's kaizen foam from fastcap. I haven't been using it quite like their demo though. I've been cutting all the way through, trimming the cut out to the height I want and then using tape on the bottom side to hold the insert back in place. I'm even getting pretty good at varying the height of the cut pieces going back in so I get good support of non flat tools.

It's been a ton of time with a pattern marker and a 9mm snap blade cutter but I'm pretty proud of the results.

 

[Superbec]

Bluntly? They look very homemade/diy. Factory ones are extremely crisp, straight and clean; yours are none of those.

that's the truth, however I only posted test pieces yet, started on the real thing but got sidetracked , they do look a bit better in person.

It's been a ton of time with a pattern marker and a 9mm snap blade cutter but I'm pretty proud of the results.

Thank you for you post, it looks very nice .

 

[zkling]

Here's what I've been working on during slow times at work. It's kaizen foam from fastcap. I haven't been using it quite like their demo though. I've been cutting all the way through, trimming the cut out to the height I want and then using tape on the bottom side to hold the insert back in place. I'm even getting pretty good at varying the height of the cut pieces going back in so I get good support of non flat tools.

It's been a ton of time with a pattern marker and a 9mm snap blade cutter but I'm pretty proud of the results.

That's slick, I like how you 'cheated' and shadowed around the socket racks and wrench trays and rails.