Labeling a shadowed toolbox

[rslaback]

At my job each individual maintenance tech has a tool bag with the normals in it but we also all share a community 72" Snap on box. The box was, at great expense, shadowed for us. The foam is all waterjet cut to the specific tools in the box. The problem that I am trying to solve is that all the wrenches are shadowed to sit on edge in the box. This means that when we go for a wrench it is a little bit like pick a duck at the carnival. You snag a wrench near where you thought it would be then check the size and go up or down until you get what you want. This is, as you can guess, exceedingly annoying.

The part numbers, which we can use to ID the wrench, are on the lower foam layer but to see then you have to have already removed the wrench.

Does anyone know of any type of ID or labeling system that would:

• Look Professional
• Stick to foam
• Be oil resistant

 

[bcradio]

That's a tough one. I'm afraid I can't offer any help, but it does look nice.

 

[RStewart]

Looks nice. Try the p touch labelled. They sell tons of different tapes. Maybe one that will stick well. Otherwise an artist with a sharpie? Heck they spent the dough for the custom cutting.

 

[jakemac]

A (brand new) sharpie, and a steady hand.

 

[rslaback]

Sorry to bring a thread back from the dead. Here is what I came up with. It is a piece of 1/2 x 3/4 x 1/16 aluminum angle that I used a cnc router to engrave the sizes in the proper locations. I filled the engraving with black and then used a random orbit to give the aluminum a brushed finish.

The 3/4" leg is slid down in the crack between the foam the drawer front. This leaves the 1/2" leg sitting on the foam.

 

[gte718p]

That looks nice.

 

[TheMadMech]

That looks really nice, great solution!

 

[fatfillup]

That does look nice for sure. And professional. Assuming you had some slow time at work to get it done.

 

[ecotec]

Perfect. So tastefully done. I have always loved shadowed boxes.

 

[BaMaDuDe87]

Wow! Great solution

 

[FJ 432]

I filled the engraving with black and then used a random orbit to give the aluminum a brushed finish.

What did you use to "fill the engraving"? Working on something similar. Thanks.

 

[Sticky Grips]

I was going to just monday morning quarterback and tell you the following: the labels should have been laser engraved into the yellow plastic at the bottom.

I've had a company waterjet items like this, and they can put labels in without an issue.

I do like your solution though.

 

[Richard Cranium]

looks good thanks for sharing

 

[rslaback]

That does look nice for sure. And professional. Assuming you had some slow time at work to get it done.

I'm formerly a teacher. I have a bad habit of doing stuff like this on my own time outside of work. I'm having somewhat of a difficult transition moving for the education environment of getting stuff done whenever you have a free minute and the industry environment of leaving the job when you exit the building.

 

[rslaback]

What did you use to "fill the engraving"? Working on something similar. Thanks.

It's filled with black paint marker. Use a random orbit to take the burrs off from the engraving. Color in the engraving. Hit it again with the sander to take off the extra paint.

 

[rslaback]

I was going to just monday morning quarterback and tell you the following: the labels should have been laser engraved into the yellow plastic at the bottom.

I've had a company waterjet items like this, and they can put labels in without an issue.

I do like your solution though.

The labels are there on the yellow. The problem is that you can't see the damn things when the wrench is in place so you don't know what size you are grabbing until it is out of the box and in your hand.

 

[rslaback]

Perfect. So tastefully done. I have always loved shadowed boxes.

I'm working on this one at work right now. This drawer has 8 hours of manual layout, cutting and filling.

 

[fatfillup]

I'm formerly a teacher. I have a bad habit of doing stuff like this on my own time outside of work. I'm having somewhat of a difficult transition moving for the education environment of getting stuff done whenever you have a free minute and the industry environment of leaving the job when you exit the building.

Not everybody leaves the job when they exit the building, but many certainly do. If you don't mind and you enjoy doing it, have at it. I don't know your situation and where you are in life career wise, but folks that go the extra mile are normally noticed and eventually rewarded.

Especially in a smaller company.