Chris Adams
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2007
- Messages
- 2,117
While waiting for it to warm up in my shop (36 degrees this fine New Years day) I felt like posting on some drawer liner experiences.
I have a lot of tool boxes, which, oddly, have a lot of tools in them.
Thus drawer liners as I hate scratching up tools or boxes.
I think I have tried all the popular recommendations you see posted in this forum, with the exception of 'yoga mats'. Why no yoga mats? They don't seem to sell those at any kind of price locally. The only ones I ever found were too thick, too expensive, and would also have been short lived as they had foam inside them. Cut the vinyl skin off foam, it dies. Could never find any sold as mats without the foam.
Just thought I would rate/review some that I have used.
Best to worst, each has its points.
Best overall; stock Mac tool liner, from about 5 years ago.
Fairly thick, very soft. So sticky on the back that you really need four hands in a long drawer to get it straight. Or you can spend twenty minutes positioning one liner.
Top is tacky to the point that you can feel it grip, but no residue comes off on the tools. Or in the drawer when you peal it out. Very cool material. Keeps the tools in place, eventually they leave imprints in the finish.
This liner does exactly what it should. Cushion the tool impacts as you lay them down. Protects the paint in the box. Protects the finish on the tool. Deadens sound. DOES NOT MOVE in drawer. Holds the tool in place when you open and close the drawer. I would use nothing but this, in a perfect world.
Notice the some tools have left an imprint in the liner. Those fade after awhile, but it shows how deep and solid the grip is.
Good, but not as good as hyped; Late KRL liner. From 5-10 years ago till present. Thick, passable grip on both the tools and the drawer. However, will slip around if you load it, will not hold tools that well if the drawer is moved quickly, either open or close.
Good, but can't find source. Very thick rubber liner used in import tool boxes. Found it in some HF boxes, some US made by small suppliers. No brand name, no identifying marks. Just about twice as thick as KRL liner, but almost no texture. Thick enough that tools sink into it a little. Tools will still migrate if you open/close drawer too fast. I have it in three boxes, but again, no source. Soft, but chemical resistant.
Acceptable; Matco stock liner. From 4-6 years ago. Meets minimum padding, and if cut perfectly, i.e. original stuff, stays put pretty well. It will migrate around the drawer if loaded at the front, will not hold tools in place worth a darn.
Acceptable; KRA liner from present back to about eight years. Exactly the same as older Blue Point. Works, very much like the Matco liner. Moves a little too much, no tool holding ability.
NO PICTURE, may get one if it warms up soon.
Acceptable within limits; Harbor Freight single pads; These are the ones they sell 'each' not the rolls.
Feel like a thinner version of the KRL liner. Slightly sticky on the bottom, some texture on the top. They will slide around the drawer and tools don't stay put, but they will protect tools/drawers and look decent. Main limitation is size. They are sold in one size, intended for something about like a Craftsman Homeowners box. If they came in bigger sizes, rolls, or a mat, I would buy a lot of this stuff as it looks good and works, plus is cheap.
Acceptable, but not that nice to look at; Thick weave drawer liner. Sold by everybody. Comes in thick or thin. Many colors.
This can be your best deal on price vs. usability.
Best prices are at places like 99 cent store at 1 foot wide by 4 for a buck.
Also 18 inches wide by 3 feet for a buck.
Costco sells a decent version, sometimes in stock.
HF sells it, of course.
Lowes sells it in multiple departments. In the tool section it is 22" wide by 5 feet, and locally, about 14.50 for 5 feet.
Or you can buy the identical stuff in the shelving area in 24" wide by 5 feet for about a buck cheaper. Different label, but the same stuff. 24" is handy as that is the depth of a Lista drawer, no trimming.
Dollar tree and 99 cent also sell a much thinner version of this stuff cheaply. I have not used it as the price difference vs. the thicker stuff makes it unneeded. You can often buy the thicker stuff at the dollar stores, usually shorter rolls for a buck.
This stuff will stay put in the drawer, and will grip tools better than anything except the Mac liner.
The look is my biggest complaint. Cutting it to fit requires more time than it should, especially if you have to cut it on two sides. Expect it to be crooked if you have to both shorten and narrow it.
Barely acceptable; Snap-On KR liner. Love the KR boxes, but the liner is thin, and mobile. Older time and liners at all were a big thing. If you don't load them heavily, they move to the back of the box over a short time. Tools roll around or slide.
I have a lot of tool boxes, which, oddly, have a lot of tools in them.
Thus drawer liners as I hate scratching up tools or boxes.
I think I have tried all the popular recommendations you see posted in this forum, with the exception of 'yoga mats'. Why no yoga mats? They don't seem to sell those at any kind of price locally. The only ones I ever found were too thick, too expensive, and would also have been short lived as they had foam inside them. Cut the vinyl skin off foam, it dies. Could never find any sold as mats without the foam.
Just thought I would rate/review some that I have used.
Best to worst, each has its points.
Best overall; stock Mac tool liner, from about 5 years ago.
Fairly thick, very soft. So sticky on the back that you really need four hands in a long drawer to get it straight. Or you can spend twenty minutes positioning one liner.
Top is tacky to the point that you can feel it grip, but no residue comes off on the tools. Or in the drawer when you peal it out. Very cool material. Keeps the tools in place, eventually they leave imprints in the finish.
This liner does exactly what it should. Cushion the tool impacts as you lay them down. Protects the paint in the box. Protects the finish on the tool. Deadens sound. DOES NOT MOVE in drawer. Holds the tool in place when you open and close the drawer. I would use nothing but this, in a perfect world.
Notice the some tools have left an imprint in the liner. Those fade after awhile, but it shows how deep and solid the grip is.
Good, but not as good as hyped; Late KRL liner. From 5-10 years ago till present. Thick, passable grip on both the tools and the drawer. However, will slip around if you load it, will not hold tools that well if the drawer is moved quickly, either open or close.
Good, but can't find source. Very thick rubber liner used in import tool boxes. Found it in some HF boxes, some US made by small suppliers. No brand name, no identifying marks. Just about twice as thick as KRL liner, but almost no texture. Thick enough that tools sink into it a little. Tools will still migrate if you open/close drawer too fast. I have it in three boxes, but again, no source. Soft, but chemical resistant.
Acceptable; Matco stock liner. From 4-6 years ago. Meets minimum padding, and if cut perfectly, i.e. original stuff, stays put pretty well. It will migrate around the drawer if loaded at the front, will not hold tools in place worth a darn.
Acceptable; KRA liner from present back to about eight years. Exactly the same as older Blue Point. Works, very much like the Matco liner. Moves a little too much, no tool holding ability.
NO PICTURE, may get one if it warms up soon.
Acceptable within limits; Harbor Freight single pads; These are the ones they sell 'each' not the rolls.
Feel like a thinner version of the KRL liner. Slightly sticky on the bottom, some texture on the top. They will slide around the drawer and tools don't stay put, but they will protect tools/drawers and look decent. Main limitation is size. They are sold in one size, intended for something about like a Craftsman Homeowners box. If they came in bigger sizes, rolls, or a mat, I would buy a lot of this stuff as it looks good and works, plus is cheap.
Acceptable, but not that nice to look at; Thick weave drawer liner. Sold by everybody. Comes in thick or thin. Many colors.
This can be your best deal on price vs. usability.
Best prices are at places like 99 cent store at 1 foot wide by 4 for a buck.
Also 18 inches wide by 3 feet for a buck.
Costco sells a decent version, sometimes in stock.
HF sells it, of course.
Lowes sells it in multiple departments. In the tool section it is 22" wide by 5 feet, and locally, about 14.50 for 5 feet.
Or you can buy the identical stuff in the shelving area in 24" wide by 5 feet for about a buck cheaper. Different label, but the same stuff. 24" is handy as that is the depth of a Lista drawer, no trimming.
Dollar tree and 99 cent also sell a much thinner version of this stuff cheaply. I have not used it as the price difference vs. the thicker stuff makes it unneeded. You can often buy the thicker stuff at the dollar stores, usually shorter rolls for a buck.
This stuff will stay put in the drawer, and will grip tools better than anything except the Mac liner.
The look is my biggest complaint. Cutting it to fit requires more time than it should, especially if you have to cut it on two sides. Expect it to be crooked if you have to both shorten and narrow it.
Barely acceptable; Snap-On KR liner. Love the KR boxes, but the liner is thin, and mobile. Older time and liners at all were a big thing. If you don't load them heavily, they move to the back of the box over a short time. Tools roll around or slide.
