Tool Box Wars

[Ou812]

Anyone built a custom tool box? I’m looking at doing one now, just pricing some things out. I’m trying to find a good shop here in the UK that can either laser or CNC cut the foam for my tools, if anyone has any suggestions I’d appreciate it.

 

[Ou812]

every time I close mine it’s a custom job.

That’s my problem, every time I close my tool bag up it ends up being a disaster the next time I open it. I hate being disorganized so I’m thinking building a box in a pelican case would be perfect. It doesn’t look like I’m ever going to be able to get my tool box from the US shipped over since we don’t have space for it yet.

 

[Zimmerframe]

There is a thread on it somewhere .. will try and find it later ..

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

I use shadow foam for my toolbox inserts, lay it out and cut it yourself to exactly how you need it.

 

[RickBullotta]

I use the Dewalt T-Stak stuff. Not quite Pelican case/foam cozy, but flexible enough to do the trick. And when I'm going on a multi-day adventure I attach another one or two boxes with extra parts, fluids, bleed kit and such. The T-Stak has been replaced with the Tough System branding BTW

 

[Ou812]

I use shadow foam for my toolbox inserts, lay it out and cut it yourself to exactly how you need it.

I’ve done that in the past and wasn’t happy with the results. We had a laser cutter when I was in the military, you could scan the tool then position it on the foam where you wanted it and the laser would make a super nice cut. I’m looking for something like guarddog inserts but here in the UK, they charge almost as much as the foam to ship it over here.

 

[Dax]

There are companies that will cnc foam to suit your tool layout, or cut it yourself with shadow foam

 

[Zimmerframe]

You guys really don't know how to bodge things !

Just wrap everything in clingfilm. Fill it with expanding foam. Cut back ! Voila !

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

I’ve done that in the past and wasn’t happy with the results. We had a laser cutter when I was in the military, you could scan the tool then position it on the foam where you wanted it and the laser would make a super nice cut. I’m looking for something like guarddog inserts but here in the UK, they charge almost as much as the foam to ship it over here.

you gotta do the outline with a scalpel to the exact depth then because the material is laminated, you remove the laminates to the depth you cut out.. always had crisp edges and good results but I do take my time.

 

[steve_sordy]

I just chuck everything in to my toolbox and root it out later. i haven't lost anything yet, nor failed to find what I'm looking for.

 

[Healy]

I got a British Gas blue box I put kit in but just changing it over to one of the tool rolls. Fits nicely and takes up hardly any room. You can also stand on the blue box which is handy

 

[RipGroove]

Youd be better off getting a hand held hot wire (£20-30 for a cheapo one) to cut the foam yourself. I work in CNC machining and know that for you to draw around all your tools and then get someone to program all the contours and shapes on any type of CNC (mill/laser/hot wire or whatever) will be quite expensive. Having your own hand held hot wire will also allow you to make changes as and when you want. In the past I've had to 3D model a load of tools using CAD so I could use the models to 3D model a load of toolbox trays made of delrin plastic for some drawers at a company I worked for, just the modelling took days and then took another few days to machine them. And when you're talking hours or days in a CNC shop you're looking at £40 per hour minimum, some places I've worked charge £100 per hour.

Just buy some sheets of foam and go nuts. Cut the bottom layer to suit the toolbox drawer then draw all your tool shapes on the top layer and them out with a hot wire, then glue the top layer to the bottom layer and your done.

I've done this with sharp blades before and it's tedious because the blades dull very quickly and because of that the end result is never as clean as you think it will be.

 

[RustyMTB]

I'm all ears for this.

 

[VWsurfbum]

You guys clearly dont have enough tools if there is room for foam in your tool box.

 

[RustyMTB]

There is a discussion on here this week implying that sticking copious amounts of foam about the nooks & crannies is the ONLY way to make life with an ebike tolerable.

 

[RipGroove]

There is a discussion on here this week implying that sticking copious amounts of foam about the nooks & crannies is the ONLY way to make life with an ebike tolerable.

Could be a gap in the market for "ebike rated" foam.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Could be a gap in the market for "ebike rated" foam.

Dont say things like that out loud!

 

[Dave_B]

Don’t need a tool box.

 

[Ou812]

Youd be better off getting a hand held hot wire (£20-30 for a cheapo one) to cut the foam yourself. I work in CNC machining and know that for you to draw around all your tools and then get someone to program all the contours and shapes on any type of CNC (mill/laser/hot wire or whatever) will be quite expensive. Having your own hand held hot wire will also allow you to make changes as and when you want. In the past I've had to 3D model a load of tools using CAD so I could use the models to 3D model a load of toolbox trays made of delrin plastic for some drawers at a company I worked for, just the modelling took days and then took another few days to machine them. And when you're talking hours or days in a CNC shop you're looking at £40 per hour minimum, some places I've worked charge £100 per hour.

Just buy some sheets of foam and go nuts. Cut the bottom layer to suit the toolbox drawer then draw all your tool shapes on the top layer and them out with a hot wire, then glue the top layer to the bottom layer and your done.

I've done this with sharp blades before and it's tedious because the blades dull very quickly and because of that the end result is never as clean as you think it will be.

Guard dog inserts will do the 4 bottom layers and the lid layer for $400, problem is shipping. They want $250 to ship it to Scotland, that seems insane for some foam! Their work is awesome though, probably the best in the business IMO. They’re doing all the Team Issue Boxes for Abbey Bike Tools.

 

[Ou812]

Don’t need a tool box.
View attachment 96662

This was my other option but I’m really hoping for something mobile. If I can’t find anyone that can cut the foam locally then I’ll probably end just doing something like this.

 

[steve_sordy]

This was my other option but I’m really hoping for something mobile. If I can’t find anyone that can cut the foam locally then I’ll probably end just doing something like this.

More than 50 years ago, I worked in a Sports shop on Saturdays. It was an old stone-built building, no cavity wall or anything. The walls were lined with painted pegboard (light plywood panels with small holes drilled over every inch of it). The holes were just big enough to take a golf tee pushed firmly into one of the holes. The tee was strong enough to take a fair load but with enough left stuck out to hang stuff from. If required we would use rubber bands over adjacent tees to secure awkward items. We could display everything from fishing rods to cricket stumper's pads. Just about the only thing we couldn't display was bowling balls! The regular hole pattern allowed a huge amount of flexibility and it was a doddle to change a display.

Just an aside: The top floor had the fishing department and they had a large spillage of maggots. Before they could all be swept up, thousands of them had escaped across the floor and through the holes in the pegboard. Short of ripping off the pegboard there was nothing we could do except wait for them to hatch out! About a week later we discovered that they had all made their way to the basement where all the ladies clothing and shoes were sold. So, while trying to sell tennis knickers and swimwear, the assistants had to swat bluebottles the size of bumble bees with tennis and badminton rackets! Fortunately, the hatching was mainly confined to one memorable Friday. I was in the following day and wondered what all the fuss was about. Turns out that those maggots had been specially bred to be big and they hatched equally big bluebottles. They looked big too and they sounded big, with a low and coarse buzz. But their wings appeared to be normal size and they were slow enough to catch with your hands. I caught one, but then was left with the question of what to do with it? They made a right mess if you squished them with your hands, so I threw it outside.

 

[RustyIron]

We had a laser cutter when I was in the military, you could scan the tool then position it on the foam where you wanted it and the laser would make a super nice cut.

Re-enlist and then use the government-owned laser cutter?
Invest £15,000,000 for your very own laser beam contraption?

For me, the problem with such a system is that you're locked in. You make custom foam today, and then next week you get a pair of pliers you like better than the ones you have. Then you get a couple specialized screwdrivers for a project. You going to get new foam every time you change or add to your tools?

 

[Dax]

This was my other option but I’m really hoping for something mobile. If I can’t find anyone that can cut the foam locally then I’ll probably end just doing something like this.

There’s places in the uk that will cnc cut tool foam based on an outline you upload. Wasn’t too expensive, maybe £100 a sheet. If you need mobile, check out a beta c41/c41h tool chest

Beta C41H Two – Module Tool Trolley Cabinet Orange

Sheet metal frame & plastic tops, synonymous with remarkable sturdiness & light weight. 1 detachable: 1 upper tool box,…

www.primetools.co.uk

 

[Ou812]

Re-enlist and then use the government-owned laser cutter?
Invest £15,000,000 for your very own laser beam contraption?

For me, the problem with such a system is that you're locked in. You make custom foam today, and then next week you get a pair of pliers you like better than the ones you have. Then you get a couple specialized screwdrivers for a project. You going to get new foam every time you change or add to your tools?

No thanks! I retired early for a reason got tired of seeing civilian contractors doing the exact same job as me for 3-5 times the pay.

 

[Dave_B]

There’s places in the uk that will cnc cut tool foam based on an outline you upload. Wasn’t too expensive, maybe £100 a sheet. If you need mobile, check out a beta c41/c41h tool chest

Beta C41H Two – Module Tool Trolley Cabinet Orange

Sheet metal frame & plastic tops, synonymous with remarkable sturdiness & light weight. 1 detachable: 1 upper tool box,…

www.primetools.co.uk

lol. How many tools do you need when you go out with your bike !?

 

[Dax]

lol. How many tools do you need when you go out with your bike !?

Personally, way less than needs shadow foam, but maybe the op is an ews mechanic or something

Day to day, I keep a set of Allen keys, a torque wrench, and wet/dry chain oil in the car. If I’m going away I add quick link pliers, cable cutter, bleed kit.

 

[RustyMTB]

Foam I'd do if I were an itinerant world cup wrench maybe. Otherwise I think something like dividers are good. As pointed out above, if you foam it up & you are a new tool fetishist like me, it does make you something of a hostage to fortune.

 

[Dax]

Try here for custom foam Tool-Cal Ltd

 

[Ou812]

Personally, way less than needs shadow foam, but maybe the op is an ews mechanic or something

Day to day, I keep a set of Allen keys, a torque wrench, and wet/dry chain oil in the car. If I’m going away I add quick link pliers, cable cutter, bleed kit.

Definitely not an EWS mechanic, I just like to be organized. I’m a bit of a neat freak and things being out of place drives me insane, I think it’s something I inherited from the military. Plus I do a lot of 3-4-5 biking/camping trips around the country, I’m wanting something mobile I can throw in the back of the van with the bikes. I probably won’t need half the tools in the box but it’s better to have it and not need it than need and not have it.

 

[emtbPhil]

I have 20 years of tools in a triple halfords advanced trolley for car building/maintenance, spent a lot of time building and maintaining race cars. Didn't want to clutter all that up with bike tools so got some cheap metal tool cupboards with a peg board in the middle for tools

Really old photos from a year ago when I put it together but gives you a rough idea