There are times when a tool box needs to be perfectly organized, with foam inserts and dual-colors that make it easy to spot missing or removed tools. A tool kit on the International Space Station, or in aircraft maintenance bays, for example, require this.
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Other times, if a tool kit isn’t changing, it might make for better organization, more secure transport, or simply more convenient access.
See More: Hands on: Organize Your Tool Drawers with FastCap Kaizen Foam
See More: Here are Some Ways to Organize Your Toolbox Drawers
If you’ve got a mobile tool box and more delicate tools, such as aluminum layout tools, that can be damaged if they slide and bang around, foam can add much-needed protection and improve organization. It’s quicker to pull a ruler or square from well-laid-out drawer than a pile of stuff that jumbles-together due to drawer or tool box motion.
There are also times when you can toss your tools into a tool bag, case, box, or 5 gallon bucket. Who cares if a couple of screwdrivers are rattling around, they can handle it. A 25′ tape measure doesn’t need special protections and custom-cut foam.
When I was doing grad research, someone told me our electron microscope service contract was something on the order of a couple tens of thousands of dollars. Was that each year? I don’t remember. Other equipment also carried pricey service contracts or tech visits when calibration or repairs were needed.
Someone coming to service equipment that costs on the order of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars isn’t going to show up with a 5 gallon bucket.
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A soda machine tech isn’t going to show up at a restaurant with a bucket of tools. They show up with technician bags, tool bags, pouches, or cases.
There are lots of different ways that tools can be organized and protected.
There are lots of reasons why tools might be organized in a certain way.
Admittedly, some people might take pride in doing so for the sake of doing so.
Desktop PC cable management used to involve zip ties. Then it involved sleeving. Then it became trendy to buy special high-density sleeving, remove factory connectors, and create a more seamless look before reassembling everything. Now, the big thing has been cable combs – here’s a Google image search. I don’t even want to talk about watercooling trends.
Some people might take things to the next level because they want to, and products have become available to support it.
Kaizen foam isn’t perfect, but it’s so much easier to work with than traditional tool foam.
Neatly organized and foam-protected tools isn’t done “to be instagrammable.” Well, maybe sometimes it is. Or sometimes extra care is taken.
I try to write clearly and carefully, even though I can convey information and express my information with fewer words. But, since I’m sharing it publicly, I put more effort into presentation beyond what I might put to paper for only myself.
If someone is showing off their tool organization, and maybe it looks more perfectly manicured than it needs to be, how is that a bad thing? Maybe they’re doing it for themselves. Maybe they put a little more effort because they want to be prideful of what they show off to others.
I’m not going to show off my workspace until all my clutter is sorted through and remedied. Things as they are kind of work for me, mostly because I don’t have a choice at the moment, but it needs to be cleaner and neater if I’m to show it off to others.
How’s this anything different?
It bugs me that a lot of people have become aggressively opinionated about tools and trends. Yes, it’s good to be skeptical, critical, and analytical, but one should also be open-minded.
I must be open-minded and consider all kinds of different tool users, pretty much all the time.
The needs of a finish carpenter is a lot different than that of a framer.
Neatly organizing a cordless drill and its modular tool heads in a drawer of a Festool Systainer tool box? Why not.
Let’s say a client just paid to have their entire kitchen refinished. A contractor is coming over to install drawer pulls, a special kick-out garbage bin drawer, and add cable stops to prevent a door on an end cabinet from banging into the wall.
What will be better, both from organizational standpoint and appearances – a contractor pulling a drill out of a milk crate that’s also filled with some other tools and loose boxes of screws, or a 3-drawer tool box with drill kit in one drawer, bins of fasteners in another, and a couple of parts and hand tools in the last one?
Different needs call for different organizational methods.
For home workshops, some people like pegboard, others like tool boxes.
With tool drawers or cases, some users will dump things in, others will line things neatly on top of drawer liners or in divided compartments, and some will line the drawers with foam that is then cut to fit a non-changing selection of tools.
Some people might be ostentatious with the tool organization they show off to others. How’s that different than anything else? But most share to inspire, to give back to internet communities that have shared with and inspired them.
Everyone needs to try to be more open-minded.
Just because one might not understand or personally benefit a tool, product, technique, or trend, that doesn’t mean it’s meritless. I see this all the time. New tool that someone personally has no need for? “Useless gimmick,” nevermind that retailers have have sold so many they have a rolling backorder. Open-mindedness takes practice and patience.
fred
Stuart – you make some good points – trying to clear the air on this topic
As long as what philosophy we employ for doing what we do works for us – what does it matter. Old adages like “a place for everything and everything in its place” may work or we might ascribe to the thought “keep it messy enough to be happy but clean enough to be healthy.”
The two ends of the spectrum might not be good. If your tools are so numerous and/or disorganized that you can’t find things – or worse need to run out and buy new because you can never locate what you have – that doesn’t sound good. At the other end, if you obsess about taking a tool out of its designated spot – that doesn’t sound good either. But although I say that these extremes don’t sound good to me – if they are OK with others – then who am I to care?
In business – we tried to promote more than a modicum of organization. A messy shop/factory floor or workout center would do nothing to enhance productivity – and might even present safety hazards. A messy disorganized truck could also slow down work progress and do nothing to enhance customer perceptions about the company.
HC
I think we all can agree that no matter what you do, there’s never enough dang room.
Tom D
And that the way you currently store them is the best possible and everyone else is too messy or too picky. ?
Mike
As much as I like the look and probably the efficiency of using a kaizen foam insert, I just have the niggling feeling in the back of my mind that my entire layout will be screwed up as soon as I buy another tool. I mean, that pliers drawer above looks awesome – until you buy another pliers. Then what?
Diplomatic Immunity
My OCD would get the best of me to even attempt to cut it perfectly. Honestly I’m surprised no one has come up with some sort of spray in foam that hardens into shape.
JoeM
I don’t know if you ever encountered these people in YOUR life, but about 20 years ago now, there was this company that made these packing squares. The squares were in several sizes, and they were basically two bags of A-B Polyresin foam, separated by a flimsy internal barrier. The idea being, you break the barrier by flexing the square, then you put one hand on either compartment, and forcibly mix the two parts together, wait 20 seconds, then put them in whatever fragile package you had, as it expanded to fit the exact shape of the fragile object.
The name escapes me for this company, because it was my employer that talked to them at the time. I was just told how to use these packing foam inserts when they came in, and we got a whole pile of them as a thank you for doing some work for one of their sales guys on the road at the time.
I know this isn’t the “Spray” idea you were thinking, but, would something like this work as well? Instant foam from an insert kind of thing? ‘Cause I’ve thought about it too. I’m not exactly fond of the insert foam the TSTAK system has. I mean, it’ll do, but, it’s not exactly a perfect fit to things.
If the packing square idea would work for you, I think it may well be worth looking into developing the idea, and making some extra pocket money for folks like us, who would buy into it.
Joseph
I believe Instapak is the product you’re thinking of.
JoeM
Probably. Either that, or some defunct knockoff of the product. I’m not sure how or why Instapak would require “Sales Guys” on the road. Being a shipping product, you’d think they’d be comfortable, I dunno… Mailing the product?
I dunno. Genuinely. All I remember is we helped a guy named “Dave” fix his computer, and we were suddenly hooked up with a bunch of industrial stuff for life, or something.
Truth be told, I don’t think what he was selling would be, itself, good for packing tools. I remember the plastic encasing bag being rather inflexible, and only really expanded as far as the major contours, no fine details. What we’re probably all thinking of as ideal, would be using a Vacuum Form machine to create a styrine fitted-layout drawer cover/box insert/whatever, then using a wood or metal jig/frame the size of the drawer/inserts we want, then locking the vacuum form tray into it, and pouring AB Foam on top, and letting it expand. Then cutting off all the excess foam, releasing the jig, and having our very own custom tray, as needed.
It’s complicated, but sometimes complicated is somehow fun.
Scott K
I saw a YouTube video a while ago of a diy version. In short- tools were laid out in a box, covered with plastic, some sort of foam was sprayed in and then covered. This created a form around the tools which were protected by the plastic. It was a super pretty at cut foam but it looked like it worked.
Ben V
My wife has a product that she’s used to create projects for our children.
When I saw it I immediately thought about try it in the workshop 🙂
Jared
I saw someone use expanding foam on a forum once. They put the tools on a flat surface, covered them with cloth, built a frame around them, sprayed inside and then put a lid on top.
The end result was pretty good, but not quite as nice as cutout foam. Trimming was required, the cloth bunched a bit and had rounded edges instead of neat lines.
Still, interesting concept. I seriously thought about trying it, but I didn’t like the idea of using cloth and I couldn’t come up with any good ideas for waterproof, flexible, cheap material to use in it’s place.
I think there could be better ways to do it – but by the time you create precise jigs, find and buy better material and got it right I think you probably could’ve just cut some foam.
Maybe someone will come out with a “kit” someday – or some media you could use without a top cover that didn’t ruin your tools.
ToolGuyDan
Lately, I’ve been doing mine with a vacuum-former. Not quite as nice as the blow-molded factory cases, but as soon as I get my 3’x5′ frame up and running, I’ll be able to do a whole drawer at a time for less than $6 in raw materials and no more time than it takes to lay out the tools on the platen.
JoeM
Great minds think alike, and fools seldom differ… What HE said!
JoeM
Look up Adam Savage, and Tested.com. There’s tutorials on how to make and use a VacuForm Machine for making molds of things. Styrine Sheets are apparently cheap as hell, waterproof, and used throughout the Special Effects industry to make models. Something tells me, if you laid out the tools you want to line up on a VacuForm setup, you could make a cleaner tray than the cloth they used. Plus, instead of risking the tools themselves in the trial and error of the tray, you’d have just the plastic form to work with. That would, as Adam himself always says about cleaning up your project “Hide the Crimes” of how you made it.
Scott K
Wow- should’ve read this before posting. ??‍♂️
PETER HAMER
I like the idea of a moldable foam that can be reshaped once or twice. I tried cosplay foam but couldn’t get the tools to sink in far enough.
I also saw an article about a design where they used crush able foam like you use for fake flower bouquets. I think it was covered in velvet. You just pushed the tool in to make an impression. Not reshapabale but probably fast.
Diplomatic Immunity
I need that Pelican case pictured (without the massive price tag) combined with Dewalt’s Toughbox handle tote. Any word on whether Dewalt’s newest Toughbox offering will include a revised sliding drawers box? Seems as though reviews of the old one said it had durability issues or something.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to organization. It’s largely personal in how one feels what’s best for them. For me I’ve found that I just need quick access and portability for the tools I use often.
Stuart
No idea – Dewalt won’t discuss until the official launch, which will be months away.
I have that Pelican case, bought it with a gift card for testing but I forgot how I got the gift card. Maybe new camera printer rebate? More in it here: https://toolguyd.com/pelican-0450-mobile-tool-chest/
It’s nice, but a bear to lift or carry. I still don’t have mine perfectly organized, keep flip-flopping on how to equip it
Brandon
Well said, Stuart! I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately trying to reorganize my automotive tools. I do about 75% of my work at home and 25% for friends/family (this split is different for everyone). I don’t have a lot of space in my garage, so every inch needs to be packed densely (might not be the case for some people). When I go somewhere it’s always friends/family, I don’t need to seem professional.
It’s hard to find a good balance between organized vs. dense and light-weight vs. well-equipped, and professional-looking vs. in-budget. I have purchased neither of these things yet, but I think I’ve landed on a regular old roller cabinet, with an Atlas46 (or similar) tool roll. If I use removable organizers in the tool cabinet, I can keep the roll compressed somewhere out of the way and then add what I think I’ll need to it when I leave the house.
At home I’ll have dense, extremely well-organized, heavy-weight, functional+professional storage, and on the road I’ll have *very* dense, moderately organized, light-weight, mostly unprofessional but extremely functional storage.
But everyone’s variables and where they land on these scales are totally different, which is why you’re absolutely correct to encourage open-mindedness.
JoeM
The way I see it: The more solutions to storage and organization, the better. The only BAD idea for storage, is the type that doesn’t work FOR YOU.
I may not UNDERSTAND why there exists the new TSTAK/Versastak and Packout Tote Bags… but if it’s something that works for someone better than just boxes? Then it’s still a good thing. Do I UNDERSTAND why Milwaukee made a Packout-Compatible Milk Crate? No. No I do not. But Stuart seems to find them useful for something. I’ve built shelving units, and dirty shoe storage, and all sorts of Media Center shelving out of Milk Crates before, so I know THE MILK CRATE is Versatile as a whole. But a Packout compatible version? Seems like the Milk Crate was suddenly narrowed down to only a handful of uses, TO ME. So, I’M not likely to buy them. But I’m not going to protest they made them. I MIGHT protest the expensive pricetag for a milk crate, but if it solves a problem, then it’s STILL worthy of existing.
I am still using my DeWALT Tool Bags that came with a few of my tools, and I bought their 20″ Contractor bag as well. Early on, investing in the 20 Volt line, this was all I needed. I have since found them inadequate for my needs. Does this mean the contractor bags were a mistake? No. Do I regret buying them? No. I can re-use them for all sorts of things non-tool related. Luggage if necessary.
We’re all different, and specific, and incredibly stubborn human beings, tool users. We like things OUR WAY. So, the more options for us to GET our way? The better. Storage solutions are where we, as tool users, get to express ourselves in that fun way the kids these days like to use. “Let your Freak Flag Fly.” This is how WE do it. “You use TSTAK? Why? Have you heard of Pelican? Flambeau? My Buddy uses Packout, and I heard they’re creating a new version of TSTAK soon anyways, you gonna invest in that?”
The more, the merrier.
Joseph
The more time I can spend on organization during down time, the more productive I am when the pressure is on.
Koko The Talking Ape
The kaizen foam looks nice, but it seems a little wasteful of space. Also, it offers shock or vibration protection that I don’t really need. I wonder if there is some middle ground between kaizen and tools just sliding around in a drawer.
Hm. Maybe something like a bendable partition that can be shaped to approximate the outlines of particular tools. Maybe soft aluminum. Have tabs at the bottom to let you attach them to the bottom of the drawer, maybe with a non-permanent glue so you can rearrange things if you want. The curves in the partitions should make them stiff enough. You’d want to soften the edges so you don’t get cut.
HMMMM!!!
PETER HAMER
I’ve contemplated using foam. Outline the tools, then embed magnets in the right spots.
MrWeedley
Being frugal, I buy the cushion foam from craft store. Cut it to fit then cut for tools. Spray with a couple coats of plasti dip. If I need more support for heavier items I use a layer of insulation board
Jared
Organizing tools is basically a hobby of mine. I’ve got my fingers crossed there will be more posts on the topic on Toolguyd in the future.
I am perpetually organizing my tools. It’s what I do when I’m in my shop with nothing pressing to do (which is less often than I’d like). Basically anytime I’m annoyed by how long it takes me to find a tool, how difficult it is to extract from it’s storage location or frustrated by how long it takes me to clean up I start pondering ways to improve it. I’ve spent considerable time scouring forums, scanning google images or pintrest looking for new ways to organize things. When I get it right though, I find it immensely satisfying.
I’ve got some drawers neatly organized with foam cutouts. I really enjoy finding tools quickly and having a neat spot to store them. Compared to the images I see online, I tend to bunch my tools much closer together to preserve space.
The most common complaints/criticisms I see for this method are:
1) it wastes space,
2) it can’t be changed when you add a new tool.
There’s no getting around #1 – throwing tools at random in a drawer will let you fit more in; I overlook this shortcoming in favour of easy access to the tools I’m looking for (and, as I mentioned, I bunch them pretty close together). I have two methods for dealing with #2 though – first by leaving space for expansion and second by purposefully creating gaps for loose tools where appropriate.
My second organizing strategy is to try and create removable groupings of tools. My sockets for example (not including impact-rated ones or my extra large sizes (ie. 20MM+)) all fit on one large tray which basically fills one drawer in my main toolbox. My tools live in my shop, so when I am instead working on my car or truck in the garage I just pick up the whole tray and take it with me.
I also have clip-in wrench trays and screwdriver holders for the same purpose. These trays live inside drawers lined with foam cut out to fit the tray. That way when I’m working in the shop I remove the tool from tray but leave the tray in the drawer. For most jobs outside the shop where I need such a tool I can just grab the whole mobile set. I realize this organization method is perhaps more useful to me than most others because I live on a farm and the tasks I’m doing aren’t always close to the shop. It makes sense to have some way of taking whole sets of tools because I don’t always know precisely what I need until I get to the place I’m working.
The last general organizational strategy I have is to avoid duplicated steps. E.g. I don’t like lidded containers inside drawers because then I have to open the drawer, remove the container, open the container then remove the tool. Not only does this increase the time to access a tool, but it makes it less likely I will put the tool back as I work – resulting in a big mess to clean when I’m done. As much as possible I prefer open or quick access to every tool.
Bring on more organization ideas!
William Adams
Excellent overview on tool storage strategies: https://bridgerberdel.wordpress.com/2015/01/08/thoughts-on-tool-organization-and-storage/
>Pegboard is the lowest common denominator of tool storage.
>Fitted cases are for mature sets of tools…a static system.
>Anarchist’s tool chest…allows for a practical amount of upgrading and rearranging…enforces restraint.
>(T)ool rolls…don’t waste space, at least not as long as the tools in them aren’t too awkwardly shaped.
>Drawers…Get enough drawers and you start forgetting what’s inside any particular drawer.
Still trying to work out my own tool storage/usage — current plan is a series of specialized toolboxes, one per task, plus a tool roll and a tool bag:
– frequently used tool roll: https://i.imgur.com/IW7J0fO.jpg
– clone of a Maxpedition Proteus bag with an assortment of multifunction and precision tools — in a perfect world, the afore-mentioned tool roll would fit in the main compartment
– coffin shaped tool box with electrical tools
– Craftsman 3 drawer mechanics’ chest with mechanical tools (and some cutting/punching tools) as well as pliers
– traditional woodworking tool chest with my nicer woodworking tools
– Husky Rolling Connect with various organizers for the balance of my woodworking tools
Still have some things on pegboard, and I’m sad about setting aside a couple of traditional boxes (a joiner’s chest, and an open tote which has a matching box) — not satisfied with the Husky Rolling Connect — am looking into the possibility of filling an Apache 5800 from Harbor Freight with fitted tools and just making do with what will fit. (My woodworking is mostly one on the back deck and some projects I think I spend more time hauling stuff up and down from the basement than actually working).
William Adams
Oh yeah, two more:
– small plastic organizer which I use for my CNC tools
– Craftsman (Kennedy) 526 machinist chest — balance of my machinist tools
adams
“…pegboard. It’s sloppy. It’s generic. It provides no protection. It maximizes visual clutter.”
Generally speaking, yes. But I envision a future as an empty-nester where aesthetically appealling tool walls within a homemade system of mobile-aisle shelving can become reality.
James
Have a look at what Kincrome do with their tool kits and EVA trays – easily the best execution that I’ve seen!
https://www.kincrome.com.au/tool-kits-and-sets/tool-workshops
https://www.kincrome.com.au/tool-kits-and-sets/eva-trays
Hans
Yesterday, I might have gotten this pot stirred up when I responded to an exchange in which what sounded like a workaday trades guy mentioned how much space you lose storing tools in regular cases packed with kaizen foam. He got talked down to in a way I didn’t like. The original post was about kaizen products specifically sold to fit big box brand tool cases. And the guys comment was pretty a pretty apt criticism of them. But, it was argued to the tradesguy that he “missed the point” which was the utter importance of time-saving organizational techniques for big money technicians. The disconnect and stanky elitism there grossed me out and I admittedly got a little snarky. I think it was deserved.
In other news, think it’s great when people organize their tools. In fact, tool organization is an obsession of mine.
But, I’m still glad every tool sold this holiday season won’t necessarily have a little foam counterpart in the landfill.
Stuart
The problem is that people have very polarized opinions on tool organization.
There’s “it’s an unproductive waste of time, space, and money” on one side, and “it’s incredibly beneficial” on the other.
I’ve had enough of the arguments, and so I hoped with this post, everyone could walk away a little more open-minded.
Michael
I worked in industrial maintenance for many years. I ended up with and still use a number of different types of storage and transportation methods. I have a rolling chest with liners that keep tools from sliding around. I also have a number of specialized bags and cases for plumbing, electrical, HVAC, communication, ect. That allows me to grab and go. Common tools such as screwdrivers and pliers are in every one.
Greg
Enjoyed the comparison to PC cable management. Have you ever ventured into sleeving your own cables? Post some pictures if you got a sweet setup.
Stuart
I have had the supplies for a while, but no time to do it.