Second question...

[lex]

I have one of the plastic Craftsman tool kits that hold multiple sockets, wrenches, and screwdrivers that has become worn to the point that it doesn't hold the tools well. (If I pick it up and carry it by the handle; half the sockets are jumbled up when I open it again)
So I was thinking of making a tool organizer out of mdf that would fit into my tool box. I envision it to be very close to the one that I have from the plastic but maybe a little more space between the tools. It would sit inside the toolbox drawer from edge to edge.
Anyone done something like that? I would assume that I would just use a 1/4" ball end mill to cut into the mdf to a specific depth and make an outline of the tool...

[ssflyer]

Hi Lex,

While I've never done a tool insert, I've made a number of jigs out of MDF. Not much different. Here's an example of one for holding small jars while engraving them. While tool inserts tend to be rounded to match the socket, for example, I think it might work and be much faster to simply pocket them, if the pockets were sized to prevent them rolling. It should be interesting. Please post your results!

Ron

[steve_g]

Lex
I have done this very thing with medical and electronic equipment many times in both foam and wood. I however have never done it for a socket set. My equipment never required that I follow the 3D profile closely on the bottom side and so I just used a flat bottom bit and stepped it for gross dimension changes. Unless you have tons of spare time, this strategy will get you going lots faster. Also if you can plan finger/thumb notches around your tools you might find the tray easier to use.
Good luck!
Steve

[bleeth]

I like your finger notch idea Steve. If you use a flat bottom mill for the parts sockets (and I agree with you on that suggestion) you could change to a core bit and just slow plunge it in the right spots to get a nicely rounded finger notch.

[lex]

What you show there is exactly what I want to do for my tools!
I suppose it will end up a time sink but we'll see how it turns out.:)

[kern]

Ron,

Interesting set of cams pictured in your thumbnail. What is their orgin> Kern

[ssflyer]

Hi Kern,
I love these clamps. I think they were Shopfox, but if I remember correctly, Grizzly had the same clamp. When you turn the handle, they push both out and down - ensuring your piece is flat to the table. I've never had a piece move, either sliding or rising when clamped with these, I bought them through Amazon, for about $13 each, a long time ago. They have hardened steel jaws and work very well. Since I have T-Track spaced along my table, I can clamp almost anything from the edge, keep it flat and not have to worry about it. They are very low profile, and sit below most of my work - if I go outside the bounds a bit, I still don't hit the clamps. Unfortunately, just searching, I found a similar clap on Amazon for $63!!!

I'll try to find a better price, if anyone is interested...

[j.smith]

Take a look at this site, might be just what you are looking for...

http://foamfittools.com/

[lex]

That is what I want but not out of foam. We had the ones made from foam at work when converting to the "5S" process. They didn't last four months before the foam was torn up.
I figure if I do it out of MDF I can carve the sizes in just like the plastic unit.

On the other hand maybe it would give me an excuse to get out the little foundry and cast one out of aluminum. I would have to make some new flasks....Hmm maybe ill make flask patterns on the bot and then cast those as well...

I could just put the plastic in the drawer but it looks so cheesy..Sometimes I hate having ADD:P

[pyrodenis]

On the cam clamps:
Just got my first Carr Lane "Standard Components for Tooling and Production" Catalog.
There is an online catalogue www.carrlane.com (http://www.carrlane.com)
Those heavy duty $60 -$70 clamps are in there, and are used by those scary steel milling guys.
BUT, look at "Tiny Vise" Edge clamps and Double Edge clamps. At about $12, they deliver plenty of clamping force.
This particular catalogue is a dream for Botters.
Of course, as soon as I click "Submit", I'm going to search to see if this is common knowledge among the braintrust of advanced botters.

[Brady Watson]

Lex,
What you want is pretty easy to achieve. Just lay out your tools in the pattern you want to store them & take a few crisp dead-on pics with the camera. Be sure to have the tools laying on a high contrast background in a color distinct from your tools. Then import the pic into PartWorks and wrap vectors around the tools. You can do this with the tool in PW or manually wrap. Either way, it is cake. Then just do an area clear as deep as you need to go for the tools.

As far as cam clamps, Grizzly sells a nice clamp similar to what Ron shows. David Buchsbaum also sells cam clamps that are very nice. I had a job that required 24 cam clamps and buying them would have eaten the job. So I just made my own. Draw a circle & rectangle, then weld them together. Place a pivot hole dead center of the larger circle, and move it back the distance you need the max cam clamp displacement to be. It's easy...if you try. :D I've made them from maple, PVC, acrylic and aluminum. It depends on what you are clamping. The softer materials will not mar the finish of the parts being held if this is a concern. You can make them plain or add a bearing. Skate board bearings are cheap & have a 8mm - 5/16" center bore.

Denis - Nice link. I've seen those types of clamps before & made my own vee type rendition to jam things down. The problem is you need something underneath (like a t-slot and steel stud) that can really take the pressure. They are excellent as you point out, when milling out scary metal on a cast iron t-slot table. Hey - You're not that far away from me...we should link up sometime.

-B

[scottp55]

Brady, thanks for simple explanation for wooden cam clamp. Just lost a 1/8" carvewright kyocera using Shopfox clamps(first time I've used them and wasn't thinking it through) as the Shopfox's clamp the top of the wood and the tab is on the bottom and the material plus shim was less than a 1/4". Cut first fence out and of course the unsupported wood just BENT and when bit got into second cutout, it just lifted the wood clear and Snap! I now know what snapping carbide sounds like:) Almost as dramatic as making custom screw heads. It would have been so easy to avoid too:( Oh well.

[scottp55]

Poor explanation, 2000 more words. Sometimes I amaze myself:(

[NathanSendan]

http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Fox-D3347-Cam-Clamp/dp/B00012XE0A


about $12

[bleeth]

Easy Cam clamp: Basically a paddle similar in looks to a ping pong paddle with an off center hole in it. When I make them I cut a stack at once out of plywood scrap and don't really care if they get trashed over time.