How To Cut A Perfectly Fitting Foam Insert For A Complicated Toolbox - Milwaukee Packout
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- Опубліковано 6 сер 2024
- Learn the secret to cutting perfectly fitting tool foam for the inside of any toolbox or equipment case. This method is especially useful on Milwaukee Packout toolboxes or any other equipment case/toolbox with a complex inner shape.
Milwaukee Packout cases are terrific toolboxes. However, if you want to line a Milwaukee Packout case with tool foam the projections and angles on the inside make getting a tight fit a true chore. What’s more, the inside of the cases change vertically as well, so every layer of foam has a slightly different shape.
When I purchased my Milwaukee Packout cases Milwaukee Tools wasn’t selling foam inserts for easy case as they currently do, so I had to cut my own.
Since devising this method, I have found it to be an extremely effective way to create a template matching the inside of just about anything.
Watch this entire video and learn:
How to make templates that match the inner profile of any toolbox.
How to use those templates to cut Kaizen Foam or any other tool foam to conform nearly flawlessly with the inner contours of the toolbox.
Tools & Materials Featured or Mentioned In This Video:
Milwaukee Packout Toolbox
www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/...
Milwaukee Packout Large Toolbox
www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/...
Other Milwaukee Packout Cases
www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/...
Kaizen Foam by FastCap
www.fastcap.com/product/kaize...
www.rockler.com/fastcap-kaize...
3M Blue Masking Tape:
www.homedepot.com/s/3m%2520bl...
Photographic, Video & Sound Equipment Used In Production:
Avenger C-Stand
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Avenger D600 Mini Boom
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Reticam Phone Mount
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Manfrotto 014-14 Rapid Adapter - 5/8" Stud to 1/4-20" Thread
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Small Ball Head
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...
Rode smartLav Plus
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc... - Навчання та стиль
This might just be the single most useful video on foam cutting I've seen - thanks!
Thank you for such high praise! You’re welcome.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
100% this is the most useful video ever 👌🏻
@Dan War, thank you! I’m glad you liked the video.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Ha ha! Love it! My mom did this in a weirdly shaped farmhouse in New Zealand in 1962. The flooring shop cut the vinyl floor sheet to her template made of newspapers, cardboard and tape. The new floor fit perfectly! My buddies and I cut scale models of electronic component in 1993 to play with various PCB designs (CAD software wasn't really helpful tool at the time). We called it "playing paper dolls." Worked great. I'm tickled to see the technique of making a template is still a thing! Some technologies stand the test of time! GREAT VIDEO! Thank you.
That’s a great story, thanks for sharing it with us!
You’re correct that this is a great technique. This method of making a template is accurate and requires minimal (if any) special materials or tools.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
I liked your instructions so much that I keep it in my favorites. I bought a lot of Kaizen foam a couple of years ago for my Packout, Festool, Dwalt, and Ridgid boxes. I go about a year or so and use your video to refresh my aging memory. Thank you.
You’re very welcome! I’m glad I could be of service and that you found the video useful.
Thank you for commenting and watching multiple times.
Absolutely, the taper you see on injection molded plastic parts to assist in getting out of the mold is called draft angle, it's usually 3 to 5 degrees. Contrary to popular belief you actually can have straight 90 degree angles on a plastic mold, however, it will wear out the mold much faster and you will have to operate at a slower cycle time (usually a few seconds per part depending on the plastic), which means the final part will cost you a lot more. If I had to guess by the time you take into consideration the mold and everything, I would say each one of these parts cost Milwaukee $5.00 to $16.00 or so, however, if they needed 90-degree walls it could easily cost around $65.00 to $160.00. Depending on the type of plastic they use reinforcement and such.
If you look closely on the top and bottom on the ears of the cleats where the cases connect together you can see they actually do have a mold element that moves 90 degrees to the plastic in order to release it, I'm guessing what they're doing here is using a much lower tolerance hence why there is a lip that's visibly noticeable, and replacing those parts individually rather than replacing the entire mold. because those parts will wear out faster.
Just WOW! @xsterawesome, thank you for taking the time to leave this amazing explanation. I found it very informative and I’m sure others will as well. Thanks again!
@@CroakyOak No problem, thanks for making the detailed foam cutting video.
This is the way people are supposed to learn, you can't know everything, I can't know everything, but we can exchange the information we do know.
@@xsterawesome thank you for the great explanation, too!
I was first guessing that since the plastic expands when being heated and compresses when it cools down, the area with a full surface of material (bottom) might compress more than the area with no surface, resulting in that slight taper. But yes, that might have an effect far less extreme than the 3-5 degrees you described. The explanation with the mold sounded way more logical when I read it ✌️☺️
Thanks again!
Awesome comment !!! 👍✌🏻
This info is the reason comment sections are awesome. Thank you
Great video with a lot of useful info, thanks
I’m glad you liked the video. Thanks for commenting!
Tedious templating method, but a SUPERB fit in the end! 👍👍👍✌🏻😁🇺🇸
This is a completely fair description of the process demonstrated in the video. I’m glad things worked out for you! Thanks for commenting.
Perfect! Just perfect!
If I had a company that sold sheets of foam for this purpose I would use this video as a tutorial. Well done sir!
🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽
Thank you very much! I’m glad you found this video helpful.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Infinite thanks from Queretaro, Mexico, I had no idea about how to replicate all internal contours of my Milwaukee, Makita and Bosch toolboxes. Now I had the option I was looking for to create a space to my English wrenches, dados and some tools, God Bless you
Thank you very much! I’m glad I could help.
Perfectly explained and executed!
Thank you very much! I’m glad you liked the video.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great tips for template!
I’m glad the video was helpful. Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for making this! Very helpful.
No problem! I’m glad you found the video useful.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thank you. I used your technique and my insert is perfect. No need to spend extra $ for the milwaukee inserts. I had foam laying around
Excellent! I’m glad the video was helpful and you were able to use foam you already had on hand. Thanks for commenting.
excellent job. thank you !
Thank you! I glad you liked this video.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
That's great! Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Finally a useful video 😊 and not a child or animal in sight
😆
I’m glad you found the video helpful.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great video. I just got some very dense 0.5” foam that I am going to use on the smaller half size packout cases. One case per tool - Bosch installation tool, M12 right angle impact driver, etc. I made a prototype using very soft seat cushion foam, and it worked well. But it was clear that my precision was just too low for a denser foam - the soft foam masked my inaccuracy.
The draft angle is something I hadn’t noticed - thanks so much for pointing that out. I probably wouldn’t have noticed until it was too late.
The packout containers I’m using have clear lids. I tend to forget to put stuff away, so I’m hoping that clear lids plus high contrast top/inner layers will make it very clear what isn’t put away yet.
I’m glad you found the video helpful. Using color coded foam to make missing tools more obvious is a great idea. I’ve seen ‘tool foam’ with different colored layers sold for that exact purpose. Keeping tools organized and put away can be a challenge. Good luck and thanks for commenting.
@@CroakyOak you can use white sheet foam also and just spray paint the surface then trace and cut..
So satisfying
Glad you think so!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
If the shape you are trying to fit with foam is symmetrical, like your toolbox is left-to-right, you could save a little effort by only forming half a template and then mirroring it for the other side.
Or if there are slight differences between halves, make the template for one side and trace it. Then you can re-use the template and modify it for the differences on the other side.
Either way you just need to make sure your keep the overall dimensions of length and height consistent to fit the space as you flip and position the template to the other side.
@Adam Banas, that is a great idea! Thank you for taking the time leave this post. I’m sure everyone who takes the time to read the comments will appreciate this information as well.
Awesome tip!
This is so simple, easy and obvious that I feel stupid for not thinking to do this! I do this kind of templet making for art stuff, but apparently when it comes to making foam fit perfectly into a case My brain purges that templet making skill from memory!
Super helpful and great video! Two thumbs up!
I’m glad the video was helpful!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
thanks for the well thought out and presented video. For me...waaaaaaaay to much time and work for a tool insert. I have been checking around for some inlays that are precut but so far I haven't been successful. I bought some of the dewalt foam and I have a silver pen and a scalpel. The insert fits perfectly in the box as is so I have to do the cut out for the tools myself. Thanks
You are welcome! Thank you for commenting.
You are correct in that this method does take some time.
Another option for tools cases is to use pick-and-pluck foam. This is the type of foam that comes with many Pelican brand hard cases. It’s much faster to use. But, the foam is also quite different than Kaizen Foam or any other foam typically sold as tool foam. Most noticeably, the foam is much squishier than Kaizen Foam. I have no idea how well pick-and-pluck (also pick-and-pull) foam would hold up in a toolbox. The prices and exact name of the product can vary as well, so shop around. Often sheets of pick-and-pluck foam can be found with other foam products used for shipping.
Milwaukee and Kaizen sell precut foam for the packouts if that's what your talking about. You can even customize the Kaizens
@@John--John thanks so much
Thank you !!!!!
You’re welcome! Glad I could help.
This is sorcery. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome. I’m glad you liked the video.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@CroakyOak I am in the the process of doing this right now. Only thing is my daughter left my exacto knife at her school. Maybe a hacksaw blade may work..
Thank you!
You’re very welcome!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
This was a great video. Thank you. For anyone who has not worked with the Milwaukee precut foam, if you like what this gentleman has done, you would not be happy with the Milwaukee foam. last night I received the two different pre-cut foam inserts that Milwaukee currently has available. Initially, I was very pleasantly surprised. I’m surprised that they don’t tell people this in the description of what they’re selling, but you actually receive two pieces of precut foam for each “one” you purchase. And I am guessing that they are the thickest one that kaizen foam sells. If you hold the Milwaukee Packout pre-cut foam next to a big sheet of Kaisen foam’s thickest option, initially, the Milwaukee Kaisen foam appears to be a little bit thinner. However, on closer inspection it appears what they have done is very gently and very sparingly melted the foam on I am assuming the bottom side. I’m guessing it would be next to impossible for someone to do it without some sort of special machine. Unless someone was intimately, familiar with kaizen foam, they would never know. It is kind of along the same lines as what the gentleman in this video did meaning the foam is very forgiving, and along the same lines as cutting the foam a little bit too big, the manufacturer of this product determined that the easiest way to create the slightly slanted edges at the bottom, was to melt it into shape. Anyway, I expected the foam to not have any gaps on the sides, but at least in the toolbox version and I think the draw version as well. There is a proximately a quarter to have an inch in places that have a gap. A gap between the foam and the side of the toolbox, which is kind of a bummer. It is nice to be able to just put the foam in and have it fit and to be clear it’s not loose. At 25 or $29 for one pre-cut section it would not be worth it. I bought it mostly to use as guides to cut my own, but unless I make some adjustments, they won’t work for that. Anyway, the biggest message I wanted to let people know is that when you order but to me looks like you’re ordering one piece of precut foam you were actually receiving two pieces of precut foam and they are the thickest pieces that Kaisen foam makes. So that brings the cost to $12.50 to $14.50 per pre-cut foam insert. At that price it’s easier to justify buying the pre-cut version. But knowing that you’re going to have a few places where there’s it’s not as tight fitting as you would like. Also, if someone wants to have multiple layers of foam in one of the deeper boxes, your best bet is to bite the bullet and buy the precut inserts from Kaisen foam because they sell each section of the layer that you need and it is different in each layer. I think I would lose my mind if I was trying to create multiple layers and say the deep into a box.
Wow! Thank you for leaving such a detailed comparison between the method I demonstrated in the video and the foam inserts sold by Milwaukee. I appreciate the time it takes to leaves such a thorough comment. I’m sure others have been wondering about this.
Thanks for watching!
That’s clever.
Glad you liked the content!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
I would like to see you do a load out video of all your tool boxes and how you have them organized.
Thanks for your input. I’ll keep this type of video in mind. I did do a video about how I organized 2” sanding discs. That video can be seen here:
ua-cam.com/video/cIXvJbdjihU/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Very useful info. Thanks. One suggestion: use bristol board for the pattern instead of corrugated cardboard. The corrugations make it harder to cut straight lines that are not perfectly aligned with them. The edges "squash", too, which won't happen with bristol board.
I understand what you’re saying and I’m sure bristol board would work well for templating.
I used cereal boxes and corrugated cardboard because they work well enough and I didn’t have to make a special trip or spend any extra money to get the job done.
Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching and commenting.
Genius
Thanks! I’m glad the video was helpful.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Glad I found you third time is the charm right lol by the way harbor freight knee pads cheap check it out lol
I too, am glad you were able to find the video.
Thanks for the tip about the kneeling pads. I can think of a bunch of ways to repurpose those pads. 👍
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great
Thank you! Glad you liked the video.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Чувак, ты крут!)
@Nik Pic, I’m glad I could be of service. Thanks for the compliment and the comment.
I heat up my blade as I cut. Works well.
Cutting through the thick tool foam cut be a bit of a challenge. Thanks for the tip. Cheers!
draft angles will get ya
Yeah they sure will. When you look at the interior of Packout cases the amount of taper from top to bottom is not obvious. Thanks to another viewer who left an excellent explanatory comment, I now know much more about them too.
BeeHiverson is a terrific user name. Thanks for commenting.
So followed your tips and the foam fit flawlessly,,cut out silhouette s for tools and it bowed in like crazy...maybe because I removed the kaizen to do so...thoughts??
How close to the edges of the case are your cutouts and do any of the cutouts go through the full thickness of the foam?
That's the problem I ran into on my second try, I cut all the way through. I cut all the way through. You see I said "second try". On my first try, I totally trashed the foam.
Amazing! Thank you so much.
You’re welcome. I’m glad you liked the video.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Would anybody know how professionals put the tool details onto the foam, so you can easily identify the sizes of sockets etc?
Without know more about the markings you’re referring to, I’d say most of the markings that are actually cut into the foam are probably laser cut. I don’t know that for sure, but it seems to be the most likely method of achieving the detail I saw in a few images.
Have you considered using a label maker to print out some labels and just apply the label to the surface of the foam. I think Brother still makes label tape with an extra strength adhesive is the regular tape isn’t sticky enough.
I bought the actual Milwaukeee foam inserts but they don't come close to fitting as well as yours here.
Wow! That is very interesting, especially considering the inserts are factory inserts. This is good information to have. Thanks for commenting.
Where do you get the foam for cutting.
The foam used in this video is called Kaizen Foam and is made by FastCap. I’ve updated the links in the description box to include the FastCap.com web page and the Rockler.com web page for Kaizen Foam. Search the FastCap UA-cam channel to learn more about Kaizen Foam.
ua-cam.com/users/fastcapllc
Although I prefer Kaizen Foam, another option is to do a web search for ‘tool foam’. If you do this, shop around a bit. The prices for similar, if not identical products can vary wildly.
Regardless of what you buy, if you can’t get what you want locally, pay attention to the total shipping charges as well.
fucking perfect method! awesome!!
I’m glad you found this video useful.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Where did you get the foam😢?
The foam used in this video is Kaizen Foam from Fastcap. The manufacturer site is here:
www.fastcap.com/product/kaizen-foam?cat=302
Kaizen Foam is sold by other retailers as well.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
what is this foam called.... name of the foam
The foam used in this video is called Kaizen Foam and is made by a company call FastCap.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Arrrrgggh, you have AvE’s hands
I’ve never noticed that. I’ll have to take a closer look.
A comparison to a channel as big as AvE’s is high praise indeed! I’ll take it.
Thanks for watching and commenting . . . and . . . uhhh . . . keep your d*** on the ice. 😛
Ever thought of selling a template for this case?
Honestly, no. Would you buy one if such a thing were available? And do you know of anyone else who likely feels the same way?
Thanks for asking. I’m genuinely interested in the answer.
@@CroakyOak I would definitely buy a template for my Milwaukee packout box.
@6:53 That's what she said. 🤪
this or buy kaizen foam
@Jesus Perales, the foam I use in this video is Kaizen Foam. This method can be used with many different materials and almost any type of foam.
I’m not entirely sure if I understand your question correctly, but I’ll see what I can do.
If the money you save by making templates and cutting your own inserts is worth more to you than the time you spend making said templates and inserts, then make them yourself. If not, consider buying inserts that are already cut to fit. Foam inserts that are already cut to fit can be much more expensive, but using them is also less time consuming.
Of course this assumes inserts from your foam or material of choice are available at all.
I hope this helps. Thanks for commenting.
@@CroakyOak o
Kinda mad that you stabbed a hole into the foam with that screwdriver
Well, what you’re seeing isn’t actually screwdriver damage. The marks in the foam are indentations left by the organizer trays that come with this model of Milwaukee Packout tool box. I’ve found this kind of blemish to be inevitable when trying to get a snug fit with stock parts. Oh well . . .😳
Thanks for watching.
@@CroakyOak I'm talking about what happens at second 0:22
s 9, I had another look at the video and you are correct. At 0:22 I did inadvertently poke the screwdriver I was using as a pointer into the foam. Oops! That is a bit irritating. I hadn’t noticed the damage at all until you pointed it out. Looks like I’ll have to make myself a blunt tipped pointer of some sort.
@@CroakyOakor use a laser pointer. Then in your off time you can drive the cats crazy. :)