Cardboard & Duct Tape Tool Organizer

This is a easy and cheap project to organize your tools with just cardboard and duct tape, this instruction will show how, just repeat for different groups of tools as needed.

Step 1: Gather Materials

Gather your materials:

 1. Cardboard sheet or box to cut down.
 2. Duct tape - you choice of color.
 3. Vinyl tape optional - your choice of color.

Step 2: Gather Materials

Gather Materials:

 1. Sharp Knife - Please be SAFE.
 2. Ruler or Tape measure.
 3. Straight edge.
 4. Square.

Step 3: Measure Area(s) Avaliable and Required

 1. Measure available area (area of drawer (Length x Width x Height)).
 2. Layout tools organizing (add 1/8 inch or cardboard thickness to socket end for clearance - to remove & place tool).

 Note: If more than one tool group per drawer, layout options to fit all as needed. alway allow for small addition if possiable
           (build for change).

Step 4: Cut Cardboard Tray and Dividers

 1. Draw pattern on cardbord sheet.
 2. Being very carfully (Safety First) cut out cardboard and dividers.
 3. Score cardboard on bend line. ( indent to bend).
 4. Prebend Tray.

 (Note: when scoring cardboard - I use edge of nickle and press and drag along line) - knife not recommended.

Step 5: Assemble Tray

1. Add duct tape to tray sidewalls insure tape is over top of sidewalls.
2. Tape corners together, inside and out

(Note: insure top edge of sidewalls are covered. Push tape into corners with scrap peice of cardboard)

Step 6: Add Dividers

1. Set a socket from each group for locating dividers.
2. Tape divider together once your happy with fit.

(Note: straight divider would be fine also, went with bent divider for strength, Don't forget to add 1/8 cardboard spacer for clearance to place and remove sockets from position) 

Step 7: Tape and Number

1. Finish adding duct tape to tray dividers
2. Place vinyl on bottom sidewall top edge
3. Place vinyl on center divider top edge
4. Lay sockets into place and number sets for easy location identification
5. Building for change - make spacer blocks (sized based on open space after placing sockets)

Step 8: Finish Project

1. Please sockets into position.
2. Place spacer blocks into position.


Job completed!
Tray completed!

Hope this helps and you enjoyed

Thanks for looking

Comments

[zombie_g33k]

I love it!! I am going to make some this weekend for sure. Thanks!

[pfred2]

I like making custom cardboard boxes myself. When I do it I find hot glue handy to use. I've made a couple of socket organizers out of wood. They're a royal pain to make, but nice to use. The trouble mostly lies in the fact that the outside diameter of sockets varies so much. That fact necessitates a lot of tool changes drilling all of the holes. So much of a pain in fact that I've decided to never write an article about them. I keep feeling like there is a better method that is eluding me. Although for a string of sockets I have hit upon this idea, based on a tape roll holder for a tool pouch. I thought it up after seeing an article on this site where someone strung sockets on a coat hanger. The downside of that is if you want a socket in the middle of the set you have to dump all rest out up to it. I've obviously invested some time myself into tool organization so I appreciate your efforts. Good job!

[RedneckEngineer]

I just read about your looking for a better way to do your wooden socket holder without all the bit changes and had a thought. Why not use a router instead an measure from the smallest to the widest and rout a channel the gets bigger as the sizes do. That way you have all the sockets in line before you add your top (clamp/handle). They all ready make these type of drawers in tool boxes so it wouldn't be that hard to do in wood. Just some food for thought.

[pfred2]

I prefer that each tool have its own spot so I do not have to find where it belongs when I put it back. Its empty spot is a guide for me. I have metal socket holders made as you describe and I really don't like them very much because of the tendency of remaining sockets sliding around if some are removed. I suppose with some careful routing the channel could be scalloped. I said it is a pain to make all of the different sized holes, but it really is not very hard to do. Just a lot of measuring and bit changes. Oh, it helps to have a lot of bits too.

[johnnie777mx]

Cool!!!