Drawer Liners

Nov. 1, 2016

Technician Mike Ganus repurposed shipping boxes to stay organized

What It Is: Foam drawer linings to protect tools and keep them organized in a cart.

The Inspiration: Mike Ganas, a technician at Vineville Tire Company, likes to keep his tools organized. But the rough floor in the shop makes his tools jump around when he moves his cart. He played around with the idea of creating a contraption to hold his tools in place before coming up with the final design.

What It Does: By lining the toolbox drawers with foam and cutting out spaces in the shape of his tools, the tools hold their places when the cart is being moved around and it makes it easier for Ganas to find each tool when he needs it.

How It’s Made: Ganas used plank foam panels from a tool vendor that comes to Vineville Tire Company.

The foam that he used is the same type that is used to protect toolboxes in shipping. Ganas then measured the foam to fit inside each drawer, cutting it a little larger than the actual dimensions so it would fit in the drawer nice and tight. After the base piece of foam was cut, Ganus traced each tool and cut out the outlines, so each has a place.

Cost: Nothing. Ganas says the tool vendor didn’t mind giving him the extra foam free of charge.

ROI: Ganus says that he’s saved a lot of time being organized.

“Having to hunt for tools is a big distraction when you’re working, and it’s disruptive to your concentration,” he says.