While tool caddies, bags, and boxes offer a great solution for taking your tools on the go, when it comes to keeping your tools protected, organised, and easy to find, nothing beats Foam Shadow boards.
Here, our shadow board foam engineers explain what are shadow boards, the benefits of this method of tool storage, and the reasons why foam tool shadow boards offer you so many advantages over traditional printed shadow board solutions.
Traditional Printed Shadow Boards
Traditional printed shadow boards for tools typically consist of an aluminium composite board that’s covered with a laminate vinyl layer. Similar to the effect you’re left with when you trace the outline of your hand onto a piece of paper, the vinyl film is printed with an outline of your tools, clearly indicating where each tool should be hung on the board.
Tools are typically suspended on printed shadow boards using fasteners such as steel dowls with rubber grips or spring clips. The tool effectively sits against the surface of the board on one side, and is very much exposed to the elements around it. Heavier tools may require extra reinforcement in the way of bolts to support the weight of the tool and prevent it from slipping. An additional protective layer may also need to be added to the printed shadow boards to protect the board from scratches and other damage.
As shadow boards are solid, they lack the flexibility to be modified or extended. They can also be easily contaminated by lubricants and chemicals, such as those transferred from tools onto the board. The application of printed shadow boards is also limited by their design, making this method of tool storage unsuitable to mobile tool storage solutions such as tool chests, tool trollies, tool bags, and tool caddies.
The advanced alternative: Foam Shadow Boards
Foam shadow boards, by comparison, are a much more flexible, adaptable, and reliable tool storage solution than traditional printed shadow boards. Taking advantage of the latest technology, they consist of dual-colour layers of dense protective foam, CNC-cut to mirror the exact proportions of each tool.
Instead of simply dangling on a fastener, tools on shadow foam boards are enveloped in their entirety by the foam, which forms a protective cushion around the tool, while at the same time ensuring it stays firmly in its designated place.
The visual contrast between the tool and the coloured foam also makes tools stored in shadow foam boards more easily identifiable, saving time when searching for a tool and helping you to quickly reacquaint it with its home when you’re finished with it. This has the added benefit of making it obvious if a tool is missing, helping you to maintain better tool control in your workspace or while on site for a job.
For added flexibility, shadow foam boards can be directly affixed to a wall or securely mounted onto a mobile metal frame, giving you the ultimate space saving solution. For site visits, custom shadow foam inserts can be created for your tool trolley, tool chest, or tool box, preventing your tools from moving while in transit and ensuring no tool gets left behind on a job.
Benefits of Foam Shadow Boards
There are immediate benefits to be gained by upgrading your traditional printed shadow boards to shadow foam:Â
Enhanced Organisation
Safety Improvements
Increased Efficiency
With the shadow foam approach to tool storage, your tools are mapped, and a rendering created, to the exact size and shape of each tool to be included on your board. Using this technique, a custom cut-out slot is then created in the foam into which the tool will sit.Â
Unlike with traditional shadow boards, shadow foaming permits tools to be placed in any direction, ensuring that the space on the board is maximised to its fullest.
Whereas traditional printed shadow boards rely on fasteners to keep your tools organised, a foam tool control shadow board creates a void where each tool fits perfectly. This provides a more stable and secure tool storage solution than simply allowing your tools to hang loosely, with very little securing them in place.Â
The two-toned foam colour system also makes it easier to spot when tools are missing, helping you to keep accountability of your tools better and improve unwanted trips and slips.
Being able to quickly locate your tools in the shadow foam tool storage system empowers you to work more efficiently. You don’t have to waste time rummaging through a tool chest full of loose tools to track down the one you need. Instead, each tool is quickly identifiable.Â
Over time, as your brain remembers the board’s layout, you’ll also know exactly where to find each tool without even having to consciously look for it.
Aesthetic Appeal
Shadow foam tool storage isn’t only the most practical way to keep your tools organised and protected. It also offers you a professional and clean way to display your tools between uses.
Your brand logo or business name can also be cut into the foam for added personalisation, creating a great first impression for clients, suppliers, and customers who visit you on site at your business premises.
Tool Protection
Choosing shadow tool foaming over traditional printed shadow boards also gives your tools an unbeatable layer of protection. The foam offers a snug fit for tools, creating a protective cushion that makes accidentally damaging the tool near impossible.
Storing your tools this way helps to extend their lifespan versus traditional shadow board tool storage by limiting opportunities for premature wear and tear. Â
Customisation Options
At Red Box Foam we offer several ways for you to customise your shadow foam boards to your own specification.
Our foam boards are available in a variety of colour combinations and densities, giving you the option to create a custom look and feel to your tool storage, and making it possible for you to create a board in your brand’s colours for that added professional touch. Every shadow foam board we produce is custom-cut to match your tool’s proportions to perfection.
No tool is too big or too small for the shadow foaming method, and although it’s visually easy to identify which tool belongs where on the board, we can additionally etch your tool’s names or a custom code into the foam, so you don’t have to rely on sight alone.
As an additional add-on, we can even laser etch or tag each of your tools with a unique ID, making them easily traceable in the event of a burglary.
Applications of Custom Foam Tools Boards
Superior tool control and enhanced tool protection have led to shadow foam boards becoming the default tool storage method for a number of professional and domestic purposes.
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Some of the most widely adopted applications of shadow foam tool storage include:
- Assembly lines and manufacturing
- Automotive and aerospace
- Laboratories and workshops
- Home garages and DIY studios
How to Get Started with Foam Shadow Boards
Whether you’re sick of replacing lost or damaged tools or you’re seeking a professional storage solution to give your business credibility, we can help.
Simply get in touch with your requirements and we can talk you through the range of options we offer. From your preferred choice of colours and any additional branding you’d like included, to which density of foam would best suit your needs, we’ll be happy to offer our professional advice and provide you with a free quote tailored to your job.
Once you’re in a position to proceed, we’ll arrange for a full scan of your tools (if not already contained in our library of 10,000+ tool makes and models), and then cut your custom foam with one of our state-of-the-art CNC routers. Your order will then be shipped to you, ready to use from the day you accept delivery.
To find out more, contact our Red Box Foam team at 02380 254285 or email [email protected].