Tool Box Liner

[rebush]

I live in SW Florida. It's usually humid here. I'm continually wiping tools down with a slightly oily rag to keep surface rust at bay. I just welded up a work bench for my surface plate ( section of a man made quartz countertop ) and will be adding an 18 drawer cabinet below. Does anyone know where you can get the cloth they use in machinist tool boxes. And does it actually work. My other idea was to skip two top drawers put on a grilled front and keep two low watt bulbs on. We use that in the sandpaper cabinet at work, and it works well. Just not a big fan of leaving anything on in the shop when I'm not around. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Roger

 

[OldMachinist]

McMaster Carr sells the adhesive backed felt liner used in tool boxes. http://www.mcmaster.com/#felt/=ibff8u

The liner is mainly used to protect tools from banging and rubbing around in the drawers. When I used to have my tools in a damp basement I lined the bottom of the drawers with cardboard that I sprayed heavily with WD40. I also kept some reusable desiccant packs in there. It kept the tools rust free.

Instead of a light bulbs you could use a gun safe dehumidifier.

 

[Tony Wells]

Normally, high grade felt is used to line toolbox drawers. Kennedy used to sell a kit to re-line theirs, I believe. But any hobby store should carry sheets of it. People use it to put under projects that they don't want to scratch the coffee table or such. Or places that make trophies use it for backing, taxidermy shops use it behind some mounts.

 

[george wilson]

Old time machinists used to keep lumps of camphor inside their closed tool boxes. I did that too,while I could still get camphor at the drug store. Drugstores USED to sell several useful items that are no longer carried. You can get them on Ebay,though. Keep your camphor wrapped up tight in Saran wrap before you use it. It will evaporate away otherwise. Takes a long time,but keep it wrapped. Unwrap it when you put it into your tool box. I now have a heated and cooled shop,so I don't need it now,but in a humid climate it is a useful thing to know.

I also FULLY RECOMMEND you to NEVER use a wool felt inside your tool box. Wool will eat into your steel tools and cause trouble. The best thing to use is cloth made to line silver chests with. It is treated chemically to prevent tarnish and rust.

I almost bought a Civil War Remington pistol that was minty internally,BUT,had been wrapped in woolen socks for a very long time. The surface of the gun had the weave pattern of the wool socks etched deeply into it.

We used the silver lining cloth to make bags for PGA trophies I used to help make. I lined my gun cabinet with it 20 years ago,and have had no problems with metal rusting that is in contact with it.

Some cloths "off gas". When I made boxes for Queen Elizabeth's gifts when she visited Williamsburg several years ago,I had to get the conservation department to advise me of the cloths that would not damage the silver saffron pot we made for her. Can't recall offhand exactly what I got. It was some type of satin,but i can't recall the blend. Use the silver cloth if you can. A fabric store should be able to order it for you. And,use the camphor. I never had a problem regardless of the type felt as long as I kept camphor lumps in the box.

 

[Charley Davidson]

I have 2 of the larger silica jell packs I keep in 2 different boxes, I believe you can microwave them to dry them out periodically. Save all those packs you can get and keep one in each drawer.

 

[Tony Wells]

George, am I mistaken to think that the felt used by Kennedy and others is a synthetic cloth? I know that natural wool is a no-no, but I figured by now, most of what is available is not natural wool.

On the subject of what to keep in your toolbox, I have one NOT to keep in there. Aspirin, or BC powders and the like will corrode everything. They are acidic and create a corrosive environment in and near whatever drawers you keep them in. I used to suffer from headaches quite a bit so kept a couple of BC powders in there.....fortunately, it was only a few end mills that were ruined, but I sure wouldn't want to keep any in my toolbox.

 

[Frank Ford]

Plain old corrugated cardboard makes a dandy liner - it's cheap and easily replaced, although it last decades longer than I thought it would. When I get a new tool cabinet from Sears (I have about 14 now) I cut up the box to line the drawers:

 

[george wilson]

Tony,I don't know anything about the felt Kennedy uses. The problem with many synthetics is that they off gas corrosive fumes. If I need to know something about fabrics,I just call the fabrics conservation shop in Williamsburg.

Frank,regular old cardboard slowly releases acid fumes. You can get archival cardboard and papers. They are acid free,and will last 400 years without harming tools. I noticed acid free artist's drawing pads in Staples a while back.

 

[rickard]

Be Very Careful to get "ACID FREE" Felt not all Felt is acid free and will rust tools, Also I'd at the very least I'd build a Wood Cabinet and Drawers to absorb moisture.

 

[Tony Wells]

Well, George.....you've set me off on yet another research project! I'll report back anything useful I find.