Best way to craft small object storage dividers

Ask Dallas Makerspace
#1

I have a lot of small diecast metal figures (about 2" x 2" x 3/4") to store.

I haven’t found suitable commercial storage, so I’m looking at creating dividers for a larger container. What material would be best and cheapest - coroplast?
And I don’t want to rely on my own ability to draw and cut a straight line.

Any thoughts or suggestions from the smart people here?

Chris.

#2

Look into the gridfinity if you want to try to 3d print it. It’s a pretty huge open source atmosphere

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#3

Laser cut plywood, masonite, matboard, or even cardboard depending on level of durability and looks you want.

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#4

Ditto what @hardsuit recommends about laser cutting … but having gone through this mind exercise with Christmas ornaments I’d like to add one design suggestion. Make each storage layer a self-contained tray with the a perimeter and dividers clipped into it, so you can remove a layer at a time without all the goodies falling off.

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#5

Christmas ornaments is almost exactly the style I’m thinking. Option 1 is a plastic case for paper - If I lay them down flat, I need that 8.5x11 base; if I stand them, its only needs a lot more dividers. Option 2 is a case of 4x6 photo cases - less divider requirement, but the cases are more expensive, and I’m still debating the pros/cons of six in a case, because they came in sets of 18 or 20.

Masonite and plywood seem like a lot of cost and/or weight, which is why I grabbed a
Corrugated Plastic Sheet at Hobby Lobby to play around with. I haven’t used it before but it seems rigid enough (and light and cheap) to work. Would the laser cut it or melt it? Should the grain be horizontal or vertical, especially if it’s 3/4" tall?

I’m not sure 3D printing would work well for the larger size, I believe it would take a long time to print and the filament can be expensive. I’m also concerned its layered nature might not survive jostling from large numbers of heavy figures.

Thanks all for the commentary; I’m still trying to figure out all the details.

#6

You could hot glue medicine cups into a grid/ honeycomb pattern, they are about 2" wide and very cheap.

#7

While it would cost more, a solid 3D build is very sturdy. I once smacked a solidly built 3D thing, and it didn’t budge At All.

#8

Pluck foam is an option.

Another is to use eva foam mats in a box/tray, and cut the figurine sized holes with the laser.

We do this a lot for 40k and tabletop figurines

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#9

I’ve seen commercial boxes with those, but they were pretty expensive. Laser cut foam isn’t a bad suggestion. Now I need to look into foam types and prices…

#10

Harbor freight anti fatigue mats for the eva foam.

Pluck foam:
This cannot be lasered. Just cut it to fit in your box with a utility knife.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CC5B8K8D

#11

Where’s the rabbit hole icon?

Does the pluck foam melt or burn under the laser? Same question regarding the corrugated plastic sheet, if you know. Those answers might help me lean towards one material or another.

#12

Again. You CANNOT cut pluck foam in the laser. It is toxic.

#13

My apologies, I should have been clearer. I would never do it after being instructed not to. I was just curious about the why. Toxic is an even better why than what I thought.

#14

Generally speaking, there are only two reasons that things are banned on the lasers at the space:

  1. Either they degrades/melt/catch fire in a way that is really difficult to clean when cut. These also are usually allowed on a case by case basis with prior approval by the chair.
  2. those that release different forms of toxic fumes. Generally these are a blanket ban, and there are not exceptions made. We do have a fume extractor setup for the lasers, vut that only helps so much with corrosive fumes that damage the machine or materials that release a large amount of toxins. Some materials even though they may be laserable/ some shops will allow it, we have to decided not to allow due to maintenance requirements/our setup/past issues.

Foams tend to be more the former than the latter as a whole. Some foams are specifically marked laser safe - This usually just means that they’re not going to release toxic fumes, but they still may not be allowed at DMS typically, because they melt to much or similar. Generally speaking, if a material says Laser Safe/is designed specifically to be laser cut, AND is from a reputable seller (not Amazon/the like) it is allowed.

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