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Simple tool tray for dial calipers

1K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  Gaffboat 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I use two dial calipers in my shop (one is fractional), and getting them in and out of their original storage boxes was alway inconvenient. So, I finally got around to making a shallow MDF tray to keep them in place in one of my shop drawers. Sometimes the CNC makes little shop projects simple, and straightforward. I don’t know how I would have completed this without using the CNC.

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#8 ·
The design took a little more work than I expected, Paul. First, I tried scanning the tools so I could use the photo as a template. Scanning left too many shadows to make it worthwhile. So I laid the calipers on paper and just drew around them with a pencil. I scanned the drawing and used it as my guide, creating the vectors in V Carve by drawing basic shapes and merging them. Conveniently, although the two calipers are from different manufacturers, their size and shape are almost identical, so I only needed to create one outline.

Once I had the outline created, I exported the vectors to Adobe Illustrator so I could print them out at actual size. When I laid the calipers on the printout, I could see where I needed to make some adjustments. Once those were done, the job was run on the CNC with no issues, and the calipers fit in the tray perfectly. I took much longer for the design than it did for the cutting.
 
#15 ·
I'm happy to hear you heard from Barb, Tom. She's missed by all of us. Too cold in Michigan? Uh oh, does the dreaded "I-word" apply to her shop? Is she like a member, who shall go unnamed (but whose first initials rhyme with RainMan), and is known for lack of environmental temperature control materials in his shop walls?
 
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#13 ·
Great idea, also have the top caliper and agree that it is a PITA to remove from the case (short of turning the upside down and shaking it). Don't have a CNC but thinking that I can cut a corner of the sheet of 1/4" MDF I have lying around and cut the outline in it and then glue to a bottom layer.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Yep. Good idea. An alternate method would be to make two layers as you suggest. You could cut the outline with a scroll saw into some 1/4" thick material and glue to a bottom piece, to complete the tray.
 
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