[Unicorn_Systems]

I am about to start designing the layout files for tool control foam shadowboards which will go in the drawers of a Pelican 0450 mobile tool chest. I have a good idea of what tools I will be putting in each drawer and how I want to lay them out, but I’m wondering how to go about scanning/modelling the tools in SW for the laser cutting company to make the inserts. The box will have some tools with quite complex shapes. Spanners, pliers, wire strippers and cutters to name but a few. Does anyone have experience of modelling for this sort of thing?

[Jim Dawson]

If you have a scanner or a digital camera. Scan or take a picture of the tool to get the outline, import the picture into your CAD program, sketch the outline around the picture. Once you do that then scale the sketch to some known dimension on the tool.

[youcanttuneafis]

What I would do is take a picture of your tools how you want them laid out in your tool box then import them into Adobe Illustrator, then use the pen tool to create vector lines then your should be able to import them into your laser machine. I have done this a few times.