[UncleVanya]

I have two dressers in my office that I’m considering adding foam inserts into to store gear. I’m unclear if the regular pluck foam is entirely safe or if I need the antistatic pink foam with modern lenses that have electronics in them.

I assume the lens caps provide protection and that the pink stuff is overkill.

Has anyone had issues with the non-antistatic foam?

---------- Post added 01-31-23 at 08:46 AM ----------

I’m also considering using corrugated plastic dividers on top of a layer of foam to make cells to hold the lenses rather than pluck foam. Still considering both options.

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Last edited by UncleVanya; 01-31-2023 at 06:46 AM.

[Fogel70]

One issue with static materials is that it attract dust.
So the anti-static foam could be easier to keep clean.

[UncleVanya]

One issue with static materials is that it attract dust.
So the anti-static foam could be easier to keep clean.

The foam will be inside a drawer so I suspect there’s limited dust influx but not zero. Thanks for the input.

[JohnMc]

I have two dressers in my office that I’m considering adding foam inserts into to store gear. I’m unclear if the regular pluck foam is entirely safe or if I need the antistatic pink foam with modern lenses that have electronics in them.

I assume the lens caps provide protection and that the pink stuff is overkill.

Has anyone had issues with the non-antistatic foam?

---------- Post added 01-31-23 at 08:46 AM ----------

I’m also considering using corrugated plastic dividers on top of a layer of foam to make cells to hold the lenses rather than pluck foam. Still considering both options.

I'd avoid any form of open cell foam except for short term transport where you need shock protection. If you have concerns for static build up you need yo modify the environment. A hard divider/racking/cradle system using silicone or viton having long very inert lives. Some of the other elastomeric rubbers could work, though would be less inert/shorter lived depending. If shock and static are concerns you need to address them in other ways IMO. If you look around silicone products are widely available in many forms from door weather/smoke seals, ice cube/cooking trays, toothbrush holders, picture frame bumpers, to casting your own shapes. You just need a way to divide/rack the drawer interior, ideally in a readily adjustable manner to fit your stuff, say pegboard sheet raised 1/4 - 1/2" up and dowel pins.


Foam cube would be "easy" in certain respects, but I've witnessed too many situations where it became the problem.

[Bob 256]

More importantly than static (and I doubt you'd have that much of a problem with regular foam) is to make sure the material you pick doesn't "outgas". Some plastics are very bad at releasing plasticizers which then condense on things including lens surfaces. Since these originate as a gas, they can get into everything that isn't gas-tight. Vinyl products out-gas vinyl chloride which is an acid - even worse. Many foams (most pluck foams) are low gassing but it's just something to be on the watch for.

[biz-engineer]

Could be made out of corrugated card-board , or molded newspaper material mixed with wood glue, no static electricity, no out-gasing. Advantage of basic wood glue is that it's cheap and bond very well on everything wood based, paper etc.

[Not a Number]

The lenses are not shipped in anti-static materials so I would guess it is not a problem.

[Ray Cox]

This company has rather good explanation of the foam types and their uses. It may help with your decision.

https://mycasebuilder.com/how-to-choose-your-foam/

[jlstrawman]

Foam Factory is my choice. Lots of choices and they will send samples. Customer service is excellent.

https://www.foambymail.com/

[UncleVanya]

Foam Factory is my choice. Lots of choices and they will send samples. Customer service is excellent.

https://www.foambymail.com/

That’s the site I’m browsing on actually!

---------- Post added 01-31-23 at 06:21 PM ----------

I'd avoid any form of open cell foam except for short term transport where you need shock protection. If you have concerns for static build up you need yo modify the environment. A hard divider/racking/cradle system using silicone or viton having long very inert lives. Some of the other elastomeric rubbers could work, though would be less inert/shorter lived depending. If shock and static are concerns you need to address them in other ways IMO. If you look around silicone products are widely available in many forms from door weather/smoke seals, ice cube/cooking trays, toothbrush holders, picture frame bumpers, to casting your own shapes. You just need a way to divide/rack the drawer interior, ideally in a readily adjustable manner to fit your stuff, say pegboard sheet raised 1/4 - 1/2" up and dowel pins.

You are correct. There’s no shock involved to speak of. I have considered using corrugated plastic dividers also. Got a picture of the pegboard idea? How are you suggesting I use it? It sounds like it would be parallel to the drawer bottom held up using pegs and then I’d cut out holes for the equipment?

Foam cube would be "easy" in certain respects, but I've witnessed too many situations where it became the problem.

For cases I don’t love it. The cases need to be reconfigured too often in my experience. But for less changing storage why do you say this?

[JohnMc]

That’s the site I’m browsing on actually!

---------- Post added 01-31-23 at 06:21 PM ----------



You are correct. There’s no shock involved to speak of. I have considered using corrugated plastic dividers also. Got a picture of the pegboard idea? How are you suggesting I use it? It sounds like it would be parallel to the drawer bottom held up using pegs and then I’d cut out holes for the equipment?




For cases I don’t love it. The cases need to be reconfigured too often in my experience. But for less changing storage why do you say this?

No pics scanned, no. It's down and dirty drawer mod. Raise the pegboard up a bit then just add the dowel where needed to contain or lift. You can mod dowels with various tape/sel-adhesive products, tubing, pad the ends, play Lincoln log with them by adding dowel to other wood shapes cut to fit. Typ a 1/2" x 1/2" piece is fitted around the perimeter with a few intermediate blocks in center. No additional cutting of pegboard beyond fitting to drawer required.


Pegboard would need finishing and both would need to be allowed to outgas - heat and/or ventilation will accelerate the process. Personally I like shellac as it's main volatile component is alcohol and it goes away quickly. The reason I like silicone is it generally doesn't put out much after curing and distributon process, but if in doub most can be readily cooked in low temp oven say 120* for an hour, and unless your environment exceeds that after, there's little to no measurable gassing. Wood glues not Elmers original or Titebond 1 will outgas formaldehyde for a bit. Again a warm ventilated curing period mitigate most if not all.

[fri98]

I use acoustic foam to store my equipment in a drawer, been using it for a couple of years now and I've not noticed any damages to any of my gear (lenses, bodies, flashes, batteries, even SD cards)

[Ian Stuart Forsyth]

One thing I have found is that more and more manufactures this includes lenses and other electronic companies are using Kaizen foam.

I lined a safebox for storage of equipment in my truck that is chained to the interior using kiazen foam. for lenses it can be easily cut using soup cans that are the rough size of the lens
I have found it easy to glue together, has no dust issues, is very stable in that it does not degrade overtime and really does not soak up water or grease.
If lens manufactures are using it should be alright .

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[bdery]

I’m also considering using corrugated plastic dividers on top of a layer of foam to make cells to hold the lenses rather than pluck foam.

Care to elaborate on this? I'm considering doing the exact same thing right now and I'm open to ideas.

I've seen someone use a kind of cardboard covered with felt, sounds like a good idea, just glue the ends together.

Another option would be to get camera inserts to the right size. I actually have a few of those lying around, I'll see if the size is right for what I want to do.

[UncleVanya]

Care to elaborate on this? I'm considering doing the exact same thing right now and I'm open to ideas.

I've seen someone use a kind of cardboard covered with felt, sounds like a good idea, just glue the ends together.

Another option would be to get camera inserts to the right size. I actually have a few of those lying around, I'll see if the size is right for what I want to do.

DIY Trekpak for under $20 (2023 Update)

Trekpak is a commercial divider system that is nice but expensive. For my project I don’t need the foam cushioning that he adds but the overall idea of using the bobby pins to join the sheets together - no glue. The whole thing is very flexible and adjustable. In my use a small layer of foam will line the drawer bottom to cushion lenses from the bottom.