Building a Comprehensive Mobile Drill Kit

[oldschoolcraft]

I have a vision of putting together a mobile toolkit specific to drilling holes, in a packout toolbox. Here's what I'm thinking:

• Drill itself
• 2 Batteries
• complete regular set of "standard" Norse Drill bits - jobber length
• hole saw drill bit set
• spade bit set
• ceramic hole saw drill bit set (picked up some diamond coated ones to drill holes in ceramic planters)
• metal step bit set (3 sizes I think is a good set)
• 1/4" hex bit extension in case I want to use this drill as a driver
• Square 1/4, 3/8", and 1/2" extensions in case I want to use it with sockets
• Automatic center punch

I'm considering some of the following:

• 2 to 3 left hand drill bits for extraction purposes
• 2 to 3 very long drill bits in common sizes like 1/4 and 1/2 maybe in 6"+ length in case I need to drill deep into wood or drywall. Maybe I need 1/8" too, for a pilot hole?
• 2 to 3 short masonry bits, in case I didn't grab my SDS Rotary Hammer, which is what I should have for this kind of thing
  • short length because I'm not going to have the ability to drill 6"+ long holes in concrete with this drill regardless of the bits
• 1 to 2 spare multiples of the regular drill bits, in smaller sizes, since I've snapped the smallest ones on multiple occasions. Maybe 2 spares of 1/16" and 1/8"
• Measuring devices of some kind. I keep a 6" torpedo level and a 25' tape measure in my handyman kit, so maybe some measuring / leveling / angling tools other than those two, that would be associated with drilling holes?
  • 16" Levels are a standard size, I can fit one of those inside this box (19" width). One thing I drill is holes to hang up shelves
  • 6" metal ruler
  • heavy duty dyneema cord that I can make markings on, and use it like a "compass" to draw a circle
  • 6' compact tape measure in case I dont have my handyman kit with the 25'er
• Permanent Marker and Pencil, in case I dont have my handyman kit with them

The idea is "I need to drill some holes, in other than concrete, I'm going to grab this box, and I will be taking a lot of extra stuff with me that I won't need, but carrying a few pounds of extra **** beats me having to grab the drill / batteries separate and then bring only the specific types of drill bits I need for the anticipated job, and then have to account for them."

I should be able to fit all of this in the regular size packout toolbox, not be crazy heavy, and never have to try to dig up specific things to take alongside the drill, just grab the whole box and go.

 

[FigN⋅m]

Sounds like a fun project!

Do you tend to also drill various thicknesses of metal?
Got me thinking of stuff like:

• 6" combo square w/scribe to help find/mark center of material
• small 90* drill guide. Sort of gimmicky, but does help on narrow or round items
• couple of C clamps to hold weird or small items in place or stacked for alignment
• a few small files to deburr, slot or fine-tune a hole
• small hacksaw to shorten bolts or trim a thing
• drill stops or a least a roll of tape to wrap around a bit

Maybe some of that is already in a separate box, but just some food for thought...

 

[f121]

Sounds like a good concept, I look forward to seeing this perfectly foamed out (which is something I aspire to but never find the time for).

You probably want to add an impact to that too - there’s few occasions where I drill a hole and don’t immediately put a fastener into it.

Maybe a clip together packout, with the drill/impact in the top and shallow drawers in the lower section containing bits?

 

[chevy.stroker]

Countersinks?

Hole deburrers?

 

[captain14]

Lubricating oil?

 

[Dave455]

Good idea!

In fact, some years ago I did something similar. I realised that a lot of the drilling I did was “away from base” and I always needed the same basic things. The “grab and go” concept is really valid, and has saved me ages assembling stuff.

I ended up making more of a “fixing” box, and included some wall plugs and screws too. Like yourself, most of my masonry drilling is done with an SDS drill and SDS bits, which I carry separately if needed.


A couple of thoughts. Are you considering drilling metal? If so, include separate drills for metal. Even if you use the same type (no reason why not, HSS work great on wood) keep a really sharp set for wood.

In the end, I realised that I’m usually drilling metal in my workshop, so omitted the metal drills.

If you buy a “drill set” there will be some sizes you use a lot. It’s worth doubling up on these. For me it’s the smaller sizes, so I carry spares.

Yes, definitely include some “long series” drills - whatever you think you will use, These sets with the most popular sizes in a plastic box are great.

I use these “multi material” drills a lot. They are similar to a masonry drill, but work well enough on wood, brick, plaster or whatever. Great if you have different materials to drill one hole through.


Consider some countersinks. I know some folks don’t use them (and don’t drill pilot holes or clearance holes either) but I do. Again, keep them exclusively for wood.


I obviously have a lot more stuff at base in my shop. Auger bits, forstner bits, holesaws etc etc. I don’t carry these every time, or the weight would get out of control. I just add them as needed, knowing I already have the basics!

 

[tyyost]

I do something similar with my Ridgid mid box, but I do drills and an impact driver. I keep sets of screw bits, regular twist drills in 1/16” - 1/2”, a nice Bosch spade bit set, a set of carbide concrete drill bits, and in the top tray I keep some extensions, a torpedo level, one of those magnetic stud finders, razor knife, countersink bit, step drills, and other swarf that accumulates over use.

In my work the need for hole saws is pretty obvious, like when drilling concrete is involved so they like elsewhere. I also keep a “door hanging” box with chisels, gauges, templates, holesaws, and extra stuff I would grab if doors were involved. I can’t remember the last time I drilled tile, but those bits are a good grab for an all around set.

 

[KnurledNut]

Drills with a quick-change hex shank are a go-to for me. I only use standard drills when necessary.
Tap-drill-deburr combination bits can be handy.
I prefer longer concrete drills. I ran across too many situations where the standard length isn't long enough. Some of these too are available with quick-change hex shanks. I've often chucked a SDS+ in a normal three jaw chuck drill.
Carbide burrs and rasps can be extremely useful in a drill.
An awl or gimlet would be good to include, in addition to a spring-loaded center punch or a spring tools punch.
Having left-hand drills as well as the corresponding extractors in the smaller sizes especially, can save a lot of headache.
Toothpicks, golf tees, etc are good for filling/repairing oversized or off-center holes.
Cardstock or plasticstock for packing hinges/latchbolts/strikes/etc is good too.
Might also keep some of the oddball but very common #9 hinge screws on hand.