Drill bit organization/storage?

[Magnum440d100]

Through the years of collecting second hand boxes either from friends grandparents passing, cheap yard sale scores, and my own purchasing, I have some loose drill bits.

And since it’s raining fairly heavy where I’m at, I cannot work outside. So I’m in the shop doing some organizing.

That leads me to this mess.

Are there any empty drill indexes available for purchase? (Online or brick and mortar store). Sears is a no go, same with harbor freight. I’ve looked through eBay and I cannot find anything that goes to anywhere near 1” drill bits. I don’t have many that size, but it’d be nice to get them all in one spot. For now, they are loose in an extra toolbox. That makes it hard for when I’m using the drill press and looking for a size. It slows me down..

I’ve been thinking of using a 2x4 on its side with the correct sized hole drilled. That gets them at least together in one spot. Then using a wood burner to scribe the sizes in(?)

What are you guys doing about “loose” drill bits?

 

[lilredex]

There are lots of options, the first two are what I use or have used. The balance are file pictures.

 

[lilredex]

One more box that is under my DP. And, an extra, again from my files.

 

[Misfire]

McMaster Carr has quite a few options.
https://www.mcmaster.com/drill-indexes

 

[OccupantRJ]

Amazon had empty drill indexes a month or so ago when I looked. The wood block works well near a machine.

 

[PETE14]

Huot is alive and well and still making nice indexes and storage cabinets in the good 'ol U.S. of A.

https://www.huot.com

 

[LXCam]

I waaass gonna show you a couple drawers out if my lista cabinets for my mill. But one upping you on the rain scene, we lost power an hour ago sooooo


I'm not sure where you're at but I'm pretty sure I have a few empty ones laying around. You're welcome to those.

 

[Attackcammel]

McMaster Carr has quite a few options.
https://www.mcmaster.com/drill-indexes

I was looking at the link here I really like the under mount drawers never seen them before

 

[Stuart in MN]

Huot is alive and well and still making nice indexes and storage cabinets in the good 'ol U.S. of A.

https://www.huot.com

Mr. Huot posts here occasionally.

I have a couple of their indexes. Many drill manufacturers package their bits in Huot indexes. They're good quality.

 

[James-W]

It is relatively easy to build a wooden box to hold extra drill bits, I would go that route. You can also buy plastic boxes with "compartments" in them that will hold the drill bits quite nicely.

 

[Bellaireroad]

Huot is alive and well and still making nice indexes and storage cabinets in the good 'ol U.S. of A.



https://www.huot.com

Yep


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Magnum440d100]

I waaass gonna show you a couple drawers out if my lista cabinets for my mill. But one upping you on the rain scene, we lost power an hour ago sooooo


I'm not sure where you're at but I'm pretty sure I have a few empty ones laying around. You're welcome to those.

We must be neighbors. Just got power back on about 15-20 minutes ago... I’m in Southern California. Riverside.

 

[Magnum440d100]

McMaster Carr has quite a few options.
https://www.mcmaster.com/drill-indexes

Those are nice!

Quick question though, and probably shows my ignorance. Looking at those boxes, some of them are 80-1, some are 60-1. What do those numbers mean?

 

[Magnum440d100]

Huot is alive and well and still making nice indexes and storage cabinets in the good 'ol U.S. of A.

https://www.huot.com

I still don’t see anything for 1” unless I’m not looking hard enough. But how nice those are, I wouldn’t mind not having storage for 1”.... might do a separate container for the larger bits...

 

[LXCam]

We must be neighbors. Just got power back on about 15-20 minutes ago... I’m in Southern California. Riverside.

Must be, it was the same for me and the only outage was in the 92508. We'll have to get together.

 

[Magnum440d100]

It is relatively easy to build a wooden box to hold extra drill bits, I would go that route. You can also buy plastic boxes with "compartments" in them that will hold the drill bits quite nicely.

I had a tackle box for drill bits, and eventually it rotted. I’m wary of anything plastic. I may go this route if I absolutely have to, and I’ve seen some nice plastic organizers at harbor freight that can be compartmentalized....hmm...

 

[LXCam]

Those are nice!

Quick question though, and probably shows my ignorance. Looking at those boxes, some of them are 80-1, some are 60-1. What do those numbers mean?

They are numbered drill bits. You'll find a majority of the drill sizes needed for 1/4" and smaller tapped holes call out for a numbered pilot bit. And the higher the number the smaller the bit. Also there are letter sizes as well, A-Z.

 

[Magnum440d100]

Must be, it was the same for me and the only outage was in the 92508. We'll have to get together.

Yup. 92508 Woodcrest. I’m near del taco and circle K.

 

[LXCam]

Yup. 92508 Woodcrest. I’m near del taco and circle K.

Too funny, I'm right up wood from ya on Roberts.

Howdy neighbor

 

[Magnum440d100]

They are numbered drill bits. You'll find a majority of the drill sizes needed for 1/4" and smaller tapped holes call out for a numbered pilot bit. And the higher the number the smaller the bit. Also there are letter sizes as well, A-Z.

Ah that’s right! When I worked construction, we used numbered bits. Totally forgot about those!

 

[Magnum440d100]

Too funny, I'm right up wood from ya on Roberts.

Howdy neighbor

BAHAHAHA I’m on the south side of wood Hahahaha

I had friends that lived on Roberts but that was a while ago....

Small small world!

Yeah, if you see me around, don’t be afraid to say hi! I usually drive a dark red 73 Lincoln MK IV, but am driving a white Honda for the “winter” beater...

You’ve probably seen me driving around and though “what an a$$hole” and I wouldn’t blame you Hahahaha

 

[LXCam]

BAHAHAHA I’m on the south side of wood Hahahaha

I had friends that lived on Roberts but that was a while ago....

Small small world!

Yeah, if you see me around, don’t be afraid to say hi! I usually drive a dark red 73 Lincoln MK IV, but am driving a white Honda for the “winter” beater...

You’ve probably seen me driving around and though “what an a$$hole” and I wouldn’t blame you Hahahaha

And I thought I was the only ******* driver around here

 

[WhoWhatNow]

I still don’t see anything for 1” unless I’m not looking hard enough. But how nice those are, I wouldn’t mind not having storage for 1”.... might do a separate container for the larger bits...

https://www.huot.com/products/produ...dexes/silver-deming-drill-tap-reamer-indexes/

 

[hrichard]

I use plano 3700 boxes for bits, sawsall blades, jigsaw blades, hardware, pretty much anything that will fit. My larger (over 5/8) bits are mostly in their respective sleeves anyway, so they live in a little bit deeper, but same size plastic box as the 3700 boxes. We have cabinet for bits up to 1/2 at work, and bits larger than that are in the standard hardware bins that Barnes supplies. Unless you have a bunch of large bits, the cabinets that hold larger bits tend to eat up space exponentially the larger you go.

 

[James-W]

I had a tackle box for drill bits, and eventually it rotted. I’m wary of anything plastic. I may go this route if I absolutely have to, and I’ve seen some nice plastic organizers at harbor freight that can be compartmentalized....hmm...

I wouldn't be overly concerned about modern plastics rotting. I have read in more than one place that some plastics will be around for thousands of years.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Indexes are also made for Morse taper drills in the 1inch range. I will post a pic of mine if I think about it when I get out to the shop.

 

[A**holes Garage]

I purchased Huot drill bit holders for my regular use drills and then fabbed an angled stand for them. For my other loose, spare drills, I use drill trays.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002FSBMC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The picture was taken at a weird angle, not as dramatic as the picture shows;

 

[TurnipTruck]

Now that most trucks around here get sprayed-in bedliners, bodyshops have piles of the plastic bed liner inserts laying around. I chopped up several liners into drawer-sized squares and used them to organize taps and drills.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I like the plastic Plano boxes at Walmart for holding misc things like this...