How do you store your drill bits?

[Zebedeewesty]

How does everyone store their drill bits?
I managed to drop the plastic case all my drill bits are in destroying it so am looking for another storage solution.

 

[Hesketh]

Thrown into a draw in the tool chest and I rummage about for the right size each and every time I need one.

 

[fm2176]

Thrown into a draw in the tool chest and I rummage about for the right size each and every time I need one.

I have a drawer full, and used to do the same. Over the past couple of years I've picked up a couple of Dewalt sets in small Tough Cases. Those stay with the cordless tools; handy, organized, and easy to find.

 

[Adam.C]

Look for proper Huot indexes. They are simply metal drill boxes made slightly better in the USA by people who give a damn. So the hinges work right, they close nicely. You may be able to find used ones. Otherwise, the industrial supply houses sell them. I made the mistake of drilling holes in a block of wood to store my bits only to have my bits rust.

I think real machinists may store their bits tip down in their cases. Some drills can cut you if you are not paying attention. In bigger firms, machinists store drill bits in little tool chests (also made by Huot). I don't have that many drill bits.

-oops sorry I see you are in the UK. You may not be able to get Huot boxes easily there.

 

[venturesomerite]

When they are new: they back exactly where they came from in the case so I know what size they are.

After a month: The case is always broken, as are 1/4 of the bits themselves (or dull) and they are in one my misc boxes of bits. Rummage around and find the right bit.

I'm planning to buy a nice set with a good case for my shop set.

 

[royesses]

Store them in Huot indexes as previously stated. Not expensive but the best solution. Just my opinion.

 

[uart]

If you're keeping then in a home or workshop and portability isn't important, just get a block of wood or two and drill holes in it to place the bits in.

A lot of people store misc and otherwise homeless bits like this.

 

[Stooge]

Generally, i store them under my work bench after they roll off the table and under the bench, where i promptly forget about them.

I have a small index that i try and keep together but most just go into an old plastic container in my junk drawer in a cart.

 

[Ign]

After trying all the budget/homebrew solutions I finally found the Huot indexes way below retail (sale is long over, sorry, not that it'd help in the UK). Best thing I ever did. Now I need one for my end mills. Ideally I'd love a 2nd set of Houts for just screw machine drills too - I could get away with just fractional and wire there.

 

[panknuckshovel]

I took a chunk of 2x4 and drilled a hole with each bit and then just stood them in the hole.

EDIT: Just like the previous posting I didn't see before I typed this.

 

[lilredex]

Not mine.....but I really like this idea. All of your DP accessories, including hole saws could be stored here, and the DP could go on top of it.

I have three of those Huot boxes mentioned above, but when I am organized again, they will probably store other small items.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My Dewalt bits (generally used for wood stay inthe came I bought them in. The metal bits I bought individually, I found a drill index at Menards.

http://www.menards.com/main/tools-h...l-bits/drill-index-case/p-1476863-c-10079.htm

I also bought a smaller one for back up bits.


http://www.menards.com/main/tools-h...l-bits/drill-index-case/p-1476862-c-10079.htm

 

[amolaver]

I've been considering getting the huot boxes (about $75/ea, need a set of three for fractional, #, and metric), but am now considering getting the hf pro 26" bottom roller/top combo. Use the top with drawer seperators to store the drills. Have to take some measurements to confirm, but pretty sure that will work well.

ahm

 

[byoungblood]

I keep them in the cases they came in. I've got a bunch of larger wood and forstner bits I just keep loose in some little plastic baskets you can get at Walmart or Target. I use them infrequently enough that organizing them better isn't high on my priority list.

 

[Cope]

I use a combination of the OEM drill case and storage loose in a drawer. This is one place a Kennedy Machinist chest comes in handy.

 

[T45]

Does anyone use those fishnet-type covers for your bits when stored loose in drawers? how do you protect the flute/edges if they are not stored in indexes or single bins?

 

[AceofSpad3s]

4 drawer plano tacklebox.

 

[qdvuu]

I keep them in Huot index boxes. I want them to remain sharp so this is a way to keep them from getting dulled.

 

[Ramper]

I use a few of these:

Not exactly the same, but close (mine a red and black). I did just pick-up a fractional Huot at a farm auction $5, but have not moved any yet. I also have a FULL index ($10 auction) that I am working to fill.

I have the CORRECT rivet drill bits (letter and #) stored with the rivetors. I got packs of 12 for a few days on Amazon

 

[uart]

how do you protect the flute/edges if they are not stored in indexes or single bins?

That's a good point T45. From what I can see few people seem to worry about this.

I don't like storing other cutting tools laying on top of each other like that. Say files thrown on other files or saws etc, but for some reason most people don't seem to care about this when it comes to drill bits.

TBH I don't know if it hurts them of not.

 

[ER70S-2]

I store mine in the index that they came in, which looks like this:

Duplicates and larger sizes go in a bin, but I rarely reach for those.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Those Huot indexes look ideal.
Looking on ebay though it seems like they (and anything similar) will have to be imported from the US.

 

[ITE Corp]

I store mine upside down in the index because sometimes my chuck slips and leaves a burr on the shank and it won't fit. I do drill for precision obviously!

 

[PFSard]

(1) Huot Drill Indexes for ones I am using.
(2) Huot Compact Drill Cabinets for my spare bits and taps.

Links to current options :
(1) http://www.huot.com/products/product-category/drill-tap-reamer-indexes/
(2) http://www.huot.com/products/produc...cabinets/compact-drill-cabinets-the-original/

 

[-Brent-]

Anything else that could be used in the drill press gets put into the storage in the base.

 

[gungatim]

Anything else that could be used in the drill press gets put into the storage in the base.

I have the exact same one in your top pic. back in the 80's it was given to me by a diesel tech whose shop was throwing it out. nice thing is when you have multiples of most of the small sizes you can fit then in there instead of the index which only holds one of each size. don't know about you but I've got dozens of each size, they seem to multiply at night

 

[QwikKotaTx]

I have most of my bits in their indexes that they came in or in a DeWalt magnetic case that I mount on the drawer where my drills are.

 

[FMC1959]

I have tons of HSS, bought one of these Huot
http://www.huot.com/products/fractional-2/
and it works great so far. Then I also have some Cobalts, some MolyB (Norseman) and others I don't mix with the HSS, just keep those in the original cases.

 

[davewo]

I wasn't going to spend the money on a new drill cabinet, so I converted one of my cheap Craftsman top chests into one. I bought a sheet of 5mm floor underlayment (way more than needed, but less than $10), cut individual strips for each row of drills, cut those into even segments, and glued them together alternating the segments between sides and bottoms. Then cut a strip dividing the glued segments and affixed labels.

 

[timmyisme22]

I wasn't going to spend the money on a new drill cabinet, so I converted one of my cheap Craftsman top chests into one. I bought a sheet of 5mm floor underlayment (way more than needed, but less than $10), cut individual strips for each row of drills, cut those into even segments, and glued them together alternating the segments between sides and bottoms. Then cut a strip dividing the glued segments and affixed labels.

Dude. Nice.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I use Huot indexes for the active drills I use, Akro Mills small parts cabinets with labeled drawers for extra ones, a tool box drawer with dividers for the larger ones, and excess larger ones in an ammo case. Being in machining, I measure each drill as i pick it up to help prevent mistakes.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I got lucky and picked up a new dented (can't even tell) Huot Master Index on ebay for $150ish....


.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0vPPE3aZ2iM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[cheechi]

Some impressive solutions in here. I have a HF cobalt full index and a Dewalt pilot point that sits upright. I do also have other bits but they are not organized and are used as spares stored in bins, trying to organize them with taps but it's not a high priority yet so there's almost no progress.

 

[Engine]

I got lucky and picked up a new dented (can't even tell) Huot Master Index on ebay for $150ish....

Watching this presentation makes me want one even though I don't work in a production or machining environment like he mentions. Excellent way to keep all your drills organized.

 

[mossyboy6]

I have a good amount of bits, so I went with a Hout box.
It sits in a modified harbor freight cabinet next to my drill press.

 

[Biomed]

Huot also sells two different "Bit Buddies" like in the attached photo. They are made of plastic and hold 29 mechanics or jobber length bits. I ordered one last year. Pretty neat for taking drill bits to a job.

Huot has on online store, not sure if they will ship internationally.