# Drill Bit Storage



## suefox51 (May 19, 2013)

This may not be the correct place for this post, but, I've got lots of drill bits for my kits, as well as for work around the house. 
What do you use for storage for the bits - I don't want to have to squint to see the bit size, so I need something where I can put the bit size on it as well.
Thanks for all assistance in my quest for organization!:bye:


Sue


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## jyreene (May 19, 2013)

A 2x4. You can drill the bits in themselves and just widen each hole a bit. If you space them out far enough you can just write on the 2x4 as large as you want. Best of all you can mount that almost anywhere.


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## suefox51 (May 19, 2013)

Sweet idea - thanks!


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## jyreene (May 19, 2013)

I stole it from my dad. Guess that old dog taught this young pup new tricks.


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## eliasbboy (May 20, 2013)

jyreene said:


> A 2x4. You can drill the bits in themselves and just widen each hole a bit. If you space them out far enough you can just write on the 2x4 as large as you want. Best of all you can mount that almost anywhere.



I did the same thing.  

I got tired of opened my bit case that sticks, or searching thru the small pile next to my drill press.   As soon as I did it I wanted to slap myself for not doing it sooner.

I just drilled the holes, plopped in the bits, and used a marker to write the size nice and big next to the hole.


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## Jim Smith (May 20, 2013)

I ended up making a combination drill bit and bushing holder that works well for me,  

  I also have a folder in the slot below the platform that holds printouts of all the instructions for the different pens I make.

Jim Smith


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## dogcatcher (May 20, 2013)

I use the see through plastic shoe boxes to store pen kits, in the same box is the drill bit, the bushings etc..  If I need to make a Sierra all I have to do is grab that box and go to work.  Labeled on both ends, so even if the box is put up backwards the kit that is in that box is shown.


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## plano_harry (May 25, 2013)

jyreene said:


> A 2x4. You can drill the bits in themselves and just widen each hole a bit. If you space them out far enough you can just write on the 2x4 as large as you want. Best of all you can mount that almost anywhere.



Also make it easy to drop in the tube to confirm the fit.


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## randyrls (May 25, 2013)

I put the "odd sized" bits in a pen tube, write the bit size on a label and stash them in a utility box like this.
Buy Akro-Mils 15in Storage Case, Model 05905 at Woodcraft.com

I have full sets of Fractional, Number, Letter, and Metric bits, so they stay in the bit cases.


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## sbell111 (May 26, 2013)

Several years ago, I bought a mondo drill t set from HF.  I've since replaced a number of the bits, but bob-metric drill bits still live in the big honking index box that they came in from HF.

Metric bits (and the pentel bit) live in a seperate index box that I bought from McMaster Carr for five or six bucks.


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## darrin1200 (May 26, 2013)

Jim Smith said:


> I ended up making a combination drill bit and bushing holder that works well for me,
> 
> I also have a folder in the slot below the platform that holds printouts of all the instructions for the different pens I make.
> 
> Jim Smith



That is a great idea.  I forsee one of these on my workbench.
I can't seem to make the picture larger in my tablet. What is the information written on the bushing labels?


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## Jim Smith (May 26, 2013)

Darrin,

Thank you for the kind words.  The information on the bushing labels includes the pen kit(s) the bushing is used with and the associated drill bits needed for the kit.  I've actually drilled some more holes in the platform so that it now also holds all the different sized shafts for my barrel trimmer each is shaft also labeled with the pen kit(s) and that it fits.   This plstform holds all the drill bits I use for any pens so it makes a one-stop shopping for any pen kit I make.  The one exception to the one-stop for bushings is for JohnnyCNC bushings I use for turning between centers.  These bushings do not have a hole drilled through them, so I can slide them onto the posts.  I have a lazy susan spice rack with 24 bottles in it that I keep next to this drill bit holder.  I keep the TBC bushings in the bottles and since the spice rack spins, it only takes up about ten inches square on my bench.  The drill bit/bushing platform was made from scraps I had in the garage and the lazy susan cost  $2.92 at the local Goodwill store. 

Jim Smith


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## nava1uni (May 27, 2013)

I use the plastic pen tubes that they sell for about 50 cents.  The size is on the top and I can see the bit.  They stack nicely and fit great into a drawer.


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## jfoh (May 28, 2013)

I mark both bits and bushing with a color. For instance all Cigar bushing are given a black mark both inside the bushing and on the end. All Jr. Gent have a blue marking. By careful selection of my ten best pens I have marked most of my bushings so I know what they are at a glance. Drill bits are color coded and a quick list is posted by my drill press. Ten drill bits cover about 90% of my needs. For the non marked bushing I have to measure each of them with my digital calipers and check the chart I keep or look at the plastic boxes which hole pen kits that has bushing sizes in large print on the face of the box.

You could always use the resistor color system I was taught 50 years ago. BBROYGBVGW:BAD BOYS RUN OUR YOUNG GIRLS BEHIND VICTORY GARDEN WALLS. The first letter is the first letter of the color. The ditty was taught to us so we could figure out the amount of resistance that a resistor had.  For those who are too young to have learned that version here are the colors as best I can remember them.  Black Brown Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Violet Grey White  Old phone number and stuff like that I can never forget. Now keys and their current location are another matter.


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