[Bob Adams]

Over the years I have collected a large amount of bits. Most of them on the lower quality side, and a large portion of those have profiles that I have never used. I am currently grounded and recovering from surgery, I am limited to no lifting, etc.. and bored out of my mind. So I decided it was a good time to go through my bits, toss what I don't want or use and replace the low quality ones with what I want. I will be replacing the majority with Sommerfeld bits which come in nice boxes that I will probably keep and use for storage. The ones that I am not replacing have a variety of shanks sizes, 1/2, 8mm and 1/4. In the past I have used high density foam for the bits and this works ok but I would like to see alternatives before I commit to the foam. I have a bank of 4 drawers next to router table, and that is where the bits will be stored. Anyway I would like see and read about how you store or bits.

 

[Stick486]

inch wide by 1.5 ~ 2'' thick strips laid tightly in the drawer...
no holes to drill or crosses to cut... just put the bits in between the strips...
infinite spacing is one fell swoop...
This system allows greater flexibility with infinite spacing and self adjustable tension on any dia of shaft...

 

[Bob Adams]

inch wide by 1.5 ~ 2'' thick strips laid tightly in the drawer...
no holes to drill or crosses to cut... just put the bits in between the strips...
infinite spacing is one fell swoop...
This system allows greater flexibility with infinite spacing and self adjustable tension on any dia of shaft...

Sounds interesting, but strips of what?

 

[Stick486]

dense foam rubber...

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

I went with the foam solution. My son left a 2" x 2' x 8' sheet of the white stuff in my shop I wanted to use up so I used it. I couldn't drill the holes so I melted them with a pencil type soldering iron. The 1/4" holes are a little big but the 1/2" are pretty good.

 

[RainMan 2.0]

Charles , that’s such a simple but effective setup that I never would have thought of it . Nice job

I’m wondering if I guy heated up a metal rod with a torch , if they may be a good approach for making the holes?

 

[Bob Adams]

I went with the foam solution. My son left a 2" x 2' x 8' sheet of the white stuff in my shop I wanted to use up so I used it. I couldn't drill the holes so I melted them with a pencil type soldering iron. The 1/4" holes are a little big but the 1/2" are pretty good.

Very nice, I ordered the foam and bits, if mine turns out half as nice I will be happy!

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

Charles , that’s such a simple but effective setup that I never would have thought of it . Nice job

I’m wondering if I guy heated up a metal rod with a torch , if they may be a good approach for making the holes?

I tried that first but shortly after I started the soldering iron idea popped into my head and it turned out to be way faster since I didn't have to keep reheating the rod (or bolt as was my case).

 

[JOAT]

Another thing I have no worries about. I have a 1/2" flush trim bit in the router in my table. Then I have one each 1/4" and 3/8" flush trim bits, in their original boxes, in a cabinet drawer. However, I do plan on acquiring a 1/2" radius roundover bit, that will live in another router, which will be permanently in a router plate.

 

[DonkeyHody]

I really like the foam strip idea. I made a box (chest?) quite a few years ago that has a false bottom with holes drilled for 1/2 and 1/4 shank bits. But the box is filling up and its time to consider expanding. I have plenty of drawers now, so I might just go the foam route. It's so flexible in bit placement.

Thanks, Y'all!

 

[hawkeye10]

I went with the foam solution. My son left a 2" x 2' x 8' sheet of the white stuff in my shop I wanted to use up so I used it. I couldn't drill the holes so I melted them with a pencil type soldering iron. The 1/4" holes are a little big but the 1/2" are pretty good.

Bob I have a suggestion. If any of the bits are good that you are going to throw out why don't you try and find someone that is getting started in wood working and give them to him or her. Ofcoarse you may already have plans of your own.

 

[Bob Adams]

Bob I have a suggestion. If any of the bits are good that you are going to throw out why don't you try and find someone that is getting started in wood working and give them to him or her. Ofcoarse you may already have plans of your own.

Already working on it, once my new bits arrive, I will post the ones that are usable. They will be free + shipping. If nobody is interested, they will go to habitat.

 

[difalkner]

I don't have that many but I just drilled holes in MDF for my bits.

David

 

[harrysin]

Because I'm stuck for space this is MY storage.

 

[Gaffboat]

I like to label each of my bits to make it easier and quicker to pick the one I need. Mine are arranged in a drawer mostly by type but the front row has my most frequently used bits. Each bit is in a 1.5" cube with holes drilled for both 1/4" and 1/2" shanks. It took more work to initially set everything up but it's more flexible for my uses in the long run.

 

[Herb Stoops]

That is really cool how you guys store your bits. I'm not going to show you mine. Hmmmmmm


Herb

 

[DonkeyHody]

I like to label each of my bits to make it easier and quicker to pick the one I need. Mine are arranged in a drawer mostly by type but the front row has my most frequently used bits. Each bit is in a 1.5" cube with holes drilled for both 1/4" and 1/2" shanks. It took more work to initially set everything up but it's more flexible for my uses in the long run.

In addition to being talented, you are CDO. That's OCD in Alphabetical Order.

 

[tomp913]

Been watching this with interest as my bits - those not just lying around - are stored in their little plastic boxes in a drawer in my rolling cabinet.

I do have one of the metal Rockler racks bolted to the side of my router table, holding those bits I use most of the time. 18" Router Bit Storage Rack | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

Drilling holes in a piece of MDF to lie in the bottom of a drawer was my next step, and I was looking on Lee Valley's site for the split plastic bushings they used to sell to reduce a 1/2" hole down to 1/4" so you don't have to worry about how many 1/2" and how many 1/4" holes do you drill. Apparently they don't sell them any more and I thought the replacement was a little pricey.

So, I found this https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/cmtrouterbitorganizer.aspx I don't want to make the drawers 12" wide so thinking I could split the tray down the middle, losing 10 holes but 90 should be enough, and the bushings can be used to make the hole size to suit the bit. I have the Rockler metal stand so think a 3 high drawer unit would fit between the angle legs and the dust box - make them 16/18" deep to match the stand and have a little room left over for odds and ends.

 

[MGildersleeve]

I have the same three door bit storage. I bored out the holes into wood, though. I have two 1/2” shank drawers. Used a Forster bit to drill one drawer. The results were a little tight and slow drilling. So, I used a Brad bit on the next hole. The results were fast, but the bores were way too loose. The bits rattle around and are a little sloppy. Eventually, the Forster bit holes loosened up and stayed that way. Word to the wise.

 

[tomp913]

After I saw Oliver's (@Gaffboat) photo, adding labels to the holes looks like a good idea - I have some of the u/s bits for plywood, plus a couple of metric bits, and they're easy to get mixed up. I've already ordered the CMT tray - 12" wide, the plan is to cut it into two 6" wide pieces - but a better idea may be to go with the 3/4" MDF and adjust the spacing so that I have enough room for labels. From the Highland WW catalog, it looks as if the holes in the tray for the bushings are 7/8" diameter so I'll do a little test in some scrap MDF and see whether the bushings will work in drilled holes - if so, I'll go with the drilled holes in MDF and spacing to suit. Using the bushings, I can make all the holes the same and then install either a 1/4" or 1/2" bushing as needed.

https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/cmtrouterbitorganizerpackof2014bushings.aspx