How do you organize your drill bits?

I was just cleaning up a bunch of junk from my old shed and in my toolbox I realized I have like 50 old drill bits just strewn about the tool case. I don't have any storage case for them or anything but I'd like some way to at least keep them somewhat organized. Any tips?

 

Get a drill doctor and sharpen them all first.

 

I have a Drill Cooler. Works great!

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=drill+bi...ooler,aps,176&ref=nb_sb_ss_mvt-t9-ranker_1_12

 

I've never had great success with maintaining any organization system for bits.

Holders like that drill cooler work if you only ever have ONE of every bit. I've never been in an area that I can do that. I'll end up with 10 each of my commonly used sizes, and then sporadically fill the rest of the holder up with the more rarely used sizes that only get used when I break/lose/dull all of my common sizes.

Which taking the time and effort to make a nice clean and organized spot then makes me reach for the bits in the nice organized holder first, which I break/lose/dull first, leading back to not having the right size...

For the most part, I use dollar store trays to hold the majority of them, and then I try to keep 1-3 of the main sizes in a separate holder for main uses.

 

I buy bits with nice factory storage, spades with the fabric fold for example, after that then it’s just in a space in modular tool storage (Dewalt Tough System, Milwaukee Packout line, etc) not really by size but by style or designed use : impact (hex shank) vs regular, tile in its own spot, masonry in another, things like that..

although most of my stuff is ready to easily go with, as I do a lot of things outside my own home..


honestly sounds like you could slim your collection down and organizing would be more manageable, doesn’t seem like they have been seeing much use

 

Definitely not, I barely use them, But I just hate having everything all messy

 

I keep all the same size in one drawer.
Then all the wrong sizes in the next drawer.
In the last drawer, are all dull ones that are the right size

Works great.

 

Someone here with a 3d printer might have a good option. Esty might have something already.

 

Sure I have a bit cooler and plenty of other bits as well. I keep all my back-ups and other odd drill bits in a large plastic tool box. The beauty of the bit cooler is COMPACT, and very portable. I can assure you the bits in the cooler, are not all the same make. I think like the 1/8" I must be on my 20th one

 

I'm just using the bit cooler as an example. I've got random DeWalt, Milwaukee and harbor freight hard cases, all of which I've tried for a different organization system.

 

Understood

same same I even have some old school drill indexes found dumpster diving as a youth

 

A big ass pile on top one of my tool cabinets.

When I get pissed off and can't find one I go and buy 2. Then I find the one I'm looking for.

 

I throw the dull ones in the same drawer as the sharp ones. There is always the chance they will sharpen themselves while in the drawer.

I can try out 3-4 bits before I find a sharpe one. Taking the extra time to swap bits calms me and forces me to relax...

 

Sure, sure. Same thing relaxes me. Just like waiting in line at the gas station for a receipt behind the guy buying 100 lottery tickets with specific numbers.

 

Clean and sharpen all of them, test them out in hardwood, trash any that are still bad, these are now your backup drill bits.
Buy 1 brand new complete set of drill bits and when you break or lose a bit from the new set replace it with the correct size from your backup drill bits.
Also if you need to modify a bit for a strange one time job grab one from the backup pile and cut it down to size, I remember cutting a 3/8 bit to only 2 inches long cause the hole had to be in a very very tight area.

I've got one complete set in a dewalt case and three other sets that are missing quarter to half of the bits, my complete set in the dewalt case has dewalt, milwaukee, and ryobi bits in it but has each size in the correct spot.

 

$55 VEVOR Drill Bit Dispenser Cabinet, Three-Drawer Drill Bit Dispenser, Drill Bit Organizer Cabinet, Drill Dispenser Organizer Cabinet for Jobber Length Fractional Size 1/16" to 1/2" in 1/64" Increments

https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Dispen...=&hvlocphy=1026339&hvtargid=pla-1394935505651

I keep these at the machining centers for all of the common sizes. You can keep multiples in each bin.

If it's just around the house/clean up the mess type thing, Zip lock freezer bags with the white write-on area and big bold writing with a sharpie works.

 

And get a drill bit gauge. Drill bit gauges are also handy for figuring out what size hole to pre-drill for a wood screw or whatever.

 

As an old machinist I probably have a thousand drill bits. You could not fit them all in a 5 gallon bucket. If ya donxt have some way to organize them, they are just in the way.
My front line is drill indexes. Fractional, Number and Letter indexes can be found at any decent tool supplier. My next tool is the drilled wood block. Then there is the few wood boxes. Lastly there are the large ones laying loose in a drawer.
Funny thing is that I know where the size I need can quickly be found. And I think whatever kind of organizing you use, it has to suit you. And if you use no organization at all, as long as it suits you, then it's fine.
I have a few machinist friends and none of us organize the same way. And my one buddy is so bad, I can barely find my ars in his mess. So ya just have to work out what make you comfortable. And sometimes it takes a few attempts.

 

I have a couple full sets that stay in their index box for traveling projects.
My smaller, bulk bits live in this plastic organizer.
Everything bigger than 5/16 is in a plastic shoe box together.