Drill and fastener storage...

[ian maybury]

This is dead basic, but I'm wondering if anybody has a good scheme for storing stuff like drills and fasteners they could share?

I've basically got boxes of screws and fasteners of every sort known to man all over the place. Ditto with twist drills (in various states of wear/repair), long series drills, plus augers and Forstners.

The Forstners are fairly straight forward in that there's not too many, but the twist drills are a mess.

I can buy some small drawer storage units, but they get quite pricey and knowing my ways are quite likely to get mixed up, or to be too big to fit a drawer.

Is there a better option?

Maybe it's just that I'm a messy git....

ian

[Dave Avery]

Can't speak to the drills but I bought a Festool systainer specifically designed for fastener storage and couldn't be happier.

[Duane Bledsoe]

When you say "drills" are you talking about a power tool or the drill bits themselves?? After reading your post it seems you may be talking about simple twist drill bits as in 1/2" sizes and down.

If so, I also have so many that it was becoming a problem. For now I have solved it by purchasing one single Plano storage box, like what you get for storing fishing lures in a tacklebag. They come in a variety of sizes and depths and are adjustable inside for various sized compartment abilities.

I got one that was wide enough to hold the longest bit I had and then simply put all the different types of bits I have into each compartment to keep then separated out and make then much easier to find what I want in a hurry. I even imagined (haven't done it yet though) that I will build a small cabinet/open front box of some kind with slots in it so that I can store several of these boxes in it. One will hold drill bits, one for router bits (each to it's own compartment with padding of some kind), one for screws, one for nails, and so on.....and each time you get one out, say for screws, you will have a dozen or more types immediately accessable just by selecting that one box that stores all of them in it. To me that is very convenient. I have one already loaded up with a lot of different types of fasteners and it is very handy. All within immediate reach but just close the lid and put away and they are all put up at once. No looking through multiple drawers to find the right one for the job. No having several drawers laying around in the way. Just one simple box at a time.

So far this is working for me. Only draw back is that all the various sizes of each type of drill bits are still mixed together but at least I have them separated by type such as HSS, Cobalt, titanium, spade bits, pilot tip, and the like. I just narrow it down to the type of bit I want and then I only have to look at about 10 bits to get the right size. Before I would have to dig through as many as 100 all mixed up, sizes and types both.

These boxes are about $4 to $5 each. Building a rack for more than one I would say could be done cheaply as well using 1x boards or plywood, either one. For under $50 you could have a fairly large storage space that's fully customizable, easy to view the contents at a glance, and could be made to hang on a wall even so that it does not take up workbench space.

[John Neel]

In the old days, people used glass baby food jars to store various fasteners and small parts. They would nail the lids to the bottom of a shelf and then twist the jars into the lids. It was pretty efficient storage.

Today, I like to use plastic peanut butter jars. The lids make them stackable, 3 or 4 high is easy, and the clear plastic makes it easy to find what I want. SWMBO changes type [chunky, smooth] and brand from time to time and that gives me different colored tops. If you don't use much peanut butter, see a neighbor with kids.

[Mike Harrison]

Buy yourself some drill indexes for the twist drills. I have three of them, one each for fractions, number sizes, and letter sized. After the indexes are filled I just put the extras into a single drawer for future reference.

I sort my hardware only by diameter and everything for that diameter is in one drawer, the exception being pocket hole screws, which I keep in their original packaging. For storage, something along the lines of an apothecary cabinet would work well. I don't use alot of screws aside from whats provided with the hardware I install.

I also do metal fabrication and use a fair number of bolts and nuts in the process. These drawers contain the diameter sorted hardware.
http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv62/mikeinkcmo/WW%20tools/Shop%20Storage/shophousepics524.jpg


The drawers in this crude old cabinet are more like bins in pigeon holes actually. This allows you to easily take the hardware to the project.
http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv62/mikeinkcmo/WW%20tools/Shop%20Storage/drawer1.jpg

[Gary Curtis]

Decades back drill bits were sold in hardware stores and put on shelves in display cabinets of wood. I bought such a case on eBay under the classification >collectibles>tools-and-locks.

One or two of this come up for sale each month. Mine has a gorgeous curved plexiglass door for a long-gone tool mfr. in Cleveland. All the holes are fractional (ok for WWing) and are duplicated on 2 shelf levels. One for normal shank, the other for long shank. It mounts on the wall.

With the door, no sawdust enters.

[Joe Jensen]

Like 22 years ago I bought the plastic drawers brand name "Dandy Drawer". I live in Phoenix where it's crazy hot and none have cracked or broken. Here are some pics. They have dividers that are adjustable inside. I have most configured for 6 compartments or 3 compartments. they also sell different sizes. I also have three larger ones mounted underneath the cabinets...joe

http://www.dandydrawers.com/Drawers.htm

[Neil Brooks]

Like 22 years ago I bought the plastic drawers brand name "Dandy Drawer".

Oh, boy.

New one on me, and I LIKE it !

Website > http://www.dandydrawers.com/

Thanks, Joe !

[Mark Godlesky]

I like these for storing hardware. On sale and with a 20 % off coupon you can get them for about $6. You can take them to your work area or take one bin out out of the case.

http://www.harborfreight.com/19-bin-portable-parts-storage-case-93928.html

[ian maybury]

Thanks guys, some nice ideas there. I meant drill bits Duane - it's one of those problems that at one level is dead basic, but at another quite tough to get under control in a practical way that doesn't need the workshop equivalent of a librarian full time! :)

One insight triggered by what you've said is that there has to be a lot to be said for portability - the ability to bring drills/fasteners to the job. Whether via portable storage containers, or by lift out drawers.

Systainers look really nice Dave, but are very pricey over here.

Thank you all. Ian

[Marty Paulus]

I like these for storing hardware. On sale and with a 20 % off coupon you can get them for about $6. You can take them to your work area or take one bin out out of the case.

http://www.harborfreight.com/19-bin-portable-parts-storage-case-93928.html

I got something similar at HD. It is double sided and has drawers between the wings. Cleaned up my screw/brad inventory right quick. I still have a few left over bins that could be used for drills if I wasn't so picky about being able to find the right size drill. What I should do is drop the correct drill into each bin of screws but that would make it way too easy :rolleyes:

[ian maybury]

The problem with this sort of plastic storage unit over here in Ireland from retail sources is that they tend to be very expensive, flimsy (often in thin and UV degrading plastics) and limited in choice - over $30 each. Which adds up very quickly if you need several.

Some sort of stackable equivalent of a tray/small container that takes drop in/adjustable space dividers and ideally has a lid is ideal.

LinpacAllibert do a variety of these sorts of units for industrial use here in Europe for example the Eureka 26010 tray in polypropylene - the quality is much better than what you get retail. http://www.allibert-equipment.com/pub/us/produits/produits.php?action=rech_gamme&famille=1&gamme=60 I wouldn't be surprised if they make the Systainers for Festool. No doubt they are in the US as well, or equivalent.

Some months ago I bought about 25 of the Eureka units used from a company closing down for about $2 each - unfortunately without lids or section dividers. This was before I had figured out my storage arrangements, and when I went back for more yesterday they were unfortunately all sold. I should have been braver. They fit very nicely into an IKEA Expedit book case I happened to have spare and use for shop storage: http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/60071358...

ian

[Caspar Hauser]

I've basically got boxes of screws and fasteners of every sort known to man all over the place. Ditto with twist drills (in various states of wear/repair), long series drills, plus augers and Forstners.

....
ian

This is a good scheme, it's exactly how you are supposed to do it. :)

Ch

[Erik Christensen]

I got a bunch of these plastic bins from McFeeley's where I also get the screws.

I intend to mount on a wall cabinet but they live in a drawer for now.

[Tom Cornish]

I like these for storing hardware. On sale and with a 20 % off coupon you can get them for about $6. You can take them to your work area or take one bin out out of the case.

http://www.harborfreight.com/19-bin-portable-parts-storage-case-93928.html

I have several of these too. They have a fatal flaw - the lid does not also include the handle area. More times than I care to admit I have grabbed the box thinking the lid was closed all the way, and then spending 45 minutes picking 8,000 screws off the floor.

I bought a Sortainer 12 and really like it - it holds a ton of stuff and the box is lifted in the same orientation that it is used, so there isn't the dump out risk.

They could get expensive if you need more than one or two, but like anything, you get what you pay for.