Bit of an up-date on the bit box

[steven c newman]

Other thread was getting a bit long, thought I'd post some of the "results" so far

Bottom two holders, for the bigger bits, are about done, and hinged together. I just got those to filled with bits. Then found I had a few more..
IMAG0001.jpg
The biggie one is a Craftsman #20. It is too big for any of the holders. The others go from 16 down to a 4. Might make one more for the larger bits.
That red roll-up?
IMAG0003.jpg
Made by HiKraft ( HiCraft?) from SE Ohio, near Logan, Oh. Might keep this one together. Then there are some of the smaller bits..
IMAG0007.jpg
Well, those augers were on the pile on top of the box. Compared to to that Craftsman bit?
IMAG0008.jpg
Not sure WHAT to do about the big guy. @ 1-1/4" it is no wonder it has never been used.

Holder #4 is also out of the clamps, today..
IMAG0002.jpg
Need to trim it to sizes. May put the big bit on the auction site. Need to find latches to hold this box closed. Uncle Arthur is barking pretty good today, may play hooky from the shop until he stops...

[James Pallas]

It looks like this post may have been missed. I almost missed it myself. Really starting to look good Steven. It does seem that when one builds a container more of the same items grow out of the floor or fall out of the rafters. You may need to build a spare holder just in case those pesky critters start showing up.
Jim

[steven c newman]

I even looked at a few bits today, while out on a rust hunt......and left them for someone else.

Played Hooky from the shop all day today. Maybe tomorrow. or Monday....I might get back to work on it?

Thinking of a way to use the Stanley #45 to create grooves for the bits to settle into the next holders. Have a spare cutter, or two......maybe re-grind them into "rounds"? Like turning the 5/8" and 3/4" bead cutters into rounds? Just a thought....

[Glen Canaday]

My thought on that was to use the bits themselves to drill a deep hole, then rip the board in half. You'll get two troughs that will be a perfect fit for the bit they are supposed to store.

I haven't done it yet. I've been keeping my MF set of augers in a Swan box and I found a canvas roll on ebay, so aside from the fact that I essentially bought my augers by weight ($20 for about 20lbs of them) I have enough storage to get by with until I decide I want a nice fancy box and have time to make one.

[steven c newman]

Well, been trying to use the bits.......I been having a bit of trouble drilling straight.

Got to thinking a bit ( dangerous, I know) and since I do have that Stanley #45...and, two bead cutters I doubt I'll ever use. I reground the 3/4" bead cutter into a round cutter. Took awhile....lots of dunking into the water, trying to keep it's cool.
Finally got the shape I was after..( Hey..round IS a shape, right) and then set up the Stanley @45. Had to go with the LONG arms, as the short ones were too short.

Rigged up a jig to hold the blank still long enough. Set the cutter for as shallow a cut as I could. Worked my way backwards until it stopped cutting the full length of a groove. Re-set the depth, and go again....then, do it a third time. The #20 auger bit seemed to settle right into the groove.....would be better IF there was a way to hold the shanks level......maybe re-use the cut-offs from the first two holders? IF I do get to the shop tomorrow, may see what I can do. Pictures tomorrow, as well.

Those two bead cutters? #28 and #29 I think were the numbers. A 5/8" and that 3/4" bead cutter. So far, have only re-ground the 3/4" one. I can always get another LARGE beading cutter to replace it. As long as I keep the cuts shallow, no chattering was observed.

[steven c newman]

Just a tease of sorts..until later
IMAG0001.jpg
A look at the reground cutter.
IMAG0002.jpg
The jig. There is a groove almost done..
IMAG0003.jpg
Might have to go a little deeper...
IMAG0005.jpg
As this #20 is a huge bit. Will need something to hold the shanks level.....
Stay tuned, the cussing has started up, again

[steven c newman]

Seemed to have caught a cold over the weekend....way too nice a day outside to hide in a basement.

IF I can stop coughing stuff, I might sneak down to the shop, and see about finishing a groove or two....Then I can cut the sides for height. Still have at least one more holder after this one, to do. Hoping the camera can keep up.

[steven c newman]

Page #3 is now sitting in the clamps. Trying something a little different. I used the Stanley 45 to cut 5 grooves to hold the bits..
fourth groove.jpg
I guess this is called a rounds plane? Had one more to mill after this one. As long as I was following the grain, and not fighting it, seemed to work nicely. Made a bunch of saw cuts in another block...
holder block.jpg
Then removed the waste, and test fitted
test fit holder.jpg
Which also let me know where to cut the outside pieces at, and test fit them..
test fit sides.jpg
Then into the clamps..
clamped up.jpg
Then, just to see how it will look, all loaded up..
loaded up.jpg
I think that will do, for one evening. Wish now I'd modified that cutter at the start. This looks a bit better. Oh well. Still have Page #4 to build. Change out to the square edged cutters, and matched to the sizes of the remaining bits....then will see about a lid for this ...thing.

[James Pallas]

Nice going Steven. Those should work well. I guess you know that there are hollows and rounds for the 45. If you found them they would want both arms and both legs for them. Maybe with your luck you will find some in the bottom of a box for two bits or something close.
Jim

[Jim Koepke]

Interesting bit holder, looking forward to the rest of the build.

The blade you made is more like the hollowing blade for a Stanley #55. Looks like you discovered feeding it a little for each cut is the way to make it work with the #45. The #29 & #29 cutters are odd balls not normally found with the plane, but like you said not likely to be used a lot.

There are fluting cutters and even cutters like you made available from broken sets of #55 cutters.

A lot of users make custom profile cutters from the #9 'fillister' 1-1/4" cutter.



jtk

[steven c newman]

The page that will hold all the smaller bits will be grooved with just a square cutter,

What I am having a hard time Finding? Latches, similar to what R. Jennings used on their bit boxes. I even tried at Lee Valley.......nope. NADA. Not even at Hobby Lobby.....NADA. I doubt very much that a few brass Hook & Eyes would do the job, and even look right. I din't need the "Gold Plated " type , just about five simple Latches.

[steven c newman]

Well...test fit showed I needed to excavate the underside of page #4, as that #20 bit was a bit too big. Got that done. Been fighting the benchdogs this entire project. They keep trying to lift back up out of the holes. Since I rarely throw out scraps that I think could be of use.....added a couple to the bench's top. Reset the cutter in the Stanley #45..
IMAG0003.jpg
This time around, I will use the depth stops. First groove took awhile, due to clamping issues...
IMAG0001.jpg
One piece of scrap into the bench top, the other was attached to the vise's jaw. Then I could clamp it up as needed. Test fit for the larger of the bits...
IMAG0002.jpg
Had a small knot in the way. Second groove was a bit better...
IMAG0004.jpg
Needed to add the cam rest again...
IMAG0006.jpg
BecauseI had to move over a little more towards the center for #3. Had a knot in the way. Groove #4 was a matter of turning the blank around, and coming in from the other side....
IMAG0005.jpg
That should be enough . Those short bits? They will go into a drawer in the tool box. I worked to get the outsides glued and nailed in place. Had to remake one end piece. Had some scrap the correct size. Then a few clamps, again..
IMAG0007.jpg
As for "Page 3"? Oh, I have it hanging around..
IMAG0008.jpg
Maybe when I find the latches, I can close the gaps up. Still need to glue up a lid of sorts. Stay tuned, things might get done before too much longer...

[steven c newman]

Need to go and take the glue up out of the clamps today. I think I have enough Pine to glue up the lid. Trying to decide how fancy a lid I want to do. May add a "keeper" panel to the underside, to keep some things from rattling around. First, I'll need to joint two edges, for the glue up. Have gaps to fix on the box. Bottom "page" needs to rotate around, as it "points" the other way than the rest. And...that just might help the gaps to...leave.

VIX Bit to start holes for hinges.......mine is a bit too big, but, I can at least get the hole started where it needs to go. Small nail to finish the pilot hole.

Wondering IF I "dish out" that big flat spot, maybe store some items there? Add some foam to the bottom of the "dish"? like maybe a drawer liner?

This thing will NEED a way to carry it around.....type and location of handle(s)? This will get stacked up, with the rest of the wooden boxes......stay tuned.

[steven c newman]

Page #4 is cleaned up, and resting where it will go..
hinge side.jpg
The glue upin the end vise?
lid glue-up.jpg
Is the glue up for the lid. The end vise adds a pair of hands to help out while I try to clamp things up. Will let it set a while, before I scrub it flat, and plane it smooth.....Need to clamp the entire box up, and adjust the gaps. That #20 bit seems to be a little too big.....

[lowell holmes]

I got carried away because I stumbled across a depth stiop for auger bits and posted a gloat in the power tools and woodworking section.

Oh well, it has to do with a bit gage for my auger bits. I planned on posting the gloat here.

Maybe an administrator could move the post to here where it belongs.