Do you have a tub full of unmarked and dull drill bits? Besides adding to the pile, what do you do with them?
Here is an answer.
If you are interested, please see
http://rick.sparber.org/DBSS.pdf
Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.
Thanks,
Rick
Rick
Seedtick (Oct 2, 2017)
Two remarks...
Many drills are slightly tapered so the shank is slightly smaller in diameter than the tip. You may want to keep that in mind when measuring.
The DRILL program on my site has an option ('D' in the menu) to find a drill "name" given the diameter. As an example, I entered a measured diameter of 0.281" and the program output looks like this...
**************************************************************
number of drills read from data file = 371
D find Drill designation given hole size
S find hole Size given drill designation
T find Tapdrill for any tap and dot
F find tapdrill for thread-Forming tap
X step drilling calculations
H display this Help/Menu
M display this Help/Menu
Q Quit (Esc also)
(D,S,T,F,X,H,M,Q) ? D
{[d].dd or [d-]d/d (e.g. 1.5 or 1-1/2)} Hole Size ? 0.281
(7.00 mm) with size 0.2756 (-0.0054)
(J) with size 0.2770 (-0.0040)
(7.10 mm) with size 0.2795 (-0.0015)
***** (K) with size 0.2810 (+0.0000) *****
(9/32) with size 0.2812 (+0.0002)
(7.20 mm) with size 0.2835 (+0.0025)
(7.25 mm) with size 0.2854 (+0.0044)
**************************************************************
As you can see, it correctly identified it as a 'K' drill and also shows the three closest larger and smaller drills. If the user has other "named" drills than those in the data file delivered with the program, he can easily add them to that ASCII file.
Folks sorting drills at their desks may find this easier to use than a chart.
I can't resist my urge to point out that, if we used the metric system (or at least a rational nomenclature in the inferial system), none of this screwing around would be necessary. When I'm king, naming a drill anything but its size will be a capital offense. (Same for wire and sheet.)
---
Regards, Marv
Experience is always far worse than pessimism
Y-geo (Oct 6, 2017)
![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.homemadetools.net%2Fforum%2Fshowthread.php%3Fp%3D100128%23post100128&media=https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fhmt-newsletter%2Fhmt_avatar_200.jpg&description=All of Those Scrap Drill Bits! by Burner - I was thinking your charts looked difficult, then I worked out that your starting point is imperial. Having grown up here in a metric Australia I start with metric sizes and "fit=" the imperial sizes between. I have several sets of drills in different measuring systems and material, metric 0.5 rises and 0.1mm rises from 1-10mm, imp fractional and number and letter but I always think of the sizes in metric terms as that is my native language fo= "Pin It")
I was thinking your charts looked difficult, then I worked out that your starting point is imperial. Having grown up here in a metric Australia I start with metric sizes and "fit" the imperial sizes between. I have several sets of drills in different measuring systems and material, metric 0.5 rises and 0.1mm rises from 1-10mm, imp fractional and number and letter but I always think of the sizes in metric terms as that is my native language for want of a better term.
I am just trying to come up with a better storage method for my Morse Taper drills above 13mm and 1/2" and am considering large boards and using a scale making larger sizes further from the start of the board and in different rows. Metric full mm first row then metric 0.5mm rises second row then fractional rises then anything else in another row. I would label all the positions and that might also act as a rough size chart for general drilling for tapping or reaming. Anyone have other ideas?
I was cleaning out various tool chests and boxes and found quite a load of drill bits. I was really surprised by how many can accumulate over years. I was a toolmaker & machinist at different times, but I had fewer in those boxes than my mechanics boxes.
Many drill bits are imprinted with the size near the clamping end. With a magnifying glass and light, those were identified and sorted. There were several new or good ones, so they were put in a different place to refill my indexes. What couldn't be read, I used a micrometer to read just back from the tip and across the cutting edges. I had available a simple drill chart card that gave the decimal size of all drill bits, metric and imperial. I believe on larger (>0.5") sizes, I used digital calipers that read metric and imperial at the push of a button.
What I don't have yet is a Drill Doctor. I have intentions of getting one. I've looked at the various models before, but have forgotten which was right for me. I have left and right twist, and a few larger than 1".
Besides a somewhat similar method, my end result looked just like yours, Rick. I taped the size to the bits, then bundled like sizes together.
Last edited by KickStart; Oct 3, 2017 at 07:25 AM. Reason: Forgot
I wish my world was predominantly metric but that is not reality. Having to deal with letter, number, and fractional is nuts.Originally Posted by Burner
Rick
Rick
Years before I coded my DRILL program, I put together a chart of drills, metric and inferial, ordered by size, including indications of tap drills for 75% DOT on most of the inferial taps. It's shown below but if anyone wants a copy of it, just email me and I'll send you a copy.
Code:97 0.0059 96 0.0063 95 0.0067 94 0.0071 93 0.0075 92 0.0079 91 0.0083 90 0.0087 89 0.0091 88 0.0095 87 0.0100 86 0.0105 85 0.0110 84 0.0115 83 0.0120 82 0.0125 81 0.0130 80 0.0135 79 0.0145 1/64.......... 0.0156 78 0.0160 77 0.0180 76 0.0200 75 0.0210 74 0.0225 73 0.0240 72 0.0250 000-120 71 0.0260 70 0.0280 69 0.0292 68 0.0310 1/32........ 0.0313 0.8 mm 0.0315 67 0.0320 66 0.0330 65 0.0350 0.9 mm 0.0354 64 0.0360 00-90 63 0.0370 62 0.0380 61 0.0390 1.0 mm 0.0394 60 0.0400 59 0.0410 58 0.0420 57 0.0430 1.1 mm 0.0433 56 0.0465 3/64.......... 0.0469 0-80 1.2 mm 0.0472 1.3 mm 0.0512 55 0.0520 54 0.0550 1-56 1.4 mm 0.0551 1.5 mm 0.0591 53 0.0595 1-64,72 1/16...... 0.0625 1.6 mm 0.0630 52 0.0635 1.7 mm 0.0669 51 0.0670 50 0.0700 2-56,64 1.8 mm 0.0709 49 0.0730 1.9 mm 0.0748 48 0.0760 5/64.......... 0.0781 47 0.0785 3-48 2.0 mm 0.0787 46 0.0810 45 0.0820 3-56,4-32 2.1 mm 0.0827 44 0.0860 4-36 2.2 mm 0.0866 43 0.0890 4-40 2.3 mm 0.0906 42 0.0935 4-48 3/32........ 0.0938 2.4 mm 0.0945 41 0.0960 40 0.0980 2.5 mm 0.0984 39 0.0995 38 0.1015 5-40 2.6 mm 0.1024 37 0.1040 5-44 2.7 mm 0.1063 36 0.1065 6-32 7/64.......... 0.1094 35 0.1100 2.8 mm 0.1102 34 0.1110 6-36 33 0.1130 6-40 2.9 mm 0.1142 32 0.1160 3.0 mm 0.1181 31 0.1200 3.1 mm 0.1220 1/8---- 0.1250 3.2 mm 0.1260 30 0.1285 3.3 mm 0.1299 3.4 mm 0.1339 29 0.1360 8-32,36 3.5 mm 0.1378 28 0.1405 8-40 9/64.......... 0.1406 3.6 mm 0.1417 27 0.1440 3.7 mm 0.1457 26 0.1470 25 0.1495 10-24 3.8 mm 0.1496 24 0.1520 3.9 mm 0.1535 23 0.1540 5/32........ 0.1562 22 0.1570 10-30 4.0 mm 0.1575 21 0.1590 10-32 20 0.1610 4.1 mm 0.1614 4.2 mm 0.1654 19 0.1660 4.3 mm 0.1693 18 0.1695 11/64.......... 0.1719 17 0.1730 4.4 mm 0.1732 16 0.1770 12-24 4.5 mm 0.1772 15 0.1800 4.6 mm 0.1811 14 0.1820 12-28 13-4.7 mm 0.1850 12-32 3/16...... 0.1875 12-4.8 mm 0.1890 11 0.1910 4.9 mm 0.1929 10 0.1935 9 0.1960 5.0 mm 0.1969 8 0.1990 5.1 mm 0.2008 7 0.2010 1/4-20 13/64.......... 0.2031 6 0.2040 5.2 mm 0.2047 5 0.2055 5.3 mm 0.2087 4 0.2090 5.4 mm 0.2126 3 0.2130 1/4-28 5.5 mm 0.2165 7/32........ 0.2188 5.6 mm 0.2205 2 0.2210 5.7 mm 0.2244 1 0.2280 5.8 mm 0.2283 5.9 mm 0.2323 A 0.2340 15/64.......... 0.2344 6.0 mm 0.2362 B 0.2380 6.1 mm 0.2402 C 0.2420 6.2 mm 0.2441 D 0.2460 6.3 mm 0.2480 E-1/4 0.2500 6.4 mm 0.2520 6.5 mm 0.2559 F 0.2570 5/16-18 6.6 mm 0.2598 G 0.2610 6.7 mm 0.2638 17/64.......... 0.2656 H 0.2660 6.8 mm 0.2677 6.9 mm 0.2717 I 0.2720 5/16-24 7.0 mm 0.2756 J 0.2770 7.1 mm 0.2795 K 0.2810 9/32........ 0.2812 7.2 mm 0.2835 7.3 mm 0.2874 L 0.2900 7.4 mm 0.2914 M 0.2950 7.5 mm 0.2953 19/64.......... 0.2969 7.6 mm 0.2992 N 0.3020 7.7 mm 0.3031 5/16...... 0.3125 3/8-16 8.0 mm 0.3150 O 0.3160 P 0.3230 21/64.......... 0.3281 Q 0.3320 3/8-24 8.5 mm 0.3346 R 0.3390 11/32........ 0.3438 S 0.3480 9.0 mm 0.3543 T 0.3580 23/64.......... 0.3594 U 0.3680 7/16-14 9.5 mm 0.3740 3/8---- 0.3750 V 0.3770 W 0.3860 25/64.......... 0.3906 7/16-20 10.0 mm 0.3937 X 0.3970 Y 0.4040 13/32........ 0.4062 Z 0.4130 27/64.......... 0.4219 1/2-13 7/16...... 0.4375 29/64.......... 0.4531 1/2-20 15/32........ 0.4688 31/64.......... 0.4844 9/16-12 1/2 0.5000 33/64.......... 0.5156 9/16-18 17/32........ 0.5313 35/64.......... 0.5469 9/16...... 0.5625 37/64.......... 0.5781 19/32........ 0.5938 39/64.......... 0.6094 5/8---- 0.6250 41/64.......... 0.6406 21/32........ 0.6562 43/64.......... 0.6719 11/16...... 0.6875 45/64.......... 0.7031 23/32........ 0.7188 47/64.......... 0.7344 3/4== 0.7500 49/64.......... 0.7656 25/32........ 0.7812 51/64.......... 0.7969 13/16...... 0.8125 53/64.......... 0.8281 27/32........ 0.8438 55/64.......... 0.8594 7/8---- 0.8750 57/64.......... 0.8906 29/32........ 0.9062 59/64.......... 0.9219 15/16...... 0.9375 61/64.......... 0.9531 31/32........ 0.9688 63/64.......... 0.9844 1 in 1.0000 1-3/64.......... 1.0469 1-7/64.......... 1.1094 1-1/8---- 1.1250 1-11/64.......... 1.1719 1-7/32........ 1.2188 1-1/4== 1.2500 1-19/64.......... 1.2969 1-11/32........ 1.3438 1-3/8---- 1.3750 1-27/64.......... 1.4219 1-1/2== 1.5000
---
Regards, Marv
Experience is always far worse than pessimism
I had a few drawers of mixed up drill bits and they were less than useful any time I needed to drill a hole because I would have to look through all of them to find the size I needed. So one day I organized them all by size and made some simple index holders out of cut up plastic I got off jugs and hot glued to cardboard.
This is what some of those look like: http://i.imgur.com/az1SUzJ.jpg
I did something similar earlier with a bunch of my mixed taps too.
https://www.instructables.com/id/Pla...der-Revisited/
Organization pays off.
Y-geo (Oct 6, 2017)
very nice Fred, great idea and easy to make.
Marv
I would love to have your file.
ncollar1957__________(AT)______________gmail_____________(DOT) _________________com
Thanks. Sifting through disorganized tools is not only a waste of time, it also breaks concentration, so work suffers for it. It is a total buzz kill in the shop.
Captainleeward (Nov 14, 2017), Jon (Oct 3, 2017), Y-geo (Oct 6, 2017)
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