Bit Box

Router bits, as we all know, should be kept out of harms way for the sake of your projects and your sanity. Store bought bit cases are usually more expensive than they're worth, or cheaper and inadequate. I had some 3/4" plywood off cuts laying around my scrap wood bin and thought I'd try to come up with a design for a Bit Box which would meet my basic criteria:

- good protection for my bits

- inexpensive and easy to make

- sturdy and easily portable

To make the box, I used a technique which was outlined in a book called "The Weekend Woodworker, 101 easy-to-build projects" - John A. Nelson is the author, and it's published by Rodale Press. His box wasn't for bits, but I borrowed his technique for my bit box. He suggests gluing all pieces together, completing the box totally closed, and then cutting off the top carefully, on your table saw. That way your lid fits perfectly. BUT, you must have completed any interior features before you glue it together, because you can't take it apart to add anything later. So precise calculations must be made and implemented prior to completing and gluing your box together.

PLANNING: Using scrap pieces of 3/4" plywood to make a storage/protective case for 12 of my most often used router bits was definately a challenge - not so much in the making of the box, but in calculating accurately the interior dimensions of the box without the bits binding on the top when the lid was closed. I measured the longest cutting surface (plus bearing thickness, if any) of the all my bits. I added 1/4" to the longest for clearance. This then would be the inside vertical dimension of the top: that dimension was to be 1 1/2".

I have a router which takes 1/4" bits, so I decided that the bits would be inserted into 1/4" holes, drilled into a piece of 1/8" baltic birch premium plywood. In order to keep the bits from touching when inserted into this piece, it was determined that the portion of the shelf to be exposed was 9 3/8" x 4" and the holes would be in 2 rows, 1 1/2" apart and 1" in from the sides and ends. (yours can be a different arrangement if you wish). Support for this plate/shelf would be gained by cutting a saw kerf 5/16" deep (most saw blades are 1/8" thick) into the sides and ends. I mentioned above, the exposed part of this plate/shelf would be 9 3/8" x 4", so the actual size this piece needs to be is 9 7/8" x 4 1/2". Note: The extra 1/16" depth of cut insures no binding in the slot, but does not compromise the strength of this setup.

Most of my bits had a shank which was 1 1/4" long, so another saw kerf was to be cut that distance below the other for the shank ends to rest on.

At this point it is worth noting that when you will eventually cut off the top of the box after construction, 1/8" in height will be lost, due to the 1/8" width of the saw blade.

CONSTRUCTION: Cut a piece of 3/4" plywood that is 4 3/4" wide and at least 34" long. Cut a 1/8" kerf, 5/16" deep lengthwise into the side of this board, 2" from the edge which will be the top. Cut another, 1 1/4" below the first cut.

Cut to length from this length of now slotted plywood.

Cut 2 pieces 10 3/4" x 5 1/2" from the same thickness of plywood. - these will be the top and bottom.

Cut 2 pieces 9 7/8" x 4 1/2" of Baltic Birch Premium 1/8" premium plywood - in one, you can drill the holes for your bits now or later. I drilled the holes once the box was completed so they would be exactly where I wanted them.

BOX JOINERY: For the corners of my box I used double rabbet joints. If you haven't done this yet, don't worry about it. It's easy and it's great method of joinery because it offers greater gluing surface area, and this means stronger joints. This type of joint used to seem to be out of my league too, but all you have to do is try it and you'll see how easy it is. Get some scrap pieces of the same plywood and practise this joint first.

Set your rabbeting router bit height to 3/8" and use the appropriate bearing or position the fence so that you will be taking 3/8" width off your wood - so that your rabbet will be 3/8" x 3/8". Cut this rabbet on the end of 2 pieces of scrap. Check to see if it fits flush and adjust your cut until it does. NOTE: these rabbets can also be cut with a straight bit or on your table saw - any way you can get the ends rabbeted with a 3/8"W x 3/8"D rabbet.

This photo is repeated so you don't have to go back to the top to see it again.

Cut the rabbets accurately into the insides of both ends of the 2 side and 2 end pieces. In a perfect world, everything should fit together perfectly, but things don't always work out that way, so you may have to get out your sander and help some of the joints to fit flush. Dry fit all of the corners to assess the degree of assistance each corner may need and correct where necessary. You are now ready to move on to the assembly stage of this project.

ASSEMBLY: Glue and clamp 1 end to 2 sides on a flat work surface. Insert but do not glue an undrilled piece of your 1/8" plywood into the bottom slot. Insert but do not glue the drilled piece (if you drilled it) of 1/8" plywood into the upper slot (the slot which is 2" from the side of the board is the upper or top slot). Glue and clamp the other end to this arrangement. Glue and clamp the top and bottom on and mark the top - IMPORTANT: this mark will be your only way to tell which is actually the top once it's all glued together. When all glued and clamped, set aside till the glue dries.

CUTTING OFF THE TOP: Set the fence on your table saw to 2 1/4", and your blade to a height of slightly more than 3/4" above the table. Place the box on it's end, the top against the fence (this is why you marked it before) and run it through the saw. Turn it upside down and cut the other end. When you cut the 2 sides IT IS IMPERATIVE to keep the saw kerfs open, because of possible kickback. To do this, place pieces of 1/8" thick stock into the end kerfs. Tape them into position securely. Cut the first side, and tape another piece of 1/8" stock snugly into that kerf. Keeping the top firmly against the fence, run the last side through the saw.

EXTRA CARE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN ON THE LAST CUT ESPECIALLY, BECAUSE DURING THE LAST CUT, THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN THE BOX IS BEING HELD TOGETHER ONLY BY YOUR TAPING. BE CAREFUL: IF YOU'RE NOT SURE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING, GET ASSISTANCE FROM SOMEONE WHO IS!

When your lid is successfully removed, it will have revealed the upper shelf, recessed by approximately 3/8" ready for 12 of your bits, or for your drilling operation. Some sanding of the cut you just made, should be done to clean it up a bit. Then add a set of small hinges for the lid, to the back of the box. Also add a handle to the front of the lid, to facilitate opening it. Sand your box with fine grit paper and give your new bit box a couple of coats of varnish, insert your favourite bits, and you're all ready for that next routing project.

NOTE: You can make your bit box just about any size you wish by altering the length and width accordingly. You can also customize it for instance, by drilling a small hole to accept the allen key needed to remove & install different bearings on your rabbeting bit. I also glued into one of my 1/4" holes, a piece of 1/4" dowel which holds the different bearings used with my rabbeting bit.

Happy and carefree routing to you, now that you have a safe place for your bits!

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