Modular hex bit organizer

Keep your 1/4-inch hex bits where you can see them. This organizer is a set of printable blocks that hold standard hex-shank driver bits upright in two staggered rows, so the labels on the bit ends stay visible and every bit comes out with one hand. Hang the blocks on wall screws, set them on a bench, or press magnets into the base and stick them to a toolbox.

Build the layout you need. Each block has dovetail slots on both sides, and a printed key slides in from the top to lock two blocks together. Start with one 12-bit block, add a 6-bit block when your collection grows, and keep going.

What's in the set

• 12-bit block: two rows of six holes, 82 × 35 × 28 mm. Two keyholes and two magnet pockets.

• 6-bit block: two rows of three holes, 49 × 35 × 28 mm. One keyhole and one magnet pocket.

• Key: an 18 mm dovetail key. You need two keys for every joint, one at the front and one at the back.

Design details

• Hex holes: 6.7 mm across the flats, which gives 0.35 mm of clearance around a 6.35 mm (1/4-inch) hex bit. A 0.7 mm lead-in chamfer guides each bit into the hole.

• Stepped rows: The front row is 20 mm tall and holds bits 15 mm deep, so a standard 25 mm insert bit stands 10 mm clear. The back row is 28 mm tall and holds bits 22 mm deep, so longer 50 mm power bits stand clear above the front row.

• Keyholes: Each block hangs on a wall screw with a head up to 9 mm across and a shank up to 4.8 mm. Leave about 6 mm of the screw standing out of the wall. The keyholes sit 40 mm apart on the 12-bit block.

• Magnet pockets: 8.2 × 3.2 mm, open at the base, sized for 8 × 3 mm disc magnets.

• Dovetail fit: 0.15 mm of clearance per side. Each key sits 0.5 mm below the block surface.

• Label recess: A shallow recess on the front face holds a label or a strip of tape.

What you need

• A 3D printer with a build area of at least 90 × 40 mm

• PLA or PETG filament

• Up to three 8 × 3 mm disc magnets (optional, for steel surfaces)

• Wall screws, such as #8 pan head (optional, for wall mounting)

• Glue to hold the magnets, such as epoxy or cyanoacrylate

Print settings (suggested starting point [confirm against your test print])

• Material: PLA or PETG

• Layer height: 0.2 mm for the blocks, 0.16 mm for the keys

• Walls: 4

• Top and bottom layers: 4

• Infill: 20% for the blocks, 100% for the keys

• Supports: None [confirm]

• Orientation: As modeled, base flat on the bed. Print keys upright.

How to put it together

1. Print the blocks and the keys.

2. If you want a magnetic base, glue the magnets into the pockets on the underside, with all poles facing the same way.

3. Slide a key into the front slots and another into the back slots to join two blocks. Press them down until they stop.

4. Screw a wall screw into the wall, leaving about 6 mm of the screw standing out. Line up the round part of the keyhole with the screw head, then slide the block down.

Make your own version The STEP files open in Autodesk Fusion as solid bodies. To resize the set, use the dimensions above as your starting point: change the 11 mm hole pitch for wider spacing, the hole depth for longer bits, or the hex size to fit another shank. Export a new STL when you're done.

Files

• bit-organizer-block-12.stl and .step

• bit-organizer-block-6.stl and .step

• bit-organizer-key.stl and .step

• bit-organizer-assembly.step: two blocks and two keys in place, for reference