Lee Valley causes me only shame

[rmeyer1]

The new flier from Lee Valley came yesterday and has caused me only shame. There on page 3 I found Brass Bit Holders, developed to hold various sizes of router bit shanks.

For years I kept my router bits in an old cigar box. Friends constantly shamed and nagged me into making a better holder. I finally sawed off a scrap of two-by-four and drilled holes freehand at various angles. It was never beautiful, barely functional, but seemed to do the trick. A few months ago I built a new base for my router table and added a slick drawer with neatly arranged holes for my bits. At last I felt completely satisfied (shall we say smug) with my router bit storage. Now Robin tells me I must have brass barriers around the shanks of my bits, that simple holes drilled into the wood cause moisture migration and will corrode the shanks. I couldn't sleep last night for worry that moisture may already be doing it's nefarious damage .... once again I'm ashamed of myself and my slovenly router bit storage system. Thanks Robin Lee. BTW, when your bits are stored in a cigar box, rapid shaking will always remove sticky resin from the carbide edges. Can't say the same for my drawer however.

[Toller]

Is this corrosion like invisible? I have stored my bits plain old wood holes for years and don't see any damage; but if it is invisible maybe I should buy all new ones?

[GROVER]

shanks.www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&cat=1,46168,50736,56500&p=56500

The router table which Norm built a few seasons ago had a bit storage drawer with out any brass barriers protecting the shanks. If this is a real problem you could keep a dessicant bag in the drawer. I hear the distant cry of over kill. Joe G

[Chris Friesen]

May depend on humidity level in the shop. Here in Saskatchewan it's likely not an issue, but I lived for a while where the humidity could be

90% or higher and carbon steel started to rust pretty fast.

Chris

[Lee Michaels]

"Toller" wrote

No problem, just send $19.95 plus $36 for shipping and handling to me for a big can of Invisible Corrosion Remover.

Think of all the money you will save by not having to buy new bits. ;)

[Charlie M. 1958]

I gotta laugh. I got the same catalog yesterday, and I just finished a new bit case (a rather overly-fancy walnut and spalted maple creation). As soon as I saw those bit holders, my first thought was "Damn, now I have to get me some of these if I really want this case to be first-rate.

Charlie M.

[Doug Payne]

Sheesh, just put 'em in the drawer loose with some old screws and nails and drill bits and stuff :)

[jtpr]

Actually, it is invisible, and very toxic. If you send your old ones to an address I'll provide you, they will be safely disposed of. But hurry, before somebody suffers terrible health consequences.

-jtpr

[Leuf]

Well, I had all my bits in holes in a piece of ply, and then I got a whiteside bit and stuck it in with the rest. After only a couple of days the part of the shank that was in the hole was discolored. The rest of the bits are fine. Maybe the other bits are coated and the whiteside is plain.

-Leuf

[Morris Dovey]

| Robin tells me I must have brass barriers around the shanks of my | bits, | that simple holes drilled into the wood cause moisture migration and | will corrode the shanks.

I guess I can dodge this one - most of my router bits are straight or spiral with 1/2" shanks. A while back I bought a length of 5/8"ID vinyl tubing and cut lengths to hold my router bits with a hard maple plug stuck in each end. _Very_ inexpensive, no rust, and no bruised cutting edges.

If/when I want something fancier, I'll get some 1/2"ID tubing and make my own bit holders - come to think of it, I already have clear 1/4"ID tubing (from Menard's for $15/100') which should provide enough holders for all the 1/4" shanked bits I'll ever own...

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[russellseaton1]

shanks.www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&cat=1,46168,50736,56500&p=56500

All the router bits I've ever bought (Jesada, CMT, Sears, Menards, Payless, etc.) always came in a wooden box, with plastic inserts for the shanks, or in plastic cases. I just leave the bits in the case or box it came with. No rust on the shanks, no banging the edges together. Keep them all in the same drawer so I know where they are at. Haven't seen the need yet to make an official display case for them. Never even thought about the shanks rusting. I've had quite a few drill bits stored in the metal case they came in, or in wood holes. Seems to me a metal drill bit case in a metal tool chest would be a moisture magnet. My drill bits have not rusted in many years stored this way. But Lee Valley should invent brass drill bit holders too.

[Upscale]

Yeah, but just think of how good your router bits will look. After all, everybody knows that we don't buy tools and accessories to do any real woodworking, we only buy stuff so we can brag to our buddies about the great looking shop what we've got. :)

[Lee Michaels]

But, but, but ......, Morris, Robin's bitholders are PURTY!!!

[Morris Dovey]

Lee Michaels wrote: | "Morris Dovey" wrote || [e-mail] wrote: || ||| Robin tells me I must have brass barriers around the shanks of my ||| bits, ||| that simple holes drilled into the wood cause moisture migration ||| and will corrode the shanks. || || I guess I can dodge this one - most of my router bits are straight || or spiral with 1/2" shanks. A while back I bought a length of || 5/8"ID vinyl tubing and cut lengths to hold my router bits with a || hard maple plug stuck in each end. _Very_ inexpensive, no rust, || and no bruised cutting edges. || || If/when I want something fancier, I'll get some 1/2"ID tubing and || make my own bit holders - come to think of it, I already have || clear 1/4"ID tubing (from Menard's for $15/100') which should || provide enough holders for all the 1/4" shanked bits I'll ever || own... || | | But, but, but ......, Morris, Robin's bitholders are PURTY!!!

I don't doubt it a bit (I obviously don't have my catalog yet); but they're going to have to work hard to be purtier than the stuff I'm already saving up for. Robin seems to make a practice of turning out purty stuff out faster than I can afford to spend...

Bit holders are /nice/ - but I've decided that I /need/ one of Steve's planes.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[Upscale]

Well, have a look. Only one question on my part. From the picture, they appear to be threaded, not just lipped for a press to fit insertion. I'm wondering how one goes about screwing these inserts into the wood without causing any damage to them?

[Morris Dovey]

Another interesting question might be whether the center 1/4", 1/2", or 8mm "bore" is stopped or through. If the latter, then one might wonder just how effective they really are as moisture barriers...

Lee Michaels is right, though, they are purty. :-)

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[Lee Michaels]

"Upscale" wrote

Didn't Robin include the special Brass Bit Holder Driving Tool??

Oh...., that must be another $17.95.

[The Davenport's]

glue grooves to aid in making a good mechanical joint if you decide to glue them in.

On the other hand, they do look pretty cool...put for $2.00usd each, I can make a buttload of them...maybe even play around with some titanium router bit holders!

God, I love my job!

Mike

[Upscale]

Are you saying this from actually seeing one in person? The "view" image looks pretty convincing for a threaded insert, not a lipped one.

[rmeyer1]

Good suggestion, I've kinda been worried about my drill bits too. A brass holder for each and every one would be just the ticket to ease my shame factor. I'm also excited about another item I found in the new Lee Valley flier ...... a long handled spider catcher!

Up to now I've been using my old block of wood router bit holder (sans brass bit inserts) to smash spiders around the shop. For just $19.95 I can treat them with kindness and provide them a plastic spider buddy. It can't get any sweeter.