Organised Metric & Imperial Drill Bit Storage

Finding the right drill shouldn't begin with measuring three loose bits that look almost identical. Sutton drill stands give workshops a dedicated way to organise drill bits by size, making frequently used diameters easier to identify, return & locate when the next hole needs drilling.

This collection is specifically about drill-bit storage stands, not stands designed to hold a handheld power drill. Industrial Shed carries Sutton metric & imperial options for workshops replacing an existing stand, organising loose drills or rebuilding a Sutton drill selection around clearly separated sizes.

If you're starting with the cutting tools as well as the holder, Drill Bit Sets provides complete set options. Workshops building an everyday drilling selection can also compare Sutton Tools | Drills - Jobber for standard-length Sutton drilling requirements.

What Are Sutton Drill Stands?

Sutton drill stands are organised holders for storing individual drill bits in designated size positions. Rather than leaving commonly used drills loose in a drawer, toolbox or shared container, the stand gives each supported diameter a defined place.

Industrial Shed currently lists both metric & imperial Sutton stand options. The D101SM7 metric stand covers drill sizes from 1.0–3.0 mm in 0.25 mm increments, then 3.5–13.0 mm in 0.5 mm increments. Sutton's catalogue also identifies its SM8 drill set as suiting the SM7 stand.

An imperial version gives workshops a corresponding option where inch-sized drills form part of the tooling system. Keeping metric & imperial tooling clearly organised can be particularly useful in workshops that encounter machinery, fasteners & components specified in both measurement systems.

Unlike a drill press stand or portable-drill support, these products don't guide the drill into the workpiece, control hole depth or improve spindle alignment. Their job happens before & after drilling: keeping the cutting tools arranged so the required size can be selected efficiently & returned to the correct location.

Why Choose Sutton Drill Stands?

Stop Turning Drill Selection Into a Measuring Exercise

Loose drills have a habit of becoming anonymous once their markings wear or disappear under workshop grime. Small differences between neighbouring metric sizes can also be difficult to judge by eye.

A dedicated stand provides a logical size sequence, giving the operator a much quicker starting point when choosing the next cutter.

Give Loose Drill Bits a Permanent Address

A good drill can still become useless to the workshop if nobody can find it.

Returning each size to a defined position makes missing drills easier to notice & reduces the temptation to throw individual bits into a general drawer after the job.

Keep Metric & Imperial Tooling Easier to Distinguish

Mixed measurement systems can create unnecessary confusion around similar-looking diameters. A dedicated metric or imperial stand helps maintain a clearer separation between the two systems.

That becomes particularly useful in maintenance environments where older machinery, imported equipment or customer components can bring both metric & imperial dimensions onto the same bench.

Rebuild an Existing Drill Selection Without Buying Every Bit Again

Sometimes the drills are still serviceable but their original storage has been lost, damaged or outgrown.

A replacement stand can restore order to an existing collection without automatically replacing otherwise usable cutting tools. The important step is confirming that the stand's size positions correspond with the drills you intend to store.

Common Applications

Workshop Drill Stations

A fabrication or maintenance bench often relies on the same core drill sizes repeatedly. Keeping those drills in ascending order beside the drilling area can reduce time spent searching through mixed tooling between operations.

For workshops carrying additional cutting-tool formats beyond one indexed stand, Tools Storage & Organization can help manage the wider collection.

Replacing Missing Drill-Set Storage

Drill sets can outlast their original packaging. Hinges break, plastic cases disappear or individual bits migrate into another toolbox while the cutters themselves remain useful.

A Sutton stand gives compatible drills another organised home, particularly where a workshop already owns sizes corresponding with the stand layout.

Keeping Common Jobber Sizes Visible

Standard-length jobber drills are among the most frequently reached-for cutters in many workshops. Arranging commonly used diameters in a stand makes it easier to see what's available before another drill is ordered unnecessarily.

Where a tougher drilling application calls for a different cutting-tool construction, Sutton Tools | Drills - Jobber Coated provides another Sutton jobber family to compare rather than assuming every drill in the cabinet serves the same purpose.

Maintenance Workshops Using Two Measurement Systems

One repair might call for a 6.5 mm drill while the next piece of older equipment references an imperial size. Keeping the two systems deliberately separated reduces unnecessary identification work at the bench.

Before selecting either system from a drawing or existing component, Measuring & Layout Tools can support dimensional checking & hole-position setup.

Tool Cribs & Shared Workshop Areas

Shared tooling creates a simple problem: the person who takes the drill isn't always the person who needs it next.

A visible stand makes empty positions immediately obvious. That doesn't prevent loss, but it makes inventory gaps considerably easier to spot than a mixed box of loose bits.

Product Selection Guide

Decide Between Metric & Imperial First

The measurement system is the first filter.

Choose the metric stand for a metric drill selection & the imperial version for inch-sized tooling. Don't rely on approximate diameter equivalence simply because two drill sizes look close.

Check the Actual Size Range

A stand is only useful when its indexed positions match the drills you intend to store.

For the D101SM7 metric format, Sutton specifies 1.0–3.0 mm in 0.25 mm increments & 3.5–13.0 mm in 0.5 mm increments. Compare those positions against your existing drill inventory before purchasing the stand as replacement storage.

Understand the SM7 & SM8 Relationship

Sutton catalogue information identifies the SM8 drill set as suiting the SM7 stand. That relationship is useful for buyers replacing storage associated with that drill-set format.

Part numbers matter here. Similar Sutton naming doesn't mean every drill set automatically shares the same stand layout.

Don't Buy the Stand Expecting Drill Bits

Treat the stand & cutting tools as separate products unless an individual listing explicitly states otherwise.

A buyer rebuilding a complete drilling setup should check whether they need the organiser, replacement drills or an entire populated drill set before ordering.

Organise by More Than Diameter When Necessary

A workshop can own several drills of the same nominal diameter with different materials, coatings or geometries. Diameter alone doesn't tell you whether a drill is intended for the next operation.

Keep specialised tooling clearly identified rather than mixing everything into the same storage position simply because the sizes match.

Where a drilled hole later requires finishing, Sutton Tools | Drills - Countersinks provides a separate cutting-tool category for suitable chamfering, deburring & fastener-seat operations.

Expert Tips

Leave an Empty Hole Empty

An empty position tells you something useful: that size is missing.

Filling the gap with the nearest drill simply to make the stand look complete defeats one of the organiser's best practical features. Replace the correct size instead.

Face the Labels Towards the Operator

A drill stand works best when the size sequence can be read without moving half the bench. Position it where the markings are visible from the normal tool-selection position.

Small layout decisions can save repeated handling across a busy week.

Separate Damaged Drills From Ready-to-Use Drills

Returning a blunt, chipped or questionable drill to its normal position makes it look available for the next operator.

Create a separate location for tooling awaiting inspection, sharpening or replacement so the stand represents cutters that are actually ready for work.

Check the Shank Before Returning the Bit

Workshop residue on the flutes is obvious; contamination or damage around the shank can be easier to overlook.

A quick inspection while putting the drill away can reveal issues before the tool reaches the chuck on the next job.

Don't Turn the Stand Into a Mixed Cutting-Tool Drawer

Countersinks, taps, reamers & specialised drills deserve storage that preserves their identity. Putting any round tool into an empty hole might tidy the bench visually while making tool selection worse.

Keep the drill stand focused on the sizes it was intended to organise.

Make Cleaning Part of Putting Away

Clean tooling is easier to inspect & identify than tooling returned covered in chips, cutting residue or workshop grime.

How To Clean Your Gear Without Ruining It covers sensible maintenance habits for tools that need to go back into storage ready for another job.