Hex key / screw type / drill bit organization and cheat sheet

[chrisrin]

I’ve observed we spend a fair amount of time learning & relearning what hex keys are used with which hardware, what hardware is used for what purposes, dealing with stripped screws due to errors, etc. So I decided to work on this cheat sheet that may help. Feel free to reuse and if I got anything wrong or missed anything critical, lmk. Thanks.

UPDATE: Added shaft collars
UPDATE 2: Added locknut sizes + created cheat sheet for drill bit sizes as well
Link to Google Sheet
UPDATE 3: Added color coding associated with a new tool organization system I’ve been working on + pictures. The trays are designed as they are to fit within the size constraints of my little Ender 3 3D printer. A couple tools hang over the tray edge, but for the most part I think it’ll work.

Here’s the drill bit size cheat sheet:

Pictures of the color-coding / 3D-printed tray system:

[Technologyman00]

Looks great! Only problem is if the Allen keys don’t get put back/mixed with the metric set

[chrisrin]

Working on that as well, inspired by this discussion. I’ll probably share my solution over there when ready.

[Skyehawk]

Love myself a good quality selection of T handles. Two sets of decent ones in SAE and at least one good set of metric T handles.

Follow that up with a set each of standard L keys and a set of “shortie” L keys (really short small leg on L key, great for really tight spaces, I.e. SDS Mk4 shaft screw before the clip version eas released)

[philso]

At the recent Mentor Workshop hosted by 3487, 5414 and 1477, I think it was @ahartnet who said that the purchased hex keys from one brand for the SAE and a different brand for the metric so that one was silver(ish) and one is black. I think the brands were Wiha and Bondhus.

[Weldingrod1]

Here’s the 5892 version. Similar information, but more focused on the color coding aspect.

[ahartnet]

That’s correct. It is an investment to be sure, but I got tired of trying paint pens, nailpolish, or shrink tube to differentiate between sizes and between imperial and metric.

We got bondhus for the imperial: Bondhus XL INCH COLOR GUARD .050-3/8" 13pc SET BH69637 | Zoro (which you can get singles of from mcmaster for those common sizes for #10s: McMaster-Carr)

We got Wera for metric. A bit more expensive, but we don’t need it nearly as often so we have a lot fewer: https://www.amazon.com/Wera-950-Hex-Plus-L-Key-Wrench/dp/B009ODV0OE/ref=asc_df_B009ODV0OE (I did say Wiha at the workshop, but it turns out it was actually Wera)

They are very distinct from one another, so no more confusion about what’s what.