Texas Heritage Woodworks Auger Bit Roll

Tool: Auger Bit Roll

Manufacturer: Texas Heritage

MSRP: from $90

I’ve been looking for a long time for the perfect storage and transport solution for my auger bits. For a while, they were wrapped in kitchen towels – less than ideal. I have two of my grandfather’s old canvas tool rolls, but they both have holes in them where pointy bits have poked through over the decades. I have a couple leather ones, which work fine, but are somewhat heavy and bulky. And I have one sailcloth one I sewed myself (it works, but it is embarrassingly ugly; sewing is not among my talents).

But, I recently bought (at full price, of course) a waxed canvas auger bit roll from Texas Heritage Woodworks. It is extremely well-made, with double-stitched seams and hand-peened, copper-riveted stress points (the four corners of every pocket), and a supple leather tie that wraps around the roll to keep everything in place.

The roll has 15 full-size pockets that accommodate a full set of standard auger bits, and five small pockets for other brace accessories such as spoon bits and driver tips.

With the pockets fully loaded, it rolls up to a snug 31⁄2” or so in diameter, which fits nicely in the second tray of my tool chest (or in a drawer).

Like all Texas Heritage Woodworks products, the auger bit rolls are made by the company’s owner, Jason Thigpen, who recently turned his hobby into a full-time job.

Yes, at $90 it is a little spendy, but given the workmanship, I think that’s a more than fair price for something that is well-made, maker-made and will keep my bits protected for years to come. In fact, I like the auger bit roll so much that I’m about to place an order for a tool roll as well, to hold a set of chisels.