A Very Satisfying Piece of Hardware Design

One of my favorite possessions spends most of its time buried in my toolbox. Plus a new Inconspicuous News Roundup!

Editor’s Note: This post includes a short video clip that is essential to the story, so I strongly urge you to read the web version, not the email version. Either phone or computer is fine. Enjoy! — Paul

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I recently had a small home-improvement task that entailed the use of a power drill. It was the first time in a while that I’d needed my drill, which meant it was also the first time in a while that I was able to enjoy the spectacular design of my Milwaukee Tool drill bit case.

As you can see in the photo above, the case is a small metal trapezoid. I got it about 20 years ago at a flea market — not because I needed drill bits (I already had a set), but because I liked the case so much. Here’s another photo, so you can get a better idea of how thick it is:

It’s nice, like a mini-obelisk. And since the case and the drill bits are metal, the small item has a pleasing heft, weighing in at half a pound:

So far, so good. But the real fun — and real reason I purchased this item — starts when you open the case. Check this out: