diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/Make/files b/src/OpenFOAM/Make/files
index 11f4bb9bfd..25ce355abb 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/Make/files
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/Make/files
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ primitives/Barycentric2D/barycentric2D/barycentric2D.C
 
 containers/Bits/bitSet/bitSet.C
 containers/Bits/bitSet/bitSetIO.C
+containers/Bits/BitOps/BitOps.C
 containers/Bits/PackedList/PackedListCore.C
 containers/HashTables/HashOps/HashOps.C
 containers/HashTables/HashTable/HashTableCore.C
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Bits/BitOps/BitOps.C b/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Bits/BitOps/BitOps.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0fa3b4fbce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Bits/BitOps/BitOps.C
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+  =========                 |
+  \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+   \\    /   O peration     |
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2018 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+    This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+    ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+    FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+    for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#include "BitOps.H"
+#include "bitSet.H"
+#include "HashSet.H"
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+Foam::bitSet Foam::BitSetOps::create
+(
+    const label n,
+    const labelHashSet& locations,
+    const bool on
+)
+{
+    bitSet output(n, !on);
+
+    for (const label idx : locations)
+    {
+        // Restrict the input size
+        if (idx < n)
+        {
+            output.set(idx, on);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return output;
+}
+
+
+Foam::bitSet Foam::BitSetOps::create
+(
+    const label n,
+    const labelUList& locations,
+    const bool on
+)
+{
+    bitSet output(n, !on);
+
+    for (const label idx : locations)
+    {
+        // Restrict the input size
+        if (idx < n)
+        {
+            output.set(idx, on);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return output;
+}
+
+
+Foam::bitSet Foam::BitSetOps::create
+(
+    const label n,
+    const label select,
+    const labelUList& values,
+    const bool on
+)
+{
+    bitSet output(n, !on);
+
+    // Restrict the input size
+    const label len = std::min(n, values.size());
+
+    for (label idx = 0; idx < len; ++idx)
+    {
+        if (select == values[idx])
+        {
+            output.set(idx, on);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return output;
+}
+
+
+// ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Bits/BitOps/BitOps.H b/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Bits/BitOps/BitOps.H
index 706578b708..dc926a9632 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Bits/BitOps/BitOps.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Bits/BitOps/BitOps.H
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ Description
     The population count uses the Hamming weight
     (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamming_weight).
 
+Namespace
+    Foam::BitSetOps
+
+Description
+    Factory and other methods for bitSet.
+
 \*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 #ifndef BitOps_H
@@ -37,6 +43,7 @@ Description
 
 #include "label.H"
 #include "UList.H"
+#include "HashSet.H"
 #include "Ostream.H"
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <limits>
@@ -47,6 +54,9 @@ Description
 namespace Foam
 {
 
+// Forward declarations
+class bitSet;
+
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
                          Namespace BitOps Declaration
 \*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -202,12 +212,78 @@ struct bitInfo
     operator UIntType& () { return value; }
 };
 
-
 } // End namespace BitOps
 
 
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+                        Namespace BitSetOps Declaration
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+namespace BitSetOps
+{
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
+//- Create a bitSet with length n with the specifed \a on locations.
+//  The resulting bitSet is guaranteed to have exactly the specified length,
+//  any values or positions larger than n-1 are silently ignored.
+//
+//  \param n the size of the output bitSet
+//  \param locations the list of positions corresponding to an \a on bit.
+//  \param on the value for on. Set as false to invert the logic.
+//
+//  \return a bitset
+bitSet create
+(
+    const label n,
+    const labelHashSet& locations,
+    const bool on = true
+);
+
+
+//- Create a bitSet with length n with the specifed \a on locations.
+//  The resulting bitSet is guaranteed to have exactly the specified length,
+//  any values or positions larger than n-1 are silently ignored.
+//
+//  \param n the size of the output bitSet
+//  \param locations the list of positions corresponding to an \a on bit.
+//  \param on the value for on. Set as false to invert the logic.
+//
+//  \return a bitset
+bitSet create
+(
+    const label n,
+    const labelUList& locations,
+    const bool on = true
+);
+
+
+//- Create a bitSet with length n with the specifed \a on locations
+//- when the list values are equal to the select value.
+//
+//  The resulting bitSet is guaranteed to have exactly the specified length,
+//  any values or positions larger than n-1 are silently ignored.
+//
+//  \param n the size of the output bitSet
+//  \param select the value to select as 'on'
+//  \param values the values to scan for 'select'
+//  \param on the value for on. Set as false to invert the logic.
+//
+//  \return a bitset
+bitSet create
+(
+    const label n,
+    const label select,
+    const labelUList& values,
+    const bool on = true
+);
+
+} // End namespace BitSetOps
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+
 //- Print 0/1 bits of an (unsigned) integral type via an adapter
 template<class UIntType>
 inline Ostream& operator<<(Ostream& os, const BitOps::bitInfo<UIntType>& info)
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/containers/HashTables/HashOps/HashOps.H b/src/OpenFOAM/containers/HashTables/HashOps/HashOps.H
index 8a6ae13c26..97f308f7ce 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/containers/HashTables/HashOps/HashOps.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/containers/HashTables/HashOps/HashOps.H
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ namespace Foam
 {
 
 // Forward declarations
-
 class bitSet;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
@@ -98,13 +97,13 @@ labelHashSet used(const UList<bool>& select);
 
 
 //- Transform the \a on locations to a bitSet.
+//  Ignored any negative values (invalid positions in a bitset).
 //
 //  \param locations the list of positions corresponding to an \a on bit.
 //
 //  \return a bitset
 //
-//  \note The operation necessarily discards any negative values since these
-//     are invalid positions in a bitset.
+//  \see BitSetOps::create for other possiblities
 bitSet bitset(const labelHashSet& locations);