Drill Doctor 750X - Is it good?

[roger55]

I was looking to get one of these. Looks like they are about $135.

I've been doing a little searching and it looks like the reports are highly variable. From "POS" to "They're great".

Is there a better way to go for something in the price range? I'll spend a little more if it makes for sense. I don't have any idea how to sharpen a bit by hand. For my entire life (I'm 54), I've been throwing away drill bits when they get dull.

 

[dieseldodge01]

My dad recently bought a 750X Drill Doctor and he thinks very highly of it. He has yet to figure out how to sharpen left hand bits, but on the regular bit it has done an excellent job. 90% of his drill bits were dull so he has sharpened most of them and they work like they are new.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

My boss brought one in to the shop when they first came out. I'd say it's a decent tool, but I really don't have time to sharpen bits (if I get a break, I'd sooner do a little web surfing here!) and noone else around the shop wants to learn to use it.....I was also taught to sharpen bits by hand on a bench grinder during my time as a machinist, so I never want to bother getting set up to use this machine when I can run over to the grinder and be done in a minute.....I don't think there is anything really better for the job, so basicly it just depends on if you want to spend the time...and I think after the 20 or 30 bit's that I have done, the wheel is getting worn and needs replaced.

 

[evintho]

I own the Drill Doctor 500. IMHO, unless you're a machinist or drilling lots of really big holes, you don't need the 750. The only difference with the 750 is it sharpens larger bits up to 3/4". How often do you use 3/4" bits enough to dull them? Most drill indexes only go up to 1/2" anyhow.

I'm hooked on the Drill Doctor! I had hundreds of bits that were just laying around collecting dust. Got the DD, spent an hour and sharpened every one! I organized them by size and now whenever I need a fresh bit, I've got one handy!

I would recommend the DD500X. I recommended one to my boss and the company bought one. Now all the mechanics are able to keep their bits sharp! They all like it!
Here it is for $99 w/free shipping from Amazon.com.
Drill Doctor 500X

 

[roger55]

Thanks all for the responses.

And thank you Evintho. I didn't know that is the only difference in the two models. I don't need to do any bits over 1/2". So, the 500X does make more sense for me.

Also, thanks for the link. It doesn't look like Ebay is any cheaper on these than Amazon. I think I'll go for it.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I still need to buy the left handed chuck. When I bought mine, the chuck they were pushing, was for the old model (and several places I looked, didn't know there was a difference). I picked up the 750x some time ago, when it was a special, that was the price of the 500x ($99 shipped).

Now a friend of mine whose been sharpening his own bits for years, and was both taught and has practice, can outsharpen it. But he agree's for the average person, who wasn't taught and doesn't have the practice, it is worth the money, if you drill metal. Not so much if all your drilling is 2x's.

 

[peterj]

Had mine for a couple of years now and have only used a couple of times but it works just fine. I loaned a neighbor a 1/2 inch cobalt bit which he managed to break in half in a couple of minutes and he asked to borrow another one I sharpened the broken bit and told him one was his limit.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Get a drill gauge and learn how to properly dress a grinding wheel and you can sharpen them on a bench grinder. I was shown by a old machinist when I was serving my apprenticeship in moldmaking many moons ago. I know some will argue, but to put in perspective I also was the President of a large cutting tool company which manufactured solid carbide, carbide tipped and high speed steel cutting tools, including drill bits. We did work for many aerospace, industrial, automotive industries.

TheGrooveking

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Had mine for a couple of years now and have only used a couple of times but it works just fine. I loaned a neighbor a 1/2 inch cobalt bit which he managed to break in half in a couple of minutes and he asked to borrow another one I sharpened the broken bit and told him one was his limit.

I found your better off to rough sharpen broken bits on the grinder, then use the Drill Doctor. The wheels do wear out.

 

[Kev442]

Drill Doctors put a decent edge back on, but if you have cheap chinesium bits, they dull out almost immediately. There is where the POS ratings come from. I will say the factory edge stays sharper longer, but they do it on a $10k machine.

 

[nate379]

I have a 750 and it's ok, but won't sharpen a bit to anything near like new shape. It cuts the tip at the wrong angle as well so it doesn't cut right.

Left bit is never sharpened, right is a DD sharpened one. Pay attention to the red lines, not the shadow, pic turned out funny and point on left bit doesn't seem to be where I put the line, but it is. Bit is right in front of me.

I had a 500 before and same problems with it. For small bits, anything under 1/4", I just buy new ones after they get smoked because it's not even worth trying to sharpen with the DD and it's hard to do by hand (I don't have a bench grinder)

I don't have cheap bits either. The ones in the pic are Snap On Ti coated and my other good set is HSS that was close to $200 for the set.

 

[Sharp Tools]

Nate,
I am the Director of Marketing at Drill Doctor. Others above have done a great job of pointing out the positive aspects of the Drill Doctor. However, I am disappointed to see that you are not able to get the desired results using our product. Have you considered contacting our tech support department to diagnose the issue? It looks as though the chisel angle on your re-sharpened bit is not at the ideal angle. There are several adjustments on the machine that may be able to correct this. Please give us a call at 1-800-597-6170 so we can help. We stand behind our products, if there is any type of defect, we will be happy to replace or repair your machine.

Also, are your bits Snap-On Thunder Bits by any chance? we have found that these do require some adjustment, and recently created a video to help you through the process. Here is a link to the video. I hope it helps.

Glad to see that so many people are happy with their machines!

 

[nate379]

I don't believe so, I have had these bits for about 10 years now. I have watched the video that came with the machine and it still hasn't helped.

If I have a chance, let me get some pics of an 1/8" bit I tried to sharpen yesterday. After I was done sharpening on the DD it wouldn't even drill through aluminum.

 

[walrus]

If I have a chance, let me get some pics of an 1/8" bit I tried to sharpen yesterday. After I was doing sharpening on the DD it wouldn't even drill through aluminum.

I have a different model drill doctor, don't get good results on small bits. On the other hand I get great results on anything above 1/4

 

[Stephenw]

I have the Drill Doctor 400. Mine came with the collet to also sharpen from 1/2" to 3/4" bits. Mine has performed flawlessly. You have to take care to set the drill bit in the collet properly. If you do a sloppy job, the bit will not be sharpened correctly. I think that most who complain about Drill Doctors don't understand the proper setup procedure or do a sloppy setup. I would say that adjusting the bit in the collet is a precision operation and attention to detail is a must.

 

[nate379]

Nope, I know all the little "tricks" and there is no reason for me to just slam it in there. I have had this unit for a couple years and before that I had the 500 and both did the same thing.
Other people that have used them have had same problem as well.

I have the Drill Doctor 400. Mine came with the collet to also sharpen from 1/2" to 3/4" bits. Mine has performed flawlessly. You have to take care to set the drill bit in the collet properly. If you do a sloppy job, the bit will not be sharpened correctly. I think that most who complain about Drill Doctors don't understand the proper setup procedure or do a sloppy setup. I would say that adjusting the bit in the collet is a precision operation and attention to detail is a must.

 

[SiGmA_X]

I have a 750 and love it. I've sharpened 50+ bits and the stone doesn't look the least bit worn. I've never gotten the hang of using a grinder to sharpen bits, and I am now convinced my boss doesn't know how either, as I can sharpen bits FAR better with the Drill Doctor, lol. I'd suggest the 750 over the others because it can do larger bits. I have a couple of over-half-inch bits, and they too wear out. Just a personal preference, and for an extra ~$35, it was worth it to me.

 

[roger55]

Update:

I told my neighbor across the street that I was thinking about getting a DD. He told me he had a DD350X and would lend it to me to try out. So, I took him up on it.

I didn't read the instructions but sharpened several of my bits after he showed me what to do with it for a couple of minutes.

Overall, I had pretty darn good results. I tried a couple of small bits (3/32" and 1/8") and they didn't do that well. But, it did real well with 3/16" and up. I also tried a couple a masonry bits and didn't have good luck with those either. But, I am not too concerned with that. Plus, reading the instructions thoroughly might make a difference.

I would say that I was impressed enough to buy one for myself. I do want the 500X since I have a set of split point bits.

It's weird Nate has had problems with 2 units. I can't tell the difference from new to DD sharpened bits in my short experience.

 

[stroked93]

I find it interesting how many tool companies monitor this site.

 

[old salvage]

I wrote about my Drill Doctor in the 'Most useless tool' thread.
Post #108
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34700&highlight=drill+doctor&showall=1

 

[ossaguy]

I bought the first #500 DD my SO dealer had on his truck years ago,and it worked pretty well for over quarter inch & up bits,but I could never get the drill to not "Walk" if I tried drilling without a pilot hole.( I am putting the split-point on it )

My SO dealer swapped it out for another one,and that was about the same results.As long as it has a pilot hole,then the bit would just go thru OK.

So I always use a pilot hole,and my 135 degree cobalt bits work ok then.But not as good as a new bit,though.

About 3 years ago,I read the advertizements that talked about the improvements in the unit,so I bought a new #500.I didn't get it out to sharpen bits until a few months ago,and after watchng the video,and reading the book,I set about sharpening some bits,and they turned out awful.It's like the index marks in the chuck are off like 45 degrees,is all I can figure.So I put it back in the closet and went back to using my old one.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong,but I don't think so.

So I have buyers remorse on my new-stlye DD.I was hoping to come across somebody someday that has one that works well,so I could compare my chuck,and DD unit to his.I can't image it could be anything else,but who knows? I'd hate to throw $ away by trying to order another chuck,since I'm out of the warranty time period,yet never used it til that one time.

So if anyone in here has a closeup pic of a chuck after the bit is put in and aligned,I'd sure appreciate it so I could compare it to mine.

TIA,
Steve

 

[walrus]

Update:

I told my neighbor across the street that I was thinking about getting a DD. He told me he had a DD350X and would lend it to me to try out. So, I took him up on it.

I didn't read the instructions but sharpened several of my bits after he showed me what to do with it for a couple of minutes.

Overall, I had pretty darn good results. I tried a couple of small bits (3/32" and 1/8") and they didn't do that well. But, it did real well with 3/16" and up. I also tried a couple a masonry bits and didn't have good luck with those either. But, I am not too concerned with that. Plus, reading the instructions thoroughly might make a difference.

I would say that I was impressed enough to buy one for myself. I do want the 500X since I have a set of split point bits.

It's weird Nate has had problems with 2 units. I can't tell the difference from new to DD sharpened bits in my short experience.

Thats my experience also, great on bigger bits, lousy on small bits. I buy cobalt 1/8 bits and don't bother with the Drill Doctor on them. On pilot bits for hole saws I think the DD sharpens them better than new and they stay sharper longer

 

[roger55]

This thread I've started has confirmed what I've found. There is just a wide range of what people think of them. "POS" to "Love 'em" and everything in between. That seems a little odd and leaves me confused.

With the bad reports I'm hearing from owners of the 500X and 700X, I wonder if I should get the 350X.

Is it possible that it is a simpler design since it won't do split tip bits? Maybe the simpler design is more consistent? Just a thought.

 

[Tom2]

My Dad has one and loves it. I could never get anything as sharp as new, but it's possible I wasn't doing it right. Never took the time to fully read the instructions. I've been meaning to pick one up myself. Will probably wait for a good Sears or Amazon sale.

I think it's pretty cool the company found this thread and posted right in it to address some concerns. Speaks very highly of the company IMO.

 

[arvidj]

This thread I've started has confirmed what I've found. There is just a wide range of what people think of them. "POS" to "Love 'em" and everything in between. That seems a little odd and leaves me confused.

I will suggest that you can clear up the confusion by looking at what the biggest variable is ... the end user.

I have the 750X and until I figured it out I thought it was useless. What did I figure out? The the whole process is not quite as simple and automatic as what the manufacturer would have you believe ... but it is not all that difficult.

At least for me the key was to make sure the bit was in the bit holder accurately. Which meant that I made absolutely sure during the "alignment" part of the process the depth of the bit in the holder was correct and that the two metal fingers that adjust the "rotation" of the bit in the holder was absolutely accurate. This usually means that I need to spend a few extra seconds turning the bit in the holder and looking at the springs, bit and depth thru the opening at the top of the machine to ensure the spring fingers were holding the bit perfectly. I am sure the manufacturer feels the spring fingers will "automatically" position the bit correctly, but at least in my case I have found that a little assistance and visual checking was worth the effort.

After that I actually had to put just a little extra effort into positioning the bit in the holder I have had 99% success sharpening everything from 1/8th thru just under 3/4ths.

Arvid

 

[Teken]

Nate,
I am the Director of Marketing at Drill Doctor. Others above have done a great job of pointing out the positive aspects of the Drill Doctor. However, I am disappointed to see that you are not able to get the desired results using our product. Have you considered contacting our tech support department to diagnose the issue? It looks as though the chisel angle on your re-sharpened bit is not at the ideal angle. There are several adjustments on the machine that may be able to correct this. Please give us a call at 1-800-597-6170 so we can help. We stand behind our products, if there is any type of defect, we will be happy to replace or repair your machine.

Also, are your bits Snap-On Thunder Bits by any chance? we have found that these do require some adjustment, and recently created a video to help you through the process. Here is a link to the video. I hope it helps.

Glad to see that so many people are happy with their machines!

I would like to welcome you to the GJ forum and thank you for taking the time to reply in kind and show your customer support!

It is rare and far and few to see house hold name brand companies coming forward to speak about their product and in the same breath provide feed-back and customer support . . .

You have a definite future customer from across the pond here!

 

[evintho]

I will suggest that you can clear up the confusion by looking at what the biggest variable is ... the end user.

I have the 750X and until I figured it out I thought it was useless. What did I figure out? The the whole process is not quite as simple and automatic as what the manufacturer would have you believe ... but it is not all that difficult.

At least for me the key was to make sure the bit was in the bit holder accurately. Which meant that I made absolutely sure during the "alignment" part of the process the depth of the bit in the holder was correct and that the two metal fingers that adjust the "rotation" of the bit in the holder was absolutely accurate. This usually means that I need to spend a few extra seconds turning the bit in the holder and looking at the springs, bit and depth thru the opening at the top of the machine to ensure the spring fingers were holding the bit perfectly. I am sure the manufacturer feels the spring fingers will "automatically" position the bit correctly, but at least in my case I have found that a little assistance and visual checking was worth the effort.

After that I actually had to put just a little extra effort into positioning the bit in the holder I have had 99% success sharpening everything from 1/8th thru just under 3/4ths.

Arvid

I totally agree with Arvidj! It's not the product, it's the user. I'm sure alot of these guys who sharpen bits by hand are savvy, experienced and could run circles around me in a machine shop! However, with the DD it's all about patience and attention to detail. It took me quite a while to finally figure it all out and get comfortable with it.

Install the bit in the collar and line it up.

Decide whether you want 118* or 135*. Depress the thumb handle then insert the collar and bit into the guide. It only goes in 1 of 2 ways.

Once it's seated against the stop, depress the thumb handle again and turn the bit so the 2 fingers grab the NARROWEST part of the flutes. This is critical! Play with it a little making sure the fingers are locked onto the narrowest part of the bit!

Now tighten the collar and remove it from the guide. Place the collar and bit into the DD, lining up the white mark with the pole.

Turn on the DD and begin rotating the collar and bit. It's critical that you rotate it one full turn an EVEN number of times. This ensures that both sides get sharpened evenly. You should rotate it at least 20 full turns. You'll hear the grinding noise getting shorter and shorter. Here's a freshly sharpened 9/32" bit.

 

[nate379]

It's not the user.

My brother went to school for metal manufacturing and is an engineer. They have one of the Drill Drs at the first machine shop he worked in and it ended up getting shelved. They thought it would work quicker than the expensive jig setup they had or doing it by hand, but they couldn't get it to come close to the same sharpening job.

I don't want to ruin an 1/8" bit right now to show you guys, but I will go buy a few in the morning and take some photos of a brand new bit vs a DD sharpened one.

It does ok for anything over around 3/16" and under 3/4", but it won't do the small stuff, which is what I use most often.

 

[roger55]

It's not the user.

It does ok for anything over around 3/16" and under 3/4", but it won't do the small stuff, which is what I use most often.

Ah, that's pretty much what I found with the 350X I have on loan. 3/16" and over worked well on it.

That is actually OK with me. With bit's smaller than that, I usually am breaking them before I am wearing them out. They're also pretty cheap and I always keep several new 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32" on hand.

 

[nate379]

Yeah they are cheap, but I get in the situation where the 4 or 5 1/8" bits I bought are all gone, it's 3AM and I need to drill 3 more holes

 

[old salvage]

It's not the user. .....

It was in my case. I 'used' the Drill Doctor exactly as the instructions said, including the troubleshooting and maintenance instructions.
Too me it was still throw away culture ****.
I know they work for other folks though. Super.

 

[BigSteve63]

I have sharpened bits on a bench grinder for years - I was trained by a very experienced gentleman in our shop and learned a great deal. However, I too, have a DD. I find the same thing that others have mentioned - if you take your time and make absolutely sure that the bit is aligned properly, you can get great results and sharpen a lot of bits in a very short time. My .02

 

[Art From De Leon]

I bought the DD500, and I could NOT figure out what the instructions were trying to tell me. I sold it to a friend to use in his company's shop, and he has never said one way or another how, or if, it works.

 

[Sharp Tools]

Drill Doctor Marketing Guy here again. Looks like small bits are giving some people problems. I checked with our tech support department and have one idea for you to try, depending on your situation it might help you get better results:

One thing you need to make sure on the small bits is not to over-tighten the chuck. After you align the bit, before you start to sharpen, look through the base of the chuck and make sure the chuck jaws are straight. If they look like they are starting to cross up, move the chuck base to the left but do not loosen the bit. This should help.

You may have to adjust it before you tighten the chuck and instead of locking in at the narrowest point of the flutes, rotate it a little.

And as always, we are here to help, dont hesitate to call our tech dept at:
1-800-418-1439

Rodger55, if you are thinking of making a purchase, Northern Tool has a special right now on the 500x model which comes with a free 13 piece drill bit set and free shipping. Check it out at this address:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200320245_200320245

 

[Teken]

Sharp Tools,

Many thanks for the follow up and suggestions . . . This is what I call service after the sale!

 

[ourkid2000]

Great to see Sharp Tools!

 

[nate379]

That info it right there in the directions that come with the unit, as well as on the video.

 

[nate379]

Had to toss 3 1/8" bits today. Ran then threw the Drill Dr multiples times and I couldn't even get them to drill thin aluminum. Had to make a 20 mile trip to teh store to get some more since I needed them to finish what I was working on.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Nate, you are eith doing something wrong or something is wrong with your machine. Don't give me that "my brother is an engineer" ****. I've worked with enough moronic engineers to know that they are out there. I'm not saying he IS one, but it is possible. There are morons in EVERY field.

I can't say enough good things about my DD500. I liked it so much, I got one for the company I used to work for to save us from walking two bays over to the mold shop to pick up sharp bits. This tool has saved me considerable time and money. I find the bits to cut like new if sharpened properly. I used to buy new expensive bits pretty regularly before I got my Drill Doctor.

 

[beelsr]

i have an older 750 and love it to death. i can sharpen on a bench grinder but the DD is so much quicker for a 95% as nice job.

@nate: have you called their tech support yet?