Drill bit sharpening

[Recoil Rob]

Over the years I have accumulated a couple hundred ******* drill bits, most in need of being sharpened.

I was also given one of these but it doesn't seem to work well or I can't work it well. Anyone else have success with it? If not what's a good alternative that won't cost ore than new bits?

 

[gt40mkii]

Mine seems to do a decent enough job, though its one model up from that one, I think. You could also do it by hand on a bench grinder, like my father and grandfather did. That takes some amount of skill (which I never bothered to develop,) and sharpening smaller bits is more difficult.

 

[royesses]

if you don't have the how to video, go to drill doctors web page and look at it. It takes a couple of tries before you get the hang of it. When you do the bits will be very sharp.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Thanks, will give it a go.

 

[plinker]

The drill doctor does work well. You do need to pay attenion to the how to use video or you will not get good results.

I had an issue with it but after asking about it I found some of the bit's did not get put in the chuck exactly right by me. After changing the way I "chucked" them, all bit's sharpened perfectly.

 

[djkeev]

I have one as well.
Following the instructions is VERY important. If you make up your own system of how the bit is clamped in, you're going to end up with some very poorly sharpened bits.

my Dad was a machinest and could sharpen bits with the best of them.....me? Not so much. This machine has been a Godsend for me, I use it frequently and successfully. I've got the bigger machine and the adapter that goes up to 3/4" bits.

Dave

 

[darkk]

You could also do it by hand on a bench grinder, like my father and grandfather did. That takes some amount of skill (which I never bothered to develop,) and sharpening smaller bits is more difficult.

That's how I've done them for 50 years. Didn't have any drill doctors when I needed bits sharpened.

 

[PushnFords]

That's how I've done them for 50 years. Didn't have any drill doctors when I needed bits sharpened.

They taught us how to sharpen bits in the one FFA class I took in high school and I've done it that way ever since. I've worked in places with a Drill Dr and have used them...but once you get the hang of hand sharpening you can customize the angles slightly for the particular job you are doing. VERY worth learning.

 

[gt40mkii]

That's how I've done them for 50 years. Didn't have any drill doctors when I needed bits sharpened.

Same here (though not for 50 years.) I screwed up LOT of drill bits. Luckily Dad and Granddad we able to fix my mistakes.

I like the Drill Doctor. It lets normal folks do a damned good job that used to take skill and experience to do correctly. In the long run, it's saved me a LOT of time and money.

I was thrashing late one night and into the early hours of the next morning, installing a new racing seat in the race car. It involved modifications to the floor pan of the car, which were patched up with sheet aluminum, riveted into place. Drill, rivet, repeat. A LOT.

A lot of the rivets were in awkward places and I was really fatigued by then, so I ended up snapping the drill bit. No problem -- get another. Drill-drill-drill-SNAP! Ok, get another. There is no other. Oh ****. I NEED this job done before I head to the track in a few hours. Do I drive 20 minutes to the nearest 24-hour Walmart, cutting further into my already abbreviated sleep-time? Nope! I fire up the Drill Doctor, and put a new point on the broken bit and keep going.

 

[aldworth33]

I just learned how to sharpen bits on a bench grinder in the last few months as there is a blacksmith I work with at my garage and he was sick of being the only one who everyone asked so he showed me, its really easy so if you have a bench grinder I'd save the money for a drill Dr

 

[PushnFords]

The manual we had in school showed the degrees and motions to give you the general idea. It didn't always work though so I just kept a brand new drill bit by the grinder and kept touching it up until it looked the same as the new one.

 

[nicholasbailey1993]

I've got a drill doctor, but i've always found it faster and easier to just grind them by hand. After you get good at it, you can sharpen a bit in no time.

 

[ybnormal70]

I actually just received my new drill doctor 750 today. I sharpened about 20 bits in about 40 minutes. It took only a couple of bits to get the hang of it. Now they are all nice and sharp. I really like it so far.

L8r,

Kevin

 

[darkk]

I actually just received my new drill doctor 750 today. I sharpened about 20 bits in about 40 minutes. It took only a couple of bits to get the hang of it. Now they are all nice and sharp. I really like it so far.L8r,Kevin

40 minutes? That's with dinner and a couple beer breaks right?

 

[Alchymist]

The manual we had in school showed the degrees and motions to give you the general idea. It didn't always work though so I just kept a brand new drill bit by the grinder and kept touching it up until it looked the same as the new one.

Ya needs one of dese:

 

[Mr.N]

I've that model DD and like it, used many times.


Anyone have luck with smaller drill bits for steel?
Seems when I drill a pilot hole, the re-sharpened bit always walks. So far I just buy a lot of 1/8" of smaller bits for the first hole.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Turns out I have the low end model 250 bu I'll watch the video and see what I can do.'


thanks,

Rob

 

[PrecisionTools]

Found this a good vid on the subject.

 

[Alchymist]

I've that model DD and like it, used many times.


Anyone have luck with smaller drill bits for steel?
Seems when I drill a pilot hole, the re-sharpened bit always walks. So far I just buy a lot of 1/8" of smaller bits for the first hole.

If your drill bit is walking after resharpening, the bit is sharpened off-center. Look closely at the length of the two cutting "lips". They should be the same length.

 

[v7guy]

that was a nice youtube video. Going to give it a try this evening. I have plenty of drill bits that need love.

 

[Recoil Rob]

That video begs another question, the best way to keep the face of the grinding wheel square?

 

[Alchymist]

That video begs another question, the best way to keep the face of the grinding wheel square?

This:
http://www.google.com/products/cata...Pw9qT8TJEMrV0QHv_JH0CA&sqi=2&ved=0CI4BEPMCMAA

 

[Outlawmws]

 

[A_Pmech]

I've found Silicon Carbide dressing sticks work WAY better than dressing wheels for hand dressing of tool grinding wheels. A 24 grit stick does the trick nicely on a 38A wheel. Toothed dressers work better on hard bench grinding wheels.

On that subject, a standard bench grinding wheel is too hard for proper grinding of tool steel. The abrasive is not friable enough which causes the wheel to load up and run hot, reducing cutting effectiveness and increasing the chances of ruining the drill's temper.

For tool and drill grinding on a bench grinder I usually use 38A60-K-VBE wheels. Still a little harder than some recommendations, but it maintains its shape better than a softer wheel and still cuts quickly.

 

[Packard V8]

The Drill Doctor 750 is cake for bits up to 3/8". For those larger than 3/8", up to 3/4" I have an old Sellers industrial machine which works well.

For those eagle-eye-steady-hand-old-school-DIY-sharpen, sometime put your ******** on a DD or a commercial machine to verify the accuracy. Your results may vary, but the ones I've machine-checked were from a bit to a bunch off.

jack vines

 

[Mr.N]

Any one know if the 3/4" Chuck will fit the 350 model?

Looks close, and they don't say much.

 

[91bronc300]

For those who (like me) are not as edumucated as A Pmech here you go...........

Friability (or friable) is the ability of a solid substance to be reduced to smaller pieces with little effort. The opposite of friable is indurated.

 

[daveroy]

Found this a good vid on the subject.

That was excellent!

 

[DekeT]

I use angle marks across my tool rest to keep the bit at the correct angle. 80 grit belt sander is my preferred tool of choice, not a grinder.