drill doctor 300 any good?

[benny27]

I pick up a drill doctor 300 from a auction for cheap but the bits are coming out cutting worse then befor or not at all with the smaller bits. Is it just me not having the rite technique or could some thing be out of adjustment?
I found this 24 min video from drill doctor and got a bit that would drill but not as good as be for putting it in the drill doctor

Some post I found sad anything under the 500 is not worth having.

 

[InDaRed2]

I was using one at work the other day and wasn't having any luck until I realized I didn't have the bit held right in the holder. The video I found that I was following didn't go over the correct way to set up the bit in the holder. Once I figured out what I was doing wrong it worked great.

I ended up finding the original manual that I used to figure it out.

Edit: look at 5:30 in the video you posted to make sure you're clamping the but properly.

 

[Professional Tool User]

I was told that the 300 model was being discontinued at a local tool store due to the high number of returns. It only has two fingers sticking out to hold the bit and the more expensive models have 3 points of contact or so I was told. Either use bench grinder if you know how to or step up to a 500X model. It could also come down to your technique.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I pick up a drill doctor 300 from a auction for cheap but the bits are coming out cutting worse then befor or not at all with the smaller bits. Is it just me not having the rite technique or could some thing be out of adjustment?
I found this 24 min video from drill doctor and got a bit that would drill but not as good as be for putting it in the drill doctor

Some post I found sad anything under the 500 is not worth having.

The bit alignment Step at 5:35 in your video is absolutely critical.

 

[zendriver]

I have the 350x and only used it about 10 times, but it never has produced a bit that was not razor sharp.

It does not align from the side, like the 300, but once bit is aligned and clamped, the sharpening procedure looks about the same as the other models.

Would agree alignment is important.

Plus, I'd never use one to re-sharpen a broken bit, too much grinding.

 

[benny27]

The bit alignment Step at 5:35 in your video is absolutely critical.

I found out my problem was the chuck. The little metal finger that clamp down on the bit were not in the guide slots inside the chuck. So I unscrewed the chuck and realigned them into the proper slots. Now it works.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I found out my problem was the chuck. The little metal finger that clamp down on the bit were not in the guide slots inside the chuck. So I unscrewed the chuck and realigned them into the proper slots. Now it works.

I'm glad you figured it out. They work very well when everything is right, and we do our part.

 

[03.]

Good on you for working it out, took me a while to learn mine, but now I am good to go, as my bits get blunt. I put em to the side and once I have about 30 or so , do the lot at once.

 

[seber]

I spent several hours trying to figure out why it wouldn't work. Finally called customer service and found out that the setup angle is not just critical but must be set to an angle beyond what the manual states.

 

[clubairth]

I love mine but does anyone have any luck sharpening the smaller bits?
Say 1/4" and under?

I have seen comments about doing those by hand and my dad was good at that but even after years of trying I finally realized that a properly sharpened bit was worth getting a Drill Dr.

Right now I just throw all the little bits out and buy new. But it does save a lot when resharpening the larger diameter bits. I have the better 750X version with the LH chuck as I can't find anything else in that price range to sharpen LH bits.
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[66HertzClone]

In my experience in using it I found that trying to sharpen smaller bits was pointless, it seems the bit is soft enough to be deflected slightly as it is pressed against the stone. The larger diameter bits come out pretty well in my experience.

 

[clubairth]

Thanks and that's been my experience too. Wondered if I was doing something wrong or if there was some kind of trick to do the smaller bits.
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[redmondjp]

Thanks and that's been my experience too. Wondered if I was doing something wrong or if there was some kind of trick to do the smaller bits.
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I've never been able to get the back angle correct using my DD and I've read all of the threads, watched the videos, etc. And I'm pretty careful about this kind of stuff. So I've got a coffee can in my garage full of bits that need sharpening, and honestly I just end up buying more bits at garage sales and at store closeouts and using those instead . . .

 

[crane_guy]

Thining is critical. I find with the 350x the thining feature is inadequate, I thin the point on a bench grinder after

 

[isb cornbinder]

I went right to a real drillbit grinder.
http://www.sterlingdrillgrinder.com/

 

[isb cornbinder]

Not needing another drillbit grinder is not going to stop me from buying a LISLE 91000.

 

[johninct]

I've never been able to get the back angle correct using my DD and I've read all of the threads, watched the videos, etc. And I'm pretty careful about this kind of stuff. So I've got a coffee can in my garage full of bits that need sharpening, and honestly I just end up buying more bits at garage sales and at store closeouts and using those instead . . .

I have the same problem. I am not sure what to do too to get the correct back angle. After using the Drill Doctor on a bit, to get the correct back angle, I take my bits over to my grind stone and correct it that way.

 

[paranoid56]

I went right to a real drillbit grinder.
http://www.sterlingdrillgrinder.com/

totally sure those two things are similar price too right? lol

also, that site is ****, nothing worse then a site with no way to buy, or know the price of the item they are selling. All that tells me is that they are embarrassed of their price lol

 

[isb cornbinder]

totally sure those two things are similar price too right? lol

also, that site is ****, nothing worse then a site with no way to buy, or know the price of the item they are selling. All that tells me is that they are embarrassed of their price lol

Sterling have been making this basic design drill grinder for about 100 years. If you want to have one of these exceptional grinders, you will have to call and leave a deposit then wait almost a year. The demand is there with tradesmen.
FYI, the price is around $4k usd.
I looked for a year before I found a used Sterling. I paid $500 usd.
I called and ordered a few replacement parts. The customer service was really good, and I had the parts in hand in three days. The customer service person was kind enough to give me a build date when I gave her the serial number on my grinder.
The Lisle 91000 in not in production. Lisle have parts. The 91000 shows up on Craigslist about once a year. The used price is about $200+. A really pristine one can be twice that $200 asking price.
The Sterling was always three times as expensive as the Lisle.

 

[dnschmidt]

Had a Drill Doctor and sold it. I managed to make it through EE graduate school but I'll be damned if I ever figured out how to sharpen a drill with this thing. Some people claim they're great. I would not be one of those people.

 

[IndyGarage]

Had a Drill Doctor and sold it. I managed to make it through EE graduate school but I'll be damned if I ever figured out how to sharpen a drill with this thing. Some people claim they're great. I would not be one of those people.

As said above the alignment of the bit in the chuck is the trick on a drill doctor.

Learn to do that correctly, and you will crank out sharp bits one after another in rapid succession easily.

If you don't figure it out, you will be frustrated with the tool and think it's cheap junk.

I haven't used one of the expensive sharpeners, but I can't imagine it does much better than a perfectly set up bit in a drill doctor. The problem with the drill doctor is it sharpens bits so fast, that I only end up using mine every year or so, and I forget how to do it between uses.

 

[ricleh]

Drill Doctor's big brother. Darex XT-3000 Auto.

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

...

 

[mikegt4]

I have the DD750X. It works perfectly every time. The trick is to watch the videos a couple of times. And then go through the process of sharpening a few bits in a methodical step-by-step fashion. After really learning to use the Drill Doctor, sharpening becomes easy peasy.

I agree. I also have a DD750 and found that you have to follow the instructions exactly or the results will be disappointing. Since I don't sharpen bits often I have to re-read the instructions before each use to offset continuous senior moments. When I use it correctly I get great results.