Drill bit sharpening

[Mickwhitt 4,647]

Hi all.

How do you sharpen your drill bits?

I have a jig to use on a bench grinder but it's a faff and so have a pile of dull bits I don't get round to sharpening. 

There are drill doctor units but are they worth investing in. Drills are expensive so keeping them sharp is worth doing. 

My tool supplier does professional unit that looks the bees knees. I'm thinking about having a look at it, see if its worth the extra.

[ebinmaine 67,729]

Poke around the interwebs for Project Farm on YouTube doing testing on different methods.  

 

I've had mixed success hand grinding but that's what I still do.  

 

 

 

[ri702bill 8,380]

Having worked as a Machine Assembler for various Companies in my early career, I met a few guys that could Freehand sharpen twist drills on a good grinding wheel. It took four different guys to show me how - each had a slightly technique. The 4th guy was hands-down the best. We always had the need for short twist drills for either tapping or dowel pinning in tight places. Most folks do not even realize that the center "web" spiral of a twist drill is thicker at the end away from the tip. Cut a drill bit in half, and try to resharpen the bottom... The 118 degree shape can be done on a Drill Doctor, but the bit will not cut - it has no chisel point. The center web needs to be undercut relieved to do so. This 4th guy could do all this by hand!

What I learned from all of them - Resharpen the bit as soon as either it gets dull or the outer edge chips. WAY much easier to salvage it......

 

Somewhat similar to watching a seasoned Carpenter resharpen either a plane blade or a chisel on a belt sander... @formariz???

Edited October 17 by ri702bill

[WHX?? 48,845]

24 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

hand grinding but that's what I still do. 

Yep ..can't dull it any worse... 

 

HF has got some too ... any good??? 

[ri702bill 8,380]

39 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

There are drill doctor units but are they worth investing in

We have a Drill Doctor here - from my son's old work truck. Works well for 3/16 to 1/2" (5 to 12 MM) bits. Does not do well with smaller than that, cannot hold larger ones.

The cost of the replacement diamond grit drum wheel is NOT cheap...

[ri702bill 8,380]

3 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Yep ..can't dull it any worse... 

 

HF has got some too ... any good??? 

Got some what?? Drill bits? I bought their Tridex TiN coated110 pc drill set - fractional, letter & number drills all in one - got it on sale Broke several - they are brittle. Not recommended.

[squonk 41,169]

I had a customer (retired engineer) and the subject of drill sharpening came up. He said the Drill Doctor was ok but there were several different angles to be sharpened on your average bit. He offered to sharpen all of the bits in my index. When I got them back they were unbelievable. Cut like a hot knife thru butter. Better than any machine could do. 

[953 nut 55,376]

Get a slow speed 8" grinder with a drill bit tool rest. Once you get the tool rest for sharpening set up correctly it works great. Start away from the cutting edge and slowly rotate the bit ending on the cutting edge. This allows the cutting edge to be slightly higher than the rest of the bit giving it a good bite. Works great. Dressing the wheel regularly is a good thing too.

[lynnmor 7,316]

I have two Black Diamond drill grinders, a BW-70A and a BW-95C.  Those two cover #70 (.028") to 3/4" (.750").  In addition I have a Drill Doctor that works just OK, I use it to grind down drills that are rather knackered saving the expensive Black Diamond wheels.  For the average hobbyist the Drill Doctor will be fine.  Hand grinding can be good enough, depending on the precision required, once one has plenty of practice.

 

https://www.blackdiamondgrinder.com/95series.html

[WHX?? 48,845]

6 hours ago, ri702bill said:

Got some what?? Drill bits?

Sharpeners .... yes their bits are cheap and that's what you get. Pretty much one time use. 

 

Guy I know has one of these and says it works ok ... Don't know which one. 

 

https://www.northerntool.com/categories/drill-bit-sharpeners

Edited October 18 by WHX??

[Lane Ranger 10,972]

 

 

We always used my dad's belt sander.    It is a shop sander bolted on a bench .  

 

 

 Just a couple licks on the sander which runs at a pretty good speed and you are back in business.

 

 

[Lee1977 6,677]

I do large bits by hand, small bits I used an old Sears bit sharper it goes up to 3/8". Still does a good job, was given to me used might be 50 years old.  Sears had some good tools back in the 50. 60 and 70's.

I have all metal Sears drills in 1/4" and 1/2" that just won't quit. I bought that 1/4" drill in 1956.

[CCW 1,300]

I'm 70 years old and try as I might I never mastered hand sharpening drill bits.  Finally last year I bought the Drill Doctor and sharpened all bits from 1/8 to 1/2 inch and they all now work.  As good as new? No, but they are now able to drill a hole through metal which they would not touch before sharpening.

[formariz 11,987]

Although I have a drill

bit sharpener that I inherited, I have always and still do sharpen them by hand on a grinder. I can do it quicker and more reliably accurate than using a machine. It’s a matter of habit and practice. Also when drilling , wood, steel , brass, bronze or aluminum, ideal bit edge angle is a little different from each other. One can do that quickly by hand. Just need to know what to look for and have a steady hand. I know that some of you will not agree with me but I use the side of grinding wheel to sharpen them. It’s easier and more accurate than using the edge and in 40 plus years of doing it I never had a problem with it. 
 Before all of these gadgets became available, everyone I know did it by hand. Their availability took away one’s ability or desire to learn how to do it by hand . 

[ebinmaine 67,729]

On 10/17/2024 at 7:38 PM, 953 nut said:

Get a slow speed 8" grinder with a drill bit tool rest. Once you get the tool rest for sharpening set up correctly it works great. Start away from the cutting edge and slowly rotate the bit ending on the cutting edge. This allows the cutting edge to be slightly higher than the rest of the bit giving it a good bite. Works great. Dressing the wheel regularly is a good thing too.

 

Richard why the 8" grinder?

Better angle to drill bit?

[wallfish 17,023]

On 10/18/2024 at 7:23 PM, formariz said:

I use the side of grinding wheel to sharpen them

Me too. The side of the wheel typically stays more true and square compared to the edge. Grind a lot and the edge is rounded off and or uneven. Plus it seems much easier to see the bit edge when using the side

[953 nut 55,376]

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Richard why the 8" grinder?

Low speed and it is what works well with the gouge sharpening system for the wood lathe.

[Shynon 7,459]

MODEL 13A VEVOR DRILL GRINDER pt 1 #974 tubalcain sharpener - YouTube this is what I'm using,    works great

[Mickwhitt 4,647]

Hi all, 

I did some research and decided on this machine from one of our tool dealers.

 

It is kind of a badge engineered version of a popular design.

 

This one cost £335 with a diamond wheel as standard. 

 

Some were well into £1,000 so I'm happy with the price.

 

Vert easy to set up an use, very quick and really good results on drills from 1/8 to 1/2 inch. 

 

 

[WNYPCRepair 1,918]

On 10/17/2024 at 1:50 PM, ri702bill said:

Having worked as a Machine Assembler for various Companies in my early career, I met a few guys that could Freehand sharpen twist drills on a good grinding wheel. It took four different guys to show me how - each had a slightly technique. The 4th guy was hands-down the best. We always had the need for short twist drills for either tapping or dowel pinning in tight places. Most folks do not even realize that the center "web" spiral of a twist drill is thicker at the end away from the tip. Cut a drill bit in half, and try to resharpen the bottom... The 118 degree shape can be done on a Drill Doctor, but the bit will not cut - it has no chisel point. The center web needs to be undercut relieved to do so. This 4th guy could do all this by hand!

What I learned from all of them - Resharpen the bit as soon as either it gets dull or the outer edge chips. WAY much easier to salvage it......

 

Somewhat similar to watching a seasoned Carpenter resharpen either a plane blade or a chisel on a belt sander... @formariz???

 

my machine shop teacher made me learn to sharpen drills by hand as well as grind my own tools for the lathe. 
 

That was almost 50 years ago, and I have forgotten how. 
 

I bought a drill doctor. It’s fine for a hobbyist, but nowhere near production ready. 

[Mickwhitt 4,647]

The problem with hand sharpening is repeatable results, or the lack of them. 

There are too many variables to get everything right by feel according to those in the know.

You can probably get a drill good enough, or at least better than it was when you started. But to do that every time is a bit of a stretch. You would probably not do anything in the shop except sharpen drill bits lol.

The unit I bought is quite well built, I can't see a lot of difference between it and a thousand quids worth. As I won't be using mine day in day out I figure it was worth the saving on an industrial grade one.

The huge box of dull drill bits sat under my bench prompted me to invest in a machine. I'm sure it will be worth it in the long run, now that new bits are so expensive too.

 

[ebinmaine 67,729]

16 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

The problem with hand sharpening is repeatable results, or the lack of them. 

 

That's my exact issue.  

 

1 hour ago, WNYPCRepair said:

 

I bought a drill doctor. It’s fine for a hobbyist, but nowhere near production ready. 

 

I've heard/ read mixed results from a few folks. But.... it's that way with pretty much everything nowadays.  

 

18 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

The huge box of dull drill bits sat under my bench prompted me to invest in a machine. I'm sure it will be worth it in the long run, now that new bits are so expensive too.

 

 

 

Same here but I ordered a gently used vintage Drill Doctor 400 Journeymans kit.  

I dunno what the "Journeymans" of the but entails. 

Supposedly it'll dress up a drill bit from wittle bitty to 3/4" diameter. 

The bits I want to sharpen are mostly in the 1/4" to 1/2" range with some stragglers either way.  

 

The 400 old style seems to have a slightly better following than the newer 750 series. Having never seen or used either one I don't know why.  

 

 

[wh500special 2,188]

I’ll never have to sharpen another drill bit…

 

I have a bunch of young guys at work using my stuff and they lose or break every drill bit long before they ever dull them.   
 

It’s a perfect system. 
 

Steve

[WNYPCRepair 1,918]

The drill doctor is a pain to use. Clunky and awkward is the best I could describe it. 

[Mickwhitt 4,647]

I saw a Black diamond machine on Ebay, looks complicated and there were bits missing from it. At least with this one everything is there and it's pretty fool proof, even with the Chinglish instruction manual ...."If further is need, turn clockwise, if less is need go left" 

I will do some pics of setting up and results.