Sharpening dull drill bits

you cant go wrong with a drill dr. if you are going to sharpen drills using a belt sander be careful. the edge of the bit can catch the seam and trash a belt
 
+1 for the Drill Doctor. Saved my sanity... Was using DeWalt 1/8" cobalt bits to drill SS handle material and kept burning bits out every couple holes. Bought a Drill Doctor to recycle them and found out that the re-ground bits cut better and lasted MUCHHHHHH longer than the brand new ones.

Erin
 
add me to the drill doctor fans
got mine a couple years ago after my 13/64 bit dulled at 3am with a deadline. the drill doctor has sharpened many bits, and they usually cut better and straighter than when new.
-Page
 
I use the Drill Doctor and its a great one to use in the shop. Its a time saver, I just wait til I get about 10 or 12 bits and go at it. That's all. :)

Terry
 
mathil said:
I sharpen everything from 1/16" to 1.5" on my 9" disc sander.
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:thumbup: me to

usually with whatever grit's on the disc, usually dont matter, unless it's really worn or very fine, in which case the smaller bits heat up way to fast, but usually 80,120, or even 220 work just fine.

doing it buy hand took some practice but as with everything else i do, i generally have excess time, and insufficient cash:D
 
I was reading waaaaay old threads (page 500...lol) and accidentally frankensteined this thread.
 
Dan Gray said:
and be very confident in yourself
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i agree with this totally, sometimes a lack of confidence when doing this kind of work will get you hurt, and a little to much may do the same, you just gotta tackle simple as well as complex jobs with well balanced sense of confidence and a positive attitude, and generally they'll go smoothly.......either way as far as bits go, when first learning to sharpen by hand youll prob end up with a can of over heated bits at first...;) i know i have a few, that became pins for jigs and scribe points.:D
 
I can sharpen a small bit by hand, but once I start to get up past 1/4 my centers tended to wander. Made me try the Drill Dr. and man am I sold. I love mine and would not trade it for anything.
Chris
 
If your centers wobble try putting a 2 angle sharpen on instead of a full rounded one. Put 2 steep angles on (much easier to center) and then put on 2 small, shallow angles. Guaranteed sharp bits that are easy as hell to do. (way easier than a flat grind :P)
 
Sharpening bits by hand is a snap IF you have someone who knows how to do it... show you. IF NOT, then you'll probably just ruin a lot of them and bang your head on the wall a lot.

Along with a good instructor, a schematic of what the geometry should be, and a drill index... will make learning to sharpen a bit by hand a much more repeatable process.

I use a drill index that I made, and I can sharpen one in a jif.

WITH THAT SAID... I have a Drill Dr. and it's fool proof. If I have a hard time getting a bit just right, I run it through the Dr. and it's good to go in a couple passes.

This is a good way to go, as even if you can't do it real well by hand, you can get it close, and extend your Drill Dr.'s stone life expectancy by a mile. :)
 
richard j said:
you cant go wrong with a drill dr. if you are going to sharpen drills using a belt sander be careful. the edge of the bit can catch the seam and trash a belt
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I have been sharpening my drill bits on my belt sander for about 10 years and I have NEVER had this happen. I have done bits down to 1/16" no worries.
Del
 
delbert ealy said:
I have been sharpening my drill bits on my belt sander for about 10 years and I have NEVER had this happen. I have done bits down to 1/16" no worries.
Del
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I had it happen once. Mind you the belt already had a tear in it and it was spinning around on a gnarly 6x48 belt sander. It was totally the bits fault though...:jerkit:
 
nick or anyone else who knows-what do u mean when u say you made a drill index?......ryan
 
I got a Drill Doctor just over a year ago and it is amazing. It has all ready paid for itself and saved me many trips to the hardware store for new bits. I like using cobalt bits but they tend to break very easy. The Drill Doc can quickly put a brand new point on them and you're back in business. I paid the bucks and got the larger collet so I can re-sharpen up to 3/4" bits.

I highly recommend them.
 
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