Drill Bit Sharpening

[FOMOGO]

I have been hand sharpening drill bits on my belt sander for years and years. I have been pretty good at it for a long time but that is just it. I am only pretty good... It is a hit or miss deal sometimes. Sometimes I can sharpen one and it will cut like a hot knife through butter. Most of the time I can sharpen one that will drill a nice clean hole. And then there are those that would not drill a hole in a 2 X 4.....

I have a little Drill Doctor that was good right up until the bit holder failed. I have been looking at the bigger Drill Doctor but am just a little skeptical about them.

Anybody have suggestions and recommendations for what they use. I have hundreds of drill bits and would like to tune them up as I use them.

Sometimes when I sharpen a bit it cuts real good but you can tell it is only cutting on one flute and the other is just skating along. I don't drill a hole with out using lubricant. I use Rapid Tape and have had outstanding results with it.

I have been looking at sharpener choices and I see the old style fixture that you use with a bench grinder. I have never used one of those. Any input about them, good or bad?

Share your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks,

Doug

 

[creia]

My father (RIP) used to sharpen them FREEHAND on a grinding wheel and could get them like new in less than 30 seconds. Right after WW2 he was a machine shop operator, so of course those skills helped! He would see me struggling with old dull drill bits as a young kid growing up and stop me from what i was doing and sharpen my drill bit for me. He tried to teach me, however, I did not take the interest I should have back then- big mistake on my part.
Michael

 

[ole4]

I an bad at hand sharpening. Drills although my friend could do it every time. Wife bought me a drill doctor a few years ago and it still works great.

 

[Txpowdercoater]

I have the bigger drill doctor, it even took some time to master, I went for a long time hit and miss with it, now i think I have it down, I think.
Its been plenty durable for the 5+ years I've owned it.

 

[125ccCrazy]

yep got a Drill Doctor too, pretty easy to use, I've even taken broken bits and made them usable again.. I haven't gotten the masonry bits figured out yet though...

 

[Sixpac440]

A drill point gage is what you need to put the point on center and the angles correct.
General - 16ME is what I use.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-16ME-Multi-Rule/dp/B00004T7T7

Click on the picture to see how it is used as a drill point gage.


Other than that its just practice.
I often get drill bits over 1/2" and on a rare occasion up to 3" that need work.
The lands are worn away and no matter how good the point is the drill will never work correctly.


That's when you have to cut off all the worn bit, usually an inch or so ... now its flat on the end.
When you sharpen it, grind it the same amount of times each side and keep it cool in water.
Keep checking it with the gage.

If your new to the "motion" of how to grind, grab an unground bit and watch your spark ring to make sure it stays wide throughout out the motion.

Of course you need a decently flat/dressed grinding wheel.

 

[FOMOGO]

A drill point gage is what you need to put the point on center and the angles correct.
General - 16ME is what I use.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-16ME-Multi-Rule/dp/B00004T7T7

Click on the picture to see how it is used as a drill point gage.
View attachment 92410

Other than that its just practice.
I often get drill bits over 1/2" and on a rare occasion up to 3" that need work.
The lands are worn away and no matter how good the point is the drill will never work correctly.
View attachment 92409

That's when you have to cut off all the worn bit, usually an inch or so ... now its flat on the end.
When you sharpen it, grind it the same amount of times each side and keep it cool in water.
Keep checking it with the gage.

If your new to the "motion" of how to grind, grab an unground bit and watch your spark ring to make sure it stays wide throughout out the motion.

Of course you need a decently flat/dressed grinding wheel.

I have one of those gauges... somewhere. I never sharpen on a stone, I always sharpen on a belt. I have found that the bit stays cooler on a belt. The old guy that showed me how to do it (My neighbor) could do it in just a minute. I have seen him grind one blunt and then start over only to spend a couple of minutes making it good again. He couldn't read a book but he could read a blueprint and build it exact. He was an interesting character, Korean war vet, Golden Gloves boxer, Pipe fitter by trade, Boiler maker by trade, Weld or Machine anything you could dream up. Was a good neighbor that taught me a lot of things like sharpening drill bits by hand. Just wish I was as good as he was at it.

You know fellows, those guys are leaving use young bucks alone in this world everyday. We should have paid more attention to them. We should pay more attention to the few that are left and consider ourselves blessed to have known them and learned form them.

Sixpac, did you know that you can take 2 1/2 or 3/4 inch nuts and hold them together at the flats to make the same gauge to check a drill bit?

 

[Itype2slo]

I have one of those gauges... somewhere. I never sharpen on a stone, I always sharpen on a belt. I have found that the bit stays cooler on a belt. The old guy that showed me how to do it (My neighbor) could do it in just a minute. I have seen him grind one blunt and then start over only to spend a couple of minutes making it good again. He couldn't read a book but he could read a blueprint and build it exact. He was an interesting character, Korean war vet, Golden Gloves boxer, Pipe fitter by trade, Boiler maker by trade, Weld or Machine anything you could dream up. Was a good neighbor that taught me a lot of things like sharpening drill bits by hand. Just wish I was as good as he was at it.

You know fellows, those guys are leaving use young bucks alone in this world everyday. We should have paid more attention to them. We should pay more attention to the few that are left and consider ourselves blessed to have known them and learned form them.

Sixpac, did you know that you can take 2 1/2 or 3/4 inch nuts and hold them together at the flats to make the same gauge to check a drill bit?

Can you sharpen carbide bits???

 

[Sixpac440]

Sixpac, did you know that you can take 2 1/2 or 3/4 inch nuts and hold them together at the flats to make the same gauge to check a drill bit?

I did not ... when I get back to work on the 2nd I will check it out!!

 

[Sixpac440]

Can you sharpen carbide bits???

Yes ... its easier with the correct wheel ...

 

[FOMOGO]

Her is a tid bit for all of you to take in.....

Right here, 10 miles from my house, in Greer, South Carolina we have a big drill bit sharpening company..... BIG busy place.

Problem is they only sharpen drill bits for the Boeing Aircraft Corporation. Cant even sneak a drill bit in or out.

Would be nice to be able to send your bits to a place that would run them through a sharpening machine like the production facility did and return them for a reasonable fee. Hmmmmmmm, I need a machine... There's money to be made! lol.

 

[Havasu Dave]

I sharpen them against my manly beard. I can also get a chisel point like that. My drill bits last for years and years like this. Honest.

 

[Raskin]

I sharpen bits by hand with a bench grinder no guage..its all in the wrist..

 

[Toominibikes]

I guess I am blessed and can free hand. I have a bench grinder with a wheel that I only use for drill bits. I keep it dressed well and it is a fine stone. I have a drill Dr but lots faster by hand. I have used the 1/2" nut trick and it works good.

 

[Sixpac440]

I sharpen bits by hand with a bench grinder no guage..its all in the wrist..

I make my living drilling holes ... 99% of the time I sharpen by hand as well ... I tend to use the drill gauge on 1" and above or when I have to start from cut off flat or fix a bit someone else schmucked that I need.

Welecome to the club Raskin!

 

[Raskin]

Hehe..yeah.:biggrin: i like this bit...my largest bits are 5/8" ...is bits any bigger than this considered
boring...i know...punny

 

[FOMOGO]

I know its all in the wrist. That's what I was taught. I just don't do it as often as I need to, to stay really good at it... My bits go up to 1 inch and down way to small to even try to sharpen. I am fortunate that the only outlet store that Travers tool has is 5 miles from my house. And boy do they have an impressive inventory of anything you could ever want. The last time I was in the store a guy came in wanting a starter tape, a mid tape and a bottom tape in 6-32.... She called it to the warehouse and in about 3 minutes she was taking his money. I have left hand taps for making tie rods that she had in stock. I used to buy my 6 X 48 Norton sanding belts from them but the last time I asked she said that Norton fired them.... They didn't sell enough product..... Thought that was funny.

Sixpac, you tried the nut trick yet???

The next time I sharpen a bit I am going to take it to my bench grinder and try it. I just have always done it on the belt sander as that is how I was taught. My 10 inch Milwaukie bench grinder has a very nice fine stone on it. I will give it a try since that is the way you guys are doing it with such good results. I actually have never tried it on a stone.

 

[Fantic Freddy]

I bought these at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas 2 years ago, Concrete blocks, ceramic tile, or hardened steel won't dull them. I know this sounds like a commercial, but I haven't had to sharpen them. You have to use them with a high speed drill.

 

[neo71665]

I'm a drill doctor convert. I was taught how to sharpen them in shop class years ago but came across a used drill dr at a yard sale cheap enough I figured I'd give it a go. Worked well enough it now has it's own shelf on the post behind the bench grinder. I'll still use to grinder to get a rough shape on really bad or broken bits and finish them off on the drill doctor, saves wear and tear on it.

 

[boggie]

I have been hand sharpening drill bits on my belt sander for years and years. I have been pretty good at it for a long time but that is just it. I am only pretty good... It is a hit or miss deal sometimes. Sometimes I can sharpen one and it will cut like a hot knife through butter. Most of the time I can sharpen one that will drill a nice clean hole. And then there are those that would not drill a hole in a 2 X 4.....

I have a little Drill Doctor that was good right up until the bit holder failed. I have been looking at the bigger Drill Doctor but am just a little skeptical about them.

Anybody have suggestions and recommendations for what they use. I have hundreds of drill bits and would like to tune them up as I use them.

Sometimes when I sharpen a bit it cuts real good but you can tell it is only cutting on one flute and the other is just skating along. I don't drill a hole with out using lubricant. I use Rapid Tape and have had outstanding results with it.

I have been looking at sharpener choices and I see the old style fixture that you use with a bench grinder. I have never used one of those. Any input about them, good or bad?

Share your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks,

Doug

There is no way to dress your grinding stone with the old type sharpener . I could never get one to work right so I was forced to try to learn to grind by hand. Drill Dr is the best way to go.