Drill Bit Sharpening Tool

[angelsndevils]

I sat there for 1/2 hour one night watching the drill doctor infomercial while taking bong hits. By the time it was done I didn't need a drill Dr because the explained how it worked so many times that I learned how to do it by hand on the bench grinder. Walked out to the garage, grabbed an old drill bit, hit with the bench grinder and gave it a test. To my amazement it drilled a hole!! The more I did it the better I got. Now I can make them turn out little spirals of metal instead of just chips.

 

[corndog67]

After sharpening the bit lasts through many drilling in soft materials. In harder metal it will get though one or two jobs before performance suffers. It doesn't wear to burning bit like my other sharpening methods did.

Sharpened hundreds of drill bits, my own and others who wanted theirs sharpened. Surprised how many people suffer from dull drill bits. So the Drill Doctor is no joke, it works.

When I'm doing them freehand, I'll set the angle first, usually just doing the same angle as the original point, 118 or 135 degrees, then get the length of the cutting edge as close to the same as each other as I can get. When I get the cutting edge done, then I lay back the clearance behind the cutting edge. Minimal clearance.

 

[ALANRIDER7]

I've had some good luck using the Drill Doctor for my shop workhorse bits that get beat on pretty hard. It requires some finesse and the proper technique, but it works. Using a magnifying glass is key to dialing in the right approach. I sacrificed a few bits in order to practice on.

 

[JesasaurusRex]

To be honest, some of the "technicians" in my crew should really be working a god damned lemonade stand.

you and me both

 

[sick50ford]

I've been the go to guy at my work for years for a quick bit sharpening. No fancy gauges or tools required, just hold the bit in one hand and throw whatever type of grinder is nearest in the other and give it a freehand cut on each side trying to duplicate the first cut at approximately the same angle as the factory cut. Try it out and if it walks a little cut it a bit more on the thin side and repeat. Normally hit my target on the first or second attempt. On rare occasion I'll get a stubborn one in which I will grind the end flat and start fresh. Takes a little practice but it's really quite simple.

We're not doing precision stuff so that helps as well, probably would need some fancy equipment in that case. Most of the work we do can be plus or minus 1/16"

 

[89hawk]

I have a Drill Doctor. I love it. Learn how to do Split points on it. A split point will help keep the bit from moving around. I have used mine for years. I have tried doing bits by hand but could never do a split point.

One of the most productive of all twist drills is the conventional split point. However, this drill has its limitations since it cannot be utilized on drills beyond 1/2 inch diameter. In addition, the neutral corners that result from splitting the point impede the escape of the chips, resulting in a weld bead. The weld bead has a tendency to cancel the advantages of the split point. The split point is a most exacting and critical geometry to regrind at the local shop level.