Drill bit sharpener

slumlord44

Considering buying one. I am not really good at sharpening them and looking for a good tool. Suggestions?

slumlord44

I need some help by guys who own and use a electric drill bit sharpener. What brand is good? What sizes of bits can you do? Do you need to replace the stone, and if so ,are they available? Thanks!

montanajoe

http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=673504&SearchTerms=drill,bit,sharpener





http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=297737&SearchTerms=drill,bit,sharpener

LesWVa

How seriously do you want to get into it?

Sharpeners can be bought for as little as $5 for a Harbor Freight drill attachment to thousands of dollars for a Darex endmill sharpener.

Wild Turkey

What sizes?

I've used a Drill Doctor with fair success on 3/16" to 1/2"; smaller bits I just replace. Larger bits I sharpen with a belt sander.

It also depends on the quality of your drill bits. The cheap "sets" from the big box stores often don't sharpen well (or drill well[:(!] ) so I've got two or three sets of them in various stages of getting rid of.

I've recently acquired a good set of industrial HSS bits and I'll see how they hold up.

discusdad

if you buy cheap drills buy a cheap sharpener if you must. if you have quality drills, buy the best sharpener set up you can afford . OR seek out an old retired machinist that has a tool sharpening business

yonson

Learned to sharpen drills by hand in trade school in the 60s on a good sized stand grinder. Can't quite match machine ground quality but pretty close. Takes practice & some knowledge of required angles depending on the mat'l to be drilled.

SCOUT5

I always just sharpened them on a bench grinder. Not really hard, just takes a minute and work fairly well. Of course I am not a machinist or making any fine instruments. For what I do, punch holes through what ever, it's fine.

buddyb

Who makes quality bits?

discusdad

you hand sharpening fellas can do better if you go to your friendly tool store and but the cheap GENERAL brand drill sharpening gauge. low cost but gives you the correct angles to grind and also making sure each side is ground equally for consistent sized holes. if hole size variance doesn't matter then sharpening equally is not of great importance.

LesWVa

quote:Originally posted by buddyb
Who makes quality bits?


Fuller

Edit.. W.L. Fuller is the company name in case you go looking.

dav1965

Cryobits makes the best drill bits i have ever used.

I also have a Drill Doctor that goes to 1/2

asop

Well I've tried them all. Came to the conclusion to just buy new for the smaller diameter ones. IF you have good quality larger bits have them professionally sharpened, and bring a bunch at a time will save you money.

FrancF

I prefer to do mine by hand, but a drill doctor is also good especially when changing point angle and making a nice split point on smaller drills.

pwillie

I still do all mine by hand on a fine grinder (first lesson in Machine Shop)

FrancF

quote:Originally posted by pwillie
I still do all mine by hand on a fine grinder (first lesson in Machine Shop)


Same here- (back when we had a full on machine shop) were I used to work. I was placed in the tool room as a volunteer/helper best experience/education I ever got and was paid for it!

slumlord44

I managed to get the ones I am working with sharpened well enough to get the job done that I am working on. They work but nothing like a new bit which is how they should cut if sharpened properly. Need to practice more I guess. Will take a closer look at the Drill Doctor. Seems to be a good choice.