# Drill sharpeners



## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

Have any of you bought one of those drill shapeners?I do mine by hand and I'm sure it aint exactly the right angle but most of the time they cut decent.The small dia ones I dont even try.Ive been using drills that are used to cut metal for wood holes ,do you guys do the same.Like a 3/16" is a number 10,a 1/8" is a 30,a 5/32" is a 21 and so on??? Itchy


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Itchy Brother said:


> Have any of you bought one of those drill shapeners?I do mine by hand and I'm sure it aint exactly the right angle but most of the time they cut decent.The small dia ones I dont even try.Ive been using drills that are used to cut metal for wood holes ,do you guys do the same.Like a 3/16" is a number 10,a 1/8" is a 30,a 5/32" is a 21 and so on??? Itchy



Itchy
Part 1. My dad had one and he liked it. Me Myself and I sharpen all my bits on a fine grinding stone on my bench grinder. I had a mechanist show me how to do it right once. since that time I do all my bits, even wood paddle bits. 
Part 2. I would have to say 90% of all the holes I drill in wood is done with metal cutting bits. I have a set of brad point bit to do finer holes and paddle bits and forsner bit as well


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## bradnailer (Nov 11, 2008)

I have a drill doctor and it works well. The time it didn't work was on a few bits that were pretty bad to start with.


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

> I had a mechanist show me how to do it right once. since that time I do all my bits, even wood paddle bits.


WELL? SHOW US HOW! :smile:


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

mics_54 said:


> WELL? SHOW US HOW! :smile:


Get a plain ticket and come on down to the wet south and I would be glad to show yea.:yes: No really. I used to start at the cutting edge and grind back to the tail of the bit. I was doing it wrong. He taught me to start grinding at the tail and move to the cutting edge. If you do this without getting in a hurry, I works very well.


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

> He taught me to start grinding at the tail and move to the cutting edge.


 do you do this free hand or on a rest or an angle guide?...on the side of the wheel or front? I have a good hand but I knew nothing about from tail to edge. I can make a bit work but always looking for the better way.


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

I'm another machinist taught one..... I'll grind my own HSS bits for cutting metal and plastic on my small metal lathe....

I'll second Handyman's method below....... it's how I was taught as well.


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

mics_54 said:


> do you do this free hand or on a rest or an angle guide?...on the side of the wheel or front? I have a good hand but I knew nothing about from tail to edge. I can make a bit work but always looking for the better way.


I do it on the end of the stone wheel and yes free hand. The thing is to go slow, don't push to hard, and follow the angle that is already there. You want to just kiss the bit to the stone. That way you dont cut to much and start changing the angle of the end. Alternate side's while cutting, It may take 4 or 5 time on each side to get it sharp. When the guy showed me this and I sharpened a bit while he watched, I was so amazed how easy it was and knowing how many years I did it wrong.


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Mostly, when I need to sharpen a bit I do it free hand. With new drill bit sets getting to be so inexpensive I don't sharpen as often as I used to.

Gerry


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

I had a gift certificate given to me for my birthday a while back and I had always wondered what the Drill Doctor was like. I decided "what the heck" and bought it with someone else's money. I have to say, that I was not disappointed with the purchase. Bits that I thought were sharp cut 10X faster and cleaner after running them through the sharpener. I too, have sharpened bits by hand, but after learning the method with the machine, I don't think I will be sharpening by hand anymore.
Just my opinion.
Ken


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## mmtools (Aug 21, 2008)

Handyman said:


> I do it on the end of the stone wheel and yes free hand. The thing is to go slow, don't push to hard, and follow the angle that is already there. You want to just kiss the bit to the stone. That way you dont cut to much and start changing the angle of the end. Alternate side's while cutting, It may take 4 or 5 time on each side to get it sharp. When the guy showed me this and I sharpened a bit while he watched, I was so amazed how easy it was and knowing how many years I did it wrong.


Handyman is exactly right!:thumbsup:


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## garyger (Oct 23, 2008)

Handyman said:


> I used to start at the cutting edge and grind back to the tail of the bit. I was doing it wrong. He taught me to start grinding at the tail and move to the cutting edge. If you do this without getting in a hurry, I works very well.


Machinist for 35 yrs and I do it the way you were doing it. Cutting edge to the back. Each machinist has there own way...:blink:


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## BHOFM (Oct 14, 2008)

You can sharpen small bits and brad points with your Dremel with a 
cutoff wheel. I mount mine in the Dremel drill press but you can
clamp it in a vise with a rag to pad it.

You just need to go slowly and you may need a magnifying glass or
eye piece.

I have sharpened #80 bits with good luck. They are .0135".

I worked with the U of Arkansas making pin hole cameras
for the art classes and they needed very round holes around
.015". 
If you don't know about pin hole cameras:

http://www.pinhole.cz/en/pinholecameras/whatis.html


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## severtj (Feb 15, 2009)

I've used a Drill Doctor for 2 years does a better job than I can do by hand. You can change the angle for soft metals and plastic or steel drilling. Concrete bits, too.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Well, it looks like you got your power tool guys and your do it by hand guys, probably boils down to money in the end. Teach a man to fish and will always eat..so it goes. I've done both ways with good results. Sears had a sharpening jig way back that would mount in front of the wheel..I actually use my upright belt grinder and mount the gizmo in front on the adjustable table.It was far easier to see what was happening on the belt grinder. I use this grinder for almost all my sharpening tasks. But the Sears gizmo would put the proper angle and "relief" on the cutting edge and there are different angles for different materials. No numbers come to mind right now, but a machinist's handbook would inform, probably not that critical for drilling wood tho.
For hand grinding I'd start with a bit size around 3/8ths just to get the hang of it, and then go smaller. HF sell the smaller size bits in packs on 10 for almost dirt.
Personally, I prefer to start with the cutting edge first, then roll and angle the bit simultaneously to create the relief. This way you can start with the angle that's there rather than coming back to it. And I'm no machinist either, I'm lucky my old South Bend lathe still runs true or I'd be making eliptoids! Bill


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## TheLt (Feb 14, 2009)

*Drill Doctor*

Drill Doctor works just fine for me too. I'm not very patient and when I need to sharpen a bit, it's just a matter of putting the bit in the chuck and grinding away. I've sharpened 'em all, even broken bits.

My $.02 worth. :smile:


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Daren posted a chart with all the angles some months ago. Will posty pic when find out how to do it,
johnep


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## Terry McGovern (Feb 5, 2009)

I like my Drill Doctor. I got a low end one, but if you're inclined to spend the bigger bucks, they make some pretty fancy machines.


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

Quite a few years ago, I watched a machinst friend sharpen drill bits. He did a lot of sharpening!
He had a hand made disc brake rotor he had made for his motorcycle, set up in his Bridgeport, indexed to drill 180 holes thru the rotor, from the outter edge in. Each hole was about 1/8" dia and 1 1/2" deep. He had about 15 drill bits set out, and would take a certain number of strokes on each one and change it out. When he ran thru all 15 bits, it was over to the grinder to sharpen them. This he did over and over. Talk about patience! I forgot how many hours it took him just to drill the holes. I think it was a few days!
He was one of those guys who could repair anything. 
I'm sure when he went thru the Pearly Gates, he pointed out improvements he could make to the gates, and went to work!
A great man. 
Whenever I'm sharpening a bit I think of him, and think I should be doing it better!


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

I used to do it by hand. Usually after grinding about half of the twist area down, I would get right.

Then I got a Drill Doctor. Now if the bit needs sharpening in the middle of the job, I'll stop, get out the Drill Doctor, sharpen the bit and then return to the job.

Yes the Drill Doctor is that good!


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## hammerhead (Jan 10, 2007)

TheLt said:


> Drill Doctor works just fine for me too. I'm not very patient and when I need to sharpen a bit, it's just a matter of putting the bit in the chuck and grinding away. I've sharpened 'em all, even broken bits.
> 
> My $.02 worth. :smile:


ya took the words right outta my mouth


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## Northerner (Jun 9, 2009)

its good to hear all the positive words about the drill doctor cause i have been wanting to get one.
i was a machinist for 9 years and i was taught how to sharpen bits by hand and also on the new bit sharpener.
i cant remember what brand/model it was but it was a sweet machine (big & spendy) and it worked like a charm.
we also had a larger war-era machine that did the big bits 2 inches and bigger.
but since i dont work there any more i have been wanting to know if the drill doctor works well, it looks like such
a small little unit? but from the good words here i think i will have to get one to try out.


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## TheLt (Feb 14, 2009)

Northerner said:


> its good to hear all the positive words about the drill doctor cause i have been wanting to get one.
> i was a machinist for 9 years and i was taught how to sharpen bits by hand and also on the new bit sharpener.
> i cant remember what brand/model it was but it was a sweet machine (big & spendy) and it worked like a charm.
> we also had a larger war-era machine that did the big bits 2 inches and bigger.
> ...


You won't be sorry with the Drill Dr. It's a matter of a minute or two and the bit is sharp and ready to go. And not real pricey!

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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