am I the only one who can't sharpen drill bits?

[BtoVin83]

I used to be able to do down to 1/16" and a workmate could do down to .04"

 

[kvt]

4gsr, I kept getting errors when I hit the post reply button, Then when I went to look at another thread, It gave me a server error so I logged out and did not go back to the thread and look at it. I do like it but not that much, Other problem with Drill doctor is it only goes up to 1/2 inch drill bits.

 

[Doubleeboy]

anyone struggling with doing it by hand should watch Tom's Techniques video on you tube a few times. I found when I learned how to do it (finally) I was sucessful because I imagined it was my hands following the movements of my instructor. You need a light touch with no tension in your arms or hands to make the movement upward to give the relief, if you try to muscle it you are bound to fail. For learning a good size drill like 3/8" or half is a lot easier than fooling with a 3/16". I do the really little bits with a hand held stone if they aren't too badly damaged. The weakness of the DD in my view is that it takes for ever to clean up a badly damaged lip, where by hand it relatively quick. Finish up on DD if you like but for roughing in a bit no comparison in speed.

 

[chips&more]

Been doing free hand all my life, no problem. Very small bits I use a Dremel, abrasive disc and eye loupe. Average size, bench grinder with white wheel. Larger stuff, I use the belt sander. I used the DD once, did not like it, cheap construction, inaccurate lands. When I want 135° split point, sometimes I use my Darex. It’s not perfect either, but hands down better than a DD…Dave

 

[Glenn Brooks]

I use a small, antique, 4” diameter bench grinder with both coarse and fine grit wheels to sharpen small diameter drill bits, say under 3/16”. This works a lot better than hogging them out on 8” wheels.

Although I don’t have one, apparently you can buy 135* drill bit gauges to check the angle of your cutting edges. This might help.

As far as technique goes, remember - resharpened drill bits are basically spiral cutting edges, not little miniature chisels. I usually put the bottomlower edge of each spiral into the wheel first, then grind by rolling the fluke up to the cutting edge. This maintains the shape of the spiral and often preserves the cutting angle.

Be carful not to leave any high points, or shoulders, on the spiral. A high point, just behind the cutting edge, will rub the work and prevent the edge from contacting the metal in the hole.

Grind away each spiral on the two flukes with equal pressure until you see sparks cascading over the top of the drill bit cutting edge. When the angles are the same and the point is centered, Stop. You’ve got it perfectly sharp. As in good enuf is perfect.

Glenn

 

[kd4gij]

4gsr, I kept getting errors when I hit the post reply button, Then when I went to look at another thread, It gave me a server error so I logged out and did not go back to the thread and look at it. I do like it but not that much, Other problem with Drill doctor is it only goes up to 1/2 inch drill bits.

Mine goes to 3/4"

 

[tundrawolf]

I use dremel, angle grinder with cutoff disc, takes me less than a minute. My secret is I work from behind the cutting end, and work up to the cutting edge in steps, so that the cutting edge/face is the highest point. If the cutting edge/face is the highest point as it's turning, it will always cut and drill. The only other thing you need to worry about is keeping the point on center, if you find it off kilter, it's not hard to start from the tailing edge and work your way to the cutting edge once again. When you figure it out it's like riding a bicycle, you don't really forget it =D

 

[eeler1]

Toms techniques is correct in terms of technique, but youtube has dozens of other videos. Watch as many as you can, sometimes a person describing the same thing differently can give you new insights.