Drill bit sharpening

[deereman75]

You may remember many months ago, I asked about sharpening drill bits on a grinder, and I said I had someone to teach me. Well I never did get around to talking to him, but I had watched a few videos. Yesterday, I decided to grab a dull bit, and try sharpening it on the new grinder. All I can say is wow. It cut steel like a new bit. I have since gone through my assorted dull dormers, some old post drill bits, and a bunch of morse taper bits, sharpened them, and they all cut aluminum like butter. I am for the first time getting curly shavings with a hand drill. It is so easy to do, and takes so little practice, I am shocked more people dont do this. After learning it in 1 bit, I cant believe those drill doctors sell at all. Now I cant wait to set up a bit only grinder. :drool:

 

[vwnotrunning]

As we get older - reflexes and eyesight may not be sufficient to hand sharpen drill bits. I used to be able to hand sharpen them, but lack of practice and father time has me looking for the drill doctor!

 

[deereman75]

As we get older - reflexes and eyesight may not be sufficient to hand sharpen drill bits. I used to be able to hand sharpen them, but lack of practice and father time has me looking for the drill doctor!

OK now that makes sence. I guess you also get shakey when you get old, and that would not help either. I think I still have another 50+ years before that starts.

 

[Steave]

You'd be surprised how many folks don't resharpen their bits. I have lots of bits I've picked up over the years while on construction jobs. They are laying everywhere, some broke but most just a little dull. I have one box that is dedicated for 1/4" bits only. I have since retired and give them away whenever a family member or neighbor needs one.

I resharpen them by hand also. If they are chipped or burnt I grind that part down while keeping the bit cool as possible in the process. If they just need touching up I do that on a small belt sander using fine 320 grit.
Most of the time it only takes a few seconds on each side then I touch off the heel a bit.

We used auger bits also but we sharpen them with a file carefully as to not mess up the screw.

When or if I have to buy a bit its always a good carbide bit. They just do so much better and last longer that a high speed steel (HSS) bit and not to much price difference and you can sharpen them the same way.

Good luck on your resharpening, not all of them will be successful.

 

[deereman75]

You'd be surprised how many folks don't resharpen their bits. I have lots of bits I've picked up over the years while on construction jobs. They are laying everywhere, some broke but most just a little dull. I have one box that is dedicated for 1/4" bits only. I have since retired and give them away whenever a family member or neighbor needs one.

I resharpen them by hand also. If they are chipped or burnt I grind that part down while keeping the bit cool as possible in the process. If they just need touching up I do that on a small belt sander using fine 320 grit.
Most of the time it only takes a few seconds on each side then I touch off the heel a bit.

We used auger bits also but we sharpen them with a file carefully as to not mess up the screw.

When or if I have to buy a bit its always a good carbide bit. They just do so much better and last longer that a high speed steel (HSS) bit and not to much price difference and you can sharpen them the same way.

Good luck on your resharpening, not all of them will be successful.

When you said carbide, did you mean titanium? Those last longer, and cost the same. Carbides cost about 10x the price, and a grinder wont sharpen them. Also, what do you mean by grind the heal, havnt heard of that?

 

[Jesse masterson]

Were did you learn to sharpen on a grinder I heard it could be done I tried it it was a miserable failure

 

[kenmac]

I worked in a machine shop 1 summer as a young Lad. 1st thing I learned was, how to sharpen a drill bit

 

[bcp]

Three methods:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GID_kRsWnZk]Drill Bit Sharpening - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkDe8IatSw0]Sharpening drill bits - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW7kGFcM2sc]How to Sharpen Tools : Sharpening a Drill Bit - YouTube[/ame]

More videos are on Youtube.

Bruce

 

[Jesse masterson]

Thanks Brice I'll check it out , will save me lots of bucks if I can master it

 

[Steave]

When you said carbide, did you mean titanium? Those last longer, and cost the same. Carbides cost about 10x the price, and a grinder wont sharpen them. Also, what do you mean by grind the heal, havnt heard of that?

You are correct except for the titanium part. I should have said Cobalt instead of Carbide. You can get the cobalt with a titanium coating but I get the uncoated or Bright bits.

On the heel I was referring to probably should have been called the landing. This is the area behind the cutting edge. On a lot of bits you'll see this area cut down slightly to keep the bit from binding.

I probably didn't describe it very well and neither does this paragraph below I got from Bosch tutorial describing different parts of a bit:

Minor cutting edge (land, heel): The flutes are equipped with two heels. They are very sharp and contribute additional cutting work on the side walls of the drilled hole. The quality of the wall around the drilled hole depends largely on their structure. Drill bits for wood sometimes come without any heels. This improves drill bit guidance.

Yes you can sharpen the Cobalt bit same as HSS they are just harder steel.

Carbide tipped bits are what we used for masonary drilling with a hammer drill.

 

[Steave]

I just watched the video's posted by "bcp" the 3rd video showed the expert talking about the heel so I guess it is called the heel. I guess we better listen to the expert on this one, he looks as if he knows what he's doing and talking about.

 

[deereman75]

I just watched the video's posted by "bcp" the 3rd video showed the expert talking about the heel so I guess it is called the heel. I guess we better listen to the expert on this one, he looks as if he knows what he's doing and talking about.

Ok That kind of clears it up a bit, I will have to watch the video. Also, dormer and a few others actaully make carbide tipped twist drills for things like cast iron and stainless. I can see them being god for that, but with how much normal dormer bits cost, I dont even want to know the price of those.

 

[Steave]

I get mine from a local industrial supply house but I have ordered them from McMaster-Carr. If I've got several things to order it kind of offsets the shipping cost. Also the price of gas to drive into town is about the same as shipping cost.

 

[crash325]

Wren use to make a nice little drill sharpener and am pretty sure they still do. Use to be around $35. More now???

For sharpening Carbide there is a "Green Wheel", made by Norton, good chance made by many others as well.

Diamond wheels are great as they do not cup or channel out. Last almost forever if not abused. Best used wet. If you can find one an old lapidary grinder is designed for wet grinding. Real cheap for a wet wheel is a arbor with remote motor. Make a water shield out of an old coffee can.

I do pretty good on larger (3/8" up) drills just by eyeball. Smaller usually just by a 6 pack. In a pinch will sharpen them, but its kind of iffy.

Have Fun

 

[cmyoung2]

Started a similar thread a while back. I ended up with both a grinder and a drill doc. Like them both, grinder for bigger bits (I can see:thumbsup drill doc for the smaller ones= 5/16" and less. It also can sharpen spade bits. If I had to choose one, it would be the grinder. I do plan to get a finer wheel and learn to sharpen chisels ect. Grinder has a lot of other uses too.

 

[grnspot110]

Personally, I prefer to use a 1" wide belt sander with a backing plate. It doesn't heat the bits nearly as bad as a grinding wheel! ~~ grnspot

 

[Grateful11]

I was taught how to sharpen drill bits by a Master Tool & Die Maker 30 years ago. Don't do it much anymore but I haven't forgotten it yet. The one video where the guy said he likes a course wheel, that's ok for a chipped drill but that's way too course for my liking if doing a minor touchup. I also disagree with hand action of rolling back up to the cutting edge. I was taught one fluid motion from the cutting edge and swing down and out slightly with a small amount of hand twist to get the proper amount of relief on the heel. It's really hard to explain without showing someone.

Someone mentioned sharpening a Cobalt drill. If you do you also need to learn how to split the point. A Cobalt drill has a much thicker web than a std. High Speed drill.

 

[nwngunner]

You can sharpen carbide drills, just have to have a drill sharpener to do it. Tool and drill grinder set for just those make things much easier.

 

[undercut]

Interesting thread. I'm going to have to give sharpening some of my dull bits a try!

 

[Oaktree]

Were did you learn to sharpen on a grinder I heard it could be done I tried it it was a miserable failure

Same here. Just couldn't get the hang of it, just ended up making them worse.
Picked up a drill dr. at a yard sale for $25, much better.