Drill Bits

[buck12]

A few months ago I was in either Home Depot or Lowes and picked up a set Dewalt Torx, square, screw driver bits which included a basic drill bit set. I threw the drill bits in my truck to use at our remote property. They have turned out be decent bits.

I have a couple of drills with the bubble. My problem is I am not talented enough to drill and watch the bubble at the same time.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Walk and chew gum. I know. A tough one.

But Heck. At least if you START being plumb or level, that has to be a good start.

 

[5030]

I own and operate a small machine and fabrication shop and 90% of the drills we use are either Cleveland Twist or Chicago Latrobe, some of them up to 2" in diameter. Other than the cheapest carbon Chineseum drills, if they are kept sharp, the heel's are relieved and you take care of them and use the proper lubricants, they all do a good job.

The trick to proper drilling of anything is a sharp drill and knowing how to sharpen them correctly and proper drill sharpening is a skill acquired trait. I offhand sharpen most all the drills myself and all my employees can do it as well. Something you learn in the trade and once you learn, you never forget. Only ones I don't sharpen are the under 1/8" diameter ones. Those get tossed and replaced when the cutting edges get ragged.

If sharpening drills is to intimidating for you. Get yourself a Darex drill sharpener. It will pay for itself quickly in not having to buy new drills to replace the dulled ones constantly.

 

[Industrial Toys]

An ex GF that worked at SEARS got me a 3/4" Drill doctor. Worked good the first or second time. Then results went all to rat sheit. What is the Darex?

 

[buck12]

I am do not have sharpening skills. How well do the cheap Drill Doctor type sharpeners work?

 

[fried1765]

I have had good luck with "Drill Hog" bits!

 

[Industrial Toys]

Sorry for all that like their Drill Doctors. I found it like some device you buy from a Pitch Man. Worked good on stage. Not so much for me. I thought it was the be-all, end-all for sharpeners. Maybe the stone, gets shaped. Doesn't every stone in anything else have to be honed or reshaped? Maybe it's just me.

 

[fried1765]

Sorry for all that like their Drill Doctors. I found it like some device you buy from a Pitch Man. Worked good on stage. Not so much for me. I thought it was the be-all, end-all for sharpeners. Maybe the stone, gets shaped. Doesn't every stone in anything else have to be honed or reshaped? Maybe it's just me.

I haven't used my Drill DR. in years.
Not even sure where it is.

 

[stuckmotor]

Snip - Also, it has taken me almost 70 years to realize the importance of lubricating that bit.

Same here. If nothing else, it keeps the belt on my lousy drill press from slipping so much.

 

[denchen]

Dormer drills are good, or Heller a German company. Stihl seem to be entering the market with some good reports.

 

[fidowanttobe]

I have the Drill Dr. 750X. Very happy with it and apparently the other mechanics on campus are too as I sharpen theirs. 1/4" on up, and the larger the better. Patience and rechecking the setting is key. Great for touch-up, not so much for when morons abuse.
I have changed the stone tho.

 

[fidowanttobe]

The same but different,

Have any of you found QUALITY reverse flute dill bits and where can I find them? All I find is no-name or very large ones.

 

[Oldpath05]

At 5k I cant see Darex drill bit sharpener paying for itself to quickly... https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn...mnwVnrEPd519c2pj-NfPV6HGrjOB1h-hoCdrcQAvD_BwE

 

[MoKelly]

At 5k I cant see Darex drill bit sharpener paying for itself to quickly... https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn...mnwVnrEPd519c2pj-NfPV6HGrjOB1h-hoCdrcQAvD_BwE

Wow.

It would be 1/3 the cost of my tractor!!

MoKelly

 

[Oldpath05]

Umm, didn't think of that, that puts it into perspective that is more then 1/3 of my tractor, one reason to buy a 50hp one, with cab....

 

[5030]

Wow.

It would be 1/3 the cost of my tractor!!

MoKelly

You are looking at the 'professional shop' model. Darex (same company that markets the 'Worksharp' Ken Onion sharpener sells a consumer model for around 100 bucks (and much less on sale). The consumer model don't have quite the range the shop model has nor the adjustability and precision repeatability, but for the casual user they work quite well, especially if you don't have the skill to offhand sharpen drill bits, which, in reality is a 2 handed task and something that has to be learned over time. Kind of like TIG welding where one hand is guiding the torch and the other hand is feeding the filler rod and keeping it in the gas envelope. Takes acquired co-ordination.

Offhand sharpening consists of applying the correct chip clearance and at the same time rotating the bit to obtain a sharp cutting edge and grinding the cutting edges asymmetrical with each other, all the while keeping the correct point angle.

Personally, I find offhand sharpening to be performed best on a flat plate disc versus a cylindrical grinding wheel. Much easier to develop the correct angles on a flat plate disc. Only thing you cannot do on a flat disc is relieve the heel of the web, something I always do on larger bits to facilitate chip clearance.

Learning to sharpen twist drills is class 101 when taking a machine shop or tool and die apprentiship in the trades because sharp and accurate cutting drills are paramount in any kind of machine tool work.

I'm always sharpening twist drills for my friends. None of them have a clue how to develop the proper cutting angles and chip clearance so I get them..... and being the nice guy I am, I do them for them.

 

[5030]

The same but different,

Have any of you found QUALITY reverse flute dill bits and where can I find them? All I find is no-name or very large ones.

You mean a left hand drill. MSC has them as well. Cleveland Twist makes left handers and spiral flutes for softer metal high volume material removal.

 

[Tinhack]

More in-line with the home shop is a Universal Tool and Cutter Grinder. They're in the $900-$1300 range and do a good job. But they are NOT automatic. You can't just stick a drill bit in it and sharpen it. It has to be set up for the tool/cutter you're grinding. I bought mine because I have a "machine shop" at home. I have one that uses 5C collets since I have a large drawer full of the collets already. Even this would be over the top for a handy-man DIY type. :2cents:

No home shop is going to sharpen enough drill bits to pay for a Darex.

 

[Oldpath05]

Sharpening twist drills 101..... I messed that class because of snow. Which Drill Bit Sharpener is Best? Let's find out! Chicago Electric, Drill Doctor, Bosch, Goodsmann - YouTube

 

[fidowanttobe]

You mean a left hand drill. MSC has them as well. Cleveland Twist makes left handers and spiral flutes for softer metal high volume material removal.

:thumbsup: Thank you.