Drill Shapeners

[billysmart]

I have a lot of dull, blunt drill bits, whats the best for sharpening them?

There are drill sharpeners out there that will do the job or jigs so that you can do them yourselfs

What would you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance

Paul

[jbs]

Paul, I have a plasplugs jobby that does not only drill bit but sharpens knife blades too here is the link

http://www.plasplugs.com/acatalog/Compact_sharpeners___grinding_wheels.html

This has saved me loads of money as i just keep sharpening the bit's myself-it'll even resharpen the broken one's too

John

[Bowie69]

It takes a little practice, but I just use my bench grinder

[M&S]

If you have a bench grinder then I'd make a mark on one of the rests at 59 degrees as a guide. With the tip of the drill touching the grinder just drop the drill at the back and twist clockwise. Try without the grinder running to practice, you should see what I mean You can get jigs to help. http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-axminster-drill-grinding-attachment-prod21271/

I haven't seen those plasplug sharpening products before. Looks good.

I don't have a bench grinder anymore, on my list of things to look out for on offer when I'm in the trade stores - using an angle grinder isn't quite so easy!

[mickeyw]

Just learn how to sharpen drill and use a bench grinder.

Excellent thread in tech archive courtesy of SimonR

[Jimmy Two-Jacks]

I been trying to learn to grind drill bits for about 20yrs and still make a mess of ever shrinking drill bits

I bought an old 1970s electric B&D drill sharpener on ebay about two years ago and its great even I can sharpen drills now. I think they do modern versions now but this old one works well enough for the £8 it cost!

I tried jigs and as expected ruined some perfectly good drill bits.

By the way Anchor supplies have got some good deals on Morse bits at the moment.

Cheers

J

[nickwilliams]

is a good demonstration of how to sharpen a metal cutting drill bit by hand.

The crucial thing about drill sharpening is to realise that the end of a drill bit is not conical. The leading (cutting) edge of the drill bit has to be proud of the trailing edge or the drill will just rub on the work piece instead of cutting into it. If you simply rotate the drill while holding it in the same position on the grinding rest you will grind the end of the drill to form a cone and then the cutting edge cannot bite into the workpiece.

If you watch the guy in the video, he moves the end of the drill which is in contact with the grinding wheel upwards slightly at the same time as rotating the drill against the wheel. This has the effect of taking slightly more material off the trailing edge of the bit so the cutting edge is always the first part to contact the workpiece.

Nick.

[landmannnn]

Unless the drill bits are those high quality ones I normally throw the old ones out and buy new.

[billysmart]

Thanks for all of the quick responces guys, there is a lot of very good useful information, i already have a bench grinder and a good set of cobalt bits, what i have picked up on is the speed of the drill whilst drilling as in if it it too fast it will blunt the drill in no time, learning point...

I have just purchased a drill sharpening jig from the bay very similar to the Axeminster due to the fact that i have the bench grinder, i will also try sharpening them free hand on some older bits that i have..

Again, many thanks

Paul

[LandyManLuke]

Si's instructions, as linked to above, and a Bench Grinder, are all you need - job done!

[forkrentfitter]

bunch of girls,whats wrong with doing them on an angle grinder?

[Range Rover Blues]

The plasplugs one is prety good TBH, at least for the sizes it fits. I learned how to grind bits at school and again at the apprentice training centre but it's one of those skills you have to practice.

[billysmart]

Thanks for all of the quick responces guys, there is a lot of very good useful information, i already have a bench grinder and a good set of cobalt bits, what i have picked up on is the speed of the drill whilst drilling as in if it it too fast it will blunt the drill in no time, learning point...

I have just purchased a drill sharpening jig from the bay very similar to the Axeminster due to the fact that i have the bench grinder, i will also try sharpening them free hand on some older bits that i have..

Again, many thanks

Paul

[mickeyw]

... what i have picked up on is the speed of the drill whilst drilling as in if it it too fast it will blunt the drill in no time,

The use of a cutting fluid will also help preserve the drill tip, and make for easier cutting too, especially if the material is something tough like stainless.

[simonr]

The crucial thing about drill sharpening is to realise that the end of a drill bit is not conical. The leading (cutting) edge of the drill bit has to be proud of the trailing edge or the drill will just rub on the work piece instead of cutting into it. If you simply rotate the drill while holding it in the same position on the grinding rest you will grind the end of the drill to form a cone and then the cutting edge cannot bite into the workpiece.

This is very good advice - and something I missed in my write up!

This is one of the biggest failings of most of the 'automatic' drill sharpeners. Generally they cut the tip as a cone. It will cut - but they over heat and go blunt much quicker than if you relieve the trailing edge.

An angle grinder is pretty good for sharpening - mind those fingers though!

Learning to sharpen drill bits rates as one of the most useful things I've ever learned! It was Nick Watts (Rogue Vogue) who showed me the way!

Si

[matt bristol]

, what i have picked up on is the speed of the drill whilst drilling as in if it it too fast it will blunt the drill in no time, learning point...

I was always told that the smaller the drill bit the higher the speed required, except on stainless when its sloooow or you drill through your thumb and have to wind the drill out of the end of your thumb whilst watching the oil,swarf and blood get dragged through. Also always use a lubricant/cutting fluid to reduce heat build up at the tip, again this is particularly important for small bits as they have very little metal to dissapate the heat build up

hth

Matt

[M&S]

Yup, and depending what you are doing I have found the titanium coated bits really do stay cooler (and so sharper) for longer.

[Range Rover Blues]

Samller drill bits do go faster as does turning or milling metals because it's the surface speed of the cutting edge. Cutting stainless can be a pain becuawe the Chrome work-hardens from the cutting heat so if you let it get hot it gets harder to cut.

Cobalt bits, many pranks played with them as you can neatly drill through ceramics (eg colleagues mug of tea).

I'm not a fan of those gold coated drill bits, they go blunt and can't be sharpened but far worse is how brittle they are. Buy a decent set of branded bits and learn to sharpen them, my best bits I've had for years.