best bench setup for drill bit sharpening

[chuckinnc]

Ive read even a drill doctor requires pratice to get a bit sharpened properly so Im planning on setting up a motor/arbor/wheel or two with one of those general brand drill bit jigs that sharpen on the side of a grinder wheel. I have 2 of these laying around & plenty of wheels,motors ect so I need a good idea/info before I start the setup.
1.Would it be better to use both jigs, one on a course wheel and one on fine wheel?
2.Drill Doctor uses a diamond wheel, would this be nessesary, and does anyone know the RPMs they turn?
3.I could mount the motor/wheel upright and grind on the face of a good wheel, would this be better than the side?

 

[WD Tom]

I wouldn't waste money on any drill sharpening stuff other than a drill poing gage, about $10 to 35 depending on the brand and quality. Then hole a d3/8 or 1/2 in. drill up to your wheel with the wheel not turning and get used to the angle. I like a belt sander and use the verticle plate between the wheels, but a bench grinder is ok too. Hold the drill with the shank towards you and the cutting edge on the left will be up, get it at the right angle to the wheel or belt and with the shank a little lower than the point you will be close. Touch it to the wheel and I raise the point and lower the shank and grind the edge. It takes a little practice especially if you don't have someone to show you, but check the angle on the drill point gage. Both cutting edges need to be the ame length on the gage and the same angle, the angle of the gage. The trailing, ( non cutting edge) of the drill needs to be lower than than the cutting edge when you hold the drill straight up with the point up, or it won't cut. Look closely at a new drill and you will see all this. That is why I said use a 3/8 or 1/2 in. drill so it is large enough for you to see. Forrest Addy on the Home Shop Machinist forum used to say "They make drill bits long so apprentices can practice sharpening them". It takes a bit to get both sides the same. After you have done your best on the grinder finish the job with a smooth stone, a small one. Put the drill bit in a vise and just polish thegrinder marks out, it will cut better and last longer too. But you have to have the angles right or it won't cut at all, again inspect and duplicate a new drill. Save your money and buy something else, I have never seen a drill doctor do much for long. A good drill sharpener costs around a thousand, and that's why the cheeper ones don't work well for long, you get what you pay for. Buy a good grinder or verticle stationary belt sander (2"x48" is a good size) and have a tool you can use for other things, and you will know how to sharpen drills free hand too for when you need to. Without the gage it is difficult to get both sides even but you can none the less get a dull drill cutting. If the two sides are not equal it will drill a bigger hole than the size of the drill. When you have a drill that makes two equal chips curling out of the hole and measure just on size you will feel pretty good and you can say you know how to sharpen a drill. Then you can show others like I have tried to show you. Oh, mine don't always come out perfect, but I know what I am looking for and if I take the time I can make them just about perfect.

 

[Lee in Iowa]

I've had pretty good luck with a Drill Doctor. Took about ten minutes to get it set up and figure out how to use it and about 30 minutes to sharpen about thirty bits. So far they all work good. Lee

 

[IH2444]

Drill DR has been good for me.

 

[Rst277]

I would look into making a sliding base for your jig so you can clamp the drill bit and then move it in against the wheel and then out. I have a jig, the sliding base is a project yet unfinished and I sharpen my drill bits freehand. I bought a "cool wheel" which is white about 120 grit and is less likely to over heat your steel. Keep a cup of cutting oil or something to dip your drill bits in so they don"t get too hot and lose their temper. I use the side of the wheel but ideally IMHO the sliding base for your jig slides in front of the wheel. The side is used so you keep the cutting edges flat as opposed to concave.

 

[chvet73]

I have both the General and the Doctor. The Doctor has 3/4" capacity and the general 1/2". The Doctor is easier to use, faster and does a better job.

 

[msb]

Just buy a Drill Doctor and be done with it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

The General works fine.I have one sharpener that cost 4.00 way back and it works fine.Drills over 1/2 inch can be sharpened free hand.I use 3/4 and 7/8 drills when making 3 point equipment.Just look at a new drill to see how they are sharpened.I did get a new 3/8 drill that had no relief ground into it and see a few that are ground off center ,brand new.Saw some real high prices on small drills while looking at tools monday.There are some junk drills that will bend being sold.I buy used drills in a used tool shop and sharpen them.Once you get used to the General it works fine,there are some import copies of the General.Use good grinding wheels,the import grinders have poor wheels on them.Norton wheels are my favorite.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Find a tool maker, machinist or model maker to show you how to do it free hand. Probably be an older fella not a CNC jockey.

 

[beau5278]

(quoted from post at 00:29:52 01/07/09) Ive read even a drill doctor requires pratice to get a bit sharpened properly so Im planning on setting up a motor/arbor/wheel or two with one of those general brand drill bit jigs that sharpen on the side of a grinder wheel. I have 2 of these laying around & plenty of wheels,motors ect so I need a good idea/info before I start the setup.
1.Would it be better to use both jigs, one on a course wheel and one on fine wheel?
2.Drill Doctor uses a diamond wheel, would this be nessesary, and does anyone know the RPMs they turn?
3.I could mount the motor/wheel upright and grind on the face of a good wheel, would this be better than the side?

Quite a few years back,I took a 6 week night class at the local Vo-Tech school,it was one of the best things that I ever did.Our first project was a simple drill gauge,once I had that,I did as a couple others have said and learned to sharpen free hand.When I was growing up,Dad had drill bit sharpener from B&D,it didn't work for crap.If you learn to sharpen free hand,you'll wonder why you waited this long to try.

 

[george md]

Chuck,

I have a general sharpening jig and it works
quite well, but it will take some learning as to
how to set it to get the point you want. I tends
to make the edge too sharp( too much relief angle
behind the edge) this removes some of the
strength from the edge.

I usually grind freehand , a sharpening gage
is a very good investment. It will help you
match the angle of both flutes and the length
of both flutes,length is very inportant as a
mismatched flute will drill an oversize hole.

george

 

[Anonymous-0]

I knew a super talented machinist and he bought a Pine drill grinder. It cost quite a bit but he said it was simple to use and he could keep busy just sharpening drill bits. I think it did up to 2 inch and maybe even more. The drill guide just flipped across the grinding stone at the exact angle. Very fast and efficient. I think a General might be similar. Dave

 

[flying belgian]

Weld two hex nuts together to get the correct angle for drill bits.

 

[guido]

Hello chuckinnc,
I agree with the other post. Find an old machinist and learn how to do it free hand.
It takes some time to do it right, but its the satisfaction of doing it by hand that really counts.
As far as wheel speed a 3600 rpm's grinder will do with a fine grit wheel. If you must do it with a machine i would buy one that uses the front of the wheel. Thats the way you do it by hand when you sharpen a bit. That way you can dress the wheel every time you need to sharpen a bit.
Guido.