# How do you sharpen you drill bits?



## Papa Charlie (Oct 7, 2020)

I have always sharpened by drill bits by hand. Graduated from a wheel grinder to a belt which greatly improved the outcome. I have tried cheap drill sharpeners but was less than happy with the results or the performance.

Of course I would love to buy one of the specialty drill sharpeners but I don't have an extra $1500 to spend on one.

So I was wondering, what do you use to sharpen your drill bits and what are the Pros and Cons you feel are in your method.


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## DavidR8 (Oct 7, 2020)

Definitely watching this!
I tried sharpening a 1/2" bit that was beyond dull. Used my belt grinder and I was very surprised at how well it cut considering I had never tried sharpening before.


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## Masterjuggler (Oct 7, 2020)

I'm also quite interested to hear how other people do it.

For several years I was hand sharpening on my bench grinder and got quite good at it. Eventually I switched to one of those swinging craftsman jigs that works on the side of the wheel, and I'm even happier lol. Doesn't split the point of course, I usually do that on a diamond bench stone if I bother at all.

I may be in the minority here, but I also sharpen my tiny drill bits. I 3d printed a version of this jig and use a small dremel 3-jaw chuck to hold the bits. I find it works quite well.


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## BGHansen (Oct 7, 2020)

I use a Drill Doctor 750 for most stuff.  Bits over 5/8" are hand-ground, use one of those cheap General protractor/drill guide to check the angle and depth relative the center.

Bruce


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## cathead (Oct 7, 2020)

12 inch disc & 80 grit sandpaper & occasionally a bench grinder
View media item 91469


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## nnam (Oct 7, 2020)

Masterjuggler said:


> Eventually I switched to one of those swinging craftsman jigs that works on the side of the wheel, and I'm even happier lol. Doesn't split the point of course, I usually do that on a diamond bench stone if I bother at all.
> 
> I may be in the minority here, but I also sharpen my tiny drill bits. I 3d printed a version of this jig and use a small dremel 3-jaw chuck to hold the bits. I find it works quite well.


I have that swing tool, but haven't get a good use of it.  I will give it another try.  I like the idea of holding the bit with a small chuck.


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## Masterjuggler (Oct 7, 2020)

That craftsman grinding jig is a little finicky to get set up right. You have to:
- Bolt it properly to the table the grinder is on for stiffness
- Set the stopper tip to just catch the drill bit by about 1/32", so the edge is vertical
- Position the jig about 1/16" from the wheel (very close)
- Lock the thumb wheel with every pass

I only advance the thumb wheel by about 1/8 turn each time, and take several slow passes until sparks stop flying. Take passes on both edges before advancing, rotating the drill bit 180 degrees and positively registering it against the stopper tip. It helps to have a grinder wheel that runs true instead of wobbling. Once it's set up well though you pretty much never have to mess with it again, it just works.


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## Winegrower (Oct 7, 2020)

When I was about 10 or so, my dad, who was a toolmaker at McClellan AFB, taught me to sharpen drill bits by hand.   I never forgot, and it's worked fine so far.


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## Aukai (Oct 7, 2020)

You Tube videos, and any sharp edge is better than no edge, but it takes me several tries, and I think thinning the center web helped too.


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## Norseman C.B. (Oct 7, 2020)

By hand is my go to, though I did buy one of those bench mount swing jig things a while back to handle a bunch of 
drills in one whack ...


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## kb58 (Oct 7, 2020)

Drill Doctor 750, though I had to watch some YouTube videos because the sharpener was producing disappointing results. Oddly, several settings have to be moved away from the Drill Doctor's own recommendations to make the drills work like they should.


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## benmychree (Oct 7, 2020)

I have a Weldon sharpening fixture for the cutter grinder, but usually just sharpen by hand, due to the time required to set it up; the Weldon makes the S shaped chisel point.


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## Mini Cooper S (Oct 7, 2020)

I learned how to sharpen drills by hand over 50 years ago, in high school shop class.  The instructor, John Widmar said "If you ever get a job where you need to sharpen drills and can't, don't you ever claim to have been in my class!". Every time that I sharpen a drill, I think of and thank that man.
Come to think of it, he also said the same thing about lathe tool bits!

Richard


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## pontiac428 (Oct 7, 2020)

I have a Darex Drill Doctor that is at least 20 years old.  I like it for smaller bits and split points, and use it often.  Big stuff goes on the Deckel clone (swing attachment), as does anything needing a faceted point.

I am not an artist, so I prefer to grind everything in a fixture.  Fixtures hold precise geometry, my fingers don't!


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## John281 (Oct 7, 2020)

Check out John Moran's website: https://www.gadgetbuilder.com/DrillSharp.html where he describes a machine for sharpening drills and has a lot of other information on the topic. I recently finished building my own drill sharpener based on his design and it works very well. Maybe it's just my crummy technique but sharpening by hand gives me no confidence that the point will end up in the center which matters a lot, especially with the smaller drills.


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## Nogoingback (Oct 7, 2020)

I sharpen mine by driving across the river to Oregon Carbide Saw and handing them to the nice lady at the counter.
It's so cheap I'm not willing to buy a quality sharpening machine, and I  don't trust myself to do it by hand.


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## WCraig (Oct 7, 2020)

Masterjuggler said:


> ...  I may be in the minority here, but I also sharpen my tiny drill bits. I 3d printed a version of this jig and use a small dremel 3-jaw chuck to hold the bits. I find it works quite well.









That is very cool.  I could see that being very useful for small Number bits which are relatively expensive to buy.

Craig


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## mickri (Oct 7, 2020)

I have the craftsman version of the swing thingy (Like that name for it).  Mostly I get good results yet sometimes not so good.  Using the side of a grinding wheel gives me pause at times.  I have also notice that I get a groove in the side of the wheel and have to dress the side.  Maybe my wheel is too soft.  I have no idea what make or grit it is.

I have seen a swing thingy used on a belt sander.  Plan to try that out on my belt sander.  The 1" belt may be too narrow.

I have wondered if there are wheels that don't cost an arm and two legs that don't risk exploding.  I'd like to add a disk to my belt sander for sharpening drill bits.  Might have to make a combo disk/pulley.  There is enough length on the motor shaft to add a disk.  Oh well.  Another project for another day.


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## MrWhoopee (Oct 7, 2020)

I sharpen by hand on a bench grinder, big drills get done on the belt sander. I learned in machine shop class at the JC. We were required to be able to sharpen a 3/8 drill in less than 2 minutes. Harry maintained that if you couldn't do it that quickly it was more economical to through it out. Just like a tungsten sharpener, I never saw the need for a drill sharpener.


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## tjb (Oct 7, 2020)

BGHansen said:


> I use a Drill Doctor 750 for most stuff.  Bits over 5/8" are hand-ground, use one of those cheap General protractor/drill guide to check the angle and depth relative the center.
> 
> Bruce


I just recently bought a Drill Doctor 750 as well.  I was beyond pleased with the result.  I sharpened a good half-dozen dull bits, and they now cut like new.  I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

Regards


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## Aukai (Oct 7, 2020)

I'm sharpening 1" plus bits right now, like it or not I'm learning to do it by hand. I got 1 really close, and it cut like a dream. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile


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## GunsOfNavarone (Oct 7, 2020)

I have one of those clunky contraptions that mounts to a table in front of a bench grinder. Problem is, my bench grinder is mounted on a 4 ft schedule C pipe welded to a brake rotor...so I've never used it. A sharp (evenly sharpened/know what you're doing) sort of falls into the same world as cutting your own HSS lathe tools. It takes skill and experience. I'm partially shamed to say it, but I buy good sets and replace them as needed. SOMEDDAY I'll mount my jig and try it out. Getting the right angle and removing the same amount from each flute? My time is so tight I'd rather do something else with that precious commodity.
My hats off to you that do this well and I feel those that waste a half hour to ruin a $5 piece of steel/carbide/chinesium


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## horty (Oct 7, 2020)

Hi,
I thought by hand was the only way, different steels need a different grind, just my opinion.
I was 17 and my first job was at a job shop, was all excited to learn to weld better and do machine work.
Showed up to work Monday morning and was told to start sharpening a few drill bit, the boss took me around the corner and said start here with the small ones and let me know when your all done... I thought I was going to throw up and really thought about quitting.

There must have been 700 drill bits in trays on that wall, from small # drills to 4" drills.

If I remember right it took about 5 weeks, I got better and better at sharpening drill bits and to this day I will never forget how to do.  It's tattooed in my brain and something I will never forget how to do.

Tim


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## Lo-Fi (Oct 7, 2020)

Do all mine by hand on a bench grinder. Life is too short to struggle with dull drills, so I taught myself years ago. Tried a few cheap commonly available contraptions including the drill doctor, but been less than impressed. Once you get the feel for it, it's hard not to hit the right geometry and only small drills <5mm are particularly tricky. 
Practice on large drills would be my advice for anyone learning. Everything happens slower and you can see what's going on far more easily.


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## horty (Oct 7, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Definitely watching this!
> I tried sharpening a 1/2" bit that was beyond dull. Used my belt grinder and I was very surprised at how well it cut considering I had never tried sharpening before.


You'll get good at it.

Take a known dull bit, put a little magic marker or machinist blue on the cutting end, try to drill with it, then look at it with a magnifier.

You'll see exactly where and what to grind, pretty soon it will come natural to you.

Tim


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## DavidR8 (Oct 7, 2020)

horty said:


> You'll get good at it.
> 
> Take a known dull bit, put a little magic marker or machinist blue on the cutting end, try to drill with it, then look at it with a magnifier.
> 
> ...



Good idea Tim, I will definitely try that!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mickri (Oct 7, 2020)

I routinely use dykem on drills when I sharpen them.  Especially if the drill doesn't seem to cut properly.  I also put dykem on HSS tool bits when I sharpen them.  And I use a magnifying glass to look at the bits.  That really helps my aging eyes to see what is happening.  I can not sharpen a drill by hand to save my soul.  I have tried and tried without success.  So my swing thingy was a god send and works for me.

I think that the consensus of this thread is to figure out what works for you.  Not somebody else.  And keep doing what works.


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## WCraig (Oct 8, 2020)

mickri said:


> I have the craftsman version of the swing thingy (Like that name for it).  Mostly I get good results yet sometimes not so good.  Using the side of a grinding wheel gives me pause at times.  I have also notice that I get a groove in the side of the wheel and have to dress the side.  Maybe my wheel is too soft.  I have no idea what make or grit it is.
> 
> I have seen a swing thingy used on a belt sander.  Plan to try that out on my belt sander.  The 1" belt may be too narrow.
> 
> I have wondered if there are wheels that don't cost an arm and two legs that don't risk exploding.  I'd like to add a disk to my belt sander for sharpening drill bits.  Might have to make a combo disk/pulley.  There is enough length on the motor shaft to add a disk.  Oh well.  Another project for another day.


I use this version (from Lee Valley Tools) with my 1 inch belt sander:







Sharpening by hand has never worked for me.  Maybe I'm overthinking it, but maintaining a contact angle while rotating and swooping the drill seems...challenging.  For me, the jig is very quick and consistent.  It automatically gives the clearance behind the cutting lip.  Even horribly mangled bits can be resurrected in just a few minutes.  All for $25 (Canadian).

The jig has it's limits, though.  1/8" through 3/4" sizes.  Extra long bits won't fit.  You may need to put a collar on S&D bits to get them to register properly.  

Craig
PS Many, many years ago, I did some project work in a place that made grinding wheels.  One of the key takeaways was that you don't want to be anywhere near an exploding wheel.  Ever.  Using the side of the wheel is not recommended.  That's why I have this jig set up on the belt grinder.  YMMV.

PPS Just realized the picture above shows the jig improperly assembled.  The part that supports the tang of the drill is on backwards.


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## GunsOfNavarone (Oct 8, 2020)

WCraig said:


> I use this version (from Lee Valley Tools) with my 1 inch belt sander:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That’s the contraption I have. So you use on a belt sander? That sounds more logical as it’s flat, but what do I know about this topic?


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## pontiac428 (Oct 8, 2020)

This is a book in our (HM's) download library that I find excellent as a reference and keep near my sharpening station.








						38 - Tool and Cutter Sharpening.pdf
					

Imported files from vBulletin files system.




					www.hobby-machinist.com
				



He uses the swingy-thingy well and explains some key tips in the 3 or so pages that cover twist drills.  It is a good system, in spite of seemingly janky materials and construction.  You can mount one any number of ways to meet a moving plane of abrasive, so mounting it on a belt sander seems natural to me.


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## Bi11Hudson (Oct 8, 2020)

BGHansen said:


> I use a Drill Doctor 750 for most stuff.  Bits over 5/8" are hand-ground, use one of those cheap General protractor/drill guide to check the angle and depth relative the center.
> Bruce



I place drills into basically four classes. There are the ones that are too big for a Drill Doctor. The "small" chuck version. I have a Darex "commercial" grinder that handles 1 inch, but it is a pain in the wazoo to use. They get done by hand on a low speed "water" grinder. The Darex grinder has many adjustments, but many of the really large drills are carbide tipped masonry drills and don't work on the wheels anyway. They must be done on a "green" wheel.

Then there are the ones that can be done on the Drill Doctor. Essentially, 1/2 down to 3/32 inch. That varies some, depending on how much I shake at the time. And how my eye feels. Losing vision in one eye cut into close work quite a bit. But they cover a majority of the drills. Metric (1-13mm), fractional(1/16-1/2"), number(1-60), and letter(A-Z) sets.

Below that, roughly Nr 55 down to about Nr 70 are also done by hand. Including a few of the fractional sizes. But on a Dremel with a "cut off" wheel. And under a bench glass so I can see what I'm doing. It is questionable how accurate the work is, but they cut well enough. For tap sizes, I don't depend on the full strength of the threads, so can use a slightly oversize hole if it comes about. Just how strong is a Nr 3/0-120 machine screw, anyway?

And lastly, from about Nr 70 down, the drills just get replaced with spares. I have tried to sharpen them, but it was debatable even when I was young and had good eyes.

A Nr 60 is the imperial equivilant to 1.0mm at 0.040". A Nr 80 is 1/3 that at 0.0135. The really small sizes are usually so a wire can be inserted. So final size is not that critical.  I keep several sets of cheap drills for that specific purpose.

.


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## cathead (Oct 8, 2020)

After sharpening a drill, one can drill a test hole and see what kind of a job you did.  I aim for a nice pair
of spirals but don't always get it on the first try.


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## Jimsehr (Oct 8, 2020)

I hear people say it’s not worth it to sharpen drills. When I had a production shop I would put all my dull drills in a bin. Then when I had a job with a slow operation like a 10 minute drill or boring time I would be at the machine and sharpen the drills in this dead time As I was watching the machine. So in my mind I was not wasting time sharpening drills. I was saving money.

Jim Sehr


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## Aukai (Oct 8, 2020)

Mine are very frequently one sided


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## GunsOfNavarone (Oct 8, 2020)

I most definitely think sharpening your cutting tools is a waste of time. I have some that I use and they are such a pleasure. Sadly when I'm enjoying those moment, I think about when they no longer bring me happiness. I really would like to be able to sharpen....WELL. I looked over the PDF download here, I just can't focus on that. It like reading a book about quilting Ugh. I tried today with a VERY worn out drill bit. I did it free hand, just to kind of understand the angles (and who doesn't fantasize they are some sort of savant??) Anyway...I don't have any amazing, undiscovered skill.
Back to my point, I wish that was a skill I had, I'm willing to learn, but I'm not a boring/dry book reader....at least not if I'm hoping to retain info


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## pontiac428 (Oct 8, 2020)

It's okay if sharpening isn't for you.  I can send you some self addressed stamped priority mail flat rate boxes if those bits pile up.


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## Masterjuggler (Oct 8, 2020)

I think this happens to a lot of us, but working on my tools has superseded actually using my tools. Taking time to learn to fix up and restore my tools instead of throwing them away has become a hobby in itself, so I have no problem spending a lot of time working out the best way to sharpen drill bits.

Also on the topic of reading boring things..... well, yeah. I've got a pdf of Connelly's machine tool reconditioning book, and have been using it as a bedside reader. It puts me to sleep, but at the same time it really makes me want to do the things the book is talking about, like watching youtube videos of people making stuff excites me to start new projects.


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## hman (Oct 9, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> This is a book in our (HM's) download library that I find excellent as a reference and keep near my sharpening station.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have a copy of the actual book.  But I was very concerned that, almost right off, he says to use the side of the wheel.  Can't even remember how many times I've been told NOT to use the side of a grinding wheel!  So, am I being paranoid ... or is his technique a bit iffy????


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## pontiac428 (Oct 9, 2020)

Using the side of the wheel is the cheap alternative to buying a cup wheel for a bench grinder, which is in turn a less expensive alternative to buying a tool grinder.  I am sure that is all it boils down to.

A few bits shouldn't hurt, but if every kid in metal shop started hogging the side of the grinder wheel, I'm sure the shop teacher would be teaching them to not do it as gospel.  Use your good judgement.


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## Lo-Fi (Oct 9, 2020)

There's a "knack" to it sharpening a drill. Would a video on hand grinding bits be helpful? As I said above, I sharpen all my bits by hand on a wheel (as it should be used, not on the side) with no gadgets. There's no magic, it's just understanding and practice. I had to learn when I started volunteering at a steam workshop where every single drill was blunt because there was nobody who could or would look after anything. I had an enormous stock of knackered MT drills and jobs I needed to do. The great thing about those large drills is they're easy to hold and take a lot of grinding so you can take your time to get a feel for it. Smaller drills (<1/4") are harder, but entirely possible with practice.

Half the battle is understanding how and why the geometry is created, then the other half is getting the motion and holding right. Drill sharpening has not seemed like black magic or a chore for many years (and I'm not even 40 yet)!


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## Aukai (Oct 9, 2020)

Yes...


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## WCraig (Oct 10, 2020)

hman said:


> I have a copy of the actual book.  But I was very concerned that, almost right off, he says to use the side of the wheel.  Can't even remember how many times I've been told NOT to use the side of a grinding wheel!  So, am I being paranoid ... or is his technique a bit iffy????


Norton Abrasives says not to use the side of the wheel.  They should know:









						Do's and Don'ts of Bench Grinding Wheels
					

Avoid wheel breakage and injury by following these Bench Grinding Wheel Do's and Don'ts from our safety experts.




					www.nortonabrasives.com
				




Can you get away with it a few times?  Certainly.  However, each time the side of the wheel is used, it is weakening the structure of the wheel.  I *never* want to find out what happens when a wheel turning 3,000+ RPM explodes.

Craig


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## Jimsehr (Oct 10, 2020)

One of the best things I have read about grinding drills is by a guy named Joseph Wazoff.  Called Drill Point Geometry. 
Jim


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## Aukai (Oct 18, 2020)

I'm going to check on that title, I actually got close to a good cutting edge today. I still have to learn a lot more, but futsing around is teaching me too. Got some decent swarf in my deep holes.


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