Years ago I tried the drill Dr and I could it seem to get it right. I worked with an old timer and he sharpened them by hand with a grinder. Anyone here do this? Any how-to's?
You have the exact same challenges. You have to roll the face of the flute back slightly lower than the cutting edge. The issue you had with the Drill Dr. still exists so if you can figure it out and know what to look for by hand, then you can go back to the DD and fix your lack of understanding there.
I'm a visual learner so maybe you tube is my only option..I will freely admit I don't know what to look for. I need to see up close what makes a drill bit dull and what needs to be done to make it sharp again.
I do know with the prices of drill bits my old habit of tossing them in the scrap bin when they stop cutting properly needs to stop.
I have good days and bad days with my Drill Doctors. I have a coarse wheel on one and a fine on the other. I have a pile of bits that need sharpening right now, but I procrastinate because I use it so infrequently (not even yearly) that I forget the tricks and have to re-learn every time 
I have good days and bad days with my Drill Doctors. I have a coarse wheel on one and a fine on the other. I have a pile of bits that need sharpening right now, but I procrastinate because I use it so infrequently (not even yearly) that I forget the tricks and have to re-learn every time
When I used the drill Dr I could get 1 good one and 10 duds that I ended up tossing because I had totally rat fucked them when i was done..i think practice makes perfect but I didn't give it much of a chance
The biggest problem is the edge can be super sharp but if the flute behind it makes contact with the work surface before the edge does, it won't cut. The flute has to roll away from the edge slightly to bring it into contact with the surface and control the depth of cut.
Not much help here, other than to say just experiment. I tried using a buddies Drill Dr. and found I could do it better by hand. In my case, I put on my old man glasses, looked at the angle on a good bit, then practiced until I could mimic that.
Not much help here, other than to say just experiment. I tried using a buddies Drill Dr. and found I could do it better by hand. In my case, I put on my old man glasses, looked at the angle on a good bit, then practiced until I could mimic that.
You can do it by hand better if you can't figure out the DD. But only luck will ever get both cutting edges to be the same which is what an actual sharpener does.
I've sharpened all my drill bits by hand for 40 years and in 40 years I've had exactly zero bits turn out as sharp as when it was new.
I freehand on the belt sander. Don't consider myself an expert but they go from not cutting to cutting so it works good enough. Toughest part is trying to inspect how the point looks after as my eyes aren't great.
I’m OK at sharpening by hand, but I don’t do it often enough to have become proficient. For that reason I prefer the DD for smaller bits (3/4 and under), because for me it is more consistent. Once you figure out how to work the thing, it does a decent job, and I can’t remember the last time it produced a dud.
That said, a talented hand sharpener can certainly produce a better result.
That said, a talented hand sharpener can certainly produce a better result.
I think for me, I need to go backwards before I can go forward..a drill bit is a sharp thingie that cuts through material..but I need to understand the small things that make it function and understand what the critical points are..
It's been a few years since I sharpened bits on my DDs, so I've long since forgotten the process. However, I do recall noting that it's a lot of plastic, including the guide surfaces, so it took some practice to go through the process consistently. It's definitely not a tool that can be used right out of the box with consistent success, but once I got into it, I could get a nice sharp bit.
What are you using to sharpen your drill bits? Most likely a bench grinder with a general purpose stone I'd guess.
Have you ever dressed a grinding wheel before? That can make a big difference in the quality of your grinding, certainly is a lot easier to do this without the bit bouncing off the wheel the entire time.
I would post some pictures of what your bit looks like after grinding so we can see what we're working with. A shot looking straight down at the tip of the drill is good, and some side shots of the cutting edges.
A drill point gauge is a useful tool to measure the length of each cutting edge to ensure they are equal lengths. "The Engineer's Black Book" is a great tool to have for the general fabrication a lot of us do. They have a version that comes with a nice multipurpose aluminum drill gauge, definitely get that one. It also goes over the basics of drill sharpening and cutting tools in general.
I would ditch the drill doctor all together and just get better doing them by hand. Drill bits may seem like a simple tool, but they are probably one of the most underappreciated cutting tools in the machining industry. I'm no expert at free hand sharpening yet, but I've done a lot of research into the mighty drill bit
Have you ever dressed a grinding wheel before? That can make a big difference in the quality of your grinding, certainly is a lot easier to do this without the bit bouncing off the wheel the entire time.
I would post some pictures of what your bit looks like after grinding so we can see what we're working with. A shot looking straight down at the tip of the drill is good, and some side shots of the cutting edges.
A drill point gauge is a useful tool to measure the length of each cutting edge to ensure they are equal lengths. "The Engineer's Black Book" is a great tool to have for the general fabrication a lot of us do. They have a version that comes with a nice multipurpose aluminum drill gauge, definitely get that one. It also goes over the basics of drill sharpening and cutting tools in general.
I would ditch the drill doctor all together and just get better doing them by hand. Drill bits may seem like a simple tool, but they are probably one of the most underappreciated cutting tools in the machining industry. I'm no expert at free hand sharpening yet, but I've done a lot of research into the mighty drill bit
The challenge is overcoming the variable induced by the split point bits we are fond of. It changes the rotational angle of lining up the bit in the chuck via the spring fingers. The big disadvantage to sharpening by hand is not being able to put the split point back.
If anyone wants to step up and make some money with their hand sharpening game, I've got several hundred bits I'm glad to send over 50 at a time.
No, the face of the flute has to make contact after the cutting edge takes off a small amount equivalent to what the bit should be doing. Otherwise we'd just rake the flute back at a sharp angle that leaves only the bit edge in contact. About 3.2 seconds of trying a hole like that in mild steel or aluminum and breaking the bit off will show why that won't work.
ranger101
TJ Addict
This is what most people completely ignore. Slap a bit in the drill and hold it wide open then wonder why their bits don’t last. Feed and speed are key to a long lasting bit. And lubrication, don’t forget that
heat is the enemy.
This is what most people completely ignore. Slap a bit in the drill and hold it wide open then wonder why their bits don’t last. Feed and speed are key to a long lasting bit. And lubrication, don’t forget that
I have been guilty of that in the past I admit it..as I age and learn to slow down I have found cutting oil to be my friend..i need to do that with sawzall blades as well