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Drill Sharpener
John Bonnett - 12/11/19 at 12:45 PM

I expect most folk on here are quite capable of sharpening twist drills using an off hand grinder but sadly all my efforts result in making the drill worse not better. Pathetic I know so I have taken the easy way out and bought an electric sharpener which is giving excellent results. I bought it on the strength of its reviews and the following YouTube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiJlr5sUboY

There's a lot of rubbish on the market so I just wanted to share this with you which does appear to do the business.

John



[Edited on 12/11/19 by John Bonnett]

nick205 - 12/11/19 at 03:28 PM

Useful to know John - thanks for sharing.

I've tried sharpening drill bits on bench grinders and invariably made them worse. I usually buy cheap drill bits in the mindset that once they're blunt theyr'e dead. Sharpening them would prolong their life and reduce my spend - a good thing in my book!

John Bonnett - 12/11/19 at 03:42 PM

Nick it's something like give a man a fish and he'll live for a day, teach him to fish and he'll live for ever. Or is it too much of the hard stuff at lunchtime?

I've got a drawer full of blunt drills so all being well, I'll not need to buy any new ones for a long time.

nick205 - 12/11/19 at 04:44 PM

I have some blunt ones that could do with sharpening rather than replacing.

The sharpener you show could be my turning point

Bluemoon - 12/11/19 at 10:09 PM

Good post. Does it cut the two flutes at the correct angles?

If so worth getting.

Done mine buy hand does take practice by hand found 2mm bits easy to sharpen after some/lots of practice, lots needed for rivet hole pilots on our mk Indy..

Slimy38 - 12/11/19 at 10:22 PM

I couldn't get the hang of sharpening bits on my bench grinder, until I 3D printed a jig that fits over the plate. Now I can get the right angle every time. It was inspired by a youtube video where they made something out of wood, I used it as an excuse to design and print something!

Oddly enough, mine seemed to wear out from rivet holes too...

907 - 14/11/19 at 04:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by John Bonnett
Nick it's something like give a man a fish and he'll live for a day, teach him to fish and he'll live for ever. Or is it too much of the hard stuff at lunchtime?

I've got a drawer full of blunt drills so all being well, I'll not need to buy any new ones for a long time.




There's one vital word in that statement John, teach.



It isn't a matter of stumbling along in the hope of accidentally making one cut. Its being shown how to do it and taking notice of advice given.

In 1971 I was given a shoe box half full of drills and was told that I could "have a go" with the gas bottles when I had finished them.

He showed me how to make them cut big, soft metals, hard metals, round holes in thin sheet. Its what used to be called an apprenticeship.



Paul G