drill sharpenning

[nonegreen]

I now have at least 500 drill bits of varying quality and size. I am considering a sharpenning machine or jig for my bench grinder. Has anybody got experience of these and do they work really well. I have no desire for another piece of junk and am prepared to pay a fair ammount for the right piece of kit. Ideas and experiences please.

[julian64]

I would recommend not getting the plasticoat one. That is unfortunately as useless as the pricetag would suggest.

Not much help really, sorry.

[BliarOut]

Masonry, steel or wood bits?

[nonegreen]

BliarOut said:

Masonry, steel or wood bits?

Just hss and cobalst twist drills for steel mostly ground to 139 deg

[bitwrx]

In a farm workshop, our drills get plenty of abuse. I something a bit like this:
[pic] http://www.bosstoolsupply.com/productimages/homier... [/pic]

Our bench grinder is mounted on a bit of 3" angle that goes in the vice. The jig is held onto the angle with a G-clamp. Bit Heath Robinson but it works.

IIRC the jig was about £20. I've resurrected about 5 10mm or 1/2" drills, so it's probably not far of saving money.

Only trouble is I bought an 11mm drill the other day. The only ones the shop had were those titanium coated ones with funny tips.

1. The drill is lasting really well.
2. Not sure how the funny shaped tip will work with the jig.

For standard bits, it's fine, and will no doubt save me money. Not sure about non-standard ones though.

One of the techies at uni showed me around the old machine they had. IIRC it cost several thousand pounds many moons ago. But it could make a drill with such a specialist tip that it could drill a hole in a sheet of kitchen foil without distorting anything.

Edited by bitwrx on Friday 26th February 14:26

[BliarOut]

You can do them on a bench grinder. Takes a bit of practice, but it's very rewarding when you get it right

You can get an angle guage for a couple of quid.

[nonegreen]

BliarOut said:

You can do them on a bench grinder. Takes a bit of practice, but it's very rewarding when you get it right

You can get an angle guage for a couple of quid.

Yes I can sharpen drills by hand and after I have done about 20 or so they get pretty good but I want something to do it very very acurately. I used to have a tool room full of expert craftsmen who were much much better at it than me and they never got them sharp enough. Whan I say sharp I mean kin sharp.

[nonegreen]

bitwrx said:

In a farm workshop, our drills get plenty of abuse. I something a bit like this:
[pic] http://www.bosstoolsupply.com/productimages/homier... [/pic]

Our bench grinder is mounted on a bit of 3" angle that goes in the vice. The jig is held onto the angle with a G-clamp. Bit Heath Robinson but it works.

IIRC the jig was about £20. I've resurrected about 5 10mm or 1/2" drills, so it's probably not far of saving money.

Only trouble is I bought an 11mm drill the other day. The only ones the shop had were those titanium coated ones with funny tips.

1. The drill is lasting really well.
2. Not sure how the funny shaped tip will work with the jig.

For standard bits, it's fine, and will no doubt save me money. Not sure about non-standard ones though.

One of the techies at uni showed me around the old machine they had. IIRC it cost several thousand pounds many moons ago. But it could make a drill with such a specialist tip that it could drill a hole in a sheet of kitchen foil without distorting anything.

Edited by bitwrx on Friday 26th February 14:26

Great glad to know it works well. I will investigate further thanks

[sparkythecat]

I've got one of these as well. Cost about £15 from Machine Mart and works a treat