I'm about to buy like my 4th or 5th 7/16th drill bit. Is there a relatively inexpensive machine to sharpen bits? I've heard of the drill dr. but it only does the little bits then you have to buy an adapter to fit up to 1/2". I'd like something that will sharpen up to 5/8s. I'm not too grinder savy on sharpening and feel I'd do more damage than good by trying this route. Any help as always is appreciated.

Hey, your like me. I can get hold of a dull bit and when I'm done with it, it is 10x worse than when I started. Ive seen drill sharpeners at stores around here, but I don't think you have a Princess Auto in your area. Have you tried Sears or anywhere that sells machining tools?

I just bought A Drill Dr. it is one of the best tools i've bought in
a long time .
it came with a chuck for sharping bits up to 1/2"
and a rebate for a chuck to do bits 1/2" to 3/4"
for free.
:rockon :rockon :rockon

i use to work at sears and the drill dr. is very good. there are 3 or 4 different ones. the biggest one comes with the chuck to sharpen 1/2 to 3/4(model 750 i think). the next one down is the same machine just without the 1/2 to 3/4 chuck(model 600). there are two smaller ones. one with a diamond stone to sharpen and one that uses sandpaper. do not get the one with the sand paper, as it is not that great. i personal would go with the 600 or 750.

A couple buddies of mine both use the Drill Dr. 750 and they love them. I've been bugging the wife for one for Christmas, hopefully Santa will be good to me :toothless

Get the Drill Doctor 750, it comes with both chucks and will sharpen up to 3/4" bits. I use mine a lot now that I fixed it. Sears usually runs a "pre-Christmas" special on these. I bought two last Christmas for about $95.00 each.

It turns out the problem I had with mine was easy to fix. The bobbin that the grinding cylinder fits on was about 3/8" too high. I pressed it back into where it was supposed to fit and I have been sharpening ever since.

A big plus with this tool is that you can take broken bits, pre-grind them on a grinder and make an assortment of short bits. I have a 1/2" drill that is about two inches long. Works great in the drill press.

dc

I watched the entire 3 hour infomercial on the Drill Doctor on sunday, wanna hear about it?

Yup, I have one and love it.
I got mine many years ago and it only does up to 1/2
but my friends have the larger ones (I am jelous, it makes my winke feel small) so I use theirs for my large bits.

You put your large bits in your friend's hole? That's just sick, get your own hole.

All joking aside, can't you sharpen your own bits with a grinding wheel? that's what my dad always did

You put your large bits in your friend's hole? That's just sick, get your own hole.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

You put your large bits in your friend's hole? That's just sick, get your own hole.

All joking aside, can't you sharpen your own bits with a grinding wheel? that's what my dad always did
They let me, at least its not the other way around.

if you have a pedestal grinder you don't need a drill doctor. sharpen your drills by hand. I work in a tool shop and thats the only way we do it. all it takes is a little bit of practice. (trial and error)

if you have a pedestal grinder you don't need a drill doctor. sharpen your drills by hand. I work in a tool shop and thats the only way we do it. all it takes is a little bit of practice. (trial and error)
That's because you're really cool and smart. I just end up making it worse so I need the tool. I'll buy another 7/16s first though...

if you have a pedestal grinder you don't need a drill doctor. sharpen your drills by hand. I work in a tool shop and thats the only way we do it. all it takes is a little bit of practice. (trial and error)
I don't have nearly enough time, or enough drill bits, to get good at sharpening on a grinder. I have to supplement my inadequacies with money. :toothless

I thought bits were coated with something to make them hard(forget the name) Wouldn't sharpening them take that outside coat off and make them weaker?

Keith
~Houston, TX

I thought bits were coated with something to make them hard(forget the name) Wouldn't sharpening them take that outside coat off and make them weaker?

Keith
~Houston, TX
I have some like that but I buy the black steel ones so I'll have 150 spares when I finally get around to buying a Drill Dr. I'd try sharpening them anyway just to see if it'd work.

I thought bits were coated with something to make them hard(forget the name) Wouldn't sharpening them take that outside coat off and make them weaker?

Keith
~Houston, TX

I think you are talking about the titanium drill bits. But you can still sharpen them. What makes all drills drill through steel is their high carbon content. It's that high carbon content that makes them so britle.

I just got the 350, and started messing around with it on some of my really buggered up bits..I flattened one out pretty good before I finally figured out the proper technique. The key is getting the bit set right in the chuck and making sure to do an even number of turns. Their website has a good instructional video on it that was very helpful. Paid $69 for mine and it came with a $10 buck rebate.

Santa Claus brought me a DD750. It works great! It comes with a DVD so you don't even need to look at the directions. The only problem I've had so far was turning a couple of my 135 degree titanium bits into 118 degree ones :banghead The machine makes it easy to fix them, though :thumbup

DRILL DR. ALLTHE WAY I HAVE 2. WONT BE WITHOUT ONE