Had to drill out a steel rivet and all of my little bits were as sharp
as bowling balls. Go buy some junk bits at the Borg?, nah, let me try
to sharpen one first.

Started at the lip and ground by twisting and raising the bit against
the wheel. Took a few tries to get a reasonable looking tip and tried
it out. To my surprise the bit easily cut through the steel rivet. I
could probably get the hang of it if I practiced a little but now I
know a bit doesn't need to be thrown out I will probably add the Drill
Doctor to my wish list for the up coming silly season. (by the time I
really get it right all of my bits could only drill 1/2" deep holes)

Any reccomendations as to model number DD or a similar product from
the group?

Are there any sharpeners in the homeowner/hobbyist market that can
sharpen my yet to be purchased brad-points?

BTW, if you want a very detailed post on how to sharpen bits by hand
read Bill's post he

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.w...3dd74693eeb605

On Nov 6, 8:58 am, RayV wrote:

Are there any sharpeners in the homeowner/hobbyist market that can
sharpen my yet to be purchased brad-points?

All the research I've done, and I've searched, says that it's possible
but it's so difficult and time consuming that you're better off
throwing away the old bit and buying a new one. Or converting the old
bit over to standard if you'd prefer to recycle.

I plan to take advantage of Woodcraft's sale and spend 30 bucks on a
box 'o bits, and see how long it takes to go through 'em.
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...epagedeal=true

The "Drill Doctor" company makes or did make many models of drill bit
sharpeners, including some that go for a thousand dollars and more.
The current occasional-use models go for somewhere between about $50
and $150 right now in many catalogs (see below).
They really work pretty well. They now come with a DVD showing how
to use them. It is important to watch it.

3 models in homeowners price range, with current Sears prices:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/s_10153_1...s=20&pageNum=2

This is the real basic model:
DD350X 3/32 to 1/2 $49

These sharpen a much wider range of bits and with several pointing options:
DD500X 3/32 to 1/2 $116
Get this one if you don't need to sharpen bits larger than 1/2"

Otherwise, get this one:
DD750X, 3/32" to 3/4" $143


Note that they don't sharpen bits smaller than 3/32". If you use a lot
of the smaller bits, its better to simply toss and rebuy.


Pete Stanaitis
-------------------------


RayV wrote:
snip
Any reccomendations as to model number DD or a similar product from
the group?

"RayV" wrote in message
ps.com...
Had to drill out a steel rivet and all of my little bits were as sharp
as bowling balls. Go buy some junk bits at the Borg?, nah, let me try
to sharpen one first.

Started at the lip and ground by twisting and raising the bit against
the wheel. Took a few tries to get a reasonable looking tip and tried
it out. To my surprise the bit easily cut through the steel rivet. I
could probably get the hang of it if I practiced a little but now I
know a bit doesn't need to be thrown out I will probably add the Drill
Doctor to my wish list for the up coming silly season. (by the time I
really get it right all of my bits could only drill 1/2" deep holes)

Any reccomendations as to model number DD or a similar product from
the group?

Are there any sharpeners in the homeowner/hobbyist market that can
sharpen my yet to be purchased brad-points?

BTW, if you want a very detailed post on how to sharpen bits by hand
read Bill's post he

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.w...3dd74693eeb605


The biggest problem I have with the Drill Doctor is that it is not yet
available for wood working bits IIRC. I want one that will sharpen brad
point bits.

On Nov 6, 11:21 am, "Leon" wrote:


The biggest problem I have with the Drill Doctor is that it is not yet
available for wood working bits IIRC. I want one that will sharpen brad
point bits.

The Darex 3000 will sharpen brad-point bits (with optional
attachments)
http://www.darex.com/main/content/view/49/82/

"RayV" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Nov 6, 11:21 am, "Leon" wrote:


The biggest problem I have with the Drill Doctor is that it is not yet
available for wood working bits IIRC. I want one that will sharpen brad
point bits.

The Darex 3000 will sharpen brad-point bits (with optional
attachments)
http://www.darex.com/main/content/view/49/82/


Nice, but for that money, I can buy a 40' container of bits from China.

Subject

$50 buys a lot of drill bits, especially 1/4" and smaller.

Makes if very difficult to justify a Drill Doctor.

Hand sharpening drill bits is like learning to ride a bicycle.

Learning is a total PITA, but once you learn, you don't forget.

Try finding a shop course offered by an adult ed program thru local
high school to learn this skill.

Lew

RayV wrote:
On Nov 6, 11:21 am, "Leon" wrote:


The biggest problem I have with the Drill Doctor is that it is not
yet available for wood working bits IIRC. I want one that will
sharpen brad point bits.

The Darex 3000 will sharpen brad-point bits (with optional
attachments)
http://www.darex.com/main/content/view/49/82/

At $3198 SRP it's hardly cost effective for any but high-volume users
and those that need special profiles.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

on 11/6/2007 9:58 AM RayV said the following:
Had to drill out a steel rivet and all of my little bits were as sharp
as bowling balls. Go buy some junk bits at the Borg?, nah, let me try
to sharpen one first.

Started at the lip and ground by twisting and raising the bit against
the wheel. Took a few tries to get a reasonable looking tip and tried
it out. To my surprise the bit easily cut through the steel rivet. I
could probably get the hang of it if I practiced a little but now I
know a bit doesn't need to be thrown out I will probably add the Drill
Doctor to my wish list for the up coming silly season. (by the time I
really get it right all of my bits could only drill 1/2" deep holes)

Any reccomendations as to model number DD or a similar product from
the group?

Are there any sharpeners in the homeowner/hobbyist market that can
sharpen my yet to be purchased brad-points?

BTW, if you want a very detailed post on how to sharpen bits by hand
read Bill's post he

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.w...3dd74693eeb605


I was a machinist in the Navy. We had to hand sharpen bits all the time.
I still know the procedure, but the practice is lacking. :-)

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

On Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:10:53 -0000, "
wrote:

On Nov 6, 8:58 am, RayV wrote:

Are there any sharpeners in the homeowner/hobbyist market that can
sharpen my yet to be purchased brad-points?

All the research I've done, and I've searched, says that it's possible
but it's so difficult and time consuming that you're better off
throwing away the old bit and buying a new one. Or converting the old
bit over to standard if you'd prefer to recycle.

I plan to take advantage of Woodcraft's sale and spend 30 bucks on a
box 'o bits, and see how long it takes to go through 'em.
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...epagedeal=true


Good point. Why spend $50+ on a Drill Doctor? Why spend the time to
sharpen bits when you can be making sawdust? I can understand
sharpening a bit in an emergency situation. I guess a Dremmel tool
would be helpful with bit sharpening. But, like router bits, it makes
sense to just replace them.

willshak wrote in
:

I was a machinist in the Navy. We had to hand sharpen bits all the
time. I still know the procedure, but the practice is lacking. :-)


If you want the practice, many of us would be happy to let you work on
our dull bits. I'd even spring for a beef and potato dinner. (That's
uh, a burger and fries.)

Puckdropper
--
Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Gee, it only takes a little practice. I've been doing it for 40 years.
Use magnifiers, a fine wheel and a place to prop your hand. Stare at the
end of a new bit for a minute and then make the old one look like that.
Once you get it you got it for good. Yer not makin a freakin clock, are
you? It don't have to be perfect to get a good hole.
Old-time craftmen did not throw their bits away because it was "cheaper" to
buy new ones. Might as well throw the dog away because he starts to limp a
little. Cheaper to get a "new" one?

willimx

On Nov 6, 11:05 pm, wonkat wrote:
Gee, it only takes a little practice. I've been doing it for 40 years.
Use magnifiers, a fine wheel and a place to prop your hand. Stare at the
end of a new bit for a minute and then make the old one look like that.
Once you get it you got it for good. Yer not makin a freakin clock, are
you? It don't have to be perfect to get a good hole.
Old-time craftmen did not throw their bits away because it was "cheaper" to
buy new ones. Might as well throw the dog away because he starts to limp a
little. Cheaper to get a "new" one?

willimx



If I hadn't spent the better part of an day trying to make the old one
look like the new one and failing miserably, I'd be embarrassed. Took
me a few years to figure out there were a few things I just couldn't
catch on to, and sharpening a brad point bit is one of 'em. I can do
ordinary bits. I can do chain saw blades, chisels, plane blades, axes,
and I'm getting better at hand saws and gouges. But I've tried every
which way to sharpen a brad point bit, and it's never any better than
when I started. Just can't seem to get it right. I'm not worried about
it any more, it's just one of those things.

Would you like me to start sending you my dull ones? I don't use them
enough to make more than a few every couple years, but I could send
them to you instead of either tossing them or grinding them into
specialized picks and drills.

On Nov 7, 12:27 pm, " wrote:
On Nov 6, 11:05 pm, wonkat wrote:

Gee, it only takes a little practice. I've been doing it for 40 years.
Use magnifiers, a fine wheel and a place to prop your hand. Stare at the
end of a new bit for a minute and then make the old one look like that.
Once you get it you got it for good. Yer not makin a freakin clock, are
you? It don't have to be perfect to get a good hole.
Old-time craftmen did not throw their bits away because it was "cheaper" to
buy new ones. Might as well throw the dog away because he starts to limp a
little. Cheaper to get a "new" one?

willimx

If I hadn't spent the better part of an day trying to make the old one
look like the new one and failing miserably, I'd be embarrassed. Took
me a few years to figure out there were a few things I just couldn't
catch on to, and sharpening a brad point bit is one of 'em. I can do
ordinary bits. I can do chain saw blades, chisels, plane blades, axes,
and I'm getting better at hand saws and gouges. But I've tried every
which way to sharpen a brad point bit, and it's never any better than
when I started. Just can't seem to get it right. I'm not worried about
it any more, it's just one of those things.

Would you like me to start sending you my dull ones? I don't use them
enough to make more than a few every couple years, but I could send
them to you instead of either tossing them or grinding them into
specialized picks and drills.

Brad points, I'd do with a diamond rod, working at the spurs
and not the center point to keep from moving it off center.

On 6 Nov, 14:58, RayV wrote:


snip


Are there any sharpeners in the homeowner/hobbyist market that can
sharpen my yet to be purchased brad-points?


snip

Brad point drill bits are very much easier to sharpen than twist bits.
When you buy some, take one of the larger ones, and with your grinder
switched OFF, hold a bit onto the grinding wheel so that the wheel
fits snugly into the angle between the spur and the point. You'll need
to use the right hand side of the wheel, and the bit will point
somewhere over your right shoulder. You will be able to feel when the
bit settles into the correct position. Practice and let your body and
arms learn the position. When you feel you're ready to go, you wont
need to rotate the bit; once you've settled at the correct angle you
just push the bit onto the rotating wheel.
I don't buy brad bits anymore, I regrind twist bits so that I'm not
fixed to the sizes obtainable in stores.

HTH

On Tue, 6 Nov 2007 09:26:02 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:

Subject

$50 buys a lot of drill bits, especially 1/4" and smaller.

Priced 'em lately? 1/4" brad point (DeWalt - what Lowes had) - $4.

Renata


Makes if very difficult to justify a Drill Doctor.

Hand sharpening drill bits is like learning to ride a bicycle.

Learning is a total PITA, but once you learn, you don't forget.

Try finding a shop course offered by an adult ed program thru local
high school to learn this skill.

Lew

Renata wrote:
On Tue, 6 Nov 2007 09:26:02 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:

Subject

$50 buys a lot of drill bits, especially 1/4" and smaller.

Priced 'em lately? 1/4" brad point (DeWalt - what Lowes had) - $4.

Woodcraft will sell you 170 bits for 30 bucks right now, sizes
1/16-3/8, multiples of each size.

Not premium quality, but they work fine. I tend to lose or break the
smaller sizes before I wear them out anyway.

Makes if very difficult to justify a Drill Doctor.

Hand sharpening drill bits is like learning to ride a bicycle.

Learning is a total PITA, but once you learn, you don't forget.

Try finding a shop course offered by an adult ed program thru local
high school to learn this skill.

Lew

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Nov 8, 8:40 am, "J. Clarke" wrote:
Woodcraft will sell you 170 bits for 30 bucks right now, sizes
1/16-3/8, multiples of each size.

Not premium quality, but they work fine. I tend to lose or break the
smaller sizes before I wear them out anyway.
--John

My only complaint is the set only goes up to 3/8 so I had to spend the
ten bucks for a half-inch bit. :-)

At the rate I have to drill holes, I don't think I'll need another
drill bit till about 2015. I'm following this thread out of curiosity
now. There's other sharpening skills I consider more important to
attain. Hand saws, for instance. My father-in-law left a Disston
backsaw behind, and it appears someone was very cruel to it after he
passed away.

"Renata" wrote
Priced 'em lately? 1/4" brad point (DeWalt - what Lowes had) - $4.

Naw, I use my carbide forstners for 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2G

Lew