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Drill sharpening tool


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Evening all

I suspect like a lot of people I have accumulated hundreds of HSS drills over the years which are blunt and thrown to one side despite cutting fluid while another is sacrificed for the job in hand. Over the years I've tried a few supposedly drill sharpeners which have never cut it and try as I might by hand on a bench grinder has been no better! (farther in law could but is sadly no longer with us could sharpen them all day long). 

So I was wondering if anyone could recommend a suitable tool as I would like to reuse what I have rather than simply replacing them.

Thanks

Andy 

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I have a draper item that I picked up at the IWE a few years ago.  Works for me.

It sits alongside a benchgrinder.

Rgds Ian

PS There’s one on EBay at the moment. 
PPS You can alter the grinding angle with it but it does need a bit of care setting it up. 

Edited by Ian Vincent
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ZB32 Brierley is the way to go. I've found though, unless you have a lot of say, ones under 7 mm or so, it takes a while to reset the machine. It will also do conecutters and spot weld drill but again, need a quantity to justify setting up.

If you change the wheel for diamond, you can do carbide drills. I buy good quality masonry drills and regrind these for locksmiths. Also very good to use for fixing metal electrical trunking to walls as go through the steel and into block/bricks in one go.

Obviously there are far cheaper machines out there normally only up to 13 mm and of fixed point angle.

If you want to post me some of your ordinary drills, please PM me for my address.

Regards

Bill 

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I have had good results using a simple type which clamps onto the chuck of a hand drill. it has a number of different size holes for the drills.

This sort of thing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271375605478?epid=901256574&hash=item3f2f3f1ee6:g:TdEAAOSwHptY~lY4

For larger drill bits I do them by hand on a bench grinder.

Bob.

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+1 for what Bob says.

I've tried several of the different cheap ones over the years but that is the only one that gave quick results.

I'm sure that the angles are not 100% correct, but if all you want is to drill non precision holes it works.

I just checked out the "ZB32 Brierley". £6,800.00 .........

You could buy more than enough drill bits to last a lifetime  for that.

Charlie

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Hi Chaps--I recomend the "Drill Doctor" they have several models, not that cheap though ,  I've got 3/4" model does a very good job, also my one ( not all?) can split the points  and sharpen masonry/tungsten drills for drilling  hard metal 

Barry

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Currently I have a Draper basic drill sharpening attachment which is ok ish

My ideal is to make a Worden grinder from a Hemingway kit.   Which will do drills milling cutters lathe tools etc. Cost circa £400. Plus a few weeks workshop time.

Here is a hack guide to building one   http://www.jeffree.co.uk/Pages/worden/worden.htm

 

http://www.hemingwaykits.com/acatalog/Worden_Mk3_Tool___Cutter_Grinder.html

 

image.jpeg.6b40e3091a38abf43811782ffd6c8959.jpeg

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Hi Pete,

That Hemingway looks the dog's doo dahs 

But at tat price you would need to be sharpening drills forever and a day.

I can hand sharpen drills ad I also have a green wheel for TC but milling cutters defeat me at the moment.

 

Roger

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Thanks for all the comment so far.

Thanks for the offer Bill, 6.8K is a bit rich for me unless my numbers come up tonight or the wife croaks it!

The drill doctor option Barry suggested looks reasonable option so far. anyone else got experience of these and which of their models is better?

Andy

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More to the point, why do modern drills need resharpening so often?  Back in the early 60s when I was doing my apprenticeship, it was very rare that a drill was sharpened. Now you  can buy a set of so called quality drills eg Draper, drill 2 holes and the drill needs sharpening. Can you buy good drills today or are they all poor quality?

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A few years ago I asked the same question on several forums. Lots of discussion. Drill Doctor came nearest but none were considered very good. As pointed out, cheaper to buy new drills each time.

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If you have a bench grinder there’s nothing wrong with the Draper item I have. I’ve successfully sharpened drills from 3mm to 13 mm.  It just needs a bit of care when using. 

Rgds Ian

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41 minutes ago, Phil Read said:

More to the point, why do modern drills need resharpening so often?  Back in the early 60s when I was doing my apprenticeship, it was very rare that a drill was sharpened. Now you  can buy a set of so called quality drills eg Draper, drill 2 holes and the drill needs sharpening. Can you buy good drills today or are they all poor quality?

Hi Phil,

drills are available that are as good as those from the 60's. Dormer etc are good. But they cost money - eg 1/8th - £1'ish or more.

Draper, like many of their products are cheap and not very cheerful - stay clear.   Any at 20p each is rubbish see the pic below - RH/LH and straight flute all in one

Those at the bottom of the pecking order are use util blunt then throw away - buy a dozen at a time.

Tracy Tools do quality drills as experienced by many serious model engineers  https://www.tracytools.com/drills-hss

Keep an eye on your quality drills - lubricate, watch the speed, be careful of the material and cut rate.

 

Roger

P1020633a.jpg

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As to drill quality, it is useful to know that there are two ways to make a drill. Roll forged or ground. 

Roll forging is a cheaper process whereby the rod is squeezed into shape and obvious by the stretch marks at the chuck end of the flute formation.

Ground as it suggests is removal of the excess material so leaving a clearly defined flute shape. More expensive process.

Generally, the roll forged drills are not as good as the ground ones due to the steel being of lesser quality despite both stating HSS (High Speed Steel). 

Even better are the 5 or 8% cobolt HSS drills.

It is interesting to take a new drill and put it in the ZB32 and see if it grinds evenly across the face, many are not true from new (of both types!).

I should have bought the recent ZB32 on eBay for under a grand as it was single phase and looked as if it had two sets of accessories, the duplicates would have made good money if listed separately. 

The offer is still there to anyone who wants to see what can be done.

Regards

Bill 

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9 hours ago, timhum said:

These people are one of the best , don't waste your money on cheap bits.

https://www.drill-service.co.uk/

Tim

 

A great supplier.

I also like this site as it guides me to the drill type for the material I am attacking.

https://www.performacut.co.uk/drill-bit-finder

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