Tools - Drill Doctor

[doug odom]

Cleaning up my back room I found a Drill Doctor I had put back there years ago. I remembered I had put it away because I could not make it work. Found the video with instructions on how to sharpen bits. After half an hour of trying to get a good sharp drill I still think it is a piece of crap. Anyone have one that works better than hand sharping? The best I can get is a good center but the heal is just as high as the cutting edge so I have to grind it down on the wheel.

Doug in Big Ditch

[manta22]

Doug;

I've never found a "drill sharpener" that works very well.

These days I buy new or professionally resharpened aircraft drills on eBay and just throw them away when they get dull. If I use the right pressure, speed, and cutting lubricant, they last a long time before I toss them. I buy mostly the #30, 20, 10, and "F" sizes as well as a few other useful sizes. They usually come in a package of six to ten drills so it isn't often that I have to order more.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Thanks for the good(?) news about the Drill Doctor, gentlemen.  I hadn't heard those horror stories -- and had Nancy get one of 'em for me for a gift.  I haven't used it yet -- and now kinda wonder if I'm going to have to give it to the Salvation Army, get my receipt, and run before they catch on.

[kiwi belly tank]

I've had a Drill Doctor for 20 years & it's always worked fine for me. You guys must be bighting your tounge on the wrong side . If I need a short drill bit, I'll cut one off with a disc & sharpen it with the Doc.
  Sid.

[manta22]

Maybe it's just me..............

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[jauguston]

I have a 750 model and it works great from 1/16" to 1/2".

Jim

[wobblywalrus]

Even I can get one to work.  They save a lot of money.

[Bob Drury]

  I just bought one and can hardly wait to try it.
  Being a retired sheet metal worker I have used and sharpened hundreds of drill bits over the years and always prided myself on my ability using everything from bench grinders to hand held angle grinders to flat files to resharpen drill bits in the field.
  Much to my chagrin, I have 66 year old eyes starting to show signs of cataract's and even my tri-focals don't allow me to renew a decent and consistent edge on a used bit.
  It's just one more sign of the impending Apocollipse (that and my upcoming shoulder surgery, but thats another story that sucks).
  To all you youngsters out there in T.V. land:  Everything you have been told about the Golden Year's is a lie!  Only the Doctors and Lawyers are doing well.   Bob

[Dean Los Angeles]

I can see where Bob's 66 year old eyes would have trouble hand sharpening drills. I still sharpen everything by hand, but I can see where my vision will ultimately make that difficult.

I should practice sharpening bits on the bench grinder again.

Um . . . MTABike . . . you wanna fill us in on how you kept your vision going for 130 years?

[Elmo Rodge]

Bob, I just had cataract surgery and they implanted swell new lenses. WOW.  I shall attempt to sharpen some bits soon so this isn't a complete thread hijack.  Wayno 

[Bob Drury]

    ahhh... mine might have something to do with violating the Boy Scout "code" and a lot of "hands on" activity over the years..... but I am not blind yet...................
                                                                                                                         Bob

[gas pumper]

I got one years ago and have been really happy with it. The key is when you set up in the collet that you let the bit float and find itself in the grabber spring thing that aligns the edges properly. The problem seems to be that occasionally there is a drill bit that has a different twist and it won't register right and thus give kind of a backward grind. Those you then have to fix by hand. .

[Buickguy3]

  They talk about those bits in the instruction book. Everybody reads the instruction book before plugging it in don't they? These tips come right after the 10 pages of lawyer inspired warnings but before the 100 pages of instructions in 25 languages. After I cut all of those pages from the book, the instructions actually made sense and the "Doc" works pretty good. Don't give up. Works best after a few brews.
   Doug 

[hotschue]

I got a VHS tape with mine.....took me a year to watch it.  After I found out there was nothing to it....did about 100 bits, works great.  The big ones (1") take a while to do....

[kiwi belly tank]

I can see where Bob's 66 year old eyes would have trouble hand sharpening drills. I still sharpen everything by hand, but I can see where my vision will ultimately make that difficult.

I should practice sharpening bits on the bench grinder again.

Um . . . MTABike . . . you wanna fill us in on how you kept your vision going for 130 years?

He's still young at 130!
  Sid.