Thread: Drill bit sharpeners

Don't waste your time with the cheap ones, if you have a tormek machine & can afford there attachment which is around the $300 mark it's by far the best choice, otherwise I would say the drill doctor range of machines are also great & they start from $160 mark



Drill Doctor in action!
youtube.com



Tormek DBS-22 Drill Bit Sharpener
youtube.com

Multi-sharp Multi-Sharp - The Tool Sharpening Specialists

I got mine at the big green place and it cost about $40 or so. Easy enough to use, results are good, and from memory it can do smaller and larger bits that a few others can. Also from memory will do standard twist, pilot point and spade bits as well.

I had one of those Multi sharp devices nearly 20 years ago when they were branded "Rawlplug". It's not bad but it works better on the larger sizes than the smaller and you musn't use ANY FORCE AT ALL! Even gravity can be a bit too much..... Mount it securely for best results. Good enough for woodwork and masonry drills; not so good for precision drilling into metal.

I didn't get on real well with a Drill Doctor at all, I found it to be no more accurate than the multi sharp at ten times the cost.

If you have a good grinder you can buy drill sharpeners that run on the side of the wheel. This is the type I was trained to use; they're not so easy but very accurate if you take the time to set them up correctly and have your wheel running truly flat. Or fit a cup wheel. Most tool shops or engineering supplies stock them for around $30 or so. These REALLY need to be securely mounted to get the best results.

Now stand by for the "learn to sharpen by hand" brigade. Bear in mind that decent drill bits are made to drill holes with less than 0.05mm tolerance; decent drill manufacturers sell drills in 0.1mm incriments and to get that sort of tolerance requires each drill face to be identical to within half of that. I have never met a man who can work to that sort of tolerance by eye; I'd be surprised if any of the "experts" who are about to pour scorn upon upon my views can get within an accuracy of 1mm. Rather than waste time and effort trying to learn to do something that a plastic Chinese $10 cheapy machine can actually do better, you'd be better off just buy cheap drills and chucking them when they're blunt instead.

However, if your hole drilling requirements are spectacularly low, then sharpening by hand will probably be acceptable.



(wizzing sound....followed by a plop.......)

I bought a sharpener from Bunnings. Cost $60 or so and the brand name started and ended with "O".

It was hopeless so I took it back and got a refund. I agree with a previous post about paying more and buying one with some quality.

Originally Posted by artme

Been contemplating the purchase of one.

I note there are a couple of inexpensive models at the big green rabbit hutch.

Hello Arthur
Trade Tools also have an inexpensive model, and there's a Video demo there as well.
Afraid I can't give an opinion on it as I have the Tormek jig.

brought a trade tools one about 10yrs ago they are very good. cheers peter

Originally Posted by Kidbee

I bought a sharpener from Bunnings. Cost $60 or so and the brand name started and ended with "O".

It was hopeless so I took it back and got a refund. I agree with a previous post about paying more and buying one with some quality.

Thanks, kidbee ~ I probably bought the one you took back. The parts were out of their little plastic baggies when I opened the box.

I bought this Ozito high speed steel drill sharpener yesterday at Bunnings. $49.88.

What you probably noticed is that part of the instructions didn't make any sense at all, and at least one photo for demonstration purposes had the drill facing the wrong way in the clamp.

I've tried it out with a few drills ~ not bad. It will all depend upon the sharpening wheel lasting long enough to justify the cost.

I'm impressed with their 3 year replacement warranty.