Thread: Tomorrow is another (drill) day.

Don't know if you have thought about it, but, I think you could possibly use the same jig to grind lathe tooling.

Having the grinder rest able to rotate like that means you could set up the angles needed ( I think )

Ray

Originally Posted by th62

Probably because it was still on - it's badly out of balance though as you no doubt heard. The jig does it's job: I only use it for sharpening my lathe drills, makes for less wobble and therefore more accurate holes - the others get sharpened by hand/eye.

Usually it the stone which is out of balance.I have come across a ( cheap) system to remedy that.Its just a matter of rummaging around in my files as in the past I failed to properly label files I saved.

Soon as I find it I will post.

Grahame

Well miracles never cease,not the usual lost time effort?

It is something that might help,It is from Houston Home metal shop Club

Worth a look maybee?

Volume 9, No 9- September 2004

Grahame

I already have jigs for sharpening lathe bits, use them for sharpening my DIY tangential and threading tool holder bits. They're for use on the same table. Currently making a table for the other side for when I get another decent stone.

Interesting article on balancing, similar to the method I used for balancing Triumph and Victa crankshafts. Unfortunately, my grinder has a rather nasty side to side wobble, which is what causes the rumble I think. It relies on circlips on a constant size shaft for seating the flanges against. I've made a couple of long aluminium flanges but the wheel still rocks from side to side rather badly. I'll either have to look around for a small grinder with a stepped shaft to locate the flanges against; or, Ive been thinking of building a two shaft, multiple wheel grinder. Even have the plans drawn up - just a matter of getting the necessary motivation. And of course I have to finish the drill sharpener table, another drill sharpener I've started, pedestal drill mods, welding table mods, lathe mill brackets, metal linisher, and , and, and...

Hi Th62,

I'm in the process of acquiring some material to make a drill sharpening jig similar to yours. I'm thinking about fabricating the "V" groove and drill clamp using 25 x 3 mm angle iron and making the box section from 3 mm mild steel plate with holes for dowel pins in each side.

I've also found a 200 mm double ended grinder in the scrap yard that needs a bit of TLC and a new wheel. I also have to make or find a 1/2" x 12 left hand nut for it. I couldn't find it, if there was one with it when it went on the pile.

So it seems that I've gained several new projects.

Left hand nuts are available from fastener shops in metric, UNC, whitworth and probably a few others.

Hi Th62,

Yes I will have a look around to see if I can find a supplier that has a suitable LH 1/2" x12 nut, though I might have to make one since I've been told that the original was a plate type with a pin wrench. Actually the nice bloke at the scrap yard gave me the wrench he says was with it, earlier today.

Anyway the new wheel turned up this afternoon. Its blue ! I've not seen a blue one. I've also stripped the machine and cleaned it. The bearings were shot so I've got a new pair and am giving it a coat of nice green paint. The stuff that was supposed to be "Myford" green, but isn't.

Re the drill jig, I've done a quick drawing of what I had in mind when I made the suggestion to you. After thinking about it I decided that if I did a drawing, if anybody else had some thoughts or input to add to this it would be nice to add them. I've attached the drawing. Let me know what you think.

I have an old GMF 8" grinder which I use for running polishing buffss and a wire wheel. Missing for years was the left hand nut, same size and pitch you're after. I bought two from United fasteners. As you can appreciate, anything that is not standard attracts a premium price, in this case $10. Of course, it's always interesting to turn something a little different - a left hand nut is a pretty good example.

Be aware using angle iron in the manner you describe will limit the size of drill it will accommodate. I don't often do drawings of what I intend making, mostly keep it stored away in the head. One option I hope to try next is using two angles coming together at the apex, that way I can accommodate very small bits.

The design incorporates a thin gap between the two apexes. A static adjustment screw resides under one section with an adjuster nut running along it's length when the screw is turned. The adjustment nut has a small thin protrusion poking through the gap into the other half of the two angles where the drill sits and acts on the back of the drill providing forward momentum for the drill when the adjustment screw is turned. The jig can be mounted on it's side, so simply flipping the jig 180 degrees will enable the drill to be ground on the other side at precisely the same angle - as per your suggestion.

Difficult to explain, but when I have a mock up I will post.

Originally Posted by th62

For those who asked: the video - sorry for the quality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaCuC7Xu_RE

Disclaimer:
For the malcontents, naysayers and doubting Thomases: this video is meant only, to show the drill jig in use. It is not meant as an instructional video on how to sharpen a drill bit, it is not meant to show how (not) to quench a drill bit when sharpening, it is also not meant as a 'safety in the workshed' video.

I am not claiming it to be the be all/end all of drill jigs, I am not claiming it to be the quickest nor the easiest drill jig to use. It is simply a jig I made as a project - nothing else.

It is also not meant as an instructional video on how to make a video. It was made using equipment to hand, namely a notebook camera. I am the Producer, the Director, the Cameraman, the Narrator and the Manufacturer of the drill jig. No professionalism is meant, intended nor is it implied - hence, the dirty hands and fingernails, poor video quality and use of C#!ne$e tools.

This video was made to show 'my' drill jig in use - that is all. Both the grinder and the drill bit are C#!ne$e... Yes I know, had I bought a ‘quality’ drill bit in the first place it wouldn’t have needed sharpening. Similarly, had I bought a ‘quality’ grinder, it would obviously have done a far better job, taking half the time and with much less effort. And then of course there is the sharpening jig itself: no doubt I could have bought a ‘quality’ sharpening jig for the same price as the materials I used to make this poorly designed and poorly executed attempt, it would have done a far better job, taken half the time and effort, been a ‘joy to use’ and of course it would outlive the next three C#!ne$e dynasties – malcontentism is alive and well in my shed…

Stop apologising!! Great concept and nicely executed, you should be proud of your achievement

Hi Th62,

Originally Posted by th62

I have an old GMF 8" grinder which I use for running polishing buffss and a wire wheel. Missing for years was the left hand nut, same size and pitch you're after. I bought two from United fasteners. As you can appreciate, anything that is not standard attracts a premium price, in this case $10. Of course, it's always interesting to turn something a little different - a left hand nut is a pretty good example.

After doing a long search on the net and phoning a couple of companies that manufacture nuts, the best I could do for a one or two off was £5.50p each + carriage + VAT. (VAT=20%, value added tax) ! No way ! One guy quoted £5.95 just for the carriage.

So far I've not done any internal threading at all. So I've decided is about time I learnt how to. So that is what I'm going to do.
Wish me luck, I might need some. I've got a bit of mild steel hex bar that I can use. I would need to make a 55 degree tool bit and hope my little boring bar will go into a 10.4 mm hole. I'll take some pictures as I go along.

Be aware using angle iron in the manner you describe will limit the size of drill it will accommodate. I don't often do drawings of what I intend making, mostly keep it stored away in the head. One option I hope to try next is using two angles coming together at the apex, that way I can accommodate very small bits.

I had not considered that. The drill in the drawing is 15 mm diameter by the way. I used that size since that is the biggest one I've got at the moment. It would be nice to sharpen quite small drills, though in HSS 3 mm is about the smallest that I commonly use.
How small do you think that it would be feasible to sharpen with this sort of jig ?

The design incorporates a thin gap between the two apexes. A static adjustment screw resides under one section with an adjuster nut running along it's length when the screw is turned. The adjustment nut has a small thin protrusion poking through the gap into the other half of the two angles where the drill sits and acts on the back of the drill providing forward momentum for the drill when the adjustment screw is turned. The jig can be mounted on it's side, so simply flipping the jig 180 degrees will enable the drill to be ground on the other side at precisely the same angle - as per your suggestion.

Difficult to explain, but when I have a mock up I will post.

That would be nice to see. I will add some more detail to my drawing and see where it goes.

Gerbilsquasher, the disclaimer was meant as a little bit of humour. I realise it's sick humour - but I use it frequently.

Baron J. I've turned a few LH threads, I found getting the bottom clearance, when turning small internal nuts, is the greatest difficulty. I balked at grinding/shaping the borng bar, so shaped the required threading bits from HSS blanks.

Incidentally you can also get left hand taps on ebay and aliexpress.
Here's one for $11: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-2-13-TP...3852fd1&_uhb=1

Probably not a 'quality' brand, but at 1/2" it'll be hard to break.

th62,

Baron is looking for a L H 1/2"W 12 TPI nut, not UNC 13 TPI. The LH Whitworth taps seem to be a bit harder to find now though . The idea is worth pursuing however. I found it cheaper to buy a LH M10 tap a while ago than to buy a few individual LH M10 nuts - would depend on the tap cost.

Frank.

I have so much to learn and skills to improve

I made the mockup I spoke of earlier today. I think the problem is going to be trying to make it neat - very, very fiddly, probably better suited to a milling job.

The first pic shows the jig from underneath, the feed screw, the single winged adjuster nut and lock nut (thumbnut to come)can be seen. The next pic shows it from the top, the wing can just be seen poking through the slot. The other two are of the jig with a drill in situ.

It works well: just turn the knurled thumbscrew at the base and the single wing nut moves back/forward accordingly. When the single winged nut is in position, simply lock it off with the locknut (thumbnut). Not sure whether to continue with this design. It still needs a drill clamp and then I'll have to nut out how to mount it on a sliding base so I can flip it 180 degrees.