Drill Doctor Drill Sharpeners

Hi All,

I'm looking through this month's Travers flyer and came across these. Pricing looks very good. Are these worth the purchase compared to the more expensive ones out there that approach $1K (or more)?

NO.

Don't do it.

Thats a big no.

If that is the only thing affordable in your price range, then yes. They are better than nothing or trying to freehand sharpen on a bench grinder with no experience. We have one in our tractor and machinery museum at the fairgrounds for inexperienced volunteers to use.

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I've had the older style over 20 years and it has paid for itself many times over. That being said I wouldn't buy another one. They do an OK job when new, but the plastic parts soon wear and warp. Once that happens it becomes a challenge to get the bit setup properly for grinding. I did use it regularly for the first 5 years grinding all sizes that it would hold. That's about all the longer it did accurate grinding on the larger sizes without spending more time setting up the bit than It would have taken to sharpen it free hand.

I must admit when the machine was new it did get a workout. I was sharpening about 50 bits a month for nearly 4 years. I suppose given it's light duty construction in all likelihood it sharpened more bits than most hobbyists would in a lifetime

The one I purchased sharpens drills up to 3/4". I have found in later years it's just as easy if not easier to free hand everything 1/4" and larger. I use it for the smaller bits because it's more difficult to do them free hand. In my case that now limits it's use to 1/8" to 1/4" bits.

I still hate to sharpen drill bits by hand so I'm in the process of trying to purchase a Black Diamond machine similar to this one:

BLACK DIAMOND DRILL SHARPENING GRINDER BW-7 ON STAND | eBay

It's a fully equipped government surplus machine with almost no runtime. It was originally purchased for a local National Guard unit. Apparently the purchasing agent didn't realize the machine they were buying needed 3 phase power. The shop it was in didn't have 3 phase power so the machine sat in the corner for nearly 10 years before they disposed of it. The current owner recently moved to a smaller shop and needs the floor space

No experience whatsoever on these but these look like lot more potent than drill doctor:
Drill bits Sharpener 2mm to 13mm Capacity with ER2 collet A | eBay

Home shop grade stuff....banned...plus have been discussed to death here already. Do a search in the General Archives and/or ask on Chaski Home Shop site