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Can Anyone Recommend a Drill Bit Sharpening Machine?

Nerdlinger

Stainless
Joined
Aug 10, 2013
Location
Chicago, IL
Hi Everyone,

A few of us around here have always sharpened HSS drills by hand but instead of continuing to carry on that tradition I am thinking of just getting a machine. Are there any particularly good value ones out there suitable for real machine shop use to sharpen 118 degree tips on HSS drills up to maybe 1/2"? Are they easy to use? If setting up and operating the machine requires as much skill as sharpening them by hand then there is no point haha. The idea is that the machine would be for the people who aren't skilled enough to do it by hand so they don't have to keep asking the people that CAN do it for help.

Thank you!
 
Not a drill dr! Find a complete black diamond would probably be your best bet for ease of use. Check evil bay , might find a good one


When I find it I don’t need it
When I need it I can’t find it!
 
I like the TDR/SRD model DG-80M for 1/16" to 13/16" drill bits. No collets required. It takes two minutes to learn how to mount the bit in the V-block chuck and another minute to adjust the motor position for the bit. Then set the table stop to prevent running the chuck into the wheel. Once you have sharpened a couple bits, the process goes very fast, Doing bits in batches of one size saves time, but it is still a very quick process to do one bit and then do a different size bit.

They are kind of expensive new, but used ones in good condition are much less. Even the older models like the DG-76M will work just as well as the latest model.

The picture shows a DG-80M in new condition that I sold years ago.

Larry

80M 2 1.JPG
 
I also bought a Darex sp2500 drill sharpener and it works extremely well. I use a lot of very small drills and it will sharpen & split the point on a #60 drill.
 
The keys to usefully accurate drill sharpening by the (relatively) unskilled are easy positioning of the drill tip in the correct positioning and orientation along with foolproof 180° flipping so the both cutting edges are correctly aligned and ground at identical angles. Perfect to book angle is far less important than really sharp and symmetrical.

Easy to use is important because drills get sharpened before they are truly blunt. Once folk realise how much easier the job goes with decently sharp drills they will habitually sharpen them regularly. If the job is easy and results reliable.

Probably pretty much unobtanium in your neck of the woods but I reckon the Clarkson device is nigh on unbeatable for drills from 1/8" to 5/8".

Clarkson Drill Sharpener.jpg

6 jaw chuck means no messing with finding the right collet. Simply insert the drill projecting 1/2" from the chuck with the edge to be sharpened horizontal, set so it just kisses the wheel, waggle up and down with the lever to do that edge. Move up so drill is clear of the wheel, release latch to flip 180°, repeat waggle and lift clear to inspect edges. Apply a touch of in-feed and repeat if need be.

I reckon 2 minutes max from walk up with blunt drill to walk away with sharp drill using a ruler to set projection. Bit quicker since I made the handy dandy official gauge.

Now that adequate quality and relatively inexpensive 6 jaw chucks can be gotten from the usual Far Eastern sources I'm surprised that no one has reworked the Clarkson device into a simple pure drill sharpener on a basic X-Y mount to bolt alongside a standard grinder.

the Kaindl BSG20 DRILL GRINDING MACHINE BSG 20/2 new is the nearest that I know of but I'm unconvinced by the suitability of the drill holder and setting methods for the unskilled.

Clive
 
"Unskilled" is the show-stopper, 'coz it's all "relative".

It isn't just the time-to-divert from the primary tasking, shift gears, do the do, to put a decent point on a helical twist-drill.

:D

The great thing about the Clarkson drill sharpener is that it was specifically designed to de-skill sharpening of smaller, standard point, drills in a factory environment. At around 150 - 200 drills a day the effort would be worth it. Freed up skilled toolroom staff and effort for dealing with larger sizes and more specialist points.

Assuming a suitable grinding wheel the results are fully the equal of toolroom efforts or any decent brand factory grind and will last just as long. All done quickly without fuss or hassle by anyone able to set a rotating pivot so as to bring a pair of lines, one each side, running across the junction, read a ruler/gauge and set an edge horizontal.

I know of no other system so easy, so fast and so reliable over its chosen range of duties.

One day I may figure out a horizontal gauge for the edge to shave another 15 second or so off the cycle time.

Might also experiment with tap lead grinding too.

Clive
 
I would second a Black Diamond. If you're looking for used be sure it's complete with all the collets, and in good working condition. I would also try to find one with the point splitting attachment. I purchased a model 65 several years ago and it's done an excellent job. The model 65 was originally built for the military, and unlike most commercial models it's a 3 phase machine. It's easy, fast, and accurate. It takes less than 2 minutes to setup and grind a drill to like new condition. In fact many of the drills come out sharper than they were when new.

The one I purchased is similar to this, but in better shape. They generally aren't cheap in that they list for around $6,000.00 to $8,000.00 new. If you look around you may be able to find one at a better price. I purchased mine from a shop that bought it as part of a lot from a military auction. It was like new in that it was never used by the military repair depot because they didn't have 3 phase power. The shop I bought it from didn't use it either. They already had drill grinding equipment, but needed other items that were in the same auction lot. It sat in the corner of the new owners shop for nearly 5 years before he decided it was time to go.

Black Diamond Drill Grinder W/ Collets And Cabinet. Runs Very Smooth | eBay
 
Thank you, all, for the recommendations! I will repost what we settle on and how we like it once that happens. Have a great weekend! :cheers:
 
There are surely worse choices, but....

Oliver of Adrian makes a better one that we have seen go CHEAP.

I'm too poor to be able to afford the cost of f**ing with sharpening smaller drills.

Considering I've NEVER seen you post anything you've actually made, I bet your drill sharpening time is quite limited.
 
I guess the odds of finding one in the US is about nil as they are uncommon even here, but Herbert Hunt drill grinders are a joy to work with. Extremely quick to set up and use. Dad has an absolutely ancient 2" capacity one, and even though it's badly worn still makes very high quality accurate and even grinds, even on small drills.
 
Not a drill dr!
On a whim I bought one of those back in the day from Home Depot to see what all the fuss was about.
I was already able to sharpen them by hand so if it was junk I wasn't out but only $30 or so.
I must have had one of the good ones because that thing worked perfectly for about 10 years and only struggled on drills that were 1/8 and smaller.

Then about 3 years ago I bought one of the "better" models and it's absolute garbage.
 
Black Diamond's drawback is they need a separate "collet" for each size drill. A set of 1/16-1/2" will cost about $100. need a different set for fraction, letter, number drills. Not sure how much range each collet has. Maybe you can make things fit into the wrong system collets.
They are not really collets. There is one "master collet". which is a real collet with a draw thread to tighten it. All the rest are simply spacers with a outer and inner diameter to suit. They have a slit or two to allow them to closeup. Not too hard to make a few specials as needed. But small inner bores will be harder to get right.
Bill D
 








 
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