Drill bits can be dull and blunt when they are used. When you see the drill bit chip size is less than 2mm, it is the right time to re-sharpen it. So what kinds of sharpening tools you can use?
You can use file, vice, and gauge when you sharpen it by hand. In order to have accuracy and efficient sharpening, you should use improved drill bit sharpening tools. Drill Doctor DD750X is the best tool and it is a bit expensive. But you can use Drill Doctor DD500X and WoodStock D4144 as the budget drill bit sharpeners. For the cheapest and DIY projects, you can use a drill-powered sharpener and Drill Doctor DD350X. Grizzly H8203 and H0686 are high-performance drill bit sharpening machines. Those are really good for professional use.
Drill Bit Sharpening Hand Tools
When you observe your drill bit produces more chips (less than 2mm) it is time to resharpen it. You can sharpen your drill bit using a machine as well as using by hand. So when you resharpen the drill bit using your hands, you should have good skill to maintain the relevant point angle of the drill bit.
So what tools do you need to resharpen a drill bit using your hands?
Obviously, you need a file, vise, and drill bit gauge to sharpen a drill bit by hand.
Why you should have these tools for hand sharpening?
- File – The file can sharpen the drill bit edges
- Vise (Vice) – A vise can hold the drill bit in any position
- Gauge – A gauge can determine the sharpening angle
When you use a file, it must be harder than the drill bit hardness. Sometimes, regularly used files are not able to use in certain types of drill bits. Because these drill bits are harder than files.
Hence you should use a diamond file always.
Best Drill Bit Sharpener
A drill bit sharpener is an important tool for both metalworkers and woodworkers. You should sharpen drill bit when it is dull and blunt. You may not able to bring the vise and file everywhere, So it is a good idea to have a proper drill bit sharpener with you.
The best drill bit sharpener is always portable, can be used on a wide range of drill bit diameters, have adjustable angles, small and lightweight, and power efficient. But it should not cheap. Its price can be affordable.
So we can choose Drill Doctor DD750X as the best drill bit sharpener.
Drill Doctor DD750X
Drill Doctor DD750X is the best seller on Amazon.com relevant to the drill bit sharpeners category. It is used by more than 6000 users all over the world with positive feedback.
Drill Doctor is US based company. It manufactured various types of drill bit sharpeners. But the latest and the most efficient one is the DD750X model. You can sharpen High-Speed Steel, Masonry, Carbide, Cobalt & Tin-coated Drill bits using a Drill Doctor sharpener.
Every drill bit has a sharpening angle. The most used sharpening angles are 118 degrees and 135 degrees. You can sharpen both of these drill bits using this sharpener. Its sharpening angle can be adjusted between 115° to 140° angle. You can drill 3/32″ – 3/4″ Drill Bits. Normally it can be operated using 115 voltage and is lightweight and small in size.
Budget Drill Bit Sharpeners
Drill Doctor DD500X
Drill doctor DD500X is one of the most used drill bit sharpeners. Although It is a bit lower cost drill bit sharpener. It can sharpen a limited range of angles. You can sharpen 118° to 135° angle according to your requirements. You can sharpen 3/32″ – 1/2″ drill bits using this tool easily.
- Operated voltage – 115V
- Price Range – $100-$110
WoodStock D4144 Drill Bit Sharpener
If you have a bench grinder, you can use WoodStock D4144 Drill Bit sharpener next to it. WoodStock D4144 helps to keep the drill bit inclined to the angle grinder.
The inclined angle can be adjusted. It helps to sharpen the drill bit cutting angle in a wide range. It can change the drill bit angle 90° – 150°. As well as you can sharpen 1/8-Inch to 3/4-Inch drill bit sizes. For the best result, you can use it with a belt grinder also.
➤ Pros
- Cheap product
- Wide sharpening angle range
➤ Cons
- Need a fixed support
- Need a bench grinder
- Drill bit type depends on the bench grinder material
Cheap Drill Bit Sharpeners
Cheap drill bit sharpeners are suitable for newbies. When the price range is lower, we can consider these as cheap drill bit sharpens. Normally, these bits sharpers are not high quality as well as not efficient.
Drill Powered Sharpener
Drill Powered Sharpener consists of a diamond grinding wheel. Hence it can use to sharpen various drill bits. It has 135 degrees fixed angle. So you will not able to adjust the sharpening angle.
It can use a maximum of 1/2” drill bit size. There is a hex shank rod that helps to connect with the electric drill. Due to the plastic structure, it is a bit safeness. It can use to sharpen straight shank drill bits, taper shank drill bits, flat drill bits, and centre drill bits.
Drill powered sharpener is a small size drill bit sharpener powered by a drilling machine. A drilling machine is one of the most used power tools. Using a drill you can operate this drill bit sharpener.
➤ Pros
- Cheap
- Easy to handle
➤ Cons
- Limited range of use
- Safeless
- Depend on the drill
Drill Doctor DD350X
Drill Doctor DD350X is a limited-range sharpening tool. It can sharpen only 118 degrees drill bit angle only. So you cant sharpen 135-degree drill bits using this. Drill Doctor DD350X is suitable for home workshops. It can sharpen 3/32”-1/2” standard-size bits. As well as it has a diamond sharpening wheel hence it can sharpen carbide drill bits also.
Drill Doctor DD350X is not able to sharpen the left-hand drill bits. And when you use this do not push too hard on the drill bit.
➤ Pros
- Budget price
- Can be used 3/32” – 1/2” size drill bits
➤ Cons
- Can be sharpened 118-degree angle only
- Not good for left-hand drill bits
Professional Drill Bit Sharpeners
professional drill bit sharpeners are expensive. You will need a good skill to operate these machines. Some are automated. These drill bit sharpening machines are suitable for drill bit sharpening services. You can have below machines if you start a new business.
Grizzly H8203
Grizzly H8203 is a professional drill bit sharpening machine. It is expensive and really suitable for the drill bit sharpening business. It can sharpen drill bit 90°-140° angle setting adjustments. And also it can sharpen 1/8″ – 1/2″ (3-13mm) twist drill bits. You can sharpen HSS, TiN-coated, cobalt, and carbide bits using the Grizzly H8203.
Grizzly H0686
Grizzly H0686 is a professional large drill bit sharpener. This is an expensive machine and specially designed for larger drill bits such as 5/8″ to 2″ in diameter. It can quickly set the drill angle from 50 – 150 degrees with easy to read scale.
