How to Hand Sharpen a Twist Drill

[EdK]

How small of a drill bit can you sharpen using this method?

Thanks,
Ed

[Mayhem]

(12-18-2012, 10:07 AM)EdK Wrote: How small of a drill bit can you sharpen using this method?

How good are your eyes? How steady are your hands?

[EdK]

(12-18-2012, 10:17 AM)Mayhem Wrote:

(12-18-2012, 10:07 AM)EdK Wrote: How small of a drill bit can you sharpen using this method?

How good are your eyes? How steady are your hands?

That's what I thought would be the answer.

Ed

[stevec]

I'd venture that if you sharpen a .500" drill with an 8" grinder you should sharpen a .050" drill with a .800" grinder. No?

[TomG]

Steve: The smaller drill require a fine grit aluminum oxide wheel. The diameter doesn't matter, but you need to be able to dress a razor sharp corner on it. I used to use a cup wheel on an engraving cutter grinder to do the small stuff. When my eyes were younger I could sharpen a .050" drill by eye, but those days are long gone.

Darren: Ask and ye shall receive. This is the actual drill that I sharpened in the video. Not bad, considering that most of it was done by feel.

Tom

[sasquatch]

Thanks for this Tom, great photography!!

[stevec]

(12-18-2012, 01:25 PM)TomG Wrote: Steve: The smaller drill require a fine grit aluminum oxide wheel. The diameter doesn't matter, but you need to be able to dress a razor sharp corner on it.

Thanks Tom, I didn't realize that.

[EdK]

(12-18-2012, 01:25 PM)TomG Wrote: Steve: The smaller drill require a fine grit aluminum oxide wheel. The diameter doesn't matter, but you need to be able to dress a razor sharp corner on it.

Tom

Tom,

You answered both of my questions about sharpening small bits. The grit needs to be finer and the edge of the wheel needs to be sharp.

Thanks!

Ed

[DaveH]

Tom,
A very useful video, nicely done

DaveH

[TomG]

Thanks guys.

Tom