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hi can you believe harbor freight tools , 2 years ago i bought their $99.00 combo set . very good.. even last well drilling out broken exhaust studs. not a one missing from the set so far.

I have this simple sharpener/guide unit. Running in my drill press it leaves both hands free to manipulate the guide and bit (except when I'm taking a picture which is why you only see one hand below). It was cheap, about $7 or $8 when I bought it at Princess Auto (The Harbor Freight of the Great White North). They're on eBay for about $10. It works okay, better for large bits than smaller ones as the bigger ones are easier to hand onto and guide into the stone (double jointed thumbs don't help the situation!). Just a short lick against the stone puts a nice edge on a bit that has not been badly damaged but it will regrind a bit that is chipped. If you buy one you should grease the point where the shaft goes into the plastic for longer and more accurate life of the tool.

Bill

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Bill H
Winnipeg, MB, Canada

They've been cheap bits and the sharpening has been effective, but I've only done that a few times. Since you brought it up, I just inspected the file I've been using. You can see exactly where I've been filing and it is definately less aggressive in those areas, so I am ruining my file. Guess the bit is about the same hardness as those bits.

Also, on the hundreds of thousands of holes, I may have exagerated slightly. It was more like a brazillian. The companies I was working for did all the bit sharpening. Thanks Blue!

I am still using the machinist 115 piece HHS drill bit set in the gray metal box I bought back in 1970.
They make a cheap look alike today with gold nitrated bits for 39 bucks, in 1970 I paid an awful price of $150.
The nitrated drill bits are good value in a pinch but I find they don't resharpen more than 5 or 6 times and then they are junk.
You cant even try to re-harden them, but they are still good for quick, easy and cheap, then toss.

I also have a set of Norseman Magnum super premium that I use just in my 17 inch drill press only.
The drill press is 16 speeds which others have mentioned is essential for getting the most out of your drill bits as well as steel hole saws.
The pilot hole is almost always needed with a hand drill, not quite so much with a drill press though still a good idea.
I have some step drills as well, the cheaper 3 for ten bucks are good for 1/8 inch, if you want to do 3/8ths then pay the extra cost for a good step drill.

As mentioned I have also used a file for a quick sharp when in a hurry and a bench grinder for years.
But my daughter bought me a Drill Dr some time back and it is so easy it has made me lazy, great machine actually.
If you are drilling anything bigger than 1/8 use a lubricant.
Also don't use a drill bit to wallow the hole bigger, go to the next size up.

The bottom line as far as I am concerned is to buy good drill bits right up front, might be expensive as all get out, but over a lifetime it will be cheap and you wont have to sit forever waiting for the drill to go through something as it squeals away in agonizing pain..............

Al

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Super Seven 3.4

Wow great information guys. I think I will buy a nice set of drill bits from sears and get some type of sharpening tool whilst I am there also. I do have one of the step drill bit that I will have to try it looks more heavy duty. I also like the idea of short drill bits (half the length twice the strength and all that).

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2015 & 2016 EMod Florida State Autocross Champion
2013 & 2014 DSP Florida State Autocross Champion

Scrap Metal Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14558

I would go to HF long before Sears. I'd be willing to bet Sears drill bits are made over seas and are nothing special except they say Sears (my HF index has held up better than the Craftsman set I got for Christmas one year). I once overheard a wife tell her husband he couldn't have a HF jack because it was cheap junk and she would get him a good Craftsman one.....that just happened to be identical to the HF one except it was black and red and said Sears. As they say, a sucker is born every minute.

I know I said get good ones but I will admit the $40 index of titanium nitride coated bits from HF have been a great starter set. My rule has been that when a bit needs replaced it will be replaced by something good instead of another cheap bit. My common nominal sizes are all "upgraded" now but if I need a #23 bit, that inexpensive bit will do just fine.




I've also had good luck with center drills for getting holes started right on the middle of the center punch mark.

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-Andrew
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Youtube

For the past 25 years, I have made it a point to not shop at Sears, so I know nothing about their tool quality. The drill that I tried to file is an antique, purchased as part of a set in 1976 and there is certainly nothing wrong with it. About 20 years ago inherited a trove of commercial quality drills, taps, reamers, etc, that date back to the 50's, so I know little about modern tool quality.

Currently, my general impression with Harbor Freight is that if you stear clear of their cheapo "bargains", you will probably do okay. Years ago, most of their stuff was junk. No more. In fact, I'm very impressed with the quality of their socket wrench sets.

Bill

There is some good info here. Until a few months ago, I didn't think you could resharpen drill bits either. Someone who knows what they're doing (not me) should to a piece for these forums on sharpening drill bits.

I found some stuff on YouTube, even a guy who does it by eye with a stationary disk sander, but when you're a novice, you don't know who is following good practices and who is teaching you bad methods. Also, if you can reharden with simple heating like from a small, hand-held propane torch, that would be excellent to know as not all of us have Oxy/Accet welding torches.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

The tool steel used in the nitrate coated bits is usually too poor to harden, you need a quality steel bit to start with.
And to be honest about the only time one would go through all that is if you broke the bit off just past the hardened portion, then you can regrind the tip and re-harden that portion of the bit.
Considering the low cost of quality bits these days it doesn't always make sense unless you are really cheap, or out in the boon docks somewhere or just like to do it for the sake of it.
This all stuff we learned as kids in metal work class in school, how to dress screw drivers, hand sharpen saws etc
Years back if you dulled or broke something on a Sunday or in the evening, you couldn't just run to the store for another, at one time everything except gas stations and a few corner marts used to be closed at those times.

Al

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Super Seven 3.4

1. Check. Double Check actually.
2. Sometimes
3. Check

That's me!

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Bill H
Winnipeg, MB, Canada

I user the step drill that looks like a Christmas tree and I love it. It is very quick and you do not have to keep changing drill bits so I think I will be using that most of the time from now on. I think I got it for $3-$4 too so I cannot complain.

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2015 & 2016 EMod Florida State Autocross Champion
2013 & 2014 DSP Florida State Autocross Champion

Scrap Metal Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14558

1. where i live there aint no stores
2. what part of the drill bit is hardened
3. i always hand sharpen drill bits
4. unless the metal being drilled is really hard, speed and lubricant is critical
5. i have never seen a file for sharpening drills it will dull your file immediatly.
the problem i have is with the drill chuck not gripping the drill and causing a burr on the shank.

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this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.

The shank of the drill is soft, that is why you get burrs kicked up. It is also why you can grip the drill at all. I ususally remove burrs with a file. I have bent 1/4" drills to nearly a 90* angle (excitement!) in the area of the shank between the drill chuck and flutes.

I seldom use lubricant, I don't like the mess. It is much easier to lower the speed. A half inch drill rotating at 300-500 has a usuable life before needing resharping. Of course, I drill holes in onesies and twosies, so they live live a pretty stress free life.

Sounds like raceral's nitrated drills are case hardened. The ultimate cheapness!

Bill

So, what I think I'm getting here is that after you sharpen a drill bit, you don't necessarily have to re-harden the freshly exposed surfaces?

If I'm wrong, or if a person just wanted to do so, what would be the procedure to re-harden a typical, low cost drill bit once ground?

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

The main thing I watch for is not to heat up the bit to much when sharpening. This way the bit does not loose it's hardness.

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John - Slow and Steady. . . Well slow anyway
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