Sharpening twist-drill bits

[Joel_BC]

This is the best video I've seen that teaches how to sharpen twist-drill bits. The guy who posted it explains a number of "why's" and "wherefore's" too, which helps you to better know what you're doing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GID_kRsWnZk&feature=g-vrec

Personal opinion: With small drill bits, it may generally make sense to just buy another one when a bit gets dull, especially if you live near a hardware or industrial-supply store. With larger high-quality bits, I think it pays to know how to sharpen bits in your own shop.

 

[the_whingnut]

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200445173_200445173

this will do small bits less the really small ones but if you have a deft hand you can hand file the number size ones.

this will do the 3/32 to 1/2 i have personally used one on job sites reworking 11m RHIBs and FFGs they are really good we would go through a grinding wheel for one in about a month but we sharpened 2-3 thousand bits in a month like 20 ppl using it daily. but that's when they were new on the market i've heard the quality has been hit or miss.

there is several items on the market that are just jigs that bolt to your grinder / work bench that holds the proper geometry.

I'll have to ask my machinist if he will throw in his 2 cents.