I've been using my craftsman drill jig for years, always works. I've not had the same luck with the drill doctor. My jig is attached to a 12" disc sander and is specific for sharpening drill bits. Great little tool. Also since it was a gift from my father many years ago, it has sentimental value as well.
I've been using variations of the Craftsman jig for 35 years. I say variations for two reasons: 1. I've worn out several jigs of various makes, and 2. I've sharpened tens of thousands of drills (by which I mean tens of thousands of sharpenings). I've experienced no difficulty or danger in using the side of the grindstone. Wear it out? Certainly not. Phil Vardy
Thank you Halligan 142! I purchased the Sears Craftsman drill-bit grinding attachment years ago at a garage sale. Had no clue how to work it. Was going yo toss it on ebay but it looked like a serious piece of equipment thus I did a search on youtube and found your awesome tutorial on how to use this sharpener. So glad I did. Will be keeping it now that I know how to sharpen drill bits! Again, thank you very much for making this video and sharing your knowledge.
Thank you for the time you spent and your comments etc. great video, great conclusions. I generally use hand grinding to recover a badly damaged drill then use the craftsman to get everything finished off. Thanks again.
Great ! video buddy, thanks for sharing !!! :-D I found one of these older style things in my old man's shed, i didn't even know what it was, it was just sitting on a shelf, i googled it to figure out what it was, then i found your video when i was trying to figure how to use it, you've been a great help !!! now i just need to set it up & have a go ...
Your comments on the Sears jig at 29:19 about the grind marks going along the cutting edge is how new drills look. There is an advantage claimed that this prevent stress fractures of the cutting edge that can occur with normal hand held grinding. I have a video posted, on TH-cam, using a homemade jig, from Model Engineers magazine plans . The amount of pressure on the side of the wheel is so small that even after many hours of sharpening lots of drills, there is no sign of wear on the side face. I have looked for a diamond cup wheel, but they all seem such a small width, so I'm still with the normal wheel.
I've recently bought a craftsman jig and you can solve the 'grain' of the grind by simply chocking up the base with a block of wood so you grind against the top of the wheel rather than the side. then the grain goes perpendicular to the cutting edge.
Yeah, it would, but the wheel will make a burr on the edge, much better to mount it either on the lower part of the wheel so the cut is 'into' the edge.
Couldn't that then be solved by grinding with the bottom of the wheel? If you could lift the grinder high enough that is. I have a tool and cutter grinder so I can lift the wheel quite easily.
I have both the craftsman and a older drill doctor that I bought new on sale for 79 bucks. I didn't like the drill doctor at first but after playing with it for awhile I got it figured out and have good results with it but mainly use it for smaller bits and hand grind my large bits. Thanks for the review it's always interesting to see someone else's take on a product.
The old school tool is pretty awesome. I have a 1750 RPM bench grinder with scotch brite on one side, and the drill sharpening setup on the other side. I love it. -- I worked at a machine shop in college, and we used that kind of tool to sharpen twist drills bigger than 1/2". 1750 RPM grinder. The boss was an old man. Really interesting dude. He kept that shop perfect. He even sharpened the flutes. He had some metallurgical polishing tables in the back. He'd sharpen knives and carpentry tools on it. -- The smaller drills were sharpened with a Tormek. That machine made some wonderfully sharp drill bits.
I have one of the Craftsman units and never could understand how it worked. Looks pretty easy with your video. Now I want to go sharpen some of my dull bits, lol. Thanks for the video!
It made me smile to see a young sceptic come out in favour of the tool I first learned to use 50 years ago and dismissed as gimmicky, because now I'm old and my eyesight's fading and my hands shake too much for accurate hand grinding I've finally just got one too. :-)
I"ve been using my Drill DR for about 7 years. I have sharpened hundreds of bits. It's easy to set up and I don't have a problem with the alignment. I'm a fan.
I realize that I'm almost a year late in finding this video and contributing my two cents but, I feel the need to do so anyway. I use a slightly older version of your craftsman drill guide for all of my sharpening, and I think I can answer your question about the grain and address a few other things. The simple answer to your question of "will the difference in grain effect the drill in any way?" is no. Not at all. An extended explanation is that the grain isn't actually changed, the marks you see are just striations in the surface if the metal so they make no difference to the drill bit itself. Also I feel it's important to say that the craftsman drill guide isn't a perfect drill sharpener, it's just really good for the cost. I've compared the bits i sharpen to ones that were sharpened at work on a machine built just for sharpening drill bits and end mills and my best aren't quite on the same level as the ones sharpened at work. Also while its an okay sharpener out of the box as you displayed, its not infallible and can sometimes require a little finagling to get the best grind. All of that being said, I still believe the craftsman to be head and shoulders above any other off the shelf drill grinder available today.
So glad You made this video, showing the result. I tried to tell a few TH-camrs that the attachment is way better than anything else I have tried! That means - in the prize range that most of us here can afford. I guess they just didn't know how to use it? Even good old Mr.Pete threw his own attachment in the garbage, in one of his videos! LOL..:)
I borrowed a model 500 with no instruction book , the first bit I tried I ground it all the way down to a nubb without getting it right , Finally watched the youtube video and sharpened a box full of drill bits that have been dull for 20 yr's . I think it's a great tool .
I have been using the Craftsman unit for about 40 years and the DD 750x for about 3 days. Both work just fine. I also grind larger bits by hand, bench grinder, and drill gauge. That also works just fine. The DD is much faster with smaller bits. I do grind on the side of the wheel with the Craftsman unit, but with very light pressure, less than you were using in the video. All three methods are adjustable for relief angle, point angle, and evenness of cutting edge length, you just need to understand what affects what and change adjustments and technique until you get the results you want. Drillling harder materials requires less relief angle, softer materials require more relief angle, very soft materials like plastic require other measures to keep from digging in. Read, understand, practice, and feel the force, Luke.
:-) I can off hand grind bits it just takes me longer than I like and I botch anything smaller than 3/8. Again thats will come with time, but I had to try the shortcuts :-)
I had the exact same tool (Craftsman) in my shop, and, with a slightly finer grit wheel, I was turning out better cuts than some new bits. When Drill Doctor came out, I looked, saw the plastic, laughed and kept my Craftsman fixture. After awhile, I had guys with Drill Doctors bringing their trashed bits to me to dress them up. Wikid pissah good demonstration!
+DeserT BoB I paid full price and this guy should know that people often get what they pay for, that's for god damn sure! Perhaps this guy should not by a beat up piece of crap unit missing pieces for comparisons! The reason the Drill Doctor trashed your friends drill bits is because they were not smart enough to use it properly (I suggest they try reading the instructions). Because of the Drill Doctor, for the last, (oh damn, more than a decade and a half?) however long it has been, the only drill bits I buy are the ones too small to sharpen, those I have broken or sizes I do not yet have. The weekend I purchased it I spent 2 days resharpening a whole box of dull drill bits I had been collecting for most of my life and were unwilling to throw away. I'm still using some bits over 20 years old, all sharpened on an old as hell drill doctor, and on the same, original sharpening wheel!
That's good to know...knowledge is everything, but I did have three guys with Drill Doctors who had various problems with them, and I'd just dress up their bits for them and they were amazed by how well they cut after a ride in that old Craftsman fixture.
DeserT BoB The skill (dare I say art?) involved in sharpening a drill bit by hand visited me once, and only once. That drill seemed to be perfectly sharpened. Since that time I screwed up every bit I attempted to sharpen until I got that Drill Doctor. Now, when I start having an issue finding a drill bit close to the size I need, I sharpen a bunch that were dulled. It happens so infrequently, I have to reread the instructions every time.
archangel20031 before I got the Craftsman I use to sharpen my bits by hand in the old fashioned way, and you can spend a lot of time doing that unless you do it all the time. Toolmakers do this on a routine basis and do it everyday; they can practically do it without looking. Not so with me, I needed the Craftsman jig just hold the thing at the right angle.
mike alexander yes me too. It's now 2020 and I have just bought a British branded but obviously chineeseum copy with absolutely fucking crap instructions that says for a 59 degree grind you have to have the drill 50% of the diameter sticking out past the lip finger but then says the existing cutting edges must be vertical. But with half the diameter sticking out the drill rolls following the finger in the flute so I don't know which one I should set it to. Methinks if must be the cutting edge vertical, but I'm not sure. I will have to experiment.
I almost bought a DD about a thousand times. Even had one in the cart a few times and always ended up putting it back on the shelf. I've had the same Craftsman unit for 20some years. Though Rube Goldbergish, it works well. I like it for small bits with a fine wheel with a hand hone afterward that makes a big difference. I hand grind the larger ones with a homemade wood guage block and a Veritas grinding rest(HIGHLY! recommended) to check my angle. It's much faster but takes practice. I was watching Mr. Pete getting ready to review and confirm my good results with the Craftsman when he smashed it with a hammer, called it junk, and threw it in the trash. So go with what works. Thanks for the review. The DD will remain out of my cart for a while longer.
just few comments: about 40 yrs ago I was building an addition on my first house in Australia, I had a lot of 1/2" holes to drill in structural cleats and given the cost of tools in aus at the time and my relatively impecunious status at the I needed an inexpensive way to sharpen those 1/2" bits. n.b. I had no freehand sharpening chops then and still don't.. the only non-professional sharpening jigs available that I could find were the general(us) and the eclipse(eng), both of which were basically the same as the craftsman you demonstrated. I don't actually remember which I bought, but whilst it did work very well(results comparable to a new bit), I did find it tedious to set up. I might also mention I was using a white wheel on the grinder. skip forward to 2011 and I was building again, this time a 48'x40', approx 3000sf monitor style workshop. I went to the dd750x. its general functionality is similar to the dd you demonstrated, but in two sessions totaling about 4 hours over the two days following its arrival, I sharpened a grab box of about 100 bits ranging from about 3/16" to 1/2". I had none of the tedious functional difficulties you experienced with your older machine, and the results were excellent. I would have to say it takes a bit longer to learn to do split points well, but not much. it was taking you an extraordinarily long time to grind the test bits. did you check the condition of the grinding drum before you used it? you also said that you only had the 1/2" chuck, but you also said that the s&d bit was a 5/8", could this have been a source of your difficulties? perhaps you got a monday morning / friday afternoon machine. based on my experience with both sharpening methods, I think both can produce good results. for the safety reasons you pointed out, as well as its ease of use I prefer the drill doctor and can strongly recommend it! p.s. I have no association whatsoever with drill doctor nor with anyone who does.
I accept that grinding a drill by hand is considered the better way of sharpening but I've never mastered the technique - the majority of my mechanical engineering & machining is self taught as l'm an electrical and electronics engineer by profession. However, this has been a useful and interesting information on grinding jigs. I have often wondered if they are all their cracked up to be as one might help me to sharpen a drill bit instead of buying a new one all every time! If we started to trade using the currency of blunt or baldly sharpened drill bits, I'd be a millionaire! Thanks for this this informative video - keep them coming!
Just came across this video. I bought one of these Craftsman jigs a few years back on a whim (real cheap on eBay) but never used it. Need to break it out. I'm lousy at freehand grinding drill bits and do have a few bits in dire need of sharpening. Glad at this point I never bought a DD.
Good video. Great Price, $2.00. I just found this "Attachment" covered in dust in my Shop. Guessing my dad bought it over 22 years ago. Decided to watching these videos to figure how it works and if anyone thinks it is any good. I am impressed by the video results I have seen. I got some drills to sharpen. Thanks
I have had a craftsman jig for 40 years, I really like it. At the time I bought mine they sold a 6 inch wheel that is 1/2 inch thicker on one side and is made for side use. I still cannot see any wear on the wheel after all these years
I too had my Craftsman for 44 years using the same wheel on the side. No wear what so ever, as long as you don't hog the bit the wheel will last. At work I bought the M4 sharpener with the diamond wheel mount. That unit would do Micro to 1 1/4 bits. That cost was $1,400.00 30 years ago.
I find this very helpful since I've wondered about the veracity of the many claims of expensive sharpening devices, and it seems that "simplicity" wins again!
Use to sharpen by hand. Can't see well enough to do it nicely any more so I bought a Drill Doctor, Does a nice job for me. Takes a few bits to get it right.
So many people have explained exactly how to grind one by hand. In my years I use the 3 step method. You grind it and try about 3 times, and just about the third try it works perfect. Not good enough for NASA but I'm only drilling a hole.
I have a Picador drill sharpening jig that might just be the original version of the Craftsman. If you look at some of the dedicated drill grinding machines, they use the same geometry. They work far better if you don't use the back stop to advance the drill into the grinding wheel. Use the extension of the drill beyond the stop to set the chisel point to the right angle (it depends on the drill diameter), then advance the whole grinding jig into the wheel. Grind both flutes at the same advance setting to make both cutting edges the same length. Advancing the jig is the trick, ideally you want some kind of slide, but you can do it with the base slot and a push bolt. I'll post a link to a picture of a slide below. Every off hand grinder I've ever seen in a professional workshop has had clear evidence of grinding on the sides of the wheels and quite often has tool rests designed to make that possible. It's one of those 'lies to children' kind of things, rather than trying to train people properly to only do very light grinding on the side of a plain wheel, just tell them never to do it.
Paul Compton Nice little set up there. I've always been told to never grind on the side as everyone else has. I'm just leary of it because I've seen one grenade before. If I were to do it regularly I'd feel more comfortable with a wheel designed for it.
You did a really good comparison video. The outcome was a real surprise. I used the Craftsman sharpener some a long time ago but it was borrowed and had to go back to the owner. I think I will buy my own if they still sell them. Thanks for doing the comparison.
They are still available all over the world. You might want to skip the cheap chinese ones, though... I have one german, and one chinese. Guess which one is used here..:)
HI, Best I found so far, is hand grinding, with a gauge. As for the direction of the sharpening lines you can correct by changing the position where you grind on the wheel. Have the same problem about the relief angle on a Drill Doctor.... Drag, Big drag... Thanks for video, Pierre
I also have used the Craftsman for about 40 years and am well pleased. There was a recommended stone for the sharpener which I bought, it is 1 1/4 inches wide. At work they had one in the tool room about 3 times larger and could sharpen about a 2'' bit. I saw the same model in a hardware store made by Irwin, they probably made them for Sears.
We had a very similar side wheel sharpener in the metal shop class in high school (1960s), but we were not allowed to use it til we could sharpen them by hand. Just say'n.
I have had one of those Craftsman sharpeners for over thirty years. I purchased the extra thick grinding wheel to be used with it. I never did like it, no matter how you use it, there is a little guesswork with it. To me the smaller the bit, the more difficult to get a decent looking cutting tip. I have had a Drill Doctor 500 for over 5 years, love it, a good sharp bit EVERY time. My 2 cents worth.
I have a drill bit sharpener identical to your Craftsman one, except mine is General branded. On the Internet they are often referred to as "Bulldog Sharpeners". Because I think a company named Bulldog actually makes them. Anyhow, I have one, and like you I was concerned about the grind grain on mine. Thinking about it some I came up with a fixture I have mine on, and it puts the grinds perpendicular to the cutting edge, which is ideal. I also do not use that stop. What I do is I get the bit to contact the wheel, then make a few sweeps, then not moving the backstop, I rotate the bit, and do the identical number of sweeps on the other cutting lip. Using that method I can get the lips equal to each other. I use my Bulldog to just get the rough geometry on really messed up bits. Then I touch them up by hand, split the point, whatever I am looking for. So it all comes down to a bit of learned technique I suppose. I also have a dedicated depressed center wheel that I just use with the Bulldog grinder. It is a white wheel. So that helps with the results I get too. Here is a picture of my Bulldog and its setup i.imgur.com/mc7BQgn.jpg Because there is no way I can really describe it in text. But to get the grind angle right, that's what you have to do.
Don't knock "the old ways" of doing things! My gizmo is very similar, I think made by General or something. Anyways, I made a block that I screwed mine to, a block that raised the drills to the top centre of the wheel to get the grind marks perpendicular to the cutting edge of the bit. The jig stays screwed to the block & it's a quick matter to clamp the block and have at it. Just my 2 cents worth. Thanks for posting.
After having two DDs both the one you tested and it's newer style replacement I've decided that both were junk. Negative relief no matter what I did. Also have a General version of the jig you tested. Did not like using it with a normal grinder wheel so I set up a grinder using a tool grinder wheel instead. Talking about a wheel backed by a metal plate meant to be used on the side surface. Works great! Can sharpen a bit in 10% of the time it takes to fiddle with the DD. DDs will likely stay in the back of my tool cabinet unused forever.
I've got and old school one and it's the best, and mate, finally someone that did this right, you grind it down slowly slowly, not go in hard as, it's not a woman you know, while many say by hand is great, I need to remind you all the the center chisel can be out 20-30 thous out of center, why is this so important? if the center of the chisel is out therefore you're not drilling straight, it can wander off a little, if you can do it by hand accurately, I take my hat off to you, I'm not as good.
I have used the Craftsman type sharpening jig for 40 years (?) years and it works great. The light grinding that one does when sharpening a drill bit against the side of the wheel is simply not an issue. The drill sharpening fixture does get in the way of ordinary grinding wheel use and one day, I'll set up a dedicated drill sharpening station. The "grain" of the sharpening action has never caused a problem and side wear to the wheel is so slight as to be almost unnoticeable. The correct grinding wheel to use would be a cup wheel and I may use one when I set up my dedicated set up.
Thanks for making and sharing this video. Here in the UK back in the 1970's a firm named Martek brought out a black and red drill sharpener that works like your DD but uses an electric drill. Still got mine, I've sometimes spent days just sharpening dozens of blunt bits! Uses aluminium oxide wheels not diamond. I bought 3 Picador sharpeners (separately) like your craftsman, around the '70's too, but never got around to using them as my grinders are mounted on metal dexion frames and I'm lazy... Was very interested and had a faint hunch that the C might win, I don't like plastic in the workshop very much! Appreciated thank you. DD.
NIce vid. I have had both for many years. I use the DD more than the jig because I am fast with it. The jig is definitely much easier to get right. The DD takes some experience and finesse to make it work but once you get it figured out its useful. I use the jig on my belt grinder and mostly for fixing broken bits and larger bits.
I have had and used a sharpener like the craftsman, for over 35 years. The only thing that needs to be done. If you noticed the slotted hole were you had it clamped down. You need to adjust the little tang that position the drill in the vise, so that it is the radius or half the diameter of the drill, from the grinding stone. That is what changes the reliefs angles and changes the chisel point, witch you want as close to 90% as possible. It will sharpen your bits to better than new. I have a designated grinder for it and were it bolts down I have it marked were to set it for each size drill. When sharpness counts I would not use anything else.
I had the less expensive Drill Doctor, I had a Lowe's gift card one year and purchased it with it, the best of my memory my unit was about $75. I did not like it at all, so I but the bullet and purchased a used SRD off of eBay. The bad part it did not have the chuck, so I had to order one. Yes I have about $300 in my unit, but it works well. I need to make video demonstrate how well it works. The reason I wanted one of the drill grinder I have is the first shop I worked in had one and it was so darn simple to use, the drawback is a new one is a grand. You probably could set the drill jig up to use the front of the wheel, I don't see any reason why it would not work that way. You would just have to make a mount so it would line up in the center of the wheel. You will like the tool holders when you get them, you can get by with 300 to 400 RPM with that carbide you showed. In fact I have some of the same inserts.
***** Yes they are, I demonstrated mine in a video. They are simple machines but pricey. I still have a lot of cash tied up in my unit, but still I only have 1/3 the cost of a new one. The used ones on ebay that was complete was going for around $500 when I purchased mine.
I threw the drill doctor in the trash and started sharpening by hand, then found the old Snap-On 825 you have there. I like the 825! It won't hurt the wheel for many sharpening's , just set it up more toward the end of the wheel and replace the wheel when it gets about a 1/16th groove. I've seen some badly worn sided wheels I wouldn't get near, but they were using them.
I'm not surprised at all We had one at the Newport NEWS SHIPYARD that was shop made (milled stainless (cres) that was unreal similar to that craftsman one. Nice video Sir
I and a few of my colleagues have drill doctor 750x's and were all disappointed UNTIL, I discovered the omitted detail in the instructions that you keep turning the drill bit until the drill doctor is no longer taking any material off the bit. The DD starts at the back of the relief and works it's way to the cutting edge, so if you do not complete the process the relief is too shallow and the cutting edge is not cut at all, this sometime requires a re-setting of the depth if not enough material is removed to get an even grind from the back of the relief to the cutting edge. I can get a successful grind by hand, but my eyes are not what they used to be and the drill doctor is far more accurate especially for smaller bits. I am happy with mine as are my colleagues now we know how to get the best out of it.
I notice in the user manual for the Craftsman jig, it says to only use grinding wheels engineered for using the side for grinding. Maybe they existed when the manual was written, but nowadays at least, Norton just blanket says not to grind on the side. So that's an abrasive company who doesn't seem to think side-grinding wheels are a viable product now. I wonder how feasible it would be to modify one of the Craftsman jigs for sharpening HSS lathe bits.
I got one of these at a garage sale, in a junk box, for $5 with an assortment of stuff. I really didn't know how to use it. Thanks, me, and my buddy outsidescrewball, will get plenty of use with the fixture.
I have had my General drill grinder for years works perfect and and is still hanging in there The Drill Dr lasted a month cut the cord off saved the cord trashed the Drill Dr !
I have also used one of those craftsman type jigs at a job I used to work at. It was branded as general...what a POS the Drill Doctor is way ahead of it. The only negative I can say about DD is it is plastic and prone to wear. it is a good practice to clean the grinding dust out of it occasionally with a vacuum.
The guy that designed the craftsman jig is a genius. From what I see on the video, the principle is solid; it's the actual implementation what is lacking. It's just not rigid enough to ensure good results.
Thanks for showing the sharpeners. That was great. From what I saw, I think I will continue to replace dull and damaged bits with new ones. Maybe we'll come across a sharpener that is easy to set up, and use. That actually works. Maybe do a show on how to sharpen bits by hand.
I can easily touch up a drill bit on a bench grinder, but if the cutting edge is really messed up and or the angle is off by a fair amount, I like the grinder jig cause it helps get the angle right, I have had the issue of the cutting edge being slightly longer than the other one. I only got the jig a couple days ago so I'm still learning how to use it. But it seems great so far for a hobbiest
Hi, My mentor used to sharpen drill bits by hand. I used to watch him, but could never figure out what he was doing or how. He never really explained things out. One day i found a picture showing how to present the drill bit to the grinder wheel. I drew a line on the grinder table and started grinding a drill bit and would check it with the gauge. To make the story short, my first bit turned out just great. Have been sharpening by hand ever since. I can do it better than a drill doctor, or just as good. Give it a try its faster by hand also. Wayne
***** Get a magnifying visor, then little bits look bigger. When bits are really small I wear my visor and use an arm magnifier at the same time. Yeah I'm getting old, I know. Did I mention I wear reading glasses under the visor? Windex is a popular chemical in my shop anymore here.
That sears sharpening. Device is a great tool. I have been using one for over 30 years. Had many other types all eventually broke. Still have and use the sears unit. As a matter of fact it's still hooked to the same grinder I bought then. if you watch the operation it will help you get the motion down so you can do a great job of sharpening by hand. Don't knock the simple tools imagined technology is not always better. A mistake often made.
Thanks! Nice video. I just want to say if one doesn't own one of these...they can sharpen the drill bits by hand, using a bench grinder. I have yet to use a drill sharpener that works as good as I can do by hand...but then again I must have sharpened over 500 drill bits , since 1987. Enjoying conventional machining all these years. Still doing it (working for company...never owned a business myself) Peace.
grind on the wheel’s face (outer diameter) only. Side grinding is NOT allowed. I know a guy who got his thumb blown off when the grinding wheel exploded as it has a small crack in it that he did not see. when you grind on the side you can cause uneven wear and run the risk of breaking the wheel. I use a drill chuck with a handle on it to grind small round rods to give better control and to keep my hands away from the stone.
Great vid. I also have a Craftsman 6677 I picked up for $3 at a community yard sale back in 2008. This came in the original box with original instructions and appeared never to have been used. It seems to be a late 1970s version since OSHA is mentioned. These instructions also show grinding against the edge of the wheel and state to only use specially engineered wheels for side grinding. I haven't done much with it as I simultaneously learned how to hand grind my larger drills (3/8" - 1") using a 1" x 30" Delta belt sander. But I need to start grinding smaller bits now down to 3/16". Small bits are a lot harder to grind correctly by hand. I think I'll pull out the Craftsman jig and set it up again. Printed in USA, Made In USA... And forty plus years later the finish is still better than Chinese junk straight out of the box, let alone the quality of construction. The original box was much better, too. We have been royally deceived and screwed by (non) Free Trade...
Looks like these follow the "K.I.S.S." principle, thanks for the down and dirty demo! Very kind of you to put your money into this demo and helping folks save money and their tools. I hope your Summer isn't a killer with too many installs and rush repairs...I've yet to run any A/C this year, and it's going to be in the 70's through May, which is ultra-rare here in the San Joaquin valley in Northern Cali! Usually it's hit 100F' by now at least once. The first time in my 7 Summers on the mainland that this has happened. How are things back East? Aloha...Chuck at Knolltop.Farms
Weird weather everywhere, even the few of my friends in Hawaii who have fireplaces were lighting them today because it got down to 58F', which for people used to a lows in the 70's is chilly, LOL! Thanks for the reply and I'll see you online soon...Aloha, Chuck
I tought about it : if you want the grain "grindwise" put the device in the middle center of the wheel on top center thus the marks will be grindwise , for the flutes lenght differnce it might be because the foot of the device is not perfectly square to the wheel
I think you could mount the craftsman one at 90 degrees, i.e. clamp it to a vertical surface instead of the table, so you swing up-down instead of left-right. That way you could use the front of the wheel and get the grind perpendicular to the edge
Hey Halligan, there is a Russian guy on YT who does absolutely brilliant lathe videos and also has a 10+ video series specifically on bench grinders and drill sharpening by hand. It is in Russian but quite self explanatory, once you watch his videos you'll never need a jig ever again.
I have both of those tools but the drill dr is the new one. The Dr works great the new spring clips part works a lot better and the adjustment on the angle is easy. Drill Dr also has a left handed chuck for left handed drill bits. I used the other type with my belt/disc sander on the disc side and it work alright but I can go much faster with the drill dr.
I use a drill doctor on the smaller bits. On the larger bits I made a guide for the bench grinder. I can do them real fast on a bench grinder with the guide.
I think one of the conceits of the designer of the Drill Doctor was that he wanted the bit setting jig to be an integral part of the machine. He might have made the decision to make a separate unit. It's just injection molded plastic. But his call, I guess.
All you have to do to get the grind perpendicular to the cutting edge is set the gizmo up so it's grinding directly above, or directly below, center on the wheel. To do that, I had to raise my grinder a couple of inches. Nothing to it.
When I saw the craftsman drill holder I knew it would work better by the way the stops work . Next time you use it do both flutes each time you set the stop . I think you'll find your angles are closer . The Craftsman holder looks and works like the ones the big tool guys use .
I'd bet if you looked at the edges under a microscope you would see the drs edges are sawtoothed since you can see the grind marks.. by sharpening parallel to the edge, the craftsman jig leaves a more consistent edge. Thanks for a good comparison !
It has been my experience that all drill grinder have their own technique and learning curve. I have a DD-750 that I use on small bits and a Lisle drill grinder #91000 that I use for the larger bits 5/16" up to 1-1/4", anything larger than that I grind by hand on the 10" pedestal grinder. The DD-750 works very well on the smaller bits and is quick to set up and operate. The Lisle 91000 works very well on the larger bits quite fast. It looked like your DD-750 had been abused at some time in it's life. They are made out of plastic and need to be treated as such. I have been using my DD-750 for about 15 years now and can't even tell you how many diamond wheels I have used in it over the years, it still works just fine. I know a lot of shops don't bother sharpening their small bits simply because they are so cheap to buy in bulk packs. Joe in Minneapolis MN.
You can buy a thin 8" diamond coated steel lap wheel for about $15 on EBay. Maybe it could be used in place of the big grinding wheel, or use it stacked against the side of the big grinding wheel. They come in many sizes and grits.
I just picked up a general 825 grinding attachment.still practicing but I already like it for medium size bits but still botching the small ones.and I mounted it in front of a disc sander which is meant for face grinding.
I have a craftsman drill jig that has a date on it of 1948. And it works great in fact I have gave my DD to my neighbor, because it will not sharpen 1" drills. Also I did buy a stone for my 6" bench grinder that is made to take more force on the side. I use a very fine stone. Also i have a belt sander that I tried this on and it really does not do as good of job. Love the videos, I'm just getting into the video thing.
I have Drill Doctor just like you tested. I could not disagree with you more. I routinely sharpen drill bits to use on my cnc machines and have never had a problem. the chips are even and the cut is true. one of the setup tricks is to wiggle the bit ( by rotating it back and forth) in the spring alignment jaws till it finds the true center before tightening the clamp. Also if you want a true hole never force such a large drill thru any material without a pilot hole....there is simply too much surface area combined with low surface speed in the "center" of drill bits to put them in a cut without a pilot hole. that is the main reason to split the point on any drill bit that drills a start hole...ugh
Did you figure out you're not missing any piece on the point splitter hole, There is a Very tiny triangle(arrow) on the side of the hole in line with the #4 marking, (insert dill chuck directly) You can sharpen your bits in the more precise drill jig but then use the drill doctor to make any drill a split point.
The new Drill Doctor design is much better. With that said I still prefer to grind larger bits by hand and use the Doctor for smaller ones. Works very well I think.
I had a Drill Doctor 500X and likewise was unimpressed with it's performance. It seemed to be very hit or miss, and even the bits that did get cut correctly, I just didn't trust to use for precision machining work. I was one of those suckers who paid for it new too. Anyway, I am glad to see I'm not the only one unimpressed with these sharpeners.
Just subscribed to your channel - it was mentioned by Abom recently.Great video Greg. I have just started using a craftsman type jig I bought over 20 years ago. I was put off by the look of it and it sat unused for years - but since I have tried it I am quite impressed with the results. I am thinking about mounting it on its side on a 90 degree bracket which will change the side to side swing to an up and down swing to be used on the front face of the grinding wheel - much safer. I wish that there was an improved and better quality, larger size unit available - possibly a future project.
Now we need to figure out how to diamond dress the side of the grind stone. lol The belt sander would be the way to go. Great comparison video. I have just bought one of the newer Sears type attachments. I plan on using it with a belt sander. I've got a 25% off coupon for a HF 1" belt sander. Once again, great video.
i liked your video. most grinding wheel mfgs willl tell you not to side grind. i had a craftsman type drill grinder for many years set up on a dedicated grinder with a wheel designed for side grinding and it did a pretty good job. i got a drill doctor 750x some years ago and i love it . i have had none of the problems you discussed and it drill holes on size with even chips. if a drill is damaged or i want to change the angle, i will hand grind the point as close as i can get and then use the drill doctor it saves a lot of time. i can typically sharpen a dull bit in less than a minute. i usually stockpile dull bits and when i get a pile i will do then all at one time. drill doctor tells you to count your grind cycles and quit on even numbers so you get an even grind on both flutes. dont be so quick to give up on yours.
I’ve always found drill sharpeners and jigs to be more hassle than it’s worth. Free hand sharpening on a bench grinder takes far less time and gets just as good of results with some practice. If your only using drill bits every once and a while and only occasionally sharpening them a jig is fine. but I’ve personally found it takes too much time when you drill a lot of holes and sharpen bits often to use a jig
you can use it with a belt sander with a disc on the side and they work great with a little practice you can sharpen any drill in seconds i have used one for years and i was taught to do it by hand when i did my apprenticeship
My two cents worth... There are extremely few TH-cam videos 36 minutes long that will hold my attention. Yours met the standard! I want to go yard saleing with you. A drill Doctor 750 for $15 and a brand new craftsman grinding attachment for $2 is incredible. I own and use both devices, I agree the Craftsman is superior. Don't be afraid to use the side of your grinding wheel. But you might want to try a wheel of finer grit, as yours is very coarse. Still, you got a very good result with it.
Take a good look at the grinding wheel if you buy a used DD. It could be worn out or grooved. I grind larger bits by hand but I need a DD or a gig for smaller bits, my eyes aren't what they used to be.
Ive been using the craftsman sharpening jig for over 25 years.. the best money ive ever spent. .. I always have sharp bits that last. by the way.. there are stones for sale that are designed for sharpening on the flat side..$27.00..Happy drilling..
A properly sharpened drill will produce holes that are not only on size, but use very little feed pressure and doe equal chipping and will create very little burr.
Rob: No matter how skilled you may be ,you will never sharpen a bit with any jig as accurate and precise as the DRILL DOCTOR. The designers really did their homework on this one. I own the 250 model.,it works flawlessly ! This is NOT a ' nonsense device ' !!!!
have worked at a metal factory where they grind almost everything by hand. and i bet they have more years of experience then the drill doctor exist. they would choose hand grinding before drill doctor anytime.
The grain of the metal has not changed. Just seeing fine scratches and grinder marks in the drill bit tip. I have a drill dr and honestly I wouldn’t give a nickel for a wheel barrel full of them.
yes, you were right the grinding jig is a little unsafe; that's why they invented tool / cutter grinders & universal grinders ( do similar things but they have heavier castings and wheels designed for this type of contact with parts)- note: tormech sells a cnc surface grinder (fairly cheap compared with the grinders fore mentioned ) that you can rig a drill onto an indexing fixture, which allows the angular adjustment required , just place the fixture on the magnetic chuck of the surface grinder.
I have that same drill doctor and there is nothing on the other side and I bought it new so I don't think there is anything that goes there. You can buy all the chucks at Drill Doctor's web site or amazon.
I've been using my craftsman drill jig for years, always works. I've not had the same luck with the drill doctor. My jig is attached to a 12" disc sander and is specific for sharpening drill bits. Great little tool.
Also since it was a gift from my father many years ago, it has sentimental value as well.
I've been using variations of the Craftsman jig for 35 years. I say variations for two reasons: 1. I've worn out several jigs of various makes, and 2. I've sharpened tens of thousands of drills (by which I mean tens of thousands of sharpenings). I've experienced no difficulty or danger in using the side of the grindstone. Wear it out? Certainly not. Phil Vardy
Thank you Halligan 142! I purchased the Sears Craftsman drill-bit grinding attachment years ago at a garage sale. Had no clue how to work it. Was going yo toss it on ebay but it looked like a serious piece of equipment thus I did a search on youtube and found your awesome tutorial on how to use this sharpener. So glad I did. Will be keeping it now that I know how to sharpen drill bits! Again, thank you very much for making this video and sharing your knowledge.
Thank you for the time you spent and your comments etc. great video, great conclusions. I generally use hand grinding to recover a badly damaged drill then use the craftsman to get everything finished off. Thanks again.
Great ! video buddy, thanks for sharing !!! :-D I found one of these older style things in my old man's shed, i didn't even know what it was, it was just sitting on a shelf, i googled it to figure out what it was, then i found your video when i was trying to figure how to use it, you've been a great help !!! now i just need to set it up & have a go ...
Your comments on the Sears jig at 29:19 about the grind marks going along the cutting edge is how new drills look. There is an advantage claimed that this prevent stress fractures of the cutting edge that can occur with normal hand held grinding.
I have a video posted, on TH-cam, using a homemade jig, from Model Engineers magazine plans . The amount of pressure on the side of the wheel is so small that even after many hours of sharpening lots of drills, there is no sign of wear on the side face. I have looked for a diamond cup wheel, but they all seem such a small width, so I'm still with the normal wheel.
I've recently bought a craftsman jig and you can solve the 'grain' of the grind by simply chocking up the base with a block of wood so you grind against the top of the wheel rather than the side. then the grain goes perpendicular to the cutting edge.
Yeah, it would, but the wheel will make a burr on the edge, much better to mount it either on the lower part of the wheel so the cut is 'into' the edge.
Couldn't that then be solved by grinding with the bottom of the wheel? If you could lift the grinder high enough that is. I have a tool and cutter grinder so I can lift the wheel quite easily.
I have both the craftsman and a older drill doctor that I bought new on sale for 79 bucks. I didn't like the drill doctor at first but after playing with it for awhile I got it figured out and have good results with it but mainly use it for smaller bits and hand grind my large bits. Thanks for the review it's always interesting to see someone else's take on a product.
The old school tool is pretty awesome. I have a 1750 RPM bench grinder with scotch brite on one side, and the drill sharpening setup on the other side. I love it.
-- I worked at a machine shop in college, and we used that kind of tool to sharpen twist drills bigger than 1/2". 1750 RPM grinder. The boss was an old man. Really interesting dude. He kept that shop perfect. He even sharpened the flutes. He had some metallurgical polishing tables in the back. He'd sharpen knives and carpentry tools on it.
-- The smaller drills were sharpened with a Tormek. That machine made some wonderfully sharp drill bits.
I have one of the Craftsman units and never could understand how it worked. Looks pretty easy with your video. Now I want to go sharpen some of my dull bits, lol. Thanks for the video!
The best comparison video on youtube about drill sharpening jig!
It made me smile to see a young sceptic come out in favour of the tool I first learned to use 50 years ago and dismissed as gimmicky, because now I'm old and my eyesight's fading and my hands shake too much for accurate hand grinding I've finally just got one too. :-)
I"ve been using my Drill DR for about 7 years. I have sharpened hundreds of bits. It's easy to set up and I don't have a problem with the alignment. I'm a fan.
I realize that I'm almost a year late in finding this video and contributing my two cents but, I feel the need to do so anyway. I use a slightly older version of your craftsman drill guide for all of my sharpening, and I think I can answer your question about the grain and address a few other things. The simple answer to your question of "will the difference in grain effect the drill in any way?" is no. Not at all. An extended explanation is that the grain isn't actually changed, the marks you see are just striations in the surface if the metal so they make no difference to the drill bit itself. Also I feel it's important to say that the craftsman drill guide isn't a perfect drill sharpener, it's just really good for the cost. I've compared the bits i sharpen to ones that were sharpened at work on a machine built just for sharpening drill bits and end mills and my best aren't quite on the same level as the ones sharpened at work. Also while its an okay sharpener out of the box as you displayed, its not infallible and can sometimes require a little finagling to get the best grind. All of that being said, I still believe the craftsman to be head and shoulders above any other off the shelf drill grinder available today.
So glad You made this video, showing the result. I tried to tell a few TH-camrs that the attachment is way better than anything else I have tried! That means - in the prize range that most of us here can afford. I guess they just didn't know how to use it? Even good old Mr.Pete threw his own attachment in the garbage, in one of his videos! LOL..:)
I saw that video too. When I saw this at the toolstore I just had to buy it and play with it.
I borrowed a model 500 with no instruction book , the first bit I tried I ground it all the way down to a nubb without getting it right , Finally watched the youtube video and sharpened a box full of drill bits that have been dull for 20 yr's . I think it's a great tool .
I have been using the Craftsman unit for about 40 years and the DD 750x for about 3 days. Both work just fine. I also grind larger bits by hand, bench grinder, and drill gauge. That also works just fine. The DD is much faster with smaller bits. I do grind on the side of the wheel with the Craftsman unit, but with very light pressure, less than you were using in the video. All three methods are adjustable for relief angle, point angle, and evenness of cutting edge length, you just need to understand what affects what and change adjustments and technique until you get the results you want. Drillling harder materials requires less relief angle, softer materials require more relief angle, very soft materials like plastic require other measures to keep from digging in. Read, understand, practice, and feel the force, Luke.
:-) I can off hand grind bits it just takes me longer than I like and I botch anything smaller than 3/8. Again thats will come with time, but I had to try the shortcuts :-)
I had the exact same tool (Craftsman) in my shop, and, with a slightly finer grit wheel, I was turning out better cuts than some new bits. When Drill Doctor came out, I looked, saw the plastic, laughed and kept my Craftsman fixture. After awhile, I had guys with Drill Doctors bringing their trashed bits to me to dress them up. Wikid pissah good demonstration!
Ha Thanks!
+DeserT BoB
I paid full price and this guy should know that people often get what they pay for, that's for god damn sure!
Perhaps this guy should not by a beat up piece of crap unit missing pieces for comparisons!
The reason the Drill Doctor trashed your friends drill bits is because they were not smart enough to use it properly (I suggest they try reading the instructions).
Because of the Drill Doctor, for the last, (oh damn, more than a decade and a half?) however long it has been, the only drill bits I buy are the ones too small to sharpen, those I have broken or sizes I do not yet have.
The weekend I purchased it I spent 2 days resharpening a whole box of dull drill bits I had been collecting for most of my life and were unwilling to throw away.
I'm still using some bits over 20 years old, all sharpened on an old as hell drill doctor, and on the same, original sharpening wheel!
That's good to know...knowledge is everything, but I did have three guys with Drill Doctors who had various problems with them, and I'd just dress up their bits for them and they were amazed by how well they cut after a ride in that old Craftsman fixture.
DeserT BoB The skill (dare I say art?) involved in sharpening a drill bit by hand visited me once, and only once.
That drill seemed to be perfectly sharpened.
Since that time I screwed up every bit I attempted to sharpen until I got that Drill Doctor.
Now, when I start having an issue finding a drill bit close to the size I need, I sharpen a bunch that were dulled.
It happens so infrequently, I have to reread the instructions every time.
archangel20031 before I got the Craftsman I use to sharpen my bits by hand in the old fashioned way, and you can spend a lot of time doing that unless you do it all the time. Toolmakers do this on a routine basis and do it everyday; they can practically do it without looking. Not so with me, I needed the Craftsman jig just hold the thing at the right angle.
i really wish you could make a more in depth video about setting up the craftsman jig
mike alexander yes me too. It's now 2020 and I have just bought a British branded but obviously chineeseum copy with absolutely fucking crap instructions that says for a 59 degree grind you have to have the drill 50% of the diameter sticking out past the lip finger but then says the existing cutting edges must be vertical. But with half the diameter sticking out the drill rolls following the finger in the flute so I don't know which one I should set it to. Methinks if must be the cutting edge vertical, but I'm not sure. I will have to experiment.
I almost bought a DD about a thousand times. Even had one in the cart a few times and always ended up putting it back on the shelf. I've had the same Craftsman unit for 20some years. Though Rube Goldbergish, it works well. I like it for small bits with a fine wheel with a hand hone afterward that makes a big difference. I hand grind the larger ones with a homemade wood guage block and a Veritas grinding rest(HIGHLY! recommended) to check my angle. It's much faster but takes practice. I was watching Mr. Pete getting ready to review and confirm my good results with the Craftsman when he smashed it with a hammer, called it junk, and threw it in the trash. So go with what works. Thanks for the review. The DD will remain out of my cart for a while longer.
I was the same way. Could never bring myself to buy it and now glad I didn't.
just few comments:
about 40 yrs ago I was building an addition on my first house in Australia, I had a lot of 1/2" holes to drill in structural cleats and given the cost of tools in aus at the time and my relatively impecunious status at the I needed an inexpensive way to sharpen those 1/2" bits. n.b. I had no freehand sharpening chops then and still don't.. the only non-professional sharpening jigs available that I could find were the general(us) and the eclipse(eng), both of which were basically the same as the craftsman you demonstrated. I don't actually remember which I bought, but whilst it did work very well(results comparable to a new bit), I did find it tedious to set up. I might also mention I was using a white wheel on the grinder.
skip forward to 2011 and I was building again, this time a 48'x40', approx 3000sf monitor style workshop. I went to the dd750x. its general functionality is similar to the dd you demonstrated, but in two sessions totaling about 4 hours over the two days following its arrival, I sharpened a grab box of about 100 bits ranging from about 3/16" to 1/2". I had none of the tedious functional difficulties you experienced with your older machine, and the results were excellent. I would have to say it takes a bit longer to learn to do split points well, but not much.
it was taking you an extraordinarily long time to grind the test bits. did you check the condition of the grinding drum before you used it?
you also said that you only had the 1/2" chuck, but you also said that the s&d bit was a 5/8", could this have been a source of your difficulties? perhaps you got a monday morning / friday afternoon machine.
based on my experience with both sharpening methods, I think both can produce good results. for the safety reasons you pointed out, as well as its ease of use I prefer the drill doctor and can strongly recommend it!
p.s. I have no association whatsoever with drill doctor nor with anyone who does.
I accept that grinding a drill by hand is considered the better way of sharpening but I've never mastered the technique - the majority of my mechanical engineering & machining is self taught as l'm an electrical and electronics engineer by profession. However, this has been a useful and interesting information on grinding jigs. I have often wondered if they are all their cracked up to be as one might help me to sharpen a drill bit instead of buying a new one all every time! If we started to trade using the currency of blunt or baldly sharpened drill bits, I'd be a millionaire!
Thanks for this this informative video - keep them coming!
Thanks for doing this video. I have one of those craftsman jigs but could not figure out exactly how to do this. THANKS.
Just came across this video. I bought one of these Craftsman jigs a few years back on a whim (real cheap on eBay) but never used it. Need to break it out. I'm lousy at freehand grinding drill bits and do have a few bits in dire need of sharpening.
Glad at this point I never bought a DD.
Good video. Great Price, $2.00. I just found this "Attachment" covered in dust in my Shop. Guessing my dad bought it over 22 years ago. Decided to watching these videos to figure how it works and if anyone thinks it is any good. I am impressed by the video results I have seen. I got some drills to sharpen.
Thanks
I have had a craftsman jig for 40 years, I really like it. At the time I bought mine they sold a 6 inch wheel that is 1/2 inch thicker on one side and is made for side use. I still cannot see any wear on the wheel after all these years
I too had my Craftsman for 44 years using the same wheel on the side. No wear what so ever, as long as you don't hog the bit the wheel will last. At work I bought the M4 sharpener with the diamond wheel mount. That unit would do Micro to 1 1/4 bits. That cost was $1,400.00 30 years ago.
I find this very helpful since I've wondered about the veracity of the many claims of expensive sharpening devices, and it seems that "simplicity" wins again!
Use to sharpen by hand. Can't see well enough to do it nicely any more so I bought a Drill Doctor, Does a nice job for me. Takes a few bits to get it right.
So many people have explained exactly how to grind one by hand. In my years I use the 3 step method. You grind it and try about 3 times, and just about the third try it works perfect. Not good enough for NASA but I'm only drilling a hole.
I have a Picador drill sharpening jig that might just be the original version of the Craftsman. If you look at some of the dedicated drill grinding machines, they use the same geometry.
They work far better if you don't use the back stop to advance the drill into the grinding wheel. Use the extension of the drill beyond the stop to set the chisel point to the right angle (it depends on the drill diameter), then advance the whole grinding jig into the wheel. Grind both flutes at the same advance setting to make both cutting edges the same length.
Advancing the jig is the trick, ideally you want some kind of slide, but you can do it with the base slot and a push bolt. I'll post a link to a picture of a slide below.
Every off hand grinder I've ever seen in a professional workshop has had clear evidence of grinding on the sides of the wheels and quite often has tool rests designed to make that possible. It's one of those 'lies to children' kind of things, rather than trying to train people properly to only do very light grinding on the side of a plain wheel, just tell them never to do it.
www.gta.igs.net/~wyliecoyote/drilljig.jpg
Paul Compton Nice little set up there. I've always been told to never grind on the side as everyone else has. I'm just leary of it because I've seen one grenade before. If I were to do it regularly I'd feel more comfortable with a wheel designed for it.
You did a really good comparison video. The outcome was a real surprise. I used the Craftsman sharpener some a long time ago but it was borrowed and had to go back to the owner. I think I will buy my own if they still sell them. Thanks for doing the comparison.
They are still available all over the world. You might want to skip the cheap chinese ones, though... I have one german, and one chinese. Guess which one is used here..:)
Enco has them listed in their catalog. Probably Chinese origin, but they are all over e-bay.
I saved myself 35 minutes and just watched the last minute, everything is there.
HI,
Best I found so far, is hand grinding, with a gauge.
As for the direction of the sharpening lines you can correct by changing the position where you grind on the wheel.
Have the same problem about the relief angle on a Drill Doctor.... Drag, Big drag...
Thanks for video, Pierre
I also have used the Craftsman for about 40 years and am well pleased. There was a recommended stone for the sharpener which I bought, it is 1 1/4 inches wide. At work they had one in the tool room about 3 times larger and could sharpen about a 2'' bit. I saw the same model in a hardware store made by Irwin, they probably made them for Sears.
We had a very similar side wheel sharpener in the metal shop class in high school (1960s), but we were not allowed to use it til we could sharpen them by hand. Just say'n.
I have had one of those Craftsman sharpeners for over thirty years. I purchased the extra thick grinding wheel to be used with it. I never did like it, no matter how you use it, there is a little guesswork with it. To me the smaller the bit, the more difficult to get a decent looking cutting tip. I have had a Drill Doctor 500 for over 5 years, love it, a good sharp bit EVERY time. My 2 cents worth.
I have a drill bit sharpener identical to your Craftsman one, except mine is General branded. On the Internet they are often referred to as "Bulldog Sharpeners". Because I think a company named Bulldog actually makes them.
Anyhow, I have one, and like you I was concerned about the grind grain on mine. Thinking about it some I came up with a fixture I have mine on, and it puts the grinds perpendicular to the cutting edge, which is ideal.
I also do not use that stop. What I do is I get the bit to contact the wheel, then make a few sweeps, then not moving the backstop, I rotate the bit, and do the identical number of sweeps on the other cutting lip. Using that method I can get the lips equal to each other.
I use my Bulldog to just get the rough geometry on really messed up bits. Then I touch them up by hand, split the point, whatever I am looking for. So it all comes down to a bit of learned technique I suppose.
I also have a dedicated depressed center wheel that I just use with the Bulldog grinder. It is a white wheel. So that helps with the results I get too. Here is a picture of my Bulldog and its setup i.imgur.com/mc7BQgn.jpg
Because there is no way I can really describe it in text. But to get the grind angle right, that's what you have to do.
Don't knock "the old ways" of doing things! My gizmo is very similar, I think made by General or something. Anyways, I made a block that I screwed mine to, a block that raised the drills to the top centre of the wheel to get the grind marks perpendicular to the cutting edge of the bit. The jig stays screwed to the block & it's a quick matter to clamp the block and have at it. Just my 2 cents worth. Thanks for posting.
After having two DDs both the one you tested and it's newer style replacement I've decided that both were junk. Negative relief no matter what I did. Also have a General version of the jig you tested. Did not like using it with a normal grinder wheel so I set up a grinder using a tool grinder wheel instead. Talking about a wheel backed by a metal plate meant to be used on the side surface. Works great! Can sharpen a bit in 10% of the time it takes to fiddle with the DD. DDs will likely stay in the back of my tool cabinet unused forever.
+Gerry Masterman Yeah my DD has been taking up room. Time to send it off to pasture.
+Gerry Masterman Do you want to sell them for cheap?
Gerry Masterman :
I've got and old school one and it's the best, and mate, finally someone that did this right, you grind it down slowly slowly, not go in hard as, it's not a woman you know, while many say by hand is great, I need to remind you all the the center chisel can be out 20-30 thous out of center, why is this so important? if the center of the chisel is out therefore you're not drilling straight, it can wander off a little, if you can do it by hand accurately, I take my hat off to you, I'm not as good.
I have used the Craftsman type sharpening jig for 40 years (?) years and it works great. The light grinding that one does when sharpening a drill bit against the side of the wheel is simply not an issue. The drill sharpening fixture does get in the way of ordinary grinding wheel use and one day, I'll set up a dedicated drill sharpening station.
The "grain" of the sharpening action has never caused a problem and side wear to the wheel is so slight as to be almost unnoticeable. The correct grinding wheel to use would be a cup wheel and I may use one when I set up my dedicated set up.
Thanks for making and sharing this video. Here in the UK back in the 1970's a firm named Martek brought out a black and red drill sharpener that works like your DD but uses an electric drill. Still got mine, I've sometimes spent days just sharpening dozens of blunt bits! Uses aluminium oxide wheels not diamond.
I bought 3 Picador sharpeners (separately) like your craftsman, around the '70's too, but never got around to using them as my grinders are mounted on metal dexion frames and I'm lazy...
Was very interested and had a faint hunch that the C might win, I don't like plastic in the workshop very much! Appreciated thank you. DD.
Craft an jig, the CLEAR winner. And I have one ;)
NIce vid. I have had both for many years. I use the DD more than the jig because I am fast with it. The jig is definitely much easier to get right. The DD takes some experience and finesse to make it work but once you get it figured out its useful. I use the jig on my belt grinder and mostly for fixing broken bits and larger bits.
I have had and used a sharpener like the craftsman, for over 35 years. The only thing that needs to be done. If you noticed the slotted hole were you had it clamped down. You need to adjust the little tang that position the drill in the vise, so that it is the radius or half the diameter of the drill, from the grinding stone. That is what changes the reliefs angles and changes the chisel point, witch you want as close to 90% as possible. It will sharpen your bits to better than new. I have a designated grinder for it and were it bolts down I have it marked were to set it for each size drill. When sharpness counts I would not use anything else.
I had the less expensive Drill Doctor, I had a Lowe's gift card one year and purchased it with it, the best of my memory my unit was about $75. I did not like it at all, so I but the bullet and purchased a used SRD off of eBay. The bad part it did not have the chuck, so I had to order one. Yes I have about $300 in my unit, but it works well. I need to make video demonstrate how well it works. The reason I wanted one of the drill grinder I have is the first shop I worked in had one and it was so darn simple to use, the drawback is a new one is a grand.
You probably could set the drill jig up to use the front of the wheel, I don't see any reason why it would not work that way. You would just have to make a mount so it would line up in the center of the wheel.
You will like the tool holders when you get them, you can get by with 300 to 400 RPM with that carbide you showed. In fact I have some of the same inserts.
I took a peak at those. Looks like a decent machine. Reviews I read people seem to like them.
***** Yes they are, I demonstrated mine in a video. They are simple machines but pricey. I still have a lot of cash tied up in my unit, but still I only have 1/3 the cost of a new one. The used ones on ebay that was complete was going for around $500 when I purchased mine.
I threw the drill doctor in the trash and started sharpening by hand, then found the old Snap-On 825 you have there. I like the 825!
It won't hurt the wheel for many sharpening's , just set it up more toward the end of the wheel and replace the wheel when it gets about a 1/16th groove. I've seen some badly worn sided wheels I wouldn't get near, but they were using them.
I'm not surprised at all
We had one at the Newport NEWS SHIPYARD that was shop made (milled stainless (cres) that was unreal similar to that craftsman one.
Nice video Sir
I and a few of my colleagues have drill doctor 750x's and were all disappointed UNTIL, I discovered the omitted detail in the instructions that you keep turning the drill bit until the drill doctor is no longer taking any material off the bit. The DD starts at the back of the relief and works it's way to the cutting edge, so if you do not complete the process the relief is too shallow and the cutting edge is not cut at all, this sometime requires a re-setting of the depth if not enough material is removed to get an even grind from the back of the relief to the cutting edge. I can get a successful grind by hand, but my eyes are not what they used to be and the drill doctor is far more accurate especially for smaller bits. I am happy with mine as are my colleagues now we know how to get the best out of it.
I notice in the user manual for the Craftsman jig, it says to only use grinding wheels engineered for using the side for grinding. Maybe they existed when the manual was written, but nowadays at least, Norton just blanket says not to grind on the side. So that's an abrasive company who doesn't seem to think side-grinding wheels are a viable product now.
I wonder how feasible it would be to modify one of the Craftsman jigs for sharpening HSS lathe bits.
I got one of these at a garage sale, in a junk box, for $5 with an assortment of stuff. I really didn't know how to use it. Thanks, me, and my buddy outsidescrewball, will get plenty of use with the fixture.
I have had my General drill grinder for years works perfect and and is still hanging in there The Drill Dr lasted a month cut the cord off saved the cord trashed the Drill Dr !
I have also used one of those craftsman type jigs at a job I used to work at. It was branded as general...what a POS the Drill Doctor is way ahead of it. The only negative I can say about DD is it is plastic and prone to wear. it is a good practice to clean the grinding dust out of it occasionally with a vacuum.
The guy that designed the craftsman jig is a genius. From what I see on the video, the principle is solid; it's the actual implementation what is lacking. It's just not rigid enough to ensure good results.
Thanks for showing the sharpeners. That was great. From what I saw, I think I will continue to replace dull and damaged bits with new ones. Maybe we'll come across a sharpener that is easy to set up, and use. That actually works. Maybe do a show on how to sharpen bits by hand.
I can easily touch up a drill bit on a bench grinder, but if the cutting edge is really messed up and or the angle is off by a fair amount, I like the grinder jig cause it helps get the angle right, I have had the issue of the cutting edge being slightly longer than the other one. I only got the jig a couple days ago so I'm still learning how to use it. But it seems great so far for a hobbiest
Hi, My mentor used to sharpen drill bits by hand. I used to watch him, but could never
figure out what he was doing or how. He never really explained things out. One day i
found a picture showing how to present the drill bit to the grinder wheel. I drew a line
on the grinder table and started grinding a drill bit and would check it with the gauge.
To make the story short, my first bit turned out just great. Have been sharpening by
hand ever since. I can do it better than a drill doctor, or just as good.
Give it a try its faster by hand also.
Wayne
I can grind bits ok 3/8 and larger. Just takes me a little bit to get it right. Me being lazy and all just looking for a faster method :-)
***** Get a magnifying visor, then little bits look bigger. When bits are really small I wear my visor and use an arm magnifier at the same time. Yeah I'm getting old, I know. Did I mention I wear reading glasses under the visor? Windex is a popular chemical in my shop anymore here.
That sears sharpening. Device is a great tool. I have been using one for over 30 years. Had many other types all eventually broke. Still have and use the sears unit. As a matter of fact it's still hooked to the same grinder I bought then. if you watch the operation it will help you get the motion down so you can do a great job of sharpening by hand. Don't knock the simple tools imagined technology is not always better. A mistake often made.
Thanks! Nice video. I just want to say if one doesn't own one of these...they can sharpen the drill bits by hand, using a bench grinder.
I have yet to use a drill sharpener that works as good as I can do by hand...but then again I must have sharpened over 500 drill bits , since 1987.
Enjoying conventional machining all these years. Still doing it (working for company...never owned a business myself)
Peace.
grind on the wheel’s face (outer diameter) only. Side grinding is NOT allowed. I know a guy who got his thumb blown off when the grinding wheel exploded as it has a small crack in it that he did not see. when you grind on the side you can cause uneven wear and run the risk of breaking the wheel. I use a drill chuck with a handle on it to grind small round rods to give better control and to keep my hands away from the stone.
Hi Greg a good review, saves me some time dealing with the drill doc issues, like the medical brains out there and the system created!
I have one of those old drill bit Craftsman attachments and I set it up after watching this video and I was impressed
Thanks a lot for this great video. I have been considering getting a drill sharpener and this helped me in my decision.
Thanks for this detailed & informative video, it would seem Grandpa's shop wins out.
Great vid. I also have a Craftsman 6677 I picked up for $3 at a community yard sale back in 2008. This came in the original box with original instructions and appeared never to have been used. It seems to be a late 1970s version since OSHA is mentioned. These instructions also show grinding against the edge of the wheel and state to only use specially engineered wheels for side grinding. I haven't done much with it as I simultaneously learned how to hand grind my larger drills (3/8" - 1") using a 1" x 30" Delta belt sander. But I need to start grinding smaller bits now down to 3/16". Small bits are a lot harder to grind correctly by hand. I think I'll pull out the Craftsman jig and set it up again. Printed in USA, Made In USA... And forty plus years later the finish is still better than Chinese junk straight out of the box, let alone the quality of construction. The original box was much better, too. We have been royally deceived and screwed by (non) Free Trade...
ps. I see that Grizzly is still selling this same drill grinding jig. And even through the Sears Marketplace for $19.50.
Looks like these follow the "K.I.S.S." principle, thanks for the down and dirty demo! Very kind of you to put your money into this demo and helping folks save money and their tools.
I hope your Summer isn't a killer with too many installs and rush repairs...I've yet to run any A/C this year, and it's going to be in the 70's through May, which is ultra-rare here in the San Joaquin valley in Northern Cali! Usually it's hit 100F' by now at least once. The first time in my 7 Summers on the mainland that this has happened. How are things back East?
Aloha...Chuck at Knolltop.Farms
Knolltop Farms So far we had 1 hot week and then it cooled way down. Been in the mid to upper 60s
Weird weather everywhere, even the few of my friends in Hawaii who have fireplaces were lighting them today because it got down to 58F', which for people used to a lows in the 70's is chilly, LOL!
Thanks for the reply and I'll see you online soon...Aloha, Chuck
I tought about it : if you want the grain "grindwise" put the device in the middle center of the wheel on top center thus the marks will be grindwise , for the flutes lenght differnce it might be because the foot of the device is not perfectly square to the wheel
I think you could mount the craftsman one at 90 degrees, i.e. clamp it to a vertical surface instead of the table, so you swing up-down instead of left-right. That way you could use the front of the wheel and get the grind perpendicular to the edge
Hey Halligan, there is a Russian guy on YT who does absolutely brilliant lathe videos and also has a 10+ video series specifically on bench grinders and drill sharpening by hand. It is in Russian but quite self explanatory, once you watch his videos you'll never need a jig ever again.
I have both of those tools but the drill dr is the new one. The Dr works great the new spring clips part works a lot better and the adjustment on the angle is easy. Drill Dr also has a left handed chuck for left handed drill bits. I used the other type with my belt/disc sander on the disc side and it work alright but I can go much faster with the drill dr.
I use a drill doctor on the smaller bits. On the larger bits I made a guide for the bench grinder. I can do them real fast on a bench grinder with the guide.
I think one of the conceits of the designer of the Drill Doctor was that he wanted the bit setting jig to be an integral part of the machine. He might have made the decision to make a separate unit. It's just injection molded plastic. But his call, I guess.
All you have to do to get the grind perpendicular to the cutting edge is set the gizmo up so it's grinding directly above, or directly below, center on the wheel. To do that, I had to raise my grinder a couple of inches. Nothing to it.
When I saw the craftsman drill holder I knew it would work better by the way the stops work . Next time you use it do both flutes each time you set the stop . I think you'll find your angles are closer . The Craftsman holder looks and works like the ones the big tool guys use .
I'll give it a shot
I'd bet if you looked at the edges under a microscope you would see the drs edges are sawtoothed since you can see the grind marks.. by sharpening parallel to the edge, the craftsman jig leaves a more consistent edge. Thanks for a good comparison !
Hi mate. Thanks for a nice review. You have got a nice surface grinder now, but at the time it will have been handy to know.
It has been my experience that all drill grinder have their own technique and learning curve. I have a DD-750 that I use on small bits and a Lisle drill grinder #91000 that I use for the larger bits 5/16" up to 1-1/4", anything larger than that I grind by hand on the 10" pedestal grinder. The DD-750 works very well on the smaller bits and is quick to set up and operate. The Lisle 91000 works very well on the larger bits quite fast. It looked like your DD-750 had been abused at some time in it's life. They are made out of plastic and need to be treated as such. I have been using my DD-750 for about 15 years now and can't even tell you how many diamond wheels I have used in it over the years, it still works just fine. I know a lot of shops don't bother sharpening their small bits simply because they are so cheap to buy in bulk packs.
Joe in Minneapolis MN.
You can buy a thin 8" diamond coated steel lap wheel for about $15 on EBay. Maybe it could be used in place of the big grinding wheel, or use it stacked against the side of the big grinding wheel. They come in many sizes and grits.
I just picked up a general 825 grinding attachment.still practicing but I already like it for medium size bits but still botching the small ones.and I mounted it in front of a disc sander which is meant for face grinding.
I have a craftsman drill jig that has a date on it of 1948. And it works great in fact I have gave my DD to my neighbor, because it will not sharpen 1" drills. Also I did buy a stone for my 6" bench grinder that is made to take more force on the side. I use a very fine stone. Also i have a belt sander that I tried this on and it really does not do as good of job. Love the videos, I'm just getting into the video thing.
Thanks! The grinder just
has its original stones. I've been meaning to get some new ones but just haven't gotten around to it.
I have Drill Doctor just like you tested. I could not disagree with you more. I routinely sharpen drill bits to use on my cnc machines and have never had a problem. the chips are even and the cut is true. one of the setup tricks is to wiggle the bit ( by rotating it back and forth) in the spring alignment jaws till it finds the true center before tightening the clamp. Also if you want a true hole never force such a large drill thru any material without a pilot hole....there is simply too much surface area combined with low surface speed in the "center" of drill bits to put them in a cut without a pilot hole. that is the main reason to split the point on any drill bit that drills a start hole...ugh
Dam did not expect that.. i have the 750x and i love it, cut the bits perfect .. Great video buy the way
Thanks
Did you figure out you're not missing any piece on the point splitter hole, There is a Very tiny triangle(arrow) on the side of the hole in line with the #4 marking, (insert dill chuck directly)
You can sharpen your bits in the more precise drill jig but then use the drill doctor to make any drill a split point.
The new Drill Doctor design is much better. With that said I still prefer to grind larger bits by hand and use the Doctor for smaller ones. Works very well I think.
I had a Drill Doctor 500X and likewise was unimpressed with it's performance. It seemed to be very hit or miss, and even the bits that did get cut correctly, I just didn't trust to use for precision machining work. I was one of those suckers who paid for it new too. Anyway, I am glad to see I'm not the only one unimpressed with these sharpeners.
I found a used one on ebay for $20. Still in great condition. Thanks for making this video! Very cool!
Just subscribed to your channel - it was mentioned by Abom recently.Great video Greg. I have just started using a craftsman type jig I bought over 20 years ago. I was put off by the look of it and it sat unused for years - but since I have tried it I am quite impressed with the results. I am thinking about mounting it on its side on a 90 degree bracket which will change the side to side swing to an up and down swing to be used on the front face of the grinding wheel - much safer. I wish that there was an improved and better quality, larger size unit available - possibly a future project.
Now we need to figure out how to diamond dress the side of the grind stone. lol The belt sander would be the way to go. Great comparison video. I have just bought one of the newer Sears type attachments. I plan on using it with a belt sander. I've got a 25% off coupon for a HF 1" belt sander. Once again, great video.
i liked your video. most grinding wheel mfgs willl tell you not to side grind. i had a craftsman type drill grinder for many years set up on a dedicated grinder with a wheel designed for side grinding and it did a pretty good job. i got a drill doctor 750x some years ago and i love it . i have had none of the problems you discussed and it drill holes on size with even chips. if a drill is damaged or i want to change the angle, i will hand grind the point as close as i can get and then use the drill doctor it saves a lot of time. i can typically sharpen a dull bit in less than a minute. i usually stockpile dull bits and when i get a pile i will do then all at one time. drill doctor tells you to count your grind cycles and quit on even numbers so you get an even grind on both flutes. dont be so quick to give up on yours.
I’ve always found drill sharpeners and jigs to be more hassle than it’s worth. Free hand sharpening on a bench grinder takes far less time and gets just as good of results with some practice. If your only using drill bits every once and a while and only occasionally sharpening them a jig is fine. but I’ve personally found it takes too much time when you drill a lot of holes and sharpen bits often to use a jig
you can use it with a belt sander with a disc on the side and they work great with a little practice you can sharpen any drill in seconds i have used one for years and i was taught to do it by hand when i did my apprenticeship
My two cents worth...
There are extremely few TH-cam videos 36 minutes long that will hold my attention. Yours met the standard! I want to go yard saleing with you. A drill Doctor 750 for $15 and a brand new craftsman grinding attachment for $2 is incredible. I own and use both devices, I agree the Craftsman is superior. Don't be afraid to use the side of your grinding wheel. But you might want to try a wheel of finer grit, as yours is very coarse. Still, you got a very good result with it.
You can get cup grinding wheels that will fit your grinder and are made to grind from the side. If you relieve the chisel point, it will drill better.
Take a good look at the grinding wheel if you buy a used DD. It could be worn out or grooved. I grind larger bits by hand but I need a DD or a gig for smaller bits, my eyes aren't what they used to be.
Ive been using the craftsman sharpening jig for over 25 years.. the best money ive ever spent. .. I always have sharp bits that last. by the way.. there are stones for sale that are designed for sharpening on the flat side..$27.00..Happy drilling..
A properly sharpened drill will produce holes that are not only on size, but use very little feed pressure and doe equal chipping and will create very little burr.
Rob: No matter how skilled you may be ,you will never sharpen a bit with any jig as accurate and precise as the DRILL DOCTOR. The designers really did their homework on this one. I own the 250 model.,it works flawlessly ! This is NOT a ' nonsense device ' !!!!
have worked at a metal factory where they grind almost everything by hand. and i bet they have more years of experience then the drill doctor exist. they would choose hand grinding before drill doctor anytime.
Use sharpening wheel with side support. They can be very fine grit and are designed for grinding on the side
The grain of the metal has not changed. Just seeing fine scratches and grinder marks in the drill bit tip. I have a drill dr and honestly I wouldn’t give a nickel for a wheel barrel full of them.
yes, you were right the grinding jig is a little unsafe; that's why they invented tool / cutter grinders & universal grinders ( do similar things but they have heavier castings and wheels designed for this type of contact with parts)- note: tormech sells a cnc surface grinder (fairly cheap compared with the grinders fore mentioned ) that you can rig a drill onto an indexing fixture, which allows the angular adjustment required , just place the fixture on the magnetic chuck of the surface grinder.
I have that same drill doctor and there is nothing on the other side and I bought it new so I don't think there is anything that goes there. You can buy all the chucks at Drill Doctor's web site or amazon.