Anyone who has used a blunt drill knows how frustrating it is to drill a hole with it.
Recently, my husband was working on a new woodworking project and was giving some tips and tricks to my nephew. I was mowing my lawn, but decided to see what they were talking about. My nephew was bewildered and annoyed at the dull drill bits, which never drilled proper holes and were challenging to work with.
This is a topic which many people ask about often - "How to prevent the drill from becoming dull?" followed by "How to sharpen it?" Sharpening it is any day better than buying new ones. Also, replacing the drill bits often becomes expensive in the long run; that's why sharpening is one of the more practical solutions for carpenters.
Hi! I'm Stacy, and today, I've jotted down the steps explaining how to sharpen a drill bit in the simplest way possible. If you are looking for a quick guide, you've come to the right place.
Without further ado, let's find out the detailed steps.
How To Sharpen A Drill Bit
Materials Required
You won't need an entire toolbox, but make sure you have the following items before beginning.
Safety Warning
Before you start, be careful of your hands, mainly because they will be pretty close to the bench grinder. Some people recommend wearing gloves, and you can proceed with that if you are used to it. But, for those who might not be familiar with bench grinders, gloves should be avoided. Also, safety eye goggles are a must.
A Stepwise Guide To Sharpen A Drill Bit
Step 1- Examine The Drill Bit
Now, there are precise angles in which the manufacturers cut the original drill. The drill bit most often has two edges, and some might have three. The two longest edges are the ones that are used to cut and drill, so we will focus on those.
The main edge is at a 118-degree angle, but we will not go into these details to cut. For DIY-loving folks like us, using eye measurement is enough. Ultimately, the drill only needs to be sharper than before; it doesn't have to be perfect.
Step 2- Prepare The Sharpening Tool
My husband likes to use a bench grinder for sharpening drill bits since it is easy to work with and gives quick results. But, you can also use a bench sander if you have one. These two are the more common tools used for sharpening. If you like to use a different tool, let me know which one in the comments below.
In this step, you will need to set up the bench grinder at your workstation. After setting up, check that the protective guards on either side of the machines are less than â…› inches from the wheel. If it is not set up correctly, the bit might get stuck between the guard.
Step 3- Hold Drill Bit In Place
Wear the protective eye goggles and turn on the bench grinder. Make sure you get a firm hold on the drill bit you are working with. Simultaneously hold the cutting edge of the bit parallel to the front of the grinding wheel. Next, twist and move the drill bit ahead a little at a time until it makes constant contact with the spinning wheel.
At this point, you do not need to turn or rotate the drill bit. Maintain the original angle and allow the wheel to do its work.
Step 4- Cool It Down
Immediately after removing the drill bit from the grinding wheel, dip it in ice-cold water. I do this for several reasons. Firstly, after sharpening with a fast spinning tool, the metal becomes too hot to hold with bare hands.
Secondly, if the metal does not set in place quickly, it shortens the life of the bit, and it tends to wear out sooner. Once it is cool enough, examine it once again to see if it is pointed to your liking.
Step 5- Sharpen At Various Angles
This first contact with the bit needs to be maintained for only a few seconds. Here, we have removed the dull surface away from the bit. Next, we can start creating angles. Now, you can start turning the drill bit clockwise against the bench grinder wheel. This movement cuts away the extra material behind the cutting edge.
While sharpening, remember that the cutting edge should be the forward-most part of the drill. To achieve this effect, you can work on alternate sides turn by turn. Keep the drill in one hand while flipping it 180 degrees with the left hand. And, it's easy to measure by eye to make both sides symmetrical. By this time, you should have an angular and pointy drill bit.
Step 6- Test The Sharp Drill Bit
If you are happy with the result, don't hesitate to try out a test run. You can try it out on a piece of scrap wood by holding the tip perpendicular to the wood and twist using the other hand. If the bit is not pointy enough, it will not dent the wood at all, and you'll know to resharpen it again.
If it creates a small dent by using pressure with your hand, it's been sharpened well enough. Once you are confident, start drilling. The bit should move into the wood with slight pressure.
Final Words
So here was a short stepwise guide to sharpening drill bits. There is no doubt that people deal with this issue in various ways. I have shown you the way which works best for me, my husband and most recently, my nephew.
I hope you get a chance to try this sharpening method to take care of all your dull bits. One thing is for sure; you won’t need to throw out any valuable bits. Although the bits may be dull, with a bit of polishing, they will become brand new. Let me know your experience in the comment section below.
Until next time, bye!