Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get 2,000+ tool plans, full site access, and more.

User Tag List

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Sharpening tiny drills

  1. #1
    Supporting Member mklotz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    LA, CA, USA
    Posts
    3,433
    Thanks
    357
    Thanked 6,378 Times in 2,116 Posts

    mklotz's Tools

    Sharpening tiny drills

    The best way to sharpen small drills is to buy them by the dozen and discard the dull and broken ones.

    Nevertheless, there's always the inevitable late Saturday shop session where you break your only #64 drill and you're dead in the water until you can order a new one on Monday. Then it's nice to have a way to touch up a buggered drill.

    Here's an approach I use on those rare occasions. Its operation depends on the fact that, for very small drills, there is no need to try to make a conical point as found on larger drills. Simple flat facets that create the cutting edges are all that is needed. (In some senses, this jig embodies the same principle that gemstone diamond faceters use, albeit with only a single faceting angle.)

    The device consists of a small pin vise fitted into a piece of aluminum angle.




    The pin vise is free to rotate about its axis and, when properly oriented, can be locked in place with the small black plastic finger knob where the arms of the L meet. After mounting the drill in the pin vise collet, the pin vise is rotated to align the drill web with the line where the two arms of the L meet.

    Then it's a simple matter of turning the assembly over and stroking the drill along a grinding stone as shown in the following photo...




    The top of the angle should be horizontal so a spacer the same height as the grind stone is used. (At my desk, my calculator was handy. In the shop, a block of aluminum is used.)

    Now to create the matching facet on the other side of the drill tip, it's a simple matter of flipping the fixture over and repeating the operation...




    Inspect the tip with a loupe. If the facets aren't quite equal, a quick swipe or two will fix it. Since the drill to stone angles are preserved by the jig, you won't have multiple facets.

    Credit where credit is due...

    This jig was made by and given to me by Norm Wells, a very good friend. I'm not certain if the design is Norm's. I seem to remember seeing something similar in a magazine but I could be remembering diamond faceting tools.

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook
    Last edited by mklotz; Jul 8, 2017 at 01:43 PM.
    ---
    Regards, Marv

    Home Shop Freeware
    https://www.myvirtualnetwork.com/mklotz

  2. The Following 35 Users Say Thank You to mklotz For This Useful Post:

    Anhony Lacey (Sep 24, 2019), baja (Aug 28, 2020), benkeller3 (Oct 31, 2017), bigtrev8xl (Jul 28, 2018), Christophe Mineau (Nov 15, 2018), dave_rupp (Aug 1, 2018), Frank S (Apr 5, 2018), high-side (Nov 16, 2018), j.bickley (Nov 15, 2018), Jeff Michel (Jul 27, 2018), Jon (Sep 1, 2015), Karl_H (Nov 15, 2018), kbalch (Sep 1, 2015), kngtek (Oct 31, 2017), Okapi (Jul 27, 2018), oldcaptainrusty (Nov 1, 2017), Paul Jones (Sep 9, 2015), PJs (Sep 2, 2015), ranald (Apr 5, 2018), Rpons (Oct 31, 2017), Scotsman Hosie (Apr 17, 2018), Scotty1 (Nov 15, 2018), Seedtick (Aug 26, 2017), Sleykin (Oct 31, 2017), that_other_guy (Jun 13, 2021), thehomeengineer (Jan 16, 2018), thevillageinn (Jul 31, 2018), thoms_here (Nov 21, 2016), tonyfoale (Nov 1, 2017), Toolmaker51 (Jul 27, 2018), tooly (Apr 4, 2018), Trojan Horse (Nov 1, 2017), Tuomas (Nov 3, 2017), volodar (Jul 28, 2018), wb8nbs (Nov 1, 2017)

  3. #2
    kbalch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Clermont, FL
    Posts
    5,034
    Thanks
    2,275
    Thanked 531 Times in 383 Posts
    Thanks Marv! I've added your Drill Sharpener to our Sharpening category, as well as to your builder page: mklotz's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:


    2000 Tool Plans

  4. #3
    Supporting Member Ralphxyz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    1,564
    Thanks
    2,378
    Thanked 279 Times in 228 Posts

    Ralphxyz's Tools
    Thanks Marv, definetly on my todo list!!

    Ralph

  5. #4
    Supporting Member old_toolmaker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Cape Coral, FL
    Posts
    579
    Thanks
    647
    Thanked 442 Times in 180 Posts

    old_toolmaker's Tools
    Mklotz,

    That is a great idea. I have seen something similar before but I don't think it was that simple. I am just assuming it gives a point angle of 90 degrees instead of the usual 118 degrees. Is that correct?
    Dick


    Links to some of my plans:

    https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...965#post105972 OFF-SET TAILSTOCK CENTER PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/s...995#post112113 SMALL TURRET TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/l...994#post112111 LARGE TURRET TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...383#post110340 MINI-LATHE CARRIAGE LOCK PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/s...191#post106483 SMALL QC TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/q...849#post119345 QUICK CHANGE LATHE TURRET
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...949#post119893 MINI LATHE COMPOUND PIVOT MODIFICATION

  6. #5
    Supporting Member mklotz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    LA, CA, USA
    Posts
    3,433
    Thanks
    357
    Thanked 6,378 Times in 2,116 Posts

    mklotz's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by old_toolmaker View Post
    Mklotz,

    That is a great idea. I have seen something similar before but I don't think it was that simple. I am just assuming it gives a point angle of 90 degrees instead of the usual 118 degrees. Is that correct?
    The point angle is controllable by adjusting how far the drill extends from the pin vise.
    ---
    Regards, Marv

    Home Shop Freeware
    https://www.myvirtualnetwork.com/mklotz

  7. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mklotz For This Useful Post:

    Paul Jones (Apr 6, 2018), that_other_guy (Jun 13, 2021)

  8. #6
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,178
    Thanks
    1,974
    Thanked 8,766 Times in 4,195 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Marv this is one of those tools where you go now why didn't I think of that. For me anything smaller then 5/64" is very hard to to but I use the hand and eye method for sharpening most bits when they get that small and smaller it is hard for me to see the edge well enough to get a good relief angle. with one of these I might be able to rotate the bit close enough to get my desired trailing edge relief.
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  9. #7
    Supporting Member old_toolmaker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Cape Coral, FL
    Posts
    579
    Thanks
    647
    Thanked 442 Times in 180 Posts

    old_toolmaker's Tools
    mklotz,

    Your statement: "The top of the angle should be horizontal so a spacer the same height as the grind stone is used. (At my desk, my calculator was handy. In the shop, a block of aluminum is used.)" through me off. If you did it the way as explained and shown you would have a 90 degree point angle.
    But, from what you are saying you can extend or retract the drill to accommodate a different point angle. This would therefore change the top of the angle from horizontal to something different. Am I visualizing that correctly?
    Dick


    Links to some of my plans:

    https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...965#post105972 OFF-SET TAILSTOCK CENTER PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/s...995#post112113 SMALL TURRET TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/l...994#post112111 LARGE TURRET TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...383#post110340 MINI-LATHE CARRIAGE LOCK PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/s...191#post106483 SMALL QC TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/q...849#post119345 QUICK CHANGE LATHE TURRET
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...949#post119893 MINI LATHE COMPOUND PIVOT MODIFICATION

  10. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to old_toolmaker For This Useful Post:

    Scotsman Hosie (Jul 31, 2018), volodar (Jul 28, 2018)

  11. #8
    Supporting Member mklotz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    LA, CA, USA
    Posts
    3,433
    Thanks
    357
    Thanked 6,378 Times in 2,116 Posts

    mklotz's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by old_toolmaker View Post
    mklotz,

    Your statement: "The top of the angle should be horizontal so a spacer the same height as the grind stone is used. (At my desk, my calculator was handy. In the shop, a block of aluminum is used.)" through me off. If you did it the way as explained and shown you would have a 90 degree point angle.
    But, from what you are saying you can extend or retract the drill to accommodate a different point angle. This would therefore change the top of the angle from horizontal to something different. Am I visualizing that correctly?
    Yes, you are correct. Now that I read what you quoted, I'm not sure why I wrote it; there's no real need for the angle to be horizontal.
    ---
    Regards, Marv

    Home Shop Freeware
    https://www.myvirtualnetwork.com/mklotz

  12. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to mklotz For This Useful Post:

    Paul Jones (Apr 6, 2018), Scotsman Hosie (Apr 17, 2018), that_other_guy (Jun 13, 2021)

  13. #9
    Supporting Member old_toolmaker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Cape Coral, FL
    Posts
    579
    Thanks
    647
    Thanked 442 Times in 180 Posts

    old_toolmaker's Tools
    Marv,

    Thanks for the clarification.
    That makes perfect sense to me now.
    That is a great, simple tool and strait forward to build. I need one of my own now!
    Thanks for sharing.
    Dick


    Links to some of my plans:

    https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...965#post105972 OFF-SET TAILSTOCK CENTER PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/s...995#post112113 SMALL TURRET TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/l...994#post112111 LARGE TURRET TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...383#post110340 MINI-LATHE CARRIAGE LOCK PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/s...191#post106483 SMALL QC TOOL POST PLANS
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/q...849#post119345 QUICK CHANGE LATHE TURRET
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...949#post119893 MINI LATHE COMPOUND PIVOT MODIFICATION

  14. #10
    Supporting Member ncollar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    23
    Thanked 180 Times in 126 Posts
    Marv
    You are just too modest, it is a wonderful tool. There is nothing like a keen edge on a drill bit.
    Nelson

  15. The Following User Says Thank You to ncollar For This Useful Post:

    Scotsman Hosie (Jul 31, 2018)

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •