[sbalder]

I've used a 115-piece set of drill bits for 4 years, and although I've taken care of them some have worn out or just plain broken. I was going to order replacements for these but I can get a whole new set of 115 for 30 bucks. I'm an ex-mechanic and I've always tried to treat tools like they are lifetime purchases.

What about it?- are drill bits consumables like WD-40 and cutoff wheels, or should they be cared for like children?

[HuFlungDung]

If you use them, they wear out. If you don't sharpen them as often as you should, they then become "taper-length" drills because the lands near the cutting end are smaller than the drill lands farther up. Then, they squeak when drilling deep holes, and score the hell out of the side of the hole, but you already knew that.

Cheap drills seem to abound nowadays, and some cheap sets seem to be of decent quality. I stock up regularly on TIN coated 29 piece sets at anywhere from $35 to $65 CDN and they seem to be decent for general purpose usage. Your mileage may vary. $30 for a 115 piece set is pretty cheap, even the box is worth more than that

[epineh]

ALL tools are like old friends, some stay with you for a long time, some seem to be there one day and gone the next.

But even though losing a friend will make you sad, you can always go and find new friends...

O.K. so I just got home after a 16 hr work day... I go sleep now.

Russell.

[Switcher]

Not all drills are equal.

If you bought 115 pc. drill set for $30 , and used each drill a few times, well you got your money out of them. Throw them out like inserts.

Now, If you have an $90 (each) coolant drill, of coarse you'll take care of it. Resharpen it, Thinning, Buff, etc...

I voted.

Protect them in a fine wooden case, polish them regularly, and pass them down to future generations.

.

[PhoenixToo]

For the most part they are disposable in our shop.......

For the price, its not worth sharpening the vast majority of used drills......some of the bigger ones (say 3/4 inch and up) are a little more cared for and sharpened as needed.....but why bother with a smaller/cheaper 1/8 inch drill

[pminmo]

I used to think they were disposable, now I think they sould be used as long as possible via reshapening. We are such a throw away society, and that isn't good.

[diarmaid]

If it costs over $5, take care of it. If it costs under $5 make sure you get your moneys worth, then hand it over to the recycle yard. ......if it costs over $30, polish, buff, hand it down etc etc.

[HuFlungDung]

$400 insert drills are definitely disposable! Takes about 1 second to dispose of one

[Mcgyver]

some of the bigger ones (say 3/4 inch and up) are a little more cared for and sharpened as needed.....but why bother with a smaller/cheaper 1/8 inch drill

yeah 1/8 is small, but throw out a 3/8 or 1/2 cuz its dull? not likely in my frugal little shop, especially when you buy decent ones in the first place. if its your job and there's a tool crib down the aisle, toss away, but for us weekenders its a far bigger pita to run around buying/ordering stuff than to just sharpen what you've got.

[nine 16]

I voted "Protect them...." At least that is my inclination. My emotional side of this hobbiest says "don't toss it if you can save/fix it." My intellect says "time is money, you dope."

I used to ocassionally resharpen by hand but frankly I've not really achieved the skill to make it worth while. For those of you who have considered or use one of those Drill Dr. type of products, how do they perform. Sorry if that last question constitutes taking the thread in another direction.

[Kipper]

Use em trash is the Kippers motto...sod the environment I need true holes when I drill lol

[sbalder]

Going through what I am missing or is damaged in my index shows that everything I've trashed is less than 1/8". I don't seem to break or wear out the big ones, and it sounds like the little ones aren't worth sharpening anyways.

[Adobe Machine]

I sharpen three times, then toss. That applies to 1/4" and above , I can not see good enough to sharpen bits smaller. I'm retired, have time and enjoy sitting down and resharpen bits at times.

When I was in business, had a real nice old guy (retired machinest ) come around and sharpen bits very economically.I could not pay someone to sharpen as cheap and good . He came around every month for 15-16 years, then all of a sudden he did not come for 2-3 months, hated to call his wife, and I was right, he passed. His wife proudley told me that at least 25 other shops had called and offered their condolances, and told her what a good job he did..a real craftsman..

Adobe (old as dirt )

[Geof]

Use em trash is the Kippers motto...sod the environment I need true holes when I drill lol

Sod the environment be b********d; use them and then put them in the scrap metal for recycling.

[Barry_ward]

I use, loose, sharpen, toss and treasure every bit !

Typically I'll work on some project run a bunch of holes and want a new bit of the same size - for sure there are none of even a close size, so I sharpen.

Sometimes if routing, engraving or sheet metal drilling, I'll just grind whatever I can find and bore away.

I know that there is a mystery force at work that causes the exact bit I want to become invisible until the project is completed, even if I have an envelope of 'em (somewhere) of the size I want. The same force works to drive me insaner on all sort of parts and tools, regardless of their size or color.

And of course there is "cleaned out of existance" which causes a lot of AREA 51 action - where ever I'm tryin to get something done.


Barry
http://www.barryfish.com

[Kipper]

Sod the environment be b********d; use them and then put them in the scrap metal for recycling.

Hey that makes me a recycler I use old cans as reservoirs when casting too :yay:

[dertsap]

an hss drill thats been used to drill a few holes is worth sharpening ,production drills as well as taps under 1/2" should be turfed due to fatigue ,cheap cost of doing business

cutting tools in general are disposible at one point or other

[flakker]

i say you should give back to nature, throw them out.

another consideration is this, if you make 20 bucks an hour through your day job and it takes you two hours to sharpen your 10 drill set you should go buy a new set unles you enjoy grinding drills.

[rchprks]

an old jig bore hand taught me how to sharpen a drill, i re use em till the land at the end starts to wear. the more you sharpen you will evetually have to thin the web. a good quality drill will last years. i pitch every thing under 1/8 as i can't see well enough any more
rick

[sdantonio]

depends on the bit set. My good solid carbide bits get taked care of well (which means the girlfriend doesn't touch them), my cheep TiN coated set that I got for $7 at the local grossmans bargain outlet are disposable (which is why I always pick up a extra set for her when I get them.