I Need a Drill Bit Sharpener Jig Recommendation

[Kent Adams]

I've been doing some research on jigs for sharpening drill bits. Nearly all of my drill bits are 118 degrees. I'm not really interested in making my own jig. I have very little experience using a grinder, but have one. I've read conflicting reviews on the drill doctor and have watched plenty of youtube videos on the General Tool 825 jig, which seems to me to just be a remake of the original craftsman version made many decades ago. Can someone recommend a jig for someone that has never sharpened a drill bit in their life and whom has little skills with a grinder? I don't really have a prejudice against any of the jigs mentioned, I just want to use something that would be easily learned by a novice. Thanks!

[Bruce Wrenn]

The Craftsman was made by General. I own a couple. They work best (for me) with bits that are 3/8 and larger. My "Drill Doctor" does smaller bits.

[John McClanahan]

I bought the low end model Drill Doctor at an auction. Liked it so well I bought a near new model 750 at a pawn shop. Even though they are made of plastic, it's a good quality plastic and works good.


John

[Bruce Page]

I was a journeyman machinist and was trained to hand sharpen. I received a DD750 for Christmas one year and for kicks ran a slew of bits through it. The DD750 does an excellent job sharpening but it does require some patience. I can hand sharpen 8-10 bits in the time it takes to do 1 with the DD.

[Ole Anderson]

Drill Doctor here, I like it's diamond wheel.

[Al Launier]

If you could learn to sharpen drills (HSS) by hand, then you could sharpen most any size (exception - very small drills) twist drills & touch up other type drills (spade, brad points, etc.)

[ken masoumi]

I have to try that Drill Doctor some day but I learned how to sharpen twist drill bits early on when I worked in a machine shop, if sharpening a bit took more than 30 seconds someone would be breathing down my neck asking what's taking so long.

[John McClanahan]

Resharpening small drill bits is where the Drill Doctor really shines.


John

[David C. Roseman]

I'm curious, for those with machinist backgrounds, what is the smallest HSS twist bit that you would expect to resharpen by hand? I've been doing it for a long time, but I'm no machinist, and for me, 1/8" is about the limit to get good results. 3/32" in a pinch if I'm out of replacements.

[Kent Adams]

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I think I'm going to buy both, since the General Instrument 825 is not that expensive.

[Bruce Page]

I'm curious, for those with machinist backgrounds, what is the smallest HSS twist bit that you would expect to resharpen by hand? I've been doing it for a long time, but I'm no machinist, and for me, 1/8" is about the limit to get good results. 3/32" in a pinch if I'm out of replacements.

3/32 is about the smallest my eyesight allows. I can and do sharpen smaller but it's basically touch, spin, touch, and see if it cuts.