Drill Bit Sharpening Instructions

Different drill bits perform different functional jobs of drilling holes in the walls of the house for various purposes. The drill bits have to be sharpened from time to time in order for them to perform their job efficiently. It is easy to sharpen the drills bits the DIY way. Read on for drill bit sharpening instructions.
Drill Bit Sharpening Instructions
Home improvement jobs are almost incomplete without the drill bits. Drill bits are available in various shapes and sizes and for various purposes, like drilling the holes in wood lathe, home furniture repair, as well as drilling holes in the walls. Drill bits are generally made of iron. Drill bits need to be sharp enough for their proper functioning. Learning how to sharpen the drill bit can actually be an inexpensive thing to do. Sharpening the drill bit spares you from buying a new drill bit. For better results, it is always advisable to sharpen the drill bits on a regular basis, rather than wait for the drill bits to get dull and out of function. Because it takes more time to sharpen dull drill bits. Drill bit sharpening actually takes a lot of skills but once you get hold of it, this job can save a lot of your time and money as well.

How to Sharpen a Drill Bit?
The best option for drill bit sharpening is the drill bit sharpeners. There are various types of drill bit sharpeners available in the market. In my opinion, the diamond grinding drill bit is the best drill bit sharpening tool available. There are both the electric bench grinders as well as the carbon wheeled bench grinders available. You can use either one of the both, but using electric bench grinder proves more beneficial as the carbon wheels wear off too quickly.
  • Bench Grinder: Hold the cutting edge of the drill bit parallel to the grinding wheel and roll the cutting edge downwards, in the clockwise direction. Keep in mind to start the drill bit sharpening procedure from the heel to the top of the cutting edge. Make sure you keep the drill bit cool by using light passes at the grinding wheel.
  • Ready-made Machine: If you cannot really get hold of the grinding machine or find it difficult to handle then it is better if you buy a ready-made drill bit sharpening machine from the home improvement shop. There are many sharpening machines that can make manual drill bit sharpening really easy. These sharpening machines are available in the range of $80 to $200. There are various drill bit sharpening tools for different kinds of drill bits. All you have to make sure is, that you bring home the drill bit sharpener that suits your drill bit the best.
Drill Bit Sharpening Instructions
  • Before sharpening your drill bit, don't not forget to wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from the flying sparks and the metal bits.
  • Always put the bench grinder on low speed and then start drill bit sharpening by holding the drill bit by its smooth base.
  • Use a pair of pliers to hold the drill bit as it will help you to hold it tightly and reduce any chance of injury as well.
  • Always apply medium to light pressure while sharpening the drill bit and make sure not to grind off too much of the drill bit. These are the few things you must look out for when sharpening smaller drill bits.
These were all about how to sharpen a drill bit. You can use the metal file to sharpen up the ridge edges. Following the safety measures and drill bit sharpening instructions, will make drill bit sharpening a fast and quick job.

By Rutuja Jathar
Published: 8/12/2009
 
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