When you hear the economic news these days, it’s generally doom and gloom — which is why it’s nice, in the realm of woodworking — to hear some good financial news: the price of sharpening your drill bits has actually gone down. (And if you can save money by sharpening your old drill bits rather than buying new ones — well, go ahead and shove that down the economic down-turn!)
The entry-level version of the Drill Doctor from Professional Tool Manufacturing, the 350X, is now widely available for around $50 (even though its “suggested price” on their web site is $79.95.)
In case you haven’t heard, the Drill Doctor’s claim to fame is that it quickly and easily sharpens drill bits — in the case of the 350X, bits from 3/32″ to one-half inch, whether they’re carbide, titanium nitride, or masonry. Just align the bit, then turn the chuck as many turns as you need to (it depends, of course, on how dull your bit might be). The 110-volt motor turns the diamond-sharpening wheel, and when you are done, you have your bit, sharpened to an 118-degree point. (The 350X will convert split bits to standard bits.) You can find out more at http://www.drilldoctor.com.
