Micro drill bit sharpener

[woodone]

Not sure this is the correct place to put this?
I was looking for a way to sharpen very small drill bits. I did a search on the internet, and ran into a sharpener that was made just for that- It cost was $30.00 and was a very nice looking tool. I went to the site and tried to order-for some reason I could not get it to take my Pay Pal? So I thought I would call them-disconnected number. Sent an E-mail.
Went back to the search , now it has disapeared? It was called a True Point sharpener. You used a oil stone to dress the point of the bit.
I should have copied the photos. Just wondering if some one has ever see one or has one.

[thomasjmdavis]

Not sure what you were looking at, but there is (was) a Starrett drill sharpener that is called a "True Point" sharpener.  I don't think it is still available (a search at Starrett website yielded no result). If it is actually available for $30 somewhere, I'm in.  But I imagine you need to search eBay or an old machinist's toolbox.

[peteski]

All the home shop drill bit sharpeners I have encountered can't handle small (#60-80) bits.  They usually stop around 1/16".

I do 99% of drilling with the Tungsten-Carbide PC board bits. Those stay sharp pretty much forever, and couldn't be sharped by any home sharpening tool.  For larger HSS bits I prefer to use the split point bits, and I don't think you can get a sharpener which will do that type of a point.

[woodone]

Tom, I think you are correct in naming it a Starett tool. The photos of it had all the tell tails signs of a Starett tool.
Yes , I thought for $30.00 it would be a steal.  Best I could see, it would sharpen a # 43 drill,bit.
Sure wish I would have copied the photos.
Thanks

[Wutter]

Tom, I think you are correct in naming it a Starett tool. The photos of it had all the tell tails signs of a Starett tool.
Yes , I thought for $30.00 it would be a steal.  Best I could see, it would sharpen a # 43 drill,bit.
Sure wish I would have copied the photos.
Thanks

Does it look like this?

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ls-starrett-true-point-hand-drill-sharpener

[thomasjmdavis]

Does it look like this?

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ls-starrett-true-point-hand-drill-sharpener

That's it (at least, that is what I was talking about, hopefully also what woodone is looking for).  Looking at the photo, I wonder if you could change collets for different drill sizes.

[JeffB]

I do 99% of drilling with the Tungsten-Carbide PC board bits. Those stay sharp pretty much forever, and couldn't be sharped by any home sharpening tool.  For larger HSS bits I prefer to use the split point bits, and I don't think you can get a sharpener which will do that type of a point.

I agree...  I'm a recent convert (in the last year or so) of those PC board drills.  Super sharp and cheap (on Amazon), unlike some of the HSS #60-80 drill bits you get from some of the online tool suppliers (I'm talking about you Micro Mark), which are dull as hell right out of the package.

The only downside of the Tun-Car PC board bits is the 3mm shank can be a bit awkward to work with... 

JB

[woodone]

Yes, that is what I was looking for.
Now to find one to buy, bet it will be more than $30.00 !

[thomasjmdavis]

All the home shop drill bit sharpeners I have encountered can't handle small (#60-80) bits.  They usually stop around 1/16".

I do 99% of drilling with the Tungsten-Carbide PC board bits. Those stay sharp pretty much forever, and couldn't be sharped by any home sharpening tool.  For larger HSS bits I prefer to use the split point bits, and I don't think you can get a sharpener which will do that type of a point.

I generally agree, although my experience with smaller Tungsten Carbide bits (75-80) is that I break them in less time than it takes to dull a HS bit.  This may be more due to my use of them in hand tools (as opposed to a drill press), and my hands are not as steady as they were 20 years ago.

On sharpening, once upon a time, I had a set of small diamond files and some slip stones that I used to sharpen my Forstner and mortising bits, and carving chisels.  I would imagine it possible to sharpen a split point bit with those, although granted it would take a steady hand (steadier than mine, nowadays) and some amount of time. 

The only downside of the Tun-Car PC board bits is the 3mm shank can be a bit awkward to work with... 

For me, the 3mm shank is one of the upsides- easy to change drill sizes without having to change collets.  Plus, the grip on a 3mm shank is much better than on a #80 shank. And much easier to see what I'm doing....(note to self, see optometrist for new bifocal....)

[wazzou]

So, if looking to get some of the PC Board bits in a size closest to a #80 bit, is 0.3mm the closest one could come?
Or, would you want to go 0.4mm so the whole is a little larger?

[signalmaintainer]

So, if looking to get some of the PC Board bits in a size closest to a #80 bit, is 0.3mm the closest one could come?
Or, would you want to go 0.4mm so the whole is a little larger?

Maybe use the .3mm or .4mm carbide bit to drill a pilot hole, then follow with the correct size HSS twist bit. Less pressure would be needed on the HSS, I would think. Maybe an experienced machinist has another perspective?

[thomasjmdavis]

So, if looking to get some of the PC Board bits in a size closest to a #80 bit, is 0.3mm the closest one could come?
Or, would you want to go 0.4mm so the whole is a little larger?

I got mine from "Drill Bit City" ( www.store.yahoo.com/drillcity ), which has numbered as well as metric.  I have a set of 70-79, and box with 5 each 76 and 80 ( the 2 sizes I use the most ).  Drill Bit City was mentioned in an earlier thread, and I decided to try them out a couple years ago.  As I mentioned earlier, I am rough on bits, so I will probably be in need of more myself before too long.

[peteski]

So, if looking to get some of the PC Board bits in a size closest to a #80 bit, is 0.3mm the closest one could come?
Or, would you want to go 0.4mm so the whole is a little larger?

All the PCB drill bits I have are, SAE numeric sizes, and the shank is 1/8" (3.16mm) diameter.



The 1/8" shank is carryall super-handy.  All the sizes of drills can be chucked in the same size collet (and also many pin vises can't properly grip small size "normal" bits, #80 or smaller).  The 1/8" shank is also perfect for holding the bit in my fingers for precision drilling.

[JeffB]

For me, the 3mm shank is one of the upsides- easy to change drill sizes without having to change collets.  Plus, the grip on a 3mm shank is much better than on a #80 shank. And much easier to see what I'm doing....(note to self, see optometrist for new bifocal....)

Yeah, the single shank size is nice once you find a collet/pin vise that will hold them (I have one out of about a dozen that is big enough), but I find that held in a pin vise, the weight of it all can be awkward with the really small drill sizes (I'm talking about 0.2 - 0.3mm). 

I use them without a pin vise for "precision drilling" too Peteski, but the ones I get from Amazon have color coded collars pressed onto them, which makes it a bit more difficult to drill with them using your fingers to hold them.  But I am getting used to it.

What I like about them is that they're pretty reasonably priced and because I use a lot of 0.008" wire for hand rails and grab irons, I can drill appropriately sized holes for that size wire (a 0.2mm drill is perfect when you're hand drilling the hole, makes a nice snug hole for 0.008" wire).  You can get HSS wire diameter drills (smaller than #80) but they tend to be much more expensive.

Jeff

[peteski]

First thing I do is to cut those plastic rings from my bits (as you can see by the earlier photo).  I find them awkward and useless.

 I'm also surprised that you have hard time using them in pin vises.  All my pin vises have 1/8" collet and readily accept the 1/8" shanks.  Make sure that the nut that tightens the collet is loose to allow the collet to fully open.