High Speed Drills in Wood

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Sailfree

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I have a wooden dinghy and often use high speed drills to drill wood.

I always felt that they were blunted a bit by this and never very sharp again for metal.

I recently stated this and was challenged on the basis that wood is a far softer material.

Am now thinking I may be wrong to seperate the drills that I have used on wood.

Can anyone advise does drilling wood blunt drills for later use on metal?
 
Boys and their toys!!!!
There is a reason that HSS bits and Wood bits are not the same.
Sounds like an excellent excuse to goto your local DIY or Pro tool place and play at retail therapy.
Also if you buy "less expensive" tools you get what you pay for.
Not having a go about cash outlay(cheap is cheap for a reason) as I live on my/our boat and have a budget and space is at a premium but horses for course's in this instance.
A brill sharpener is the way forward .
 
Never found it to be true in 35 years of cabinet making. If using HSS on metal it is very important to drill at the correct speed for drill diameter and material and use the correct lubrication or it will = blunt drill quickly
 
If you know exactly what both angle's on your drillbit cutting edge are then go for it ,but I use Drill Doctor on mine and the difference is noticeable in both cutting performance and time between sharpenings. IMHO.
25 years as a carpenter and I am still learning and using new technology that purist consider heresy.
Cordless power tools, workmate type bench's to name but 2thingst that where considered amateurish or just plain waste of money .
/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
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Cordless power tools, workmate type bench's to name but 2thingst that where considered amateurish or just plain waste of money .


[/ QUOTE ]
I have a 'proper' workbench with a carpentry vice. (I even have a separate vice for metal work) But if I'm sawing large pieces of timber I use the workmate. I find you get a much better angle.

PS. I still use a bradawl an bit (my granddads)
 
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If you use a pilot drill first you will get the same results

[/ QUOTE ] No because these more cut like a proper wood bit

Woodbit.jpg
 
Sharpening of drill its is easy. However it is much easier with larger bits so start on the biggest. Start preferably with a bit that is not too blunt so that you can clearly see all the angles and how it is meant to be.
The actual angle of the 2 cutting edges ie the pointy ness of the drill as seem from a distance is not at all critical. What is critical is the angle that the sharp edge cuts the material.

The sharp edge must meet the job first and have shoulders behind the edge that dictate the angle that it bites into the material.
When sharpening try to replicate this angle.

Don't allow the bit to get hot when grinding. On a small bit you can sometimes usefully sharpen it with an oil stone. Have a go olewill
 
Interesting. I knew a master carpenter about a decade ago, that only used 'disposbale' cheap hand wood saws, as he believed that the time it took to maintain and cost of purchase of expensive saws was a waste of money. Use them, dispose of them, and buy a few more.

From anyone else I'd have doubted the advice, however he'd been in the trade all his life and was in late 60's when he handed out this gem, and was highly respected and worked on word of mouth, so was obviously good at his job.
 
The best drill sharpener I have used is the Eclipse. Looks a bit gimmiky but is very good. It holds the drill at the correct angle as you roll it over a sheet of abrasive, the back wheels are ecentric to give the back off angle. New drills given a quick hone on fine paper last a lot longer before a resharpen.
In wood, speed is important. HSS drills work well at low speeds. Those of Vic´s type also need to be slow.
Andrew
I´ve had the Eclipse for 20yrs, so durable too-A
 
Brendan, Nearly all chippies use 'disposable' handsaws. The consensus is that 'Jack' are the best.

Years back, we used to get half an hour a week for sharpening. [under what was called the 'Working Rule Agreement' ]. The first job a chippie had when starting on a site was to knock up a sawhorse, and a pair of saw chops, [to hold saw blade while sharpening].

In passing, it is possible to sharpen disposable saws - if you use the very best quality saw files. Hardly anyone bothers, as a new one costs only £6.00, and the blunt ones will still be useful, for cutting aerated concrete blocks, or plasterboard.
 
I set the teeth after , the theory is that the filing could knock the teeth out of set .
I used disposable saws for years but have gone back to the old saws ( Tyzak and spear and Jackson if anyone fancy a look on ebay ) They are far nicer to use and you can pick them up cheaper than a chuck away ...... Unless you have a bidding war for a Tyzak , i won /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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