Putting gear to the test is something I love to do, whether it be hunting gear or household products. There is something fun about taking a new product or new-to-me product and putting it through the paces. Usually, I take my own gear, push it to the limit, and then see how long it. I do the same thing with my tools around the house. I have used my drill bits for the past few years to the point where they wouldn’t even eat through a soft 2×4. I needed to sharpen my bits or buy new ones. That’s where the Drill Doctor 750x drill bit sharpener from Darex comes in!
The top of the line 750X sharpens drill bits from 3/32” to 3/4”. Point angles can be set anywhere from 115 to 140 degrees. Adjustable material take-off allows you to adjust the amount of material removed during sharpening – extending the life of your bits. The 750X is built to stand up to professional use.
A bit of back story on how I found out about the Drill Doctor. A few weekends ago, I was waiting for my daughter to finish her dance class while wearing my Work Sharp Tools t-shirt when another dance-dad leaned over and asked me about Work Sharp products. I shared about their awesome knife sharpening systems and that I have reviewed their products in the past and really like their performance. He asked me if they made a drill bit sharpener and I explained that I did not know, but that I would find out. A quick email was sent off to them and they responded back just as quickly that they, in fact, do make a drill bit sharpener, the Drill Doctor. They informed me that Darex is the parent company that owns both Work Sharp and The Drill Doctor. What a nice surprise!
The Drill Doctor will sharpen Carbide, Cobalt, High-Speed Steel, Black Oxide, TiN-Coated, twist and Masonry bits. Yes, all of those, so I needed to figure out where to start. Old bits were scattered throughout my tool box, along with newer bits in my bit case, but I had no idea what bits they were. I had worn many of them down to dull metal as they had been used a great deal over the years. Some were used to drill holes through the stucco on my house. (I know, get a concrete bit dummy!) The stucco pretty much destroyed them. I lost hope of ever finding something to bring new life to them. The Drill Doctor made that happen.
The Drill Doctor is easy to use and doesn’t require an engineering degree to use. It comes with an easy to follow DVD with instructions. There are also paper instructions in the box. If you misplace your paper copy you can always download a copy here. I won’t pour over the instructions other than to say they are very simple and helpful. Take the time to go over them. I went through the paper copy first, but found the DVD to be a better starting point. I would highly recommend watching the short video before diving into the paper instructions. It just makes things move a bit faster when sharpening your bits.
The unit looks daunting, but really isn’t. Follow the instructions and you’ll be sharpening bits in no time. Here are the basics of the instructions:
- Determine the type and angle of the drill bit.
- Align the bit in the Chuck.
- Sharpen the bit.
- Split the point (if you choose).
I want to add a small note about what I thought the Drill Doctor was and what it actually is. I thought the Drill Doctor was going to be a sharpener that would sharpen the entire bit (sides and all), but I was mistaken. The Drill Doctor only sharpens the tip of the bit. I was hoping to have a sharpener that would also sharpen the sides of the bit. My dad used to have one when I was younger that was manual, but it sharpened all the way up. That being said, the Drill Doctor does exactly what it says it will do! It sharpens the bit head to allow a better bite into wood, metal, and probably other material.
If you don’t do it properly, it will not bite into the wood properly and it’ll feel like it’s not completely sharp. That’s because it isn’t! I found out a couple times that I did not sharpen the bit properly and had a hard time with it biting into wood. I also found out that I have cheap bits and needed to sharpen mine after a few uses. Better bits will make for a cleaner, more productive job. Plus, I am positive they will sharpen better!
The Drill Doctor 750x is built for professional use, or in my case, cheap bits that need to be sharpened all the time. The 750x retails for $139.95 and that’s because it is built for the professional. Over time, this will save you money! You won’t have to have someone else sharpen your bits, or purchase new ones. It also comes with a 3 year warranty. Don’t fall for the cheap sharpeners you can find at local, chain hardware stores. The 750x allows you to get the correct angle, lock in the bit, and sharpen with ease. Get a quality machine for the job you do. There are many other Drill Doctor machines that cater to different use and abuse. Choose the one that is best for you! I can honestly say that this machine is far superior to anything I have owned, but is also more machine than I need. For the contractor or handyman, this is perfect. I am currently getting bits from my friends to test this out further and am having fun doing it!
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