Are drill bits disposable, or should they be treated like fine tools?

[sbalder]

I've used a 115-piece set of drill bits for 4 years, and although I've taken care of them some have worn out or just plain broken. I was going to order replacements for these but I can get a whole new set of 115 for 30 bucks. I'm an ex-mechanic and I've always tried to treat tools like they are lifetime purchases.

What about it?- are drill bits consumables like WD-40 and cutoff wheels, or should they be cared for like children?

[HuFlungDung]

If you use them, they wear out. If you don't sharpen them as often as you should, they then become "taper-length" drills because the lands near the cutting end are smaller than the drill lands farther up. Then, they squeak when drilling deep holes, and score the hell out of the side of the hole, but you already knew that.

Cheap drills seem to abound nowadays, and some cheap sets seem to be of decent quality. I stock up regularly on TIN coated 29 piece sets at anywhere from $35 to $65 CDN and they seem to be decent for general purpose usage. Your mileage may vary. $30 for a 115 piece set is pretty cheap, even the box is worth more than that

[epineh]

ALL tools are like old friends, some stay with you for a long time, some seem to be there one day and gone the next.

But even though losing a friend will make you sad, you can always go and find new friends...

O.K. so I just got home after a 16 hr work day... I go sleep now.

Russell.

[Switcher]

Not all drills are equal.

If you bought 115 pc. drill set for $30 , and used each drill a few times, well you got your money out of them. Throw them out like inserts.

Now, If you have an $90 (each) coolant drill, of coarse you'll take care of it. Resharpen it, Thinning, Buff, etc...

I voted.

Protect them in a fine wooden case, polish them regularly, and pass them down to future generations.

.

[PhoenixToo]

For the most part they are disposable in our shop.......

For the price, its not worth sharpening the vast majority of used drills......some of the bigger ones (say 3/4 inch and up) are a little more cared for and sharpened as needed.....but why bother with a smaller/cheaper 1/8 inch drill

[pminmo]

I used to think they were disposable, now I think they sould be used as long as possible via reshapening. We are such a throw away society, and that isn't good.

[diarmaid]

If it costs over $5, take care of it. If it costs under $5 make sure you get your moneys worth, then hand it over to the recycle yard. ......if it costs over $30, polish, buff, hand it down etc etc.

[HuFlungDung]

$400 insert drills are definitely disposable! Takes about 1 second to dispose of one

[Mcgyver]

Originally Posted by PhoenixToo some of the bigger ones (say 3/4 inch and up) are a little more cared for and sharpened as needed.....but why bother with a smaller/cheaper 1/8 inch drill

yeah 1/8 is small, but throw out a 3/8 or 1/2 cuz its dull? not likely in my frugal little shop, especially when you buy decent ones in the first place. if its your job and there's a tool crib down the aisle, toss away, but for us weekenders its a far bigger pita to run around buying/ordering stuff than to just sharpen what you've got.

[nine 16]

I voted "Protect them...." At least that is my inclination. My emotional side of this hobbiest says "don't toss it if you can save/fix it." My intellect says "time is money, you dope."

I used to ocassionally resharpen by hand but frankly I've not really achieved the skill to make it worth while. For those of you who have considered or use one of those Drill Dr. type of products, how do they perform. Sorry if that last question constitutes taking the thread in another direction.

[Kipper]

Use em trash is the Kippers motto...sod the environment I need true holes when I drill lol

[sbalder]

Going through what I am missing or is damaged in my index shows that everything I've trashed is less than 1/8". I don't seem to break or wear out the big ones, and it sounds like the little ones aren't worth sharpening anyways.