Sharpening SDS drill bits -the Multi Sharp gadget.

[timhoward]

I can't find a previous thread on this topic, so here goes.

There is one sort of house-brick that I dread encountering in my area - they are known as Ruabon Reds and they are extremely hard and unforgiving. After working a lot on two houses with these bricks the same week I've blunted almost every SDS drill bit I possessed including spares, and wore out a further brand new Bosch set. I thought rather than shelling out for yet another new set it was worth a try reviving them, so I was looking at getting either a bench grinder and having a go free-hand, or a bespoke sharpening machine and I noticed this cheap product at Screwfix:

Multi-Sharp Drill Bit Sharpener - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Long life, high quality aluminium oxide and silicon carbide wheel accurately sharpens 3-13mm diameter, HSS (including titanium-coated and cobalt), masonry (regular and hammer), SDS plus, centre point wood (brad point) and flat wood bits. Grinding jig accurately...

www.screwfix.com

I thought it was worth a gamble for £20. The instructions are fairly clear, with specific instructions for SDS bits. I practised a bit on some drill bits that I hadn't used much and established that I was indeed improving them, and then set about the truly knackered set of 5.5, 6 and 7 mm bits.
In short, it works a treat. One older bit was completely rounded with no discernible edge at all and it even managed to revive that after some prolonged effort- I tried it out today on a job and it was like a new bit.

Here's the product video:

So in summary it's given the bits another lease of life and will undoubtedly pay for itself.
It isn't a super-strong gadget so will need careful handling, but it's also only £20.

I'm interested if anyone else has used one over a long period, or indeed uses any other methods to re-sharpen things.

 

[SparkySy]

I use a mini bench grinder on site but have used an angle grinder with a flap disk in emergencies.
I was taught by my dad and again at college how to sharpen drill bits by hand on a bench grinder.
I must admit 4mm is the smallest I can do, anything smaller and my eyes just can't do it anymore even with me glasses!
This grinder actually, I changed the soft wheel for a grey one and it's been really good.

Ferrex 120W Mini Bench Grinder Tool with Flexible Driveshaft Variable Speed NEW 4061462740985 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ferrex 120W Mini Bench Grinder Tool with Flexible Driveshaft Variable Speed NEW at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[ipf]

I use a mini bench grinder on site but have used an angle grinder with a flap disk in emergencies.
I was taught by my dad and again at college how to sharpen drill bits by hand on a bench grinder.

Same here, in days gone by, but not much these days.
Must admit, I've never considered sharpening a smallish masonry drill. They usually seemed done for after a good burn out, especially on the local 'Accrington Stock'.
How things have changed though.
No SDS, especially battery operated, for donkeys years. With the old 'hammer drills' it was just as much body strength as a good drill bit. Blacked dozens over the years.
Thanks to John Joseph Rawlings, though.....for inventing the rawlplug.

 

[ipf]

Thanks to John Joseph Rawlings, though.....for inventing the rawlplug.

He started, very early, with an electrical business.....only a spark could have come up with an idea like that.

 

[brianmoooore]

Ruabon Reds - I'll guarantee they're like cheese when compared to the Marland Cream found around here. It was while working on a house made entirely of these that I went out and bought one of those new SDS drills that were just getting around, after wasting hours trying to get into the things with a hammer drill. Even the SDS bits were short lived, and would come out after not many holes with the end melted.

 

[SparkySy]

I have come across some very hard bricks round our way especially in the old railway built houses!
Many a burnt out or mushroom shaped drill bit beyond grinding.
Have found some of the Non-SDS drill bits like the Irwin and Bosch multiconstruction ones really good for these type of very hard bricks and even some of the Bosch tile bits are good for extremely hard to drill surfaces.
These,

Irwin Joran Cordless Multi Drill Bit - 6mm, 160mm (115mm) - New | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Irwin Joran Cordless Multi Drill Bit - 6mm, 160mm (115mm) - New at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

And these,

Bosch Expert Hex Shank Multi-Purpose Drill Bits 5 Piece Set - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Highly versatile drill bits which can drill accurately into hard materials such as tile and granite without skidding due to its sharp tip, advanced geometric design and bosch centring geometry. Made from optimised carbide it can also tackle concrete, brick, wood and...

www.screwfix.com

And finally these.

5 x Bosch Professional CYL-9 Ceramic Tile Drill Bit 6mm | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 5 x Bosch Professional CYL-9 Ceramic Tile Drill Bit 6mm at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

Sy

 

[nicebutdim]

Ruabon Reds - I'll guarantee they're like cheese when compared to the Marland Cream found around here. It was while working on a house made entirely of these that I went out and bought one of those new SDS drills that were just getting around, after wasting hours trying to get into the things with a hammer drill. Even the SDS bits were short lived, and would come out after not many holes with the end melted.

Don't see as many bricks around these parts, except in newer homes. Mostly it's pot luck when drilling through stone ad rubble walls - you might breeze through in no time or wish you'd never started in that particular spot. The last ice age left a mixed bag of building materials for locals to throw together.

 

[timhoward]

Ruabon Reds - I'll guarantee they're like cheese when compared to the Marland Cream found around here. It was while working on a house made entirely of these that I went out and bought one of those new SDS drills that were just getting around, after wasting hours trying to get into the things with a hammer drill. Even the SDS bits were short lived, and would come out after not many holes with the end melted.

Those Marland Cream bricks are one of my favourites in terms of appearance but I've never tried drilling them so I won't argue about relative strengths.

All I know is that you allow at least 90 minutes with a mains hilti and core drill for a 4 inch extractor hole and I often find surface mounted sockets on houses with those bricks, or sometimes if the sparks was in an exceptionally good mood the living room will have the boxes sunk in and the rest of the house is surface mounted.

I'm not alone in this....!

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[brianmoooore]

Can't imagine that you'd ever mange to core drill into Marland Cream. They're equally resistant to diamond discs, so chasing out is a nightmare as well.