Techniques to Sharpen Cobalt Drill Bits
Cobalt drill bits are the best option for the most robust materials for a custom steel project. They are made with a small percentage of cobalt fused with hot-work steel; these bits are naturally more robust and more heat-resistant than typical drill bits due to the cobalt's infusion. Some cobalt drill bits can even withstand temperatures up to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit.
It would be best if you had a pointy Cobalt drilling bit to form the cutting easier and, therefore, the holes are perfect. Counting on the task and whether you're drilling through wood, steel, iron, or titanium, the drill bits are available in a spread of sizes and angle points. Cobalt drill bits have a high resistance to heat, making them perfect for repeated use. But after a short time, the leading edge becomes dull and needs to sharpen. If you've got a bench grinder, you'll sharpen the bits on your own.
Why should You Sharpen Drill Bits?
Just like a replacement car, a drilling bit starts to wear out the minute you begin using it. Unlike a replacement car, it's relatively easy to revive a drilling bit to its original sharpness.
If you're wondering why to sharpen drill bits instead of allowing them to be or replace them, here are a couple of reasons.
Reduces the danger of injury: There's a proverb in professional kitchens: Dull knives cut fingers. An equivalent is real of drill bits — the duller they're, the more likely they're to cause injury.
Reduces the prospect that the bits will break: A broken drilling bit can quickly become a projectile if it snaps mid-drilling. It's also a waste, as you're stuck having to travel out and buy new bits.
Protects your drill: Your fingers, eyes, and face aren't the only things that will be damaged by a dull drilling bit. The lighter the drilling bit is, the harder your drill has got to work, which may put a strain on the motor.
Cost-effective: It's often less expensive to sharpen the bits you already own than to travel out and buy new ones.
Ensures a clean-cut: Sharp drill bits are ready to traverse a spread of materials neatly. When bits get dull, they tend to catch on the items they're drilling into, which may make your finished project look tons less neat.
Techniques to Sharpen Cobalt Drill Bits
Following are the steps to sharpen a cobalt drill bit.
STEP 1
Examine your dull bits. Your goal is to urge rid of merely enough metal to get a sharpened edge. Many bench grinders have two grinding wheels, one coarse one, and one fine. If the bits are ravaged, start with the coarse wheel, and switch to the finer one later within the process; if your bits don't look regrettable, begin with the finer emery wheel.
STEP 2
Don your goggles and switch on the bench grinder. Get a firm grip on your drilling bit and hold the leading edge precisely parallel to the front of the emery wheel. Slowly, carefully, move the bit until it contacts the wheel. don't turn or rotate it; keep it straight and held at the first factory angle of 60 degrees.
STEP 3
Hold the bit at this angle against the wheel for no quite four to 5 seconds. Remember: Your objective is to quickly grind the dull surface away, not affect the bit. Specialize in grinding the bit's heel, where the tip meets the twisted shaft—not the edge—to achieve the perfect angle. If the curve isn't steep enough, the drilling bit won't bore smoothly.
Read More: What is a Jobber Drill Bit?
STEP 4
Pause after four to 5 seconds of grinding and dip the drilling bit into the drinking water to chill the metal. Failure to try to do so will cause the drilling bit to become too hot to carry and even affect the metal faster, shortening the bit's practical lifetime. Once the bit is cool to the touch, inspect it to ascertain if it's honed to a real point on the side you only worked.
STEP 5
When satisfied with the purpose on the primary side, turn the drilling bit 180 degrees and use an equivalent grind-and-cool process for the other side of the tip. Aim for that 60-degree angle, and an inclination and point that's an equivalent width on each side of the drilling bit enables the tool to bore straight holes. Some people prefer to sharpen a touch on all sides to ensure equal sharpening, holding the drilling bit in their dominant hand and flipping it 180-degrees after every few grinding seconds.
STEP 6
Once the drill tip meets during a finely honed point, and both edges are sharp and therefore the same width, give the bit a test run. Hold the tip perpendicular against a bit of scrap wood and twist the bit by hand. Even with this slight pressure, a well-sharpened drilling bit should create the beginnings of a hole. If not, re-examine your tip and return to the emery wheel. Again, strive for that ideal 60-degree slope on purpose, with equal widths on either side. Don't be disheartened if you come back to the wheel several times—that's a part of the training curve.
STEP 7
Once you're confident within the sharpness of the bit, insert it in your drill, grab that scrap wood, and start drilling. It should "bite" the wood directly with minimal pressure and, once you extract the drilling bit from the wood, it should fling wood chips because it emerges.