Drill Bit Sharpener Tormek DBS-22 - The Drill Bit Sharpening Jig Attachment For Tormek Water-Cooled Sharpening Systems.

I thought about this jig for quite a while, before deciding to go ahead and make the purchase. I don't use my Tormek as often as I should, but each time I use it I am always pleased with results. I watched a video on how to set up and use the jig twice before I received it, and read the instructions that came with it once it came.It is very easy to set up, easier than on the video, and I couldn't be more pleased with how the bits cut after being sharpened. I used the extra fine grit (1200) Tormek DE-250 Diamond Wheel which left a beautiful edge. I was not aware how dull my bits were, but after just a few minutes, each one I sharpened did cut, I think, better than when the bits were new.It will probably take a while for me to justify the cost, but it is fun and easy to use, and beats going to the store to purchase a new bit.I am very pleased.

So there I am in the shop with a thin piece of aluminum extrusion to drill through. No problem, chuck up a random twist drill in the press, clamp Al to the table, give er a little squirt of cutting fluid and... NOTHING. My drill is so completely worn out it's just making a hot angry dent in a piece that should be no problem at all. That's when I looked a little closer at my drill and was presented with the "before" image attached.That sent me down the rabbit hole, I tried several 3D printed jigs because they were cheap and I have a printer. The result from each of those was a shiney, sharp looking drill that similarly wouldn't cut anything because the geometry was way out of shape. After wasting a bunch of time on that I decided it was finally time to pull the trigger on the DBS-22 for my T-4.The jig is finicky and you might want to run through a youtube or two on how to use it. Once I got the general flow, the manual made sense and walked me through what to do. I started with a drill I had mangled w/ my printed jigs and once I got the hang of things I was left with a wonderfully sharp drill featuring a perfect 4 facet cutting face. Aluminium was no problem, and neither is 1018 flatbar.This process isn't fast, the jig isn't cheap, but man - my drills have a new life in front of them, and several more past that.I'm done buying drills!

This attachment works and it is easy to master with the first drill bit. The instruction book is excellent with step by step pictures.After never being able to get good results with the drill doctor and an inexpensive jig that uses the side of a grinding wheel I decided to give this attachment a try and I was pleasantly surprised.The setup on the Tormek machine took just seconds.This attachment produces a uniquely ground tip with 4 flat facets that I have not seen on drill bits before. I call it "the Tormek shape" It is similar to a split point tip but a little different as it produces a sharp point in the middle of the chisel edge where the 4 facets overlap. One can choose from a wide range of tip and relief angles. I tested a sharpened 1/4 inch bit in wood and mild steel and it performed as well as a factory sharpened spilt point bit.The bit must be aligned in the holder prior to grinding. This is a tricky operation that is done by sight. Take your time aligning the bit. This is my only complaint as aligning a bit by sight is tricky (I have 20/20 vision) even when using the supplied magnifier jig. If you are off by just a couple of degrees the facets will not be perfect but the bit will still cut with reduced durability.If you start with a badly worn bit it will be hard to align and the alignment will change if a lot of material needs to be ground off. My first attempt suffered from this but after reading the troubleshooting section of the manual I turned the bit a few degrees and reground it in just a couple of minutes to a perfect result because it was already close to the "Tormek" shape.The first grinding/ sharpening of small bits goes quickly while a 1/2 inch bit takes a while. Once you have formed a "Tormek" tip resharpening is very quick if you are not changing the geometry.This is the first machine that I have been able to use to get predictable result. As I already mentioned because of alignment by sight the process is not fully automatic but once the big is clamped the tops and rails on the attachment virtually guarantee a symmetric result. Some judgment is required when approaching the final shape but because the bit holder is so easy to lift off the machine inspecting the work is very easy.

So, I've had the Tormek T8 and have been sharpening everything in my house and shop with an edge, and have had fantastic results---the best of any system I've ever used. Then I saw my Milwaukee cobalt drill bits that I've used so much over the years and have become so dull that I couldn't drill a hole in a wet paper bag. I've already sharpened that set of drills, and now they are so sharp that it's unbelievable! I'll say that this jig is a little complicated to use, but it's a very small learning curve and everything you need from setting the depth of the bit in the holder, to measuring the bit angle are all on the jig itself. These Swedish designers think of everything with brilliant (and I rarely use that word) design and engineering of all their products. This includes the magnifier to help you see smaller bits and the template to set the distance from the stone and angle of the base. Even the magnifier has an adjustment so you can dial it in to your exact vision.I just use the original grindstone for the drill bits--I do have the Blackstone Silicone grinding wheel but really only use that for my kitchen and hunting knives. This jig has completely rejuvenated all my drill bits (including the masonry bits) and now they will cut through even hard steel like a hot knife through butter. This jig isn't cheap, but when you pick up the box that it comes in, you'll feel how heavy the box is and what high quality it is, and that it's worth every penny. The drill bit sets I've sharpened have already paid for this jig. I've tried the high-end Drill Doctor, and this system gives much better results.