We know sharp drill bits are important, not only do they perform better, but they also put less strain on your drill. A drill is only as good as its bits, that’s for sure. In most cases, I don’t spend a lot on basic bits. When starting a bigger project though, I always go and buy the one or two specialty bits I will need so I have no slowdowns. I always cringe a bit at the price tag, but I know I am getting a quality product. If you’re a carpenter or framer or work with concrete your bits can add up quickly, especially if you’re replacing them frequently. If there was a way to extend their life and performance, it would only make sense to try it. Well, one option is to use sharpeners, which brings us to the Drill Doctor. Let’s investigate their solution to sharpening drill bits in the Drill Doctor 750X Review.
Drill Doctor 750X Review Overview
A family-owned company called Darex owns Drill Doctor. Darex specializes in sharpeners for bits, outdoor products, and kitchen knives. Drill Doctor themselves have been around for a while and are US based, including their manufacturing. There are a few versions of the Drill Doctor bit sharpener, and over the years they have continued to evolve and include even more features. Today, we will be looking at their current higher-end model, the 750X.
Drill Doctor 750X Review Features
The Drill Doctor comes with a carrying case, the machine, a 3/4 inch chuck, a wheel hub wrench as well as a pre-installed diamond sharpening wheel. The Drill Doctor also includes a 3-year warranty.
A 6-foot power cord provides a fair amount of reach to a power source. The motor is a magnet motor, providing consistent power even at high speeds or loads.
The diamond sharpening wheel is pre-installed in the machine and can be replaced when worn. The Drill Doctor sharpens standard twist and masonry bits from 3/32″ to 3/4″. It also can sharpen multiple materials, including Carbide, Cobalt, High-Speed Steel, Black Oxide, and Tin-Coated.
The chuck includes long jaws for optimum grip, even on small bits.
The alignment port allows for proper alignment of the bit in the chuck. The drill stop is adjustable, to allow for customize removal, with clamping arms to align the bit properly.
There are two ports for sharpening, one for standard sharpening and one for use with split point bits.
The standard sharpening port has an angle shuttle that can be set at any angle from 115 to 140 degrees with stops at the standard 118, and 135 degrees. The angle shuttle is also made of cast aluminum for extra durability. Setting the angle is as simple as turning a knob on the right and shifting the shuttle up or down, then retighten the knob.
The standard sharpening port also uses a unique design where you rotate the bit over the wheel to sharpen the bit. The port is slightly oval shape, allowing for perfect sharpening on the bit wings.
The split point port uses a “Push to stop” design to prevent you from over splitting the bit.
The grit tube stays in the side-mounted split point port when not in use to minimize mess from metal shavings.
Drill Doctor 750X Review Performance
The first thing I would say about the Drill Doctor 750X is that there is a bit of a learning curve. There are a lot of instructions and steps, but once you get the hang of it it is rather intuitive. I played around with some very old and very cheap bits initially until I really got the hang of using the process. There is no doubt in my mind that Drill Bits were sharper after using the Drill Doctor. You can see the change in how well the bits drilled, the right holes being drilled just prior to sharpening and the left being just after.
The bits are nearly impossible to photograph, but to show the difference in the points, only one of these bits wasn’t sharpened. The second from the left remained untouched, while the first bit on the left was sharpened to 135 degrees, and the right two to 118 degrees. The ability to control how much product you remove is important as well since removing too much at a time shortens the life of the bits as well. For those who use bits on a regular basis, this is a great way to extend the life of their bits and improve the quality of the holes they drill. As long as you can give the system the time to get the steps down right, you’ll be happy with the increase in performance in both your bits and your drill.
Drill Doctor 750X Review Value
The Drill Doctor 750X comes in at $139.95, but can be found a little bit cheaper on Amazon. One thing I didn’t expect from something like a bit sharpener is the superior build quality. There was definitely a lot of investment into the actual making of the tool. The machine itself is durable and strong, and without a doubt could serve you for years to come. The components are durable plastic and metal and even the carrying case is sturdy double walled plastic.
It’s a pricey tool and one I see as an investment in your shop. This is their premium model, and to me, the price point is geared more towards the professional or contractor. Someone who is really going through bits or has several people using one machine. For me, this would be a significant investment if you were a homeowner. Drill Doctor does have other models that start at just $50 dollars so there is likely a model that will suit your needs. Over time you can recoup the cost by extending bit life as well as drill life and prevent unneeded replacements.
Drill Doctor 750X Review Final Thoughts
The Drill Doctor is a unique tool, meant to really give bits a sharp, good as new finish. The ability to achieve a perfect angle without a whole lot of hassle is an impressive feat. With a wide range of materials that can be used with it and a huge range of bit sizes that it can accommodate, it is a huge asset to a busy shop. While there is a learning curve, it’s simple once you’ve gotten the process down. Breathing new life into bits makes them perform like new as well as taking strain off your drill.
As a retired automotive technician that now uses his drill bits at home only, the professional model with its $139.95 price is still worth it if it prevents you from having to replace drill bits because they’re dull and you have no other way to sharpen them. At work I would use the bench grinder on my cheap drill bits, but that doesn’t give you good results, at least not for very long. I imagine that the Drill Doctor 750x can save you money on broken bits too, as long as the bit wasn’t broken off too short.
That’s a great point, David! I have broken a few bits over the years, and some could have definitely been revived by the Drill Doctor. It’s funny how we can’t imagine being without some tools once we have them! I definitely use better bits to begin with now, since I have the option to sharpen them. Thank you for your perspective, I always enjoy it!
I’ve use the Drill Doctor 750x by Darex
And after the advice I received form them NOT to use a machine made in the USA for the US market ie. 110/115v BUT 60HTZ Not 50htz. For an induction motor to be run at the wrong frequency according to Darex IS DANGEROUS, so I have purchased a 230/250v 50htz Drill Doctor 750x, and boy does it work well . I’m over joyed with it. THANK YOU Darex