Professional Tool Reviews for Pros

What do you do with those dull and broken bits? Bring them back to life with the Drill Doctor 750X Drill Bit Sharpener! Now before I end up sounding too much like a late-night infomercial, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There’s a learning curve involved and it’s going to take some practice to get it right. But once you do, is this $140 tool something Pros can rely on?

There’s a knob on the right side that you can loosen. Set the angle to 118°, 135° or anywhere in between as you see fit and retighten the knob.

Loosen the chuck so that it will accept the bit, then tighten it down just to the point that you can still move it in and out. Press the lever on the back right (the Alignment Button) to open the jaws while you insert the chuck into position. The tabs that come out between the white marks are the Alignment Guides and either one of them needs to slide into position with the 118° mark.

With the Alignment Button still pressed and the chuck in place, push the bit forward until it hits the metal stop at the back (the Drill Bit Stop) and release the Alignment Button. Give the bit a spin until the clamps are holding it at its narrowest point.

Tighten the chuck up so the bit can’t move without removing it so the adjustment doesn’t change. Then pull the chuck out and give it a little extra tightening. Just be sure not to overtighten it – the goal is to make sure the bit doesn’t move during sharpening, not make it a permanent fixture with the chuck.

Turn the Drill Doctor on and align either of the white marks (Sharpening Guides) on the chuck with the silver Cam Guide on top of the sharpening port. Start spinning the chuck with light downward pressure. You’ll notice a motion that’s kind of wavy – that’s what gives the bit the correct tip shape, so don’t try to overcome it.

Pro Tip: While the manual offers some guidance on how many turns it takes to sharpen the bit, keep going until you no longer hear it grinding so the Drill Doctor can completely finish the job.

It seems like there are 100 ways to get your sharpening wrong. While it’s not quite that many, you’re likely to stumble across several as you hone your technique. The best advice I can give you is to grab some old, broken bits you don’t really care about and just practice with them. Turn some 118° bits into 135° bits, make some custom angles, screw up a few times. Each time you do, you’ll learn something new that will make working on your nice bits much easier and faster. The manual has a troubleshooting guide to help you understand what happens to give you less than ideal results.

Pro Tip: When you’re sharpening your good bits, stick with the angle they came in. 135° bits are cast differently than 118°.

There are several advantages to the 750X model as you move up from the 350X through the various models. You get a 3/4″ bit capacity out of the gate for starters. You can select 118° – 135° bit angles, including anything in between. On the side, there’s also a split port to give you the ability to create a split tip on your bit.

At just under $140, the Drill Doctor 750X gives you the most versatility out of the current options. If you’re committed to sharpening your broken and dull bits to get more life out of them, it will pay over time. You’ll realize your return on investment even sooner if you’re using cobalt bits that are more expensive than black oxide and titanium.

After using the Drill Doctor 750X for several weeks, my only major concern at this point is the number of plastic parts that are critical for ensuring you get an accurate grind. There are a few more minor considerations as well.

The angle markings are just etched in the plastic, so there’s no contrast to help you see them. A little paint would be good, etched metal plating would be better.

Keep in mind that you’re grinding the tip of your drill bit, meaning a coating like black oxide or titanium is going to come off. It won’t affect the entire bit, just the tip. Bits that have material blended with the steel, like cobalt, won’t be affected like a coating.

Finally, be sure to the keep the plug in your Split Port when you’re not splitting the tip. This will help reduce the number of metal chips that come out.

There are a lot of plastic parts around the Drill Doctor 750X. Similar to my feeling about the Work Sharp knife sharpener, I trust myself to take good enough care of it to last for quite a while. However, I don’t trust the rest of the guys in the office (ahem, David C. Smith) to keep it functioning as long. The learning curve associated with it means it’s going to be a better fit for woodworkers, carpenters, and general contractors that are going to tackle sharpening duties on their own or are willing to spend some time with the crewmember that will.

Once you get the process dialed in, you’ll save money on replacement bits. Just recognize that it’s built more for sharpening in a controlled shop environment than a job site.

On the clock, Kenny dives deep to discover the practical limits and comparative differences for all kinds of tools. Off the clock, his faith and love for his family are his top priorities, and you'll typically find him in the kitchen, on his bike (he's an Ironman), or taking folks out for a day of fishing on Tampa Bay.

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hELLO I HAVE A DRILL dOCTOR 750X THE SHARPENING PORT IS WARN OUT WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO BUY A NEW ONE I HAVE BEEN QUOTED $ 40 FOR ONE

thanks for the review. I am a trained machinist, But as I get older it is hard to clearly see the bit tip I am sharpening. I will buy one to help with my loss of vision.

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