Resurrecting "ruined" auger bits?

[Bryan Ericson]

I recently came into possession of a box of auger bits, some in good condition and some that have been terribly abused. Among the abuses: spurs have been filed on the outside, the threads have somehow been bent, and the cutting edges have had the angles of their bevels changed.

Can anyone direct me to a site that shows how to repair these bits? Can they be remade into, maybe, some other type of bit? Is it even worth the time and effort to repair them, or are they forever ruined?

Thanks!

[Eric Brown]

Some pictures would help. Different styles of bits can be modified into another style, but repairing can usually cost more than they are worth.
If you grind then so that they resemble a regular modern drill bit with a long point, they can be usefull for boring into end grain.

The one's where the spurs were sharpened on the outside might be somewhat corrected but will never bore as smooth a hole as original.

Good luck.

Eric

[Chuck Nickerson]

Some ruined auger bits can be fixed, others can be repurposed.

If the cutting spurs have been filed on the outside, how far down? If only the tip, a proper shorter spur can be filed.

If cutting geometry has been completely ruined, the bits can be shorted to bitstock and shaped into screwdrivers
(flat, Phillips, Robertson, etc) or turned into gimlet, shell, and spoon bits. (Haven't figured out nose bits yet.)

Worth the time? That's up to you. I have salvaged/repurposed dozens of bits as part of another project.
It was an interesting and worthwhile six months of hobby-time.

[Jim Koepke]

Bryan,

You might find it useful to sort your bits into groups of good users and those that need work.

In my case, I have one set that is my "boxed" set. Then there is a smaller set specifically for dowelling. These have sizes that are known to me by site, some of them are dead on to the size marked and some are a bit less than the standard variance above the marked size.

Finally, there is a box with duplicates, sizes above an inch and all the rest.

In that box are a couple of sets of lesser bits that get taken out for drilling in stock that might damage a good bit. Once you drive a good bit into a screw or nail, you will understand why you want some sacrificial bits.

That is just one reason when I see old augers at a yard sale or thrift shop I will always look and ask "how much?"

If they are cheap enough, they go home with me. For some reason there are people who think they are all old antiques and worth a fortune. I don't even bother trying to get them to come down in price.

jtk

[Bryan Ericson]

Thanks for the info, everyone. I bought the bits because they were being sold as a single lot and many of them are in fine condition with sharp, tall spurs and straight, shiny lead screws. I'm trying, as Jim suggested, to make some complete sets of both Jennings and solid-center bits. Unfortunately there were some bad bits in there with the good, and I don't want to just throw them out if I don't have to. Waste not, want not, and all that.

Chuck - I'm curious. How can one make a shell or spoon bit from an auger bit? I'm having trouble visualizing it. Thanks!