Product Review Monday

This week's book review is the incomparable "Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Dacyczyn.

You might say this is where it all began. I found the first volume of this trio of books in a thrift store not long after we moved to Oregon in 1992, a move that famously plunged us into extreme financial uncertainty over the next few decades as we survived on a woodcrafter's income. These books offered me guidance and made me realize just how much of our financial future was within our control, even with a vastly reduced income.

The books have since been combined into one large volume entitled "The Complete Tightwad Gazette." The subtitle says it all: "Promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle." One reviewer called it "Guerilla frugality for the masses."

If you want the ultimate guide for how to live a thrifty life, these books are for you.

__________________________

Don's product recommendation this week is "The Drill Doctor."

(Don writes): I do a lot of construction around the homestead, which means a lot of drilling holes: Big holes and small holes, holes in wood, metal and concrete.

To make those holes, I need to use drill bits of all different sizes and compositions. And because I am often attaching new wood to old construction, it is not uncommon for me to encounter old screws or nails or even hardware that was hidden until my drill bit "discovered" them.

Now even simple hole-drilling will dull a bit with continued use; but run into a bent nail, and the sharpened edge of a drill bit dulls out instantly.

Because I've been doing this for a lot of years, and because I have a nearly obsessive hatred for discarding worked metal (because worked metal has greater value than unworked metal), I rarely throw away a dulled drill bit. This means I have at least a couple of #10 cans of dull drill bits around the shop, waiting for me to sharpen them. It's been a long wait.

You can sharpen a drill bit with a vise, flat files, and patience. I have the first two requirements, but sharpening drill bits by hand requires recognizing that you are trying to put sharp flat edges on a round piece of stock, and both of those edges must come into contact with the material being drilled at the same time, or else only one of the cutting edges will be doing all the work.

So, after staring at those buckets of old bits for years, I decided to look into electric drill bit sharpeners. After perusing the options and reviews, I decided to buy a Drill Doctor DD750X.

I have to say, it works great for practically every twist bit I run through it (doesn't do anything for paddle bits or Forstner bits, but you can't have everything). Carbide, black oxide, or high-speed steel – it doesn't matter. The Drill Doctor puts new sharp cutting edges on all of them. And it's kinda fun.

The unit costs about $160. While this seems like a lot, I figure at a buck a bit, I'll have paid for the machine by the time I finish sharpening all the old ones I've got. And since I don't plan to stop drilling things, I'll (mostly) never have to buy another bit again. Read that again: I may never have to buy another bit again, thanks to this machine.

Here's a sharpened bit next to an unsharpened bit:

I chose the DD750X because it handles bits up to 3/4-inch diameter. Its smaller counterpart, the DD500X, works up to 1/2-inch diameters.

If you know someone like me who has lots of old drill bits and hates to spend money on new bits, the Drill Doctor is a great tool to have...and will also make for a great Christmas present.

(Obligatory disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, we earn a small commission.)

(Don't forget: A complete list of all our book and product recommendations are linked here and at the upper-right column of the blog.)