xTool P2 Laser Cutter Review: A Powerful Machine to Take Your Art to the

If you plan on sharpening bits with a bench grinder, this General Tools 825 Attachment, when securely mounted to your benchtop, can give you clean points and accurate angles.

It’s frustrating to see SRAM highlighting the ability to change chainrings on the new Red XPLR AXS power meter as an exciting new feature, given it was SRAM that took away that ability in the first place.

High-quality drill bits aren’t cheap. And once they become dull, they’re ineffective and more likely to “walk” around and damage your workpiece.

Just as standard bottle cages are perfect as they are, so is the practice of using standard fasteners to attach consumable parts such as chainrings.

If you do a lot of drilling, a drill bit sharpener a smart buy. It saves you time, because you won’t waste minutes struggling to drive a dull bit through your workpiece. And it saves you money, because you aren’t throwing out dull bits all the time.

The Drill Doctor 500X is our best overall choice, regardless of your skill level, for its mid-range price and the variety of bits it accepts.

That wasn’t the case, though. The smallest chainring size available for the XX SL Eagle AXS Transmission power meter – 32t – is the same size as was available for SRAM’s previous XX1 Eagle power meter, which had a four-bolt 104 BCD with interchangeable chainrings.

It's true that no bolts is lighter than four bolts, but the difference is miniscule – a set of four Shimano T30 chainring bolts weighs only 4.5g.

Other brands have also shown it’s possible to create stiff chainrings and have excellent front shifting without needing to resort to impractical integrated designs.

This affordable Wen BG4276 bench grinder provides two grinding wheels for a fraction of the cost of similar options. A large, adjustable work light ensures you have a clear view of your workpiece. With 60-grit and 36-grit wheels, you can sharpen lots of tools well as drill bits.

For a start, you’ll need SRAM’s proprietary tool (the SRAM Thread Mount Chainring Removal Tool) to remove and install a chainring, which costs £63 / $65 / €70 and can only be used for this one job.

Taken on their own merits, both of these things are true – chainring stiffness plays a role in front shifting performance, and getting rid of the bolts and threaded inserts will save some weight.

That’s fine if you’re a tool fetishist like Oscar Huckle, but it can also just feel as though riders are being squeezed for yet more of their hard-earned cash.

Its previous-generation Force eTap AXS power meter (the PM-FRC-D1) featured hidden chainring bolts, and its AXS Power Meter Spider (the PM-AXS-SPDR-D1) almost ticks every box, except for the fact it uses a non-standard four-bolt 107 BCD, which significantly reduces its chainring compatibility.

For SRAM Red XPLR AXS, that means only five 1x chainring options from 38 to 46t (in 2t increments), with no third-party or 2x options as things stand.

SRAM’s argument for integrating the chainrings directly into the power meter spiders was that it made for a stiffer system (which improves front shifting) and lower weight.

With the launch of its new Red XPLR AXS gravel groupset, SRAM has finally brought its Thread Mount chainring design to a non-MTB power meter spider.

On paper, it looks as if it solves the problem, but in reality, its proprietary nature introduces another set of issues.

Perhaps weight weenies will disagree, but unless you’re building a bike to win the UK national hill climb championships, I think every bike can afford an additional 10-20g to accommodate interchangeable chainrings.

Thread Mount is a slicker-looking design compared to exposed chainring bolts, which is important for high-end products. But hiding the chainring bolts, as Shimano does on its HollowGlide chainrings, achieves a similar effect without any loss of functionality.

While this likely won’t trouble many owners of the new 13-speed groupset, it means the new Red XPLR AXS power meter can’t be adapted easily for use on a road or time trial bike, or repurposed to work with a non-SRAM groupset, for example.

In theory, this solves one of my biggest peeves about SRAM’s recent power meter spider designs – namely that, on its Red AXS and Force AXS power meters, the chainrings are integrated into the spider with no way to remove them.

Of course, there’s no perfect power meter that can be used on all bikes and for all disciplines, but in this case the limitation isn’t inherent to power meter spiders in general – it’s something SRAM has designed in by choice.

Yet, while I’m glad SRAM has adopted this design with its latest gravel groupset, let’s not break out the champagne and declare this issue a thing of the past.

With Thread Mount, SRAM effectively says riders get the best of both worlds – the lower weight of ditching bolts, plus the ability to change chainrings.

I distinctly remember the first time I tried a Shimano HollowGlide outer chainring (on an Ultegra 6700 groupset), for example, and the improvement compared to traditional chainrings.

Thread Mount debuted on SRAM’s T-Type Eagle Transmission groupset, where you might think it was introduced due to the space limitations enforced by the smaller chainrings mountain bikes typically use (a smaller chainring necessitates a smaller BCD, which leaves less room for electronics in a power meter spider).

Luckily, a good drill bit sharpener can not only get them back in shape, but reinvigorate bits that snapped in half during aggressive use.

Instead of holding the bits in your hand, this attachment holds them for you. Its straightforward adjustment settings make it easy to select the angle, although it’s not ideal for use with bits smaller than 1/8-inch.

I’m all for innovations that make our lives or rides better – heck, I even believe press-fit bottom brackets are better than threaded ones. But if an ‘upgrade’ or new feature doesn’t offer any tangible benefits then it’s fair to ask what the point of it is, and what was wrong with the old way of doing things.

There are the threaded inserts on the outer chainring to consider too, but even so, we’re only talking about a few grams at worst.

It has always felt a shame, therefore, that the high-end Red AXS and Force AXS power meters featured such an annoying flaw.

Unlike other sharpeners that offer one or two angles, you can customize this sharpener to create to any angle from 115 to 140 degrees. The 750X is large enough to accept bits up to 3/4-in., and it can create or sharpen split-point bits.

To further prove the point, front shifting with a Quarq DFour DUB power meter (which is effectively the same as SRAM’s Red / Force AXS power meters but with a spider design that blends with interchangeable Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 chainrings) is also fantastic.

The problem, however, is the performance gains are intangibly small compared to what you lose – namely, the ability to replace chainrings, either for wear-related reasons or because you want to change your gear ratios.

Instead, SRAM says Thread Mount simply enabled it to “reduce weight without compromising reliability”. As already discussed, though, the weight savings are so negligible it isn’t worth it.

I also bristle at the idea of a brand taking something away from riders, only to add it back in later as a ‘feature’ – especially when the ‘new’ system is less functional than the one we already had.

For versatility, it’s hard to beat the Drill Doctor X2 with its dual-speed motor. In addition to the dedicated bit sharpening port, this sharpener includes separate guides for sharpening knives, scissors and other edged tools. To sharpen drill bits, insert the bit into the chuck, press it directly into the sharpening port and start sharpening!

It’s not the cheapest option on our list, but if you’re looking for a sharpener that can accept a wide range of bits, the Drill Doctor 750X is a great choice.

Shimano cranksets all use bolt-on chainrings, though, and don’t seem to suffer any reduction in front shifting speed or accuracy as a result. In fact, many – myself included – regard Shimano’s front shifting performance as class-leading.

Perhaps most obviously, though, while you can change chainrings, you’re stuck with only using SRAM’s own Thread Mount options.

This six-inch DeWalt DW756 has the power to tackle various sharpening tasks, including drill bits. Safety guards reduce the chances of dangerous flying debris and sparks, and the adjustable tool rests make it easy to securely position whatever you’re sharpening. With its extremely durable cast iron body, this small but mighty tool can handle heavy use.

As with the tool, I can see the potential benefits to SRAM here (it might sell more power meters if you need to buy a specific one for every type of bike you own) but the benefits for riders aren’t so obvious.

If you’re a DIYer beginner and you don’t need a high-end drill bit sharpener, consider the affordable Drill Doctor 350X. Despite the low price, it features a diamond wheel and is simple to use. This drill bit sharpener can only create 118-degree angles, though, so keep that in mind if you need to work with 135-degree bits.

If you can’t afford or don’t need any of the sharpeners above, this Drill Bit Sharpener might be for you. It’s powered by your drill and doesn’t require an electrical outlet, so it’s convenient for off-site projects with limited electricity. It’s not as accurate as a dedicated or bench grinder drill bit sharpener, but in a pinch it’s certainly better than nothing.

We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices.

It’s not as if Quarq power meters have always had this limitation. Prior to the launch of SRAM’s first AXS groupset (SRAM Red eTap AXS), the brand’s Red Quarq DZero power meter featured a five-bolt 110 BCD pattern with – you guessed it – interchangeable chainrings.

This sharpener handles pretty much any material, including carbide, black oxide and high-speed steel, and it can create split-point tips. It doesn’t offer the impressive angle ranges of the Drill Doctor 750X, but you can create the all-important 118- and 135-degree angles.

There are more types of drill bit sharpeners than you might think. Some are more useful than others, depending on your specific bits and experience level. Make sure you’re choosing the best one for you. Here’s what to look for: