Countersink bit recommendations

[ars_lurker]

Can anyone recommend a good countersink bit or brand? I am building a router table fence for my 21829 and need to recess the screw heads into the face of the fence. The $4 vermont-american bit I picked up at menards is evidently not up to the task. I will be using it in a drill press and countersinking formica covered MDF.

Here is the fence if you a picture will help. You can see the phillips heads on the face of the fence.http://woodstore.net/rofe.html

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Mike

[Bruce Cohen]

Mike,

Check these out. I have the whole set, but you can buy individual ones. They're awsome. I've used them on everything from lexan to wood to aluminum and brass.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5154



Good luck,

Bruce

[Black wallnut]

I mainly use a set of VA screw bits similar to these from Rockler. I also use a solid carbide multi flute counter sink bit. The counter sink bit gives cleaner counter sinks but is not as handy and may be at the wrong angle for wood screws. IIRC wood screws and metal flat head screws do not have the same angle to their heads, or is it that neither are at the same angle as counter sinks; I'm not sure which it is. This does not answert your question but you might want to consider a different face mounting method for your fence. If you slot the fence faces and use t-bolts you can keep the rear locking locations the same regardless of fence face position. This will give an added benefit of being able to use more bracing to keep your fence rigid and plumb to the table surface.

[LarryG]

If you slot the fence faces and use t-bolts you can keep the rear locking locations the same regardless of fence face position.

Exactly what I did when I built my knockoff of the WOOD fence:



I cut a 1/4" slot all the way through, and then superimposed a 7/16" wide slot, about 1/4" deep, to "trap" the head of a standard 1/4-20 hex bolt. The bolts are secured with 5/8" dia knurled brass knobs on the back side, although ordinary wing nuts would work equally well:

[ars_lurker]

I wish I had thought of putting the slots on the face a couple days ago when I started this fence. I already have the slots in the body and bored 5/16" holes for the bolts in the formica covered pieces. The countersink bit I have is a VA bit but maybe I just have a bad one. I will have to quit going for the cheapest in the aisle and just pony up for a good set.

I appreciate the information and the pictures helped immensely. Thanks!

[LCHIEN]

Mike,

Check these out. I have the whole set, but you can buy individual ones. They're awsome. I've used them on everything from lexan to wood to aluminum and brass.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5154

[ATTACH]8207[/ATTACH]

Good luck,

Bruce

I like the "wormhole" style like Bruce recommends.
I bought my good ones from Lee Valley.
I bought a set from HF once, but had to return them because they were very non-concentric and wobbled about 1/16th inch or more.

Be aware there are 82 and 90 degree countersinks.
The angle refers to the angle of the point.
82 degrees is used for properly seating flat head screws which are standard at 82 degrees included angle.
90 degrees are used for deburring or chamfering holes otherwise... that call for 45 degree chamfer.

I'd get the 82 degree, makes a flat head screw seat its bevelled face against the hole rather than a small rim. And if you use it where a 45 dgeree chamfer is suggested, most people can't tell the difference from a decorative or deburring point of view.
Surprisingly, many countersink bits don't specify which they are!
Since they are intended for screws, the Woodcraft ones Brue linked I woul assume are 82 degrees.

[cgallery]

I also like the ones Bruce posted. I found some at McMaster that are just like them but they're piloted. So, for example, the 1/4" bit has a 1/4" "hub" that perfectly centers the bit in the hole.

Countersinks are normally fairly self-centering, but I had some holes that I needed to countersink perfectly and the piloted bits really did the trick.

[JimD]

I use the cheap kind and find I have to watch the feed rate to get a clean cut. If I push on them (typically I am using my drill press), they give an uneven cut. If I feed them in slower and more gently, they do OK.

Jim

[Bruce Cohen]

Loring,

Yup, they're 82 deg.

Bruce

[Tom Slick]

I prefer single flute c-sinks because I often countersink first then drill the hole. single flute will cut with no pilot hole and are self centering, most other styles aren't.



from pg 2420 at www.mcmaster.com

[LCHIEN]

sometimes the ones with one or multiple flutes can chatter making a non-smooth cone.

Can't remember ever having the wormhole ones chatter.

I always seem to drill hole, then countersink.

[cabinetman]

I prefer single flute c-sinks because I often countersink first then drill the hole. single flute will cut with no pilot hole and are self centering, most other styles aren't.

I use a single flute CS when there are different size screws involved with the same operation. I awl punch first, then CS, then drill. The drill bit will self center. For the one step countersinking I like the multiflute cutter with an allen screw adjustment for drill bit length.
.

[ars_lurker]

I took the single flute cutter back and picked up a VA "industrial" multi-flute cutter. It did not have any issue cutting the formica or mdf. It did chatter though. I have ordered a set of the woodcraft bits for future projects. Thanks.