Countersinking Buttonhead Torx

P

paintfool

Joined
Sep 7, 2004
Messages
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Hi all, I'm kind of stuck, I need a countersink that will make a flat bottomed hole.....all the countersinks I see are angled for flat head screws, aside from step drills.

does anyone have a clue on how I can countersink for these?

I went out and picked up a $50 bit set (a small 8 bit set!!) made of cobalt to drill stainless, it seems that they are cutting just as poorly as my old HSS bits :grumpy:

anyway, some tips and tricks would be greatly appreciated.

just to let you know of my setup, I don't have any fancy gear yet, just a small drill press.

I was thinking about drilling them down so far then flattening out the bottom with my dremel, anyone have success with this method?

even a link to where I can buy the proper bit would be great!
I need 3/16" size.

TIA Steve.
 
keep in mind that stainless is relatively hard and slow the speed of your drill as slow as it will reasonably bore the hole. The harder the material the slower the speed.

No idea on how you are going to counter those heads. I am interested in seeing the answer myself....

Doc
 
I have been going very slow with the holes, I have my press on the slowest wheel and I sink it for a second then check, sink it again and then check it again, really slow process, it did cut the holes and they were cleaner than the other bits, but when I took the bit out too take a look at the tip it had a few little chips in it :grumpy:

I'm not sure how hard it is to sharpen cobalt bits, but I'll have to try it before I move to my next knife.

I'm trying to sink the screw on one side of the scale and also sinking the pivot barrel on the inside.... I have seen so many knives with it done like this, but I'm also sure most have seen the better side of a mill. :(
 
One way to get a flat bottom hole is to use an end mill. You can find them at msc direct. Just chuck it up in your drill press with the depth set to where you want it. It helps to take a regular bit of the same size and drill just deep enough to define the diameter first...then finish with the end mill. Hope this helps.
 
Yes, but get the double cut variety so it cuts in the down motion. I've never used a carbide end mill...I expect they are fairly fragile. I wouldn't get a carbide unless I was planning to drill into hardened steel. High speed steel should work fine on annealed steel or most materials you will make bolsters and handles from.
 
Sorry, I had my terms mixed up with my last reply. I said double cut, but meant to say center cutting. Something like this:
 
Thanks!
I figured out what you meant when I went back and looked again, I ordered 3/16 and 1/8, 4 flute center cutting from DoAll tools. The guy I was talking to recommended I get carbide and take it slow, they will last a lot longer. He even gave me the recommended speed range to run them! what a nice guy, he started talking knives with me too lol
I also got some new taps and drills coming ;)

I'm using them for mostly stainless, 304 and 440, some aluminum and I'm sure a bunch more materials in the future.

Thanks again guys!
Cheers, Steve. :cool:
 
Forstner or spade bits will work pretty well for wood. For metal, you really need something called a counterbore. For ferrous metals (including stainless), Cobalt HSS will last a little longer than ordinary HSS. You'll also want some kind of cutting oil. (3-in-1 would work fine, I think.)

The counterbore's "pilot" is a small shaft that fits into an already-drilled hole and makes sure the tool is centered. Interchangeable pilots let you use the counterbore with any size hole.

Try this one.
 
well for the ones that are coming to me (not sure of the brand) it is as close to 690-720 rpm as I can get it.
I just can't wait to get them so I can finish this knife :eek:
 
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