Thread: Would the "WL Fuller" brand Countersinks "tear-out" as much as this?...

You answered your own question. They need to be sharper. I just sharpen them with a little diamond paddle from DMT (the cheaper ones would also be fine) when I get those results. Even so, I wouldn't worry too much, when you plug them and pare the plugs flush, it will be fine.

I use the countersinks on this page...
http://sachys-robertson.com.au/special_tools.html

They have done years of service with no issues.

Thank-you both. I'd just about given up hope on this particular Thread...

Mark - what you say about the problem disappearing when the holes are Plugged and Flush-Cut makes a lot of sense. The only thing is - I wasn't planning to Plug 'em, but only to Spakfill 'em, because I was only intending to paint the Skirting at the end. I went over each hole the other afternoon with a 1/3rd-sheet Orbital, and the problem appears (at least...) to have abated. But because the bare timber is so matt and unshiny, and because it's all happening down at the bottom of the walls where it's a bit darker, I just wont know fully whether it's all truly flat and flush until it's actually time to Fill and Paint. But I will certainly keep the idea of Plugs in the back of my mind. Hadn't occurred to me before...

Mini - I will keep that brand in mind. I'll take it that they're not causing you too many headaches in the "Tear-Out" department...

Thanks again,
Batpig.

i use the snappy brand and also the aeg and have found both will blunt up pretty darn quick in kdhw but a few laps with small diamond hone and theyre good as new also found that high speed seems to blunt them real quick

The only Countersink Bit I've found that gives a perfectly clean cut is a 'Cross-Hole' bit. It does mean two drilling actions though.
It might be less work than cleaning up the tear-out.

http://www.carbatec.com.au/drilling-...ountersink-set

Mike

Yeah, they need to be sharper. However, some woods are prone to tear-out no matter what you do.

One solution is to use a piece of sacrificial timber (not ply or MDF - they'll blunten the countersink twice as quickly) that's only 4 or 5 mm thick.

I drill the pilot hole through this piece & push it up to the countersink, then position the drill-bit over the mark on the workpiece and drill a small dimple to hold the bit in position.. Push the sacrificial piece forward and hold against the workpiece with a firm pressure, then drill/countersink as per usual.

It works best when you can clamp the sacrificial piece, of course, and you need to use a "fresh" part for each hole. But it reduces the tear-out significantly.

What's wrong with just nailing the skirting boards on. Then fill and paint!!
If fixing to masonary wall, lay skirting in position at base of wall and nail skirting so as to just mark the wall with the nails, remove skirting and drill wall with 10mm masonary bit, about 60mm deep at each fixing. Drive western red cedar plugs into holes until flush with wall. Replace skirting to base of wall and drive nails home, punch, fill and paint.
Been doing it this way for 30 years. No sweat, except in summer!!!

Billy

Dear Gents,

Originally Posted by fubar

i use the snappy brand and also the aeg and have found both will blunt up pretty darn quick...

I take it that the "Snappy's" in question are made in the U.S.A., Fubar, so I guess that the "Fuller's" would probably be around about the same, performance-wise - ie. they would go blunt on me as well...

Originally Posted by Shutterbug

The only Countersink Bit I've found that gives a perfectly clean cut is a 'Cross-Hole' bit.

Looking at the shape of the cutting face, Mike, I believe you. From a "cutting-angle" point of view, it looks like they end up sort of "guillotining" the grain as they spin, as opposed to cutting it with the more frontal approach that the Fuller-style Bits employ... It's the extra step (and probably the extra Drill that I would end up buying in frustration...) that throws a little water on the idea (Unless I did both the Pilot and the Countersinking using some sort of Round-to-Hex-Shank Adaptors and a Quick-Change Chuck in the Triton, with the Depth-Stop set up for the Countersink... Hmmm?...)

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

One solution is to use a piece of sacrificial timber...
...Push the sacrificial piece forward and hold against the workpiece with a firm pressure, then drill/countersink as per usual...
...It works best when you can clamp the sacrificial piece, of course, and you need to use a "fresh" part for each hole.

Yes - the idea makes so much sense Skew...
Have you tried the method using the same piece, but positioning it by locating its countersink-sized circle around the edge of the Countersink when she's just starting to chew into the timber? Maybe it wouldn't be too bad?... (Especially if you had a couple of little handles on the sacrificial piece! I've got to think from a 95-hole point-of-view, you see...)

Some great ideas!
Many Thanks all,
Batpig.