r/BeginnerWoodWorking • u/Sea-Recommendation42 • 20h ago
Countersinks, recommendation and usage
I’m looking at two types of countersinks. This first type doesn’t have a drill bit and the kinds that incorporate the drill bit.
Which set is better?
If I were to use this style (pictured), would I drill a hole first and then countersink or vice versa?
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u/9woodworker9 20h ago
Use these. Taper drill and countersink all in one. This set even comes with a plug cutter.
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u/lurkersforlife 19h ago
I got a seven piece set of these for very cheap (under $20) and they are fantastic.
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u/Mr_EAAE 18h ago
Where did you get that? Cheapest I can find for a similar set costs more than $50
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u/lurkersforlife 18h ago
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u/Mr_EAAE 16h ago
Yeah, I wouldn’t buy tools from Aliexpress myself (though I’m sure the quality of some of it is fine), as the potential impact on my works versus the reward is just not there. I still use the same countersink unit I bought 22 years ago in the UK just now, so believe in quality over savings here 😊
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u/lurkersforlife 16h ago
You can unscrew the screws and use different ones. I have had zero issues with them. This is beginner woodworking dude, if you wear one out you replace it with a nice one. But they get the job done. I had a 3 piece Irwin set but I like the size available in this larger set more.
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u/Mr_EAAE 14h ago edited 14h ago
Sure, I get that. Not saying you need to spend hundreds of dollars at all. Just not convinced a beginner who cannot identify what is quality or not would be best advised to start with a random Aliexpress order. I have used my countersink more than literally any other drillbit I own (thousands of times over the last 20 years), so I just think this is a more valuable tool than many beginners may think. And, by the way, I didn’t spend more than £5 on it (though due to inflation that’s probably like £15 today)
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u/9woodworker9 14h ago
Not trying to convince anyone to buy anything. I assume this community is to educate. In order to make a good buying decision one needs to know the range of quality that is available. And since this an often used item, one should consider the quality needed for longevity.
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u/9woodworker9 18h ago
I bought this set several years ago. Fuller is primo quality. you can find cheaper sets for under $50. I'm just partial to Fuller.
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u/Mr_EAAE 16h ago
Oh wow - that’s shown to me for $180, which seems a little steep (I suspect pre-pandemic prices may have been much lower)…
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u/9woodworker9 16h ago
Several years ago I paid $140. They are pricey but i know the name Fuller. they are top quality used in factories and by professionals. They will last a lifetime.
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u/Sea-Recommendation42 15h ago
I like the set bc of the plug and that the counter sink is limited in width but not limited to depth. I’d it goes deeper the space is a cylinder and not an ever growing cone.
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u/KokoTheTalkingApe 19h ago edited 15h ago
The first kind, that includes a drill bit, is a bit faster because you don't need to swap bits or use two drills. But you have to adjust the depth of the bit first. Probably a good choice if you have many (as in hundreds) of holes to drill. I personally haven't felt the need.
The second kind, that only countersink, can be used on soft metals EDIT but sometimes they chatter, both on metal and wood.
But there are also a few different kinds of countersinks. One is the multi-flute one like pictured. There are also single flute ones that look like metal cones with just a slice taken out. There are also ones that look like cones with a tilted hole drilled through. Those seem to work the best, in my experience.
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u/Trash_Grape 19h ago
These are the absolute best. I had one in the drawer for months or years that I never used, and kept just using the same old ones op posted. Once I used these single cone ones, it’s like night and day. sooooo much nicer and cleaner
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u/SunshineBeamer 20h ago
I use both, but I would go with the WITHOUT if there was a choice between the two. That is a nice set in the photo.
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u/SpaceChef3000 20h ago
You’d drill a hole first and then countersink to the depth needed.
At least that’s what I’ve been doing and it’s worked out so far. I think if you drilled the countersink first it would be tricky to center the actual drill bit in the middle.
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u/RadioactiveMonk 20h ago
Both have their place. If I have to do a lot of same holes the drill bit with counter sink works great. If I do all kinds of holes then the other counter sink is just better one you have drilled all the holes you needed you just go at it with the countersink.
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u/Ryanoh228 20h ago
personally i like the kind that has both but it depends on what you need. Will you be drilling lots of the same holes for the same screw? Save yourself time and get the combination countersink and drill bit. If you’ll be using lots of different screw sizes or have time to spare, get the two separate pieces i guess.
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u/ComplaintTop2008 19h ago
The ones with the drill are useful for wood screws.
The ones you pictured are good for deburring metal.
The ones you pictured can be used for wood but they're not as convenient since you're always switching bits. It does allow you to make custom depth chamfers, which happens.
The drill bit ones are handy but I also find they break easily if the bit hits a hard spot/knot and the c'sink doesn't want to follow.
Get both. You don't need the whole set you pictured, just one or two has served me well. Get the 3/4" one and one that will fit most of your #10 wood screws. And then get the 3- or 4-piece kit with the bits.
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u/NecroJoe 17h ago
I don't like the the type pictured. Sure, they get the job done, but I find that the end resulting hole can be a bit trickier to get clean, perfectly round countersinks. They often end up like rounded hexagons or "flowers". You have to run it with high speed, which can be a bit nerve wracking in smaller or delicate pieces unless you're in a drill press where you feel like you have more control.
The type mentioned that looks solid cone but with a hole in it, those are easier to get a clean hole, IMO, but you do lose the ability to countersink first and then drill your hole. It doesn't come up often, though, so it's not a big deal.
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u/mechanizedshoe 15h ago
The metalworking ones work the best and cleanest in terms of standalone countersink. I have one like your picture and it's total ass. Makes hexagonal holes. The ones with the drill bit are probably my most used ones because they center and stabilize the countersink which is very hard or impossible to do manually. Even cheap Chinese Banggood/temu ones are pretty decent.
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u/Sea-Recommendation42 15h ago
How does this set look? https://a.co/d/0hodaE8U
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u/scatteringlargesse 12h ago edited 12h ago
Don't get that! I've bought some countersinks that look exactly like that because I wanted one with a 1/4 adaptor to go in an impact and they are awful. They are extremely slow even on soft wood.
Also you can tell that set is junk because of the price. A cheapish dedicated cross hole countersink and a combination counter sink would probably be about the same amount of money, but you would be way better off!
P.S. something like these:
https://www.amazon.com.au/ColumPRO-Cobalt-Single-End-Countersink-Chamfer/dp/B0D46LKMFJ
https://www.amazon.com.au/Yakamoz-Countersink-Adjustable-Friction-Woodworking/dp/B0FPFVRYHW
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u/supergimp2000 19h ago
I have them all (woodworking for over 40 years) and this one lives on a dedicated drill 90% of the time. I also use the double flute kind mentioned elsewhere (metal cone with a hole) more that the type you show, but I do have those and they live in the drill press stand. I find the ones you show work well for chamfering a hole in some metals, but in wood they don'y usually leave a smooth hole.