Quick Countersinks

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4DThinker
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Quick Countersinks

Post by 4DThinker »

I find myself frequently making bolt holes lately, and invariably want to countersink so the flat head bolts will be flush to the surface. I've done these in the past with a bit change to a 45 degree V bit and a quick drill plunge on each bolt circle, but I don't have an ATC and this is rather annoying if everything else on the project is done with the same end mill.
quick countersink 4D.jpg
I woke up this morning wondering what trouble it would be to create a toolpath so the end mill could also make the countersink, and found it quite easy to do with the fluting toolpath and a few vectors draw across the bolt hole circles. I alternate end points to minimize travel between cuts, and although the result isn't as perfect as a V-bit makes it looks plenty fine with the bolt head in place. Attached is an Aspire 10.5 file. Easy to scale for any size flat head screw or bolt and end mill used. I only drew the needed vectors once, then quickly copied or mirrored them to the other holes.

4D
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quick countersink 4D.crv3d
(52.5 KiB) Downloaded 135 times

Soapyjoe
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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by Soapyjoe »

Yes it works .... but what is wrong with using a good old fashioned drill press for countersinking?

Soapyjoe
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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by Soapyjoe »

Obviously as a second operation

4DThinker
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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by 4DThinker »

Nothing wrong with using a drill press. Nothing wrong with switching router bits. Nothing wrong with using a hand drill and a countersink bit. Nothing wrong with hiring the kid down the block to use a classic hand drill and countersink bit to do the job.
What is right is since the panels are already on the CNC being cut, The more of the job the CNC can do without me interfering the less I have to do after taking it off the CNC. While the CNC is busy I have several other tasks I can be working on.

4D

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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by GeneMpls »

I like it but may have to do a circular cut to clean up the edge that shows. Thanks Gene

4DThinker
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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by 4DThinker »

Once the screw/bolt is tightened down the little ripple gets compressed. If time wasn't worth some money then a denser array of vectors would smooth it out. The ones above are 30 degrees apart. Making them 20 degrees apart would add a little time but leave a smoother edge (below).
20 degree apart fluting countersink.jpg
4D

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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by Leo »

I agree. If it's on the machine, who many cuts can I combine in ONE cutter and ONE program. Do it all the time.

I like the Chamfering routine.

I will try that.
Imagine the Possibilities of a Creative mind, combined with the functionality of CNC

4DThinker
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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by 4DThinker »

I had a request for a .CRV version of the file, so here it is.
quick countersink 4D.crv
(47 KiB) Downloaded 75 times

Bobtail Farm
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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by Bobtail Farm »

thanks for teaching whilst in retirement.

4DThinker
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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by 4DThinker »

Once a teacher, always a teacher. Always happy to pass on what I learned/figured out while being inspired by the creativity of my students, This chamfering trick is more about being tired of changing bits having used small CNCs with no tool changer for the last 10 years or so. I've become a big user/fan of the fluting and moulding toolpaths and how useful they are. Both are options I suspect I've been using for furniture part challenges that the creators never imagined they would be used for.
4D

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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by TomWS »

4DThinker wrote:
Tue Nov 29, 2022 12:33 am
I had a request for a .CRV version of the file, so here it is.
+1 Thanks!

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Re: Quick Countersinks

Post by Jimcad »

Had to change my preview quality to highest get it slow enough to see what was going on.
That's fantastic. Thank you for sharing. :wink:

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