counter sinking screws

[mudd turtle]

What is used to counter sink screws on the tang and toe plate and butt plate. I need to get some screws down some so they wont stick up on my rifle. thanks for any help. Mudd Turtle.

 

[playfarmers]

You can get couter sinks from the hardware store. They are made for the size of screw you are using, or you could just get the right size bit and just drill in enough for the screw head to fit in.

 

[bob1961]

i bought a set of counter sinks from lee valley tools that run from #6 to #12 that covers all the screws on a gun....mark the part to be drilled with a punch, drill a 1/8" pilot hole then the right size counter sink bit to the depth i need and done, ya can also adjust the way the screw slot faces by drilling out the hole a bit at a time to satisfy you :v ...............bob

 

[mudd turtle]

The one screw that I am interested in counter sinking the most is the tang screw hole in the tang. Screws should be counter sunk some -right. Mudd Turtle.

 

[Zonie]

Although the countersinks you can buy at the hardware store are made primarily for machining wood, they will cut the steel tang without a problem.
For the job you want to do, I recommend that you buy one of the 1/2 inch diameter countersinks that are pointed rather than buying one which has a pilot drill in it.
They are quite inexpensive and will last a long time. They can be used for countersinking any screw hole for a tiny #4 up to a 5/16 inch screw.

The black ones with only one cutting edge actually seem to work better than the expensive multiple cutting edged style as long as you remember the following:

When you countersink the hole in the metal run the tool at the slowest speed you can. This will keep the tools cutting edge from overheating and loosing its hardness. It will also give the countersink a better, smoother finish.

Countersink the hole until the mouth of the countersink is just slightly larger than the outside diameter of the screw head.
zonie

 

[Jim-Iowa]

I pretty much agree with Zonie on this.
I curently only have two counter sinks.
1 is a 5 cutter Irwin. I have to slow my drill press way down to prevent chatter with tis one.
I also have a single cutter I have fitted with a small file handle and use it by hand primarily for deburing holes. On the tang bolt the angled portion should sit down in the countersink and the round head should be above the tang.

 

[mudd turtle]

As always Zonnie thank you for your help. I have noticed that the tang screw and Butt plate and toe plate screws were nevercounter sunk. Aren't these screws supposed to be counter sunk. Mudd Turtlw

 

[Zonie]

They are always countersunk on all of the rifles I've seen.
The only reason for not countersinking them IMO is if someone drilled the holes so large that the heads automatically ended up with just the crown of the head on a fillister head screw standing proud.

What sort of gun do you have that never had the screw holes countersunk?

 

[davy]

Some folks also put something like newspaper in the hole under the countersink to keep them from chattering. :hmm:

Davy

 

[B.Habermehl]

To prevent countersink chatter I usually drill a really small pilot hole and countersink to the finished dia, before drilling the clearence hole for the screw or bolt. Such as 5/64" dia. BJH

 

[shortstring]

Another trick in the machine tool world to keep countersinks from chattering is to take an emery stone & dull all but one of the flutes. As previously mentioned slow is better. I agree that the single flute cutters are the best if you can find one.

Paul

 

[Jim-Iowa]

Checked my drillpress last night since I had not changed speeds since doing some countersinking and I'm running that 5 cutter @420 rpms.