It would be nice if the centrotec chucks would hold normal ball detent bits. I know Festool wants us all to only purchase their products. Unfortunately, their selection of what's available for the centrotec is limited. I am quite particular about my tools and prefer a certain countersink bit. I am only able to use it in the keyless chuck which causes me to switch between the chuck and centrotec instead of just between bits.
Centrotec redesign
- Thread starter ajkelsey
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The reason is not the Centrotec holder, but in that standard bits have the detent too close to the end of the bit's shaft. Take a closer look at the Centrotec holder and you will notice that it does not drive the bit in any way. It only holds the bit into the hex-bore of the drill motor. In order to engage in that detent, the bit would barely penetrate the hex-bore of the drill. That light engagement, if permitted to happen, could damage the hex-bore of the drill. Therefore, the Centrotec holder was designed to prevent you from doing damage to the drill by not allowing normal bits to fit.
Rick Christopherson said:
Yes. That is exactly why the problem is the design of the centrotec. If the centrotec was designed to drive the bit, then it wouldn't be an issue. The ball detent design has been around far longer than centrotec and is not at fault.
Michael Kellough
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ajkelsey said:
If you know of a countersink that is equal to the Festool Centrotec versions please let us know what it is.
I like the Centrotec pilot drill/countersink so much that I use a workaround to use it in my non-Festool drills. The Milwaukee 1/4" hex extension holds the Centrotec and all 1/4" hex ball detent shanks securely.
Also available in 6" and 12" lengths. I like a long driver shank, it makes it easier to tell if the driver is square to the work surface, which improves the fit of flush countersunk screws.
Michael Kellough said:ajkelsey said:
If you know of a countersink that is equal to the Festool Centrotec versions please let us know what it is.
I like the Centrotec pilot drill/countersink so much that I use a workaround to use it in my non-Festool drills. The Milwaukee 1/4" hex extension holds the Centrotec and all 1/4" hex ball detent shanks securely.
Also available in 6" and 12" lengths. I like a long driver shank, it makes it easier to tell if the driver is square to the work surface, which improves the fit of flush countersunk screws.
The nice little Milwaukee right angle attachmentunit will also drive Centrotec bits.
http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-49-22-8510-Right-Angle-Attachment/dp/B000BYEJ02/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371220549&sr=8-1&keywords=milwaukee+right+angle
I couldn't find the exact bit, but this is the style of countersink I prefer: http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2005538/29315/332-for-5-screws-twist-bit-countersink.aspx . The one I use has an 1/8" pilot and 3/8" countersink. When I went looking for that link, I found this: http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2084855/38693/snappy-18-x-38-twist-bit-countersink-for-8-screws-fits-festool-centrotec-chucks.aspx . That's the bit I like made to fir the centrotec. It seems my problem has been solved! 
I'll have to get a few. Take note that the Centrotec extension on the bit doubles its cost.
What I like about this countersink is that it is easy to adjust the length of the pilot and drills a 3/8" countersink if I want to use plugs. I can buy a bunch of 1/8" drill bits on the cheap from Ebay to replace broken pilots. It works well for me. I don't like tapered countersinks at all. The Festool one doesn't appear to have much adjustment in length and the pilot is metric. Harder to come by in bulk on the cheap. The stop on the bit looks like a good idea, but I can't say I have needed that very often.
I'll have to get a few. Take note that the Centrotec extension on the bit doubles its cost.What I like about this countersink is that it is easy to adjust the length of the pilot and drills a 3/8" countersink if I want to use plugs. I can buy a bunch of 1/8" drill bits on the cheap from Ebay to replace broken pilots. It works well for me. I don't like tapered countersinks at all. The Festool one doesn't appear to have much adjustment in length and the pilot is metric. Harder to come by in bulk on the cheap. The stop on the bit looks like a good idea, but I can't say I have needed that very often.
I bet Festool doesn't have to design anything. Dollars to donuts it has already been done. Bet you anything there's a prototype Fastfix chuck designed to accept a standard ball detent bit collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. Either that or it was melted down and it's existence is disavowed like a captured IMF agent. Or maybe it's in a wooden crate somewhere in a warehouse sitting beside some of the stuff Indian Jones brought back.
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