Drill Accessories

MacMitch

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Mar 17, 2007
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What are your favorite Festool drill accessories & why?

I am about to buy a Festool drill, probably a C12 or T12 (one of the sets), mostly for making heavy duty cabinets. All those accessories look very expensive and I have a large assortment of Depot, McFeely's... alternatives. I have never found a counter sink & drill combo I am totally happy with. I see Festool has an interesting offering. I'm not even sure it is a great idea to drill & countersink at the same time anyway, maybe the Festool plain countersink is a better option for cabinetmaking?

Anyway any suggestions fellow cabinetmakers have....

 
The most important accessory, if you want to utilize all those other brand drivers is the "BHS-65":
http://www.festoolusa.com/products/cordless-drills/centrotec-drill-bits/pilot-bit-with-depth-stop/centrotec-bit-holder-bhs-65mm-492648.html

If you're referring to this countersink bit, it is fantastic.    You will be totally happy with it.
http://www.festoolusa.com/products/cordless-drills/centrotec-drill-bits/pilot-bit-with-depth-stop/ce-countersink-dr-bit-35mm-492523.html

I have a few different all-in-one countersink/pilot bits of various makes.  The Festool kit is so far superior that those others are just a joke.
Yes it's pricey, but save it for the projects where a clean hole really counts and you won't be disappointed.  Or, use it where speed and a precise countersink depth counts, and again you won't be disappointed.

Here's an additional thread about it:  http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/festool-492523-countersink-with-pilot-bit/msg76945/

The pilot bit is replaceable ($3.60) while keeping the same shank, collar, and countersink cutters.  So the cost-over-lifetime is reasonable.
 
Thanks for the reply,
Great suggestions, those are the exact two accessories I have in a Shopping Cart at Bob's. I was not so sure about the BHS-65 though as I have almost every devise like it "known to man".

I have been using McFeely's screws with square bits and Depot DeckScrews with the modified phillips/square torque heads. Last trip to the Depot though all the DeckScrews seemed to have the Torx heads, grrrr! Festools bit selection is confusing me a little: Torx, Phillips & Pozdrive. Is the Posdrive like the old Depot combo Deckscrew bits or some other Phillips modification? McFeely's has so many different screws now I am having a hard time even figuring out what category to search under ;-(.
 
The BHS 65 is similar to, but different than other bit extenders.  The Centrotec end is different than a 1/4" hex, and if you use this accessory you will improve your productivity while performing drill and screw operations.  The ability to lock in the 1/4" hex insert tips is a plus.  Pozidrive is a phillips modification not like the combo screws that allow you to use a phillip or a square drive tip.

Peter
 
pozidrive is what most screws are now days. phillips is used mainly on drywall screws now in my experiences and i use thousands of screws. dunno if it is the same in the US
 
Deansocial said:
pozidrive is what most screws are now days. phillips is used mainly on drywall screws now in my experiences and i use thousands of screws. dunno if it is the same in the US

You'll only see pozi drive screws with some euro hardware here in the States.

MacMitch said:
....Last trip to the Depot though all the DeckScrews seemed to have the Torx heads, grrrr!.....

Most of the screw you'll get at the Depot will have a tip in the box.  Next time you'll at the Depot or ordering from McFeely's you might want to pick up a nice selection of driver tips so you'll always be covered not matter what screw you come across.
 
Brice Burrell said:
Deansocial said:
pozidrive is what most screws are now days. phillips is used mainly on drywall screws now in my experiences and i use thousands of screws. dunno if it is the same in the US

You'll only see pozi drive screws with some euro hardware here in the States.

MacMitch said:
....Last trip to the Depot though all the DeckScrews seemed to have the Torx heads, grrrr!.....

Most of the screw you'll get at the Depot will have a tip in the box.  Next time you'll at the Depot or ordering from McFeely's you might want to pick up a nice selection of driver tips so you'll always be covered not matter what screw you come across.

wonder why that is then because they are far superior to phillips
 
Deansocial said:
wonder why that is then because they are far superior to phillips

What can I say, we're way behind the times, I still encounter far too many slotted screws for my liking. [blink]
 
We have a newer version/modification called Phillips II.  Supposed to have better anti-camout than original Phillips.
 
Ken Nagrod said:
We have a newer version/modification called Phillips II.  Supposed to have better anti-camout than original Phillips.

never heard of them, phillips was designed to cam out wasn't it?
 
Phillips screws are designed to cam out, probably because they were designed before most torque sensing drills and screwdrivers
 
Brice Burrell said:
Deansocial said:
wonder why that is then because they are far superior to phillips

What can I say, we're way behind the times, I still encounter far too many slotted screws for my liking. [blink]

In many ways, yes we are. Cellular technology is a prime example with Verizon finaly going to a GSM technology. but I digress.

We may be behind by not bringing Pozi and Torx as far along/fast into general acceptance, but what about Robertson drive?

to the OP: WoodJunkie had it right, the locking bit holder is worth every penny. as are the Festool countersinks.
 
I'm finding where I am that Torx headed screws has a very good market share.  They're my personal preference.  There is no best head design, really it's all just personal preference.

Unless I'm doing some kind of accurate restoration of anything, I hate slotted screws.  I'm sure there's someone out there who just loves them.
 
I wish that we could do away with the slotted and Philips drive altogether.
IMHO the best screws in order of decreasing usability are:
pozi
combination
square/torx

Philips/slotted
 
We mainly use Robbies up here far superior to phillips but they're not perfect. Phillips for drywall.
 
We probably don't have pozi in the states because we have square drive already and they seem to work great as long as you can find the bits to match them (hint hint)...
::)
 
I have quite a selection of bit types now. I'm sure some of them are pozidrive. I just did not know the proper name. There are tons of phillips modifications out there though and I think I have a couple of each, dozens of some. The problem is I always seem to have everything but the one I need at the time.

I have used many of the 5 & 25 lb boxes of Depot screws and know about the bit in the Deckmate boxes. one is never enough though and I like to have long and short versions. Whatever bit holder I am using always seems to need the length bit I do not have. "Murphy was an optimist" ;-)

I guess I will be calling Bob later, hmm today, as of an hour ago. I am looking forward to a new Festool drill. I'm sure Bob will have ideas about Festools for cabinet making.

I like the PS 300 EQ Jigsaw a great deal too, and I hate the Rotozip and jigsaw I have now.
 
haha at rotozip (no offense). I've seen pozi-drive screws here, but the bits arent as readily available. One shop I was in kept ordering Robertson's and would get a box of pozi's though no one had the bits for em. Just freaking strip your Robbies and the screw alike, stupid I know, I know longer work for those fools for many reasons. Roberstons have their limitations for sure, I find the Robertson brand bits work best for them and so does everyone else who continuously steals them off of me. I'd give the pozis a good go if i could get the right bits for em, also interested in those SPAX screws, which I've never used.
 
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