How to extend centrotec drill bits?

[fatroman]

Came upon a scenario yesterday where I really needed a couple extra inches to reach into a pocket and start some pilot holes.

I was able to pop the drill bit into the magnetic bit holder (BH 60) and make the hole, but it was sub-optimal, especially trying to pull the bit back out.

Will the bit holder with the collet (BHS 65) work for the centrotec drill bits? That collet might have been too fat in any case.

Or is there a better option to extend the length of the drill bits?

Or another source for longer centrotec compatible bits?

 

[neeleman]

Use the 150 mm (6") BV 150 CE (492540)

or the 100 mm (4") CE bits which come in 4 different screwheads (PH, PZ, TX or SL)

 

[fatroman]

Thanks.

That bit extended seems to be a longer one than the one I wound up using, but does it lock the centrotec drill bit into the end? The problem yesterday was the magnetic end would release the drill bit, and I'd wind up with the CXS and bit extender in one hand, and the drill bit still stuck in the workpiece.

I can work around on the driver bit issue, but it's the drill bit side of the equation that I really want to extend.

 

[tbellemare]

The extension shown above is the same as the one you used but longer. It has magnetic retention.

Tom

 

[tbellemare]

You could use aircraft bits (extra long) in the bit holders...

[attachthumb=#]

Tom

 

[fritter63]

Came upon a scenario yesterday where I really needed a couple extra inches to reach into a pocket and start some pilot holes.

I was able to pop the drill bit into the magnetic bit holder (BH 60) and make the hole, but it was sub-optimal, especially trying to pull the bit back out.

Will the bit holder with the collet (BHS 65) work for the centrotec drill bits? That collet might have been too fat in any case.

Or is there a better option to extend the length of the drill bits?

Or another source for longer centrotec compatible bits?

As the old joke goes... "Doc, it hurts when I do this..."

I'm having trouble understanding why are doing this rather than just using a longer screw and making a shallower countersink hole....

Or using some other joinery method.

 

[Rob Z]

Steve ( the OP) wasn't asking about using a longer screw; the question was how to extend the length of the Centrotec bits to reach farther into a deep recess and drill a hole.

I was working with Steve and we wouldn't have had the problem if I had my collection of long bits with me.  If I had those longer bits we could have chucked them in the Jacobs chuck and had no problem drilling the holes.  The situation lead us to wonder if there might be a source of long metric bits we could buy and which will slide into the Centrotec mandrel.

Tom, do you have those bits at Tool Home?

 

[Christopher Fitch]

If you are up for a non-Festool solution:

Bit Extenders - Lee Valley Tools

I have the set...could not be happier with them.

 

[tbellemare]

I only have Imperial sized aircraft bits, Rob. For those mandrels, you'd want metric, which you can find here.

Tom

 

[Rob Z]

Tom, thanks for the link.  Ideally, I would,like to find and buy long (6 inches or longer) metric bits which will slide into the Centrotec mandrels I already own.

 

[Michael Kellough]

These Milwaukee drill extensions hold Centrotec bits even while withdrawing under load.

 

[fritter63]

Steve ( the OP) wasn't asking about using a longer screw; the question was how to extend the length of the Centrotec bits to reach farther into a deep recess and drill a hole.

I understand what he was asking.

My point was you might be trying to solve the wrong problem.....

 

[Rob Z]

Fritter, when you mentioned using a longer screw, a shallower countersunk hole, or "another joinery method", I assumed that you missed the point of Steve's question.  I know it's difficult to comment on a job that you havent seen. We were doing remodel work rather than joinery  The screws were pan heads and didn't need to be countersunk. And a longer screw woldn't have accomplished what we needed:  to drill  a pilot hole in a space so narrow that the drill wouldn't fit.

Thus the need for a long Centrotec compatible drill bit.

I think the link Tom provided will be a good source for long metric drill bits.