Centrotec Drills from Axminster
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- Опубліковано 29 лис 2017
- I did not realise that there were as many of the brilliant Centrotec standard drill bits available until I had a chance conversation with one of my contacts at Axminster.
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Finally someone that can hand drill straight. It is amazing how DIY youtubers are off.
Thank you for the demo :)
Hi Marcus, Thank you for this. Peter
Thanks Peter, excellent video
Many thanks
Thanks for an interesting video Peter. I bought a set of 3 of the pilot/countersink bits earlier this year and they work very nicely with my CXS drill.
Hi Darrel, I have always liked the Centrotec concept and made a complete video about it a while ago. It is good to have several other companies making the kit as the original selection was a little limited. Cheers. Peter
Thanks Peter for the video very informative!
Hi Terry, Cheers. Peter
Great Peter! Received some Centrotec bits from Axminster only today! Fisch and own brand. One was a centrotec hinge centering bit by Axminster, very handy.
Hi Jimmy, I think original lack of knowledge of their quite large Centrotec offering was because I was looking in the wrong area of their web site. Peter
Thanks Peter, good info mate
Hi Ken, Yes and it does not involve a CNC ! Cheers. Peter
Auger bits, when the tip of the bit breaks through you finish the hole from the other side, that avoids any break out.
Hi Peter, Yes, of course but it needed to be shown. I have a special 20 mm Forstner style cutter that leaves a perfect exit hole every time. Many thanks. Peter
Peter clapham, I think Peter knows that 😂😂😂😂👀lol
Great demo Peter. I've been buying from Axminster for about ten years. Those drill bits are all impressive. However, as a
Festool fanatic your demo also shows just good that brand is. I don't wish to sound boastful but I have the Festool set of Forstner bits - ahem! They are simply superb.
Hi Alan, I too have a set of the Festool Zobo bits and agree that they are fantastic. However, they are very expensive and not everyone will be in a position to get them straight away and so they have to have an alternative. Peter
I agree Peter. I've worked my way up to Festool over many years. I began with a brace and bit. I'm eyeing their Kapex as a Christmas present to myself for all my hard work this past year:-).
Just wanted to jump in on the conversation, I too have just purchased my first Festool (TS 55 plunge saw) - Black Friday treat.
I have to say that seeing one in use on youtube and using one myself give a very different experience. I was always concerned by the price/quality/experience factor but actually using one is sooo impressive. The feel and build quality is far better than I imagined, as is the speed of use, setup and finish quality. Looking at the Kapex next but I think I will need a larger piggy bank !
Hi Mark, The Kapex 120 was my first Festool purchase (along with a CT26 and a Domino DF500). I had sold some large woodworking machines in order to make the purchase and have not regretted it for one second. I am currently using a metal cutting blade in the Kapex and am amazed just how easy it is to cut aluminium, brass and copper. I hope to get a video about it out in the next 10 days. Peter
Congratulations Mark. Today I've been using both the TS 55 saw and the Festool mid-range router. They are just amazing and make up for many of the faults in my woodworking skills.
My written application for permission to buy the Kapex is now with my wife:-).
4:16 that smoke :)
I was always taught to feel for the grub screw and when it pokes through you drill from the other side so no break out.
Hi David, Breakout is not always an issue and with high quality sharp Forstner style bits it should not occur. Cheers. Peter
Peter, first off. many thanks for the videos on Festool and currently Centrotec. These have been very helpful.
I must caution, however, about the technique you use drilling the auger bits. One learns quickly through using a brace that the correct method here is to stop drilling when the screw peeps through the other side. Then turn the work piece over (or move to the other side) and continue drilling from that side. You will be rewarded with a clean exit hole (and not the break out you show).
Regards from Perth, Derek (www.inthewoodshop.com)
Thanks Peter, great video as usual. On a totally unrelated matter could I ask where you source your timber? My local merchants either stock very little in variety or are very expensive.
Hi Mark, They are a fair way fro me but I like Timbersource in Somerset for solid wood. Yu can order online from them and it gets delivered either by their own transport or via one of the national carriers. They are the market leaders in this method of selling timber. For sheet materials I use Timbmet who have branches around the country. Peter
Very interesting video, thank you for that. Just wondering, the way you hold your machines you seem to be closing off the motor vents with your left hand, is that a good idea ?
I know my hand may be close to the vents but there is no problem at all. Peter
I thought this was a video on drill bits but as usual any chance to promote Festool even if it was just a passing comment on how good their drill is. Most of us have standard chucks on our drills and not a posh Festool Centrotec Chuck. It would have been nice to use or show a Centrotec bit adapter and the best thing about the adapters is you can get them in lengths between 25mm to 300mm easily.
Most people are aware of the adapters but are not aware of the OEM or after market opportunities in this sector. Peter
Could you use an auger bit to drill holes into the tops of newel posts, for example a 32mm bit?
Hi Gavin, You could but it depends whether you are using a hand drill, brace and bit, electric drill or pedestal drill. I would prefer to secure the newel post and then use a powered drill to drive a Forstner in to the depth of the shoulder on the acorn (or whatever is going on top). Peter
Hi Peter. I think if you use angle head for Festool PDC you would not need to use extra steps to lift yourself up.
Or I could have had the piece of wood a bit lower ! Cheers. Peter
I've been leaning toward the PDC as a first Festool drill mostly as it will already accept the batteries I have.
Do you have a preference, what would you advise?
The PDC is a good choice as it is a bit of a jack of all trades. Like all Festool kit, it is well made and nice to use. Peter
Very interesting stuff. If I was working on site I would be delighted with them, very useful and easy to change. But why are there no 'odd' sizes? If I drill for a 6mm or 8mm bolt I want a 7 or 9mm drill.
Hi Martin, Good point - I have some Famag (non Centrotec) bradpoints which are in 0.5 mm increments and very useful. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thanks, I'll look out for them
NOOICE!!
Hi peter, great series of vids again , but my question if I may relates to timber ,I'm building a summerhouse, on one end there's going to be a hot tub room and on other side a workshop, I've been advised not to use oak for windows as it's not stable and will move a lot in different temperatures especially in the hot tub room, someone advised adigbo as it will be more stable than oak ,in your video I see that the piece you were demonstrating on looks a little like oak ,, I need it to look like oak as I've used oak post and beams in the rest of the construction, any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks Steve
Hi Steve, Idigbo is quite a good choice and is also cheaper than oak. You could use a coloured Osmo to protect the wood and make it look even closer to oak. If matching the existing oak was not a factor I would choose Cedar as it is perfect for the conditions that your plan describes. Peter
Thanks Peter, much appreciated
I always make my own dowels for plugs, it’s quick and easier (just a .25 inch plate) so why would you buy a plug cutter. I enjoy your informative films, good to see new tools and how they could be used in my workshop. Thanks Peter
Thanks Dave. Peter
Plug cutters are useful when you are trying to match the grain. Hides the plug better.
Hi Peter, big fan of your videos.. Can you please tell me why I should use centrotec bits instead of the normal drill bits
Thanks
Hi Darrel, The Centrotec standard provides more support and stability for the bit. For screwdriver bits it is not such an advantage but for drill bits it is a great help. You do not need to buy Festool but they are the originators and if you have any one of their drill/drivers you are halfway there as the Centrotec chuck is usually supplied. I really like if for its speed of bit change. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thank you so much for your reply.. I did come across and watch your video straight after explaining the difference... looks as though I’m going to be buy some centrotec bits lol
Thank you again
Hi Darrel
You should also look at this video:
ua-cam.com/video/LDAcmt5NRqA/v-deo.html
Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop yes that’s the one I watched
Thanks
So I suppose the wish list now has to be a Centrotec chuck for a drill press....
I have thought about this several times and it would be useful if one had enough Centrotec ended bits. Good idea. Peter
Not sure I can buy a centrotec Festool drill under the radar, as I have just sprung for a TS 55 which makes a change from socks and smellies for Christmas. My question is worth buying a centrotec chuck for a standard drill?
Hi Norman, If you could buy a Centrotec chuck that would fit in a standard drill then I would recommend that as an interim solution. Once you have used a Festool drill with its quick change between Jacobs chuck and Centrotec chuck you will never go back. Now you could be innovative in your approach to SWIMBO - if you had something that you could sell on ebay that would go most of the way towards a new drill then that might get approved. I have used this technique several times (OF1400 router, TS55 and my Kapex although I had to sell several things in order to get the Kapex). Peter
New Brit Workshop Thanks👍
How would YOU go about tapping holes in a 4" square grid pattern into a 5'x7'x1/4' plate of aluminum (or aluminium if you'd prefer ;-) )... would you use a drill or just hand tap, or something else?
Thank you, I trust you judgement greatly.
Hi Sekrit, You have to be careful with soft material like aluminium and especially when it is reasonably thin. I would use a drill due to the large number of holes but would practice first on an offcut. You may need to go in and out to allow the swarf to clear whilst at the same time ensuring that you do not start a new thread (or cross thread). That is a huge number of holes and I wish you the best of luck. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thank you, Sir.
Hi Peter. I'm late to the party on this particular thread but have a question. Thanks to you in large part I have just purchased the CSX set and the current installation set. My question is this - I have the impression that the smallest available centrotec brad bit is 3mm. Are you aware of any smaller sizes available eg 2 or 2,5mm? Either by Festool or any other supplier.. Thanks in advance if you find time to answer and greetings from Poland!
HiSteven, I think that 3 mm may be the smallest that I can find as well. I do have a set of brilliant Famag brad point bits which go down to 1 mm:
www.rowland-tools.co.uk/collections/famag/products/brad-point-drill-bit-hss-g-set-of-25-pcs-in-plastic-case?variant=30114419048529
Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thank you, Peter 👍
None the less Peter, there's not enough brad point bits available, there's like 5/6 sizes :(
Hi Ben, They do have more comprehensive sets - look at this 25 piece set: www.axminster.co.uk/fisch-25-piece-hss-brad-point-drill-set-102530 It is the one that I wish that I had bought. Peter
Thank you Peter, I'm not sure the above link was/is Centrotec as it doesn't work. The only Fisch brad point set I could find wasn't Centrotec... :/ There's very few Centrotec masonry bits too, usually all missing no. 7 & 9mm brad and masonry bits.
Hi Ben, Try this link: www.axminster.co.uk/fisch-25-piece-hss-brad-point-drill-set-102530 (it looks the same) which I copied from the address bar just now. The set is not Centrotec but I was just replying to the point about Brad point bits. Peter
I just tried clicking on the link and it fails for some reason. I got to the product page by doing a search on the Axminster site for "Fisch". the 25 piece set was then listed and I could go to the product page. Peter
A couple of things. Thanks to another YT, I now have round spirit bubbles taped on the back of my drills; I now know if I am drilling absolutely vertical. Very cheap but very good.
Secondly, after trying various Centrotec items in the workshop for a while, and I know part of it is a matter of preference but I think the Centrotec is unnecessary.
I have never had an issue with sloppiness in driving or drilling and so the reported extra stability is not needed. It might add a level of precision (but I’m not convinced) but the tolerances in cabinet making are not that exact (try using a vernier guage on dowels and see how they vary)
The “time saved in changing tools” is so marginal - does that 10 seconds extra per change really matter? So, I change tools 20 times in a day and my day extends by 6 minutes. I spend more than that waiting for the kettle to boil. Additionally, most professionals have multiple drills/drivers and I set each one up with what I need (drill, countersink, driver etc.)
But my biggest problem, and this affects amateur and professional, is the sheer additional cost of Centrotec fittings over their normal equivalent. We are paying a huge margin over the normal to get very little benefit - and to get chained to the Festool system.
I have no problem with Festool. I have many Festool products but not everything best in the tool world is light green and dark grey. I would urge users to look beyond the click bait for buyers of those banks of Festool systainers and find out if the Festool jig saw (for instance) is really the best for them.
Finally, Festool pricing. It used to be premium price for premium product. Now, it is exorbitant pricing for (in some cases) products that have not evolved in years. They are tools; they are not cars; don’t get fooled into thinking that a light green/dark grey tool increases your skill level. It doesn’t. Thought and experience are much more valuable than any particular make of tool.
Just my thoughts.
Hi Theo, The Centrotec standard now goes beyond Festool and there are some very affordable items available from companies such as Axminster. Festool paved the way and now others are following. Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop hi Peter. I know that you are a fan of both Festool and Axminster and I have a lot of Festool products and use Axminster quite a bit. A more cynical view of “Festool led the way and others are following” is that Festool found a way to charge more and others are now doing the same”
I have just looked at the Axminster website and compared prices. An Axcalibur Centrotec-compatible 15mm Forstner bit is £13.68: an Axcalibur normal 15mm Forstner bit is £10.58. That’s nearly 30% more. 30% additional charge for all the drill bits, driver bits that a company like Axminster sells each year? No small beer for the smart people who own Axminster - I don’t wonder that they, and others, are following Festool.
I know a little of these things - before retirement, I was MD of a business employing 3,500 people. I would have jumped at the opportunity, as any business would, to be able to charge 30% more for an item - and tie the customer into a proprietary system.
It would be interesting to compare the prices that you paid for the Festool items you use often; then add inflation. Now compare to the current prices. I did that exercise on a Domino because a son needed to buy one and I couldn’t believe how much they had risen in price - for a machine identical to my 8 year old one.
I do believe that Festool are at a critical point in the sales and marketing curve. Clever people but history has many examples of clever businesses who exploit customers just too far - and when a business just starts to slide down the slope of mass disaffection, then it seems almost impossible to halt the decline.
Please keep producing the videos. I watch each one and they are genuinely always interesting. I fear, however, that too many watchers come away believing that the only way to achieve good results is by buying Festool and Axminster.
In order to have the capability to manufacture something like a Centrotec bit or any specialised item the right machine will be required. Typical production engineering CNCs cost anything from £100k up to £500k. Adding the weeks of staff training, component design and development as well as maintenance and other overheads means that you either produce high volumes of low price kit or take the risk of making smaller quantities of premium items. If everybody bought Centrotec bits then the price could halve but until then items have to justify their cost of manufacture which is reflected in the price. Were you in production engineering by any chance? Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop no. I was MD of the company - I had Directors whose responsibilities were the various departments. However, it was my responsibility to take decisions on issues such as sales, marketing, operations and finance and I understand the economics of which you speak. One key test that any innovation put in front of me had to pass - is it going to increase speed; increase quality; decrease risk; in other words, cost in use. There is a huge difference between features and benefits. It is my view that too many tools have features but no benefits.
I fly fish and there is a very good saying - the new fly on the market is probably better catching the angler than the fish. I feel the same way about many of the woodworking tools brought to market.
There were/are two issues to my original comment. Firstly, is the necessity, the advisability or otherwise of Centrotec; I remain unconvinced by my long experience and by any arguments that I have seen. The second is the cost of Festool, Centrotec and products from other companies producing compatible parts; I will focus just on the Axminster example as I would be pretty sure the economics of scale production for the Festool products are very different; to pay 30% extra (using the Axminster example) for a feature which I remain convinced has little benefit is a luxury that, perhaps, many should avoid.
The target market for your videos may well be -almost certainly ends up as - the more affluent woodworker but I’m sure it draws in a lot of viewers who operate on a budget. It’s my view that there is a real risk of people spending more money than they need to for items with little or no benefit.
Peter, in any debate, there are at least two sides to the argument; usually, neither side is totally right or totally wrong. The important thing normally is that the audience get to hear the differing views and make their own mind up. In my small way, I am trying to provide another view to yours.
Are you a member of the Salmon and Trout Conservation?
So now you've publicly announced you have arthritis make sure you declare it to DVLA and your car insurers. Otherwise they can claim your insurance void for failure to declare.
Captain Barnes really!? Would this apply in Europe ore USA?
In UK Insurance companies require you to declare any illness / disability. Failure to declare would make your insurance void because they would have charged you more for the policy. The policy is therefore void. If in an accident the insurance company will delve into your history and if you haven't declared - even one thing - then be prepared to be without insurance. The authorities can then prosecute you for having no insurance. It's happened before and will happen again.
Captain Barnes thank you for that insight! I have to say though that it feels discrimination toward those who fall victim to an illness they had no control over..... in other words you get charged more if you are having a form of disability. Hmmm. I know this is way off topic but feel kinda strong on that.
It depends whether your disability affects your potential ability to drive safely. If fit and healthy then the risk assessed by the insurer is relatively small. If your disability is such that you may have blackouts (say with diabetes) then you must pay a higher premium as their risk is higher.
I own a great many Festools. Both Dominos, 2 rotexes (rotexi ?), routers, Kapex and on and on. I will never buy a drill. I don’t feel that the price is justified and the price of Centrotec is absurd for no appreciable improvement in results. Just my 2 cents, or pence or whatever.
Hi John, I quite like the two drills that I have but just wish they had an impact driver. Now that so many other manufacturers are doing Centrotec the price has come down a lot. Cheers. Peter
I used to feel the same, but then I needed a right angle drill to get inside a pelmet. Local dealer was having an offer on the 12V Festool that had the right angle adapter included. It became my GO TO drill for just about everything after that. Incredibly light and comfortable. But the price of the bigger ones does leave me gasping....