FTG USA Wood Countersink drill bit set #4#6#8#10#12 Tapered Parabolic Flute

With the tapered parabolic flute, I thought they would really bite into the wood a lot quicker. Thus far, I have only used these in oak. With such a small point I really expected a lot less pressure to drill into the wood. The tiny point does allow for precise placement of the hole. Once the point of the bit breaks through the other side of the board, the rest of the flute falls right through the wood and the countersink with the stop caller does an outstanding job. The four cutting edges on the countersink make a very clean cut with a lot of control of the countersink depth. My first thought was that the point needs to be sharpened but I'm hesitant with this odd architecture, I am not exactly sure how to sharpen it. I guess I really have nothing to lose, since at this point I would likely not use these except in very specific cases. The other drawback I have found is the inability to really adjust the depth of the pilot hole. Using the #8 bit and attaching a ¾” board, the board you are attaching to needs to be at least 1-1/4” thick, or you'll blow through the other side of that board with the pilot hole. Other countersinks I have used have straight-shank bits that allow you to fully adjust the depth of the pilot hole, it is not the case with these bits. If using the flattened part of the bit's shank to tighten the set screw against, you only have about 1/4 inch of play. If you decide to tighten against the round shaft, you only have about ½” more before the taper begins. I'm a bit disappointed in these and may likely either use straight-shafted pilot-point drill bits in these for the excellent countersink capabilities when making finished products. Or I may use them in rougher construction projects using hardwoods where you must drill and countersink to avoid splitting, but I'm not sure how well the fine-tipped drill bit will hold up under those conditions. I'd like to see a jobber-length drill shaft offered.