Countersinking is the technique of driving a screw or nail so its head is flush with or below the surface. You can purchase special countersinking bits for use with a drill or drill press. Or you can use a nail to reverse the process of countersinking, when you need to get into a tight space. Several types of bits can be attached to a drill for countersinking. The basic countersinking bit has a jagged cone-shaped head (figure A) that's useful for drilling holes big enough to hide the head of a nail or screw. You can also purchase a countersinking set, which comes with different-sized bits (figure B). Or you can use an adjustable bit, which can conform to different sizes (figure C). An adjustable drill bit has a single-bladed bit and a collet that moves up and down to shorten or lengthen the blade. Finally, you can attach a spade bit to a drill to countersink larger holes for fasteners such as carriage bolts (figure D). When working on drawers, it's often difficult to use a drill to countersink in such a small area. If you can't fit your drill into the area where you need a countersunk hole, don't worry. You can get the same results by reversing the process of countersinking. Here's how: Materials: Hammer
Small nail
Drill and bits
- Use a hammer to flatten out the head and tip of a small nail (figure E). This will turn the nail into a small blade.
- Working from the outside of the drawer, drill a hole in the place you want the countersunk hole (figure F).
- Insert the tip of the flattened nail through the inside of the drawer, and attach the pointed tip of the nail to the drill.
- Turn on the drill. Instead of pushing and drilling, pull upward and drill. A few revolutions will produce a perfect countersunk hole.
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
