Make a Counterbore

How to make a counterbore from drill rod or silver steel in the home shop. A very useful tool when working with castings such as steam engines or model machine tools. An easy project that give your models the professional touch.
00:00 - Intro
01:40 - Turning in the lathe.
03:13 - Milling in the milling machine with a collet block.
05:15 - Basic heat treatment.
06:12 - Sharpening.
07:21 - Using the tool.
09:21 - Final points.
For more information see this excellent article by John Moran:
gadgetbuilder.com/CounterBore...

[@homemadetools]

Nice work. We shared this video on our homemade tool forum last week 😎

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Oh thanks!

[@RobLox-bt7km]

Thanks from me as well. I have an anvil made from railway track that I cannot bolt down because the base has a radius that I cannot access, but now I have project to add to the growing list.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Ooh it will be interesting to see if it still works on a big scale. I don't see why it wouldn't. Be careful anyway!
Thanks for watching!

[@kalybnielsen4183]

You can use an extra thick washer ground on an angle on 1 side too. Little quicker, not quite as technical

[@624Dudley]

Thanks John, this is relevant to a project I have in the shop. Glad to see it carried out. 👍

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

That’s great to hear. All the best!

[@TomZelickman]

Cool little tool, John! I like how you tackled this challenge.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks Tom!

[@warrenwise8127]

Thanks for sharing, stored this in my memorey bank, handy trick to have up ones sleeve.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Yeah it's a handy trick to know.
Thanks for watching!

[@dannywilsher4165]

Awesome tool!

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks for watching!

[@BillDavies-ej6ye]

Nice work, John, a useful tool.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks 👍

[@robertoswalt319]

Great project. Thanks for sharing it with us

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks for watching!

[@jayminor9757]

Nice one John! I will make a set of these in the sizes that I normally use.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

That’s a great project. Thanks for watching!

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Very clever. Nice work sir

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thank you kindly

[@yelims20]

back spot face tool... cool!

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks for watching!

[@TheRecreationalMachinist]

Cheers John. Like that vey much 👍 🇬🇧

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks so much for watching and your great comment.

[@chrishill6276]

Good info mate. Also love your copper vice jaws.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

I pinched that idea from @oxtools Tom Lipton. They are great.
Thanks for watching!

[@StuartsShed]

Excellent idea - well executed! I enjoyed that and the various true to life moments. 😅

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Haha that was my This Old Tony tribute! It wasn’t real. I laughed so much adding it. I’m glad someone noticed.

[@SquareRootOfNegativeOne]

@@CreaseysWorkshop that's when i decided to subscribe

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

@@SquareRootOfNegativeOne I'm going to be very tempted to sneak those into future videos now. 😀

[@SquareRootOfNegativeOne]

@@CreaseysWorkshop a little humour, and no music. sound effects are ok. ☺

[@FishingFan2]

Nice one! Thanks

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Any time!

[@taranson3057]

This is such a great project. There have been many times when I could have used a counterbore tool but I just can't afford them. I have plenty of O1 tool steel and I think that I will give this project a try. I'm a newbie but this project appears to be simple enough all I can do is try and try again.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

That’s great to hear. Thanks for your comment. I hope it works for you.

[@taranson3057]

@@CreaseysWorkshop I can do heat treatment on the steel, and I can machine the part. The only thing I am not very good at is the grinding part to sharpen the tool. Trying to learn a bit of tool grinding and would like to build a tool and cutter grinder

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

⁠If you have a bench grinder a good start is to get a white aluminium oxide wheel and a diamond dresser for it. Both are pretty cheap. Then make a nice sturdy rest instead of the cheap metal rubbish that comes with the grinder. It will up your grinding game 1000%

[@taranson3057]

@@CreaseysWorkshop I currently have an 80-grit grey grinding wheel that is really nice but I think it is for mild steel, not the harder steel types. I will definitely be making a new steady rest today, the one that came with the grinder is terrible.

[@darynradcliffe2909]

Neat solution 😊

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@bambukouk]

very nice 👍

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@EmmaRitson]

take back what i said about no surface grinders. very good video

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Haha I use that thing so often I don’t know how I managed without one.

[@victorrussell6284]

I’ve made over half a dozen counterbores. I make mine with four teeth and do it all on the mill.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

I have previously made them with 4 flutes but I found that this technique worked better for me.

[@StavrosGakos]

👍👍👍

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks for watching

[@Preso58]

I had the same issue with the 10H, but at 7BA it was unlikely that my tired old eyes were up to making one that small😢

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Hi Mark. Another alternative is a very narrow washer under the bolt head. Maybe you could find a grandchild to make you some!
Thanks for stopping by.

[@abelferquiza1627]

I left wishing see detaily edges views to think its geometry.Nice work anyway.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@johnfriend240]

Did you use the counter bore dead hard or did I miss where you tempered it?

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

Yeah I was lazy and didn’t temper it.

[@michaelslee4336]

Was the tool tempered at all?

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

No I didn’t temper it. I probably should have.

[@memememe2674]

All that work and time and the flange got damaged anyway. It part is not a great looking part anyway why not just use a grinding bit on a dremek etc, it can still be done neat

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

It is my hobby. If it takes longer I don’t mind. I think it will look good when I have painted it and fitted the nuts and washers. The small blemish on the side wall is easily fixed.

[@DERTOBL]

I‘d rather fix the little cosmetic defect instead of having to deal with bent studs or awfully seated nuts 🤷‍♂️ this was the exact right way to do the job.

[@geoffgwyther7269]

I see you have a milling machine .Turn the casting on it`s back ,or side , and use that.

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

My experience is that end mills don’t go so well as counterbores. In this case there wasn’t clearance anyway. You could do it from the side but it would look terrible.

[@geoffgwyther7269]

@@CreaseysWorkshop Thanks for the reply