No, that would defeat the purpose...

Technically, the picture cutter is a de-burring tool...

counter sinks have a provision for a drill bit ( a wood screw pre drill thing)

You want a big broad shouldered de burring tool

Like the one pictured---no drill just V thing

down side, that's probably a 35, maybe 50 dollar bit...

borrow one...if you can--or just blade it, it gets covered anyway...make a dent when you glass it, and be damn sure you didn't wax the outside of your insert...wash it in acetone, scuff it with sand paper...you get the idea...


fo

What if you are manufacturing a board with inserts installed previous to laminating formica over them. How do you find the exact location to drill?

template....

butcher paper, neatness counts..

you're looking at delam problems though if you're talking wood and Formica

Drill small locating holes through the formica before laminating . Use some flat head drawing pins or a couple of staples down the center line to locate the formica in the right place before bagging it down. Finish with the countersink bit

Make sure the inserts aren't raised at all from the core, otherwise it will create a void in the laminate .

Bigger is the point!

otherwise it gets the threads...

Actually not, I have come up with a winning combination of balsa core (longitudinal grain), S-glass and formica that has prooven to withstand even the harshest freestylers arround here. One of the most important things is to have the same formica on top and bottom and avoid any curvatures where stress concentration can happen. The only flaw in my construction is that I am installing inserts after lamination, even though it does the job, it doesn't look that good.

OK, dumb question..

I've put wax in my tnuts and installed them. I've fiberglassed top and bottom of board and used the recommended countersink bit to get at my inserts. Now how do I get the wax out? Melt it out with a lighter? Will that F-up my fiberglass? Use a hair dryer maybe? If I just scrape it out will any residual wax mess with the threads holding tight?

Scrape out what you can and heat the screw. It will melt the rest and force it out. It may take a couple of attempts.

Hi!
I'm using inserts for ski-jump skis, witht external thread!
I make biger holes and fill them with epoxy before laminating. After the board is cured I bore the holes on CNC working station with the same program as the first time, when cuting the board to shape (you have to be very precise when positioning the finished board).
When the holes are done I yust add a couple of spots of cianokol glue, just to prevent the inserts from unscrewing.

Fast and easy!

BR,
Zob

Sure, fast and easy if you have access to a CNC machine