Hole Saw

A hole saw is a tool that allows you to cut through tough materials such as plastic, wood, steel, stainless steel, plywood, dry wall, cement boards, and even cast iron. It is the perfect tool for you to use when you have to cut through such materials in your house. Of course, if you are a professional serviceman, this tool will no doubt be your companion as you carry out your professional duties.

If however, you have not used hole saws, you’ve probably seen them around.  A hole saw cutter is a cylindrical piece of metal with directional teeth along the outer parts, and it is hollow. When it is attached with an arbor to a power drill, it cuts a rounded hole into the material against which it is being used. When used with the power drill, it can make a perfect hole in the material being cut, as the function of the hole saw drill is to hold it in place to prevent it from sliding across the surface.

The size of the hole you wish to cut is very important in determining what hole saw you will buy. The operative word here is the case fan size. You have basically three sizes to choose from;

1. 80mm = 3”

2. 92mm = 3.5”

3. 120mm = 4.5” hole saw

The other major consideration you’ll want to keep in mind when you go to buy a hole saw is material type. These are as follows:

1. Bi-Metal Hole Saws: these have the following features:

• Supports heavy duty cutting with its rugged constitution, which is constructed on tough metal.

• It needs just one pass to cut through studs.

• It cuts faster, smoother without as much vibration as the others due to its variable pitch teeth.

• The design lasts longer, thus enabling it to achieve more cuts per each saw.

• It can saw through metal, wood, plastic, and stainless steel, as well as cast iron.

1. Carbide Hole Saw: These last quite long but they are really meant to be used on materials that are metallic.  Otherwise, a carbide hole saw will spoil quickly. It has the following features:

• It should contain carbide grit, which will enable it to make smooth cuts while not wearing out quickly.

• Cutting through abrasive materials should not dull the carbide grit.

• It is capable of cutting through cement boards, wood, ceiling tiles, and plaster, as well as dry wall.

1. Hole Saw Arbors: It is always better for you to buy a separate arbor. This is because those that come separately and are normally adjustable. You just need to make sure that you watch out for the size of the peg on the arbor that will go into the the drill. This is to ensure compatibility. Features include:

• The pilot bits have an 118o split point.

• The threads have lengthy life due to the hardened mandrels.

Hopefully some of these tips add to your knowledge about how hole saws work and what to look for during your shopping experience. Maybe you’ll find them useful as you shop for your hole saw.