# Hole Saw Size



## The Force (Oct 14, 2011)

I am purchasing a drill for the specific purpose of drilling holes into wood with a hole saw. 
For my use, my priorities have been light weight, and 8 amps. Manufacturers report capacity of the drill in wood, steel, and concrete, but they do not specify what size of hole saw may be used. 
How does one determine the proper limit of size for a given drill? This is not just a power issue, but also an issue of torque and bearings. How does one pick the appropriate drill for such use?
The Force (is with you!)


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

What size hole saws you have in mind.

I will warn you that a drill motor with plenty of power and torque will easily break your fingers and wrists if the right size hole saw is used. Sometimes a "D" handle or a right angle drill is the better choice.


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## VIPlumber (Aug 2, 2010)

Not to mention the fact that once the hole saw bites it can pull you off a ladder, or smack you in the face. Low speed and low torque is the settings I usually use till I get a feel for how the drill bit are reacting. Right angle drills are your best bet, of the corded variety. If this is going to be a one off, or a small project, I'd suggest looking at a rental.


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## The Force (Oct 14, 2011)

Well, I am using a 3" hole saw and under. I was using my very old Sears VSR 3/8" drill and decided to purchase a higher torque drill to save my old drill rather than destroy it by improper use (thinking particularly about the bearings). 
I was looking at the DW505K which seemed to be the best mix of power and light weight. The Sears drill is about 4 lbs, and I don't really want to heft much more than that. No, this does not have the D handle, nor is it a right angle drill (that thought did cross my mind, both of those, actually). 

Regards, 
The Force (of One)


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

A reguler pistal grip drill would twist your wrist off when it grabs, runs at to high a speed and has less torque then a right angle drill. It's not going to have a lot to do with hurting the bearing, it's going to burn up the windings from over heating.
If you want a drill that's going to last your going to have to just deal with some extra weight if you want a heavy duty drill.
I personaly would not buy a Dewalt anything. I've had nothng but trouble with them.
Porta Cable or Milwaulke I think make better grade tools. 
Any time your thinking abut buy a new tool check out Amazon.com, for one they have fair prices, in some cases the shipping is free, but what I like is as your looking at the tool look at the bottom of the page. There's reviews from people that owned or have bought that tool.
Some tricks I use when using a hole saw is to drill a hole right where the saw is cutting, it allows the chips to clear, ribbing the outside with bar hand soap, it lubs the outside and reduces friction.
With a right angle drill it's best when ever possible to have the handle up againt a wall so it will not try and spin when it grabs.
For super fast and easy hole cutting buy one of these set or any real plumbing supply with have the single sizes.
http://www.cpomilwaukee.com/milwauk...ault,pd.html?start=3&cgid=milwaukee-hole-saws
It will cut at least twice as fast and far less grabing.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

The heavier the physical weight of the tool the better off the operator is when it comes to torque being transmitted into the operators body parts.

What material is being cut?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

The cup style hole saws are slow and bind up a lot---for 3" and smaller holes--the auger type that peals out the center of the hole are the preferred type of cutter---


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Get a 1/2" Milwaukee corded hammer drill. You can drill through a Death Star.


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## toolaholic (Jul 31, 2011)

Ron6519 said:


> Get a 1/2" Milwaukee corded hammer drill. You can drill through a Death Star.


Then what can I drill through with the Milwaukee 1663-20 7.0 Amp 450 rpm triple geared spade handle drill? The sun? LOL. Seriously though for big hole saws a 0-550 or 0-850rpm drill work great!


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I picked up a Hitachi hammer drill (their smaller cheaper one) a few years ago for a couple big projects. Holy cow, that thing will blast 3" holes in concrete or brick in a flash (with the right bit, of course). Maybe not drilll through the sun but I think I could get to China with it. Have to clean the rock ouf the hole saw bit a few times, I guess.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

What's a "Death Star"?


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Bud Cline said:


> What's a "Death Star"?


An impenetrable weapons platform. 
It was Luke Skywalker's back up plan if the missle failed. If you look closely, behind the seat, on the floor, you'll see the red handle of the drill.
May the force be with you, Bud.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

Oh well then good, great, okay, I see.

So ah, ah, did the missle fail?


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Bud, Bud, Bud.... I am not the world's biggest SW fan but I have to ask: where have you been the last 30 years? ;-) BTW, I loved the linked "stupid" video!



Bud Cline said:


> Oh well then good, great, okay, I see.
> 
> So ah, ah, did the missle fail?


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## Lattimer (Oct 18, 2011)

After fighting frustration and wasting time with either my 3/8 Ridgid corded drill or a POS 1/2" Harbor Freight (that burned up instantly), I finally went and got the proper tool.....Milwaukee 1/2" right angle drill. Using hole saws or the self-feeding drill bits, the think is awesome and makes the job easy.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> Bud, Bud, Bud.... I am not the world's biggest SW fan but I have to ask: where have you been the last 30 years? ;-) BTW, I loved the linked "stupid" video!


Well believe it or not not everyone in THIS UNIVERSE got hooked on Star Wars. I am too embedded in reality and rationality and common sense to find anything interesting in the phenomenon of the the Hollywood blockbusters that come along from time to time. I'll take a documentary over science FICTION anytime.

Keep in mind I have always worked for a living. 

Hell I thought a Death Star was a Super Nova until now.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I like a lot of SciFi but not so much SW. Way too fluffy and smarmy. It's just that it is so out there and ubiquitous it is hard to escape absorbing a good bit of the story in passing. Besides, in that sort of fluff the good guys always win so easy to figure that Luke didn't need the Milwaukee after all.



Bud Cline said:


> Well believe it or not not everyone in THIS UNIVERSE got hooked on Star Wars. I am too embedded in reality and rationality and common sense to find anything interesting in the phenomenon of the the Hollywood blockbusters that come along from time to time. I'll take a documentary over science FICTION anytime.
> 
> Keep in mind I have always worked for a living.
> 
> Hell I thought a Death Star was a Super Nova until now.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

Which one is it that some of the charactors have leathery-looking medallions growing from their foreheads? And the dude with the Elvis sunglasses, which cartoon is that?

So about the Death Star thing? Did the missle fail or not?

<IIVII


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Bud Cline said:


> Oh well then good, great, okay, I see.
> 
> So ah, ah, did the missle fail?


It was touch and go for awhile, but luckily Obi wan had some viagra tucked away and the missle went up, up and way.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

The good guys always win, so of course the missile worked. Ridiculous physics and defenses defying approach and logic defying shot down a ventilation duct or somesuch IIRC (it's been at least 20 years since I saw this).

Not sure about your other questions. You'd have to ask a SW afficionado.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

What would really have been scary is if they gave Viagra to Jabba the hut! I shudder to think what that would look like!



Ron6519 said:


> It was touch and go for awhile, but luckily Obi wan had some viagra tucked away and the missle went up, up and way.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> Not sure about your other questions. *You'd have to ask a SW afficionado.*


So...I should contact Sheldon Cooper?

Sheldon Sheldon Sheldon? Are you there? Sheldon Sheldon Sheldon Sheldon?


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## titanoman (Nov 27, 2011)

raylo32 said:


> Bud, Bud, Bud.... I am not the world's biggest SW fan but I have to ask: where have you been the last 30 years? ;-) BTW, I loved the linked "stupid" video!


Star Wars came out in '71, 40 years ago.

Sent from a Samsung Galaxy S2


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Is that a Samsung Galaxy far, far away? ;-)



titanoman said:


> Sent from a Samsung Galaxy S2


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## titanoman (Nov 27, 2011)

raylo32 said:


> Is that a Samsung Galaxy far, far away? ;-)


:yes::thumbsup::thumbup:


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

My earlier mention of Sheldon Cooper sent me into recess-mode and I discovered that the now popular Big Bang Theory TV program is in fact a re-make of the original concept. I further learned that the program in its present form had a prior Pilot episode that never aired and was not picked up by the TV magnates.

The "original" Pilot is however available in its entirety. Funny as hell....

http://videosift.com/video/The-Big-Bang-Theory-00x00-Unaired-Test-Pilot

With a slight stretch of the imagination this derailment can be construed as also having to do with "hole saws" and "Bang Theories". Enjoy!

fftopic:


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## toolaholic (Jul 31, 2011)

Go on the Bosch website. They list hole saw capacities of their drills in wood and metal. And it's interesting to see how a 0-850 rpm drill w/ the same torque rating as a 0-1100rpm drill will turn a bigger hole saw! Slower drills are better geared for bigger bits! It's not all about amps and torque but gearing(speed) as well!


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

titanoman said:


> star wars came out in '71, 40 years ago.
> 
> Sent from a samsung galaxy s2


1977----


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

My Hitachi hammer drill works great for normal tasks with conventional materials but what I am holding out for is a wormhole-saw... the heck with drilling through a DeathStar hull. I want to make a 3" hole in the space-time continuum. I bet ThinkGeek will be selling something like this prettty soon!


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

raylo32 said:


> My Hitachi hammer drill works great for normal tasks with conventional materials but what I am holding out for is a wormhole-saw... the heck with drilling through a DeathStar hull. I want to make a 3" hole in the space-time continuum. I bet ThinkGeek will be selling something like this prettty soon!


You're going to make Bud's head explode with this SCi Fi mumbo jumbo.
I need to get back to my Tardis project.
I don't think it's going to be bigger on the inside when I'm done.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> I need to get back to my Tardis project.
> I don't think it's going to be bigger on the inside when I'm done


Back when I was in high school my counselors always said I was a "Tardies Project."


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## The Force (Oct 14, 2011)

*Hole Saw*

Love the tips on how to use the hole saw: rubbing soap on the outside and drilling a swarf removal hole where the saw cuts. Thanks!
I ordered a saw, but it's not here yet. DW-505K was my choice. I may fabricate a bracket to prevent it from twisting, if that is a problem. ON the other hand, should I break off all my fingers and both wrists, you may never hear from me again. 
Regards,
The Force

PS: Critical factors in the decision making process were weight, 2 speeds, and the experience I already have with the hole saw. Also, the supplier offering a 3rd year of warranty.


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