formariz 11,988 #1 Posted December 22, 2020 Many of you know how frustrating drilling large holes with a hole saw can be. The problem is that a hole saw has no provisions to eject the dust it creates. Therefore the trapped dust soon clogs and overheats cutter eventually leading to its early death by ruining its temper. I have drilled thousands of large holes with them many times through up to 5” thick MDF laminated together. The worst material ever to run any cutting edge through . The idea is to create an outlet for the dust by drilling two holes opposite each other allowing an area for dust to escape to and eventually drop through the bottom. In the example below it’s a 3” hole through 1-1/2” hard maple with no burning or caking up of teeth. I also sharpen them on a regular basis by using a diamond burr or a file. 6 3 4 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,476 #2 Posted December 22, 2020 8 minutes ago, formariz said: Many of you know how frustrating drilling large holes with a hole saw can be. The problem is that a hole saw has no provisions to eject the dust it creates. Therefore the trapped dust soon clogs and overheats cutter eventually leading to its early death by ruining its temper. I have drilled thousands of large holes with them many times through up to 5” thick MDF laminated together. The worst material ever to run any cutting edge through . The idea is to create an outlet for the dust by drilling two holes opposite each other allowing an area for dust to escape to and eventually drop through the bottom. In the example below it’s a 3” hole through 1-1/2” hard maple with no burning or caking up of teeth. I also sharpen them on a regular basis by using a diamond burr or a file. THAT is a trick I'm gonna remember! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DennisThornton 4,769 #3 Posted December 22, 2020 Yep! Without those ejection ports it's a aggravatin' time with lots of smoke! However! Next project perhaps? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,441 #4 Posted December 22, 2020 We got one of those Spyder carbide tipped hole saw kits Lowes sells at work. Had to drill a 4" hole through a wall for an AC line set. Unbeknown to us there was an old metal gas line imbedded in the wall for lights back in the day. That hole saw tore thru that line like it was cardboard. Made the drill jump for a second! Needless to say I bought a set of those when they went on sale! 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 68,481 #5 Posted December 22, 2020 @formariz That is absolutely awesome. I'll have to show this to BBT when I get home. She'll love it.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 17,084 #6 Posted December 22, 2020 Over the past few months I've been spraying the saws with snow Jet. The stuff for keeping snow from sticking (as much). It works better for hole saw cutting than it does for keeping snow off the blower. We drill 3 1/2 and or 4 1/2 holes through the rim joists of houses everyday so it's important to get them done quick. Everything else depends on getting pipe through that hole so the quicker the better. Spraying them allows us to use just a cordless drill now and they go through in half the time than it took before we started spraying them. Some of those old houses used timber so some of the holes are deep. The spray seems to keep them cool and slick and the dust doesn't bind the saw teeth or stick to the sides. The worst stuff we drill is OSB as the glue in it would stick the dust to the teeth and sides. Not an issue now. The saws last much longer now too. I'll try the relief hole thing where we can too. There's always room for improvement 4 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DennisThornton 4,769 #7 Posted December 22, 2020 55 minutes ago, squonk said: We got one of those Spyder carbide tipped hole saw kits Lowes sells at work. Had to drill a 4" hole through a wall for an AC line set. Unbeknown to us there was an old metal gas line imbedded in the wall for lights back in the day. That hole saw tore thru that line like it was cardboard. Made the drill jump for a second! Needless to say I bought a set of those when they went on sale! I've seen them and I have some Spyder products so I'm very glad you commented about them! Other than drywall, big hole saws are not much fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 49,190 #8 Posted December 22, 2020 4 inch for a line set Squnk?!?!? What the heck kind of line set you running!?!? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,988 #9 Posted December 22, 2020 35 minutes ago, wallfish said: I'll try the relief hole thing where we can too. There's always room for improvement I assure you that you will not be disappointed. I have never ran into any difficulties doing this. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,988 #10 Posted December 22, 2020 (edited) Since @wallfish mentioned the spraying with the SnoJet, here is a proper lubricant for any type of high speed cutter. I use this for router bits specially flush trimming bits used on laminates. It prevents dried contact cement from adhering to and freezing bearing. it is important to keep any cutter clean and free from any build up. I also clean all my saw blades and router bits with any good Oven Cleaner. Just spray it on wait about 15 minutes and rinse with hit water. They will look like new and the hot water evaporates quickly leaving very little drying to do. I then spray them with this. Current version may look slightly different since this one is quite a few years old. Like everything else I always get enough for a couple of years, a little peculiar habit of mine. Edited December 22, 2020 by formariz 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 17,084 #11 Posted December 22, 2020 Dri Cote is the product I saw first but it's expensive at $28-$35 a can. That's a bit steep for what I do but most likely worth every cent if it using on precision tools and blades. I've drilled into everything from nails and 1/2" lag bolts to those hard ass asbestos shingles which can dull a hole saw quick. Gypsum board isn't very kind to them either. I'd be really pissed after spraying that expensive stuff on a new hole saw and hitting those covered up shingles. $10 for the Snow Jet and I'm ecstatic about the performance of it for what we use it for. Could be the same stuff badged in a different can for all I know. Surprised they don't put the words Greenlee on the snow jet can and bump the cost to $65 a can. . 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,988 #12 Posted December 23, 2020 (edited) 45 minutes ago, wallfish said: Dri Cote is the product I saw first but it's expensive at $28-$35 a can. That's a bit steep for what I do but most likely worth every cent if it using on precision tools and blades. I've drilled into everything from nails and 1/2" lag bolts to those hard ass asbestos shingles which can dull a hole saw quick. Gypsum board isn't very kind to them either. I'd be really pissed after spraying that expensive stuff on a new hole saw and hitting those covered up shingles. $10 for the Snow Jet and I'm ecstatic about the performance of it for what we use it for. Could be the same stuff badged in a different can for all I know. Surprised they don't put the words Greenlee on the snow jet can and bump the cost to $65 a can. . That is why I buy enough for a few years Here it is John $10.50 per can when you get 12. https://www.neverseezproductscart.com/shop/advanced_search_result.php?search_in_description=1&keywords=dricote-10 Edited December 23, 2020 by formariz 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,441 #13 Posted December 23, 2020 1 hour ago, WHX24 said: 4 inch for a line set Squnk?!?!? What the heck kind of line set you running!?!? Metal sleeve , line set, 3 phase electric, conduit for comm wire, ect. Go big or go home! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 17,084 #14 Posted December 23, 2020 8 minutes ago, formariz said: That is why I buy enough for a few years Here it is John $10.50 per can when you get 12. Too bad it doesn't come in a dip can. So much of it gets wasted when spraying it. That's cheaper than I found it. At the rate we're going, a case of that stuff is certainly worth a try! It'll save $126 in new hole saws easy. Maybe even try it on the snow blower to see if it works better. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,988 #15 Posted December 23, 2020 (edited) 10 minutes ago, wallfish said: Too bad it doesn't come in a dip can. So much of it gets wasted when spraying it. That's cheaper than I found it. At the rate we're going, a case of that stuff is certainly worth a try! It'll save $126 in new hole saws easy. Maybe even try it on the snow blower to see if it works better. I have been able to experiment with both over the years and a couple others. One of the most obvious differences is that it resists wearing itself out from the friction created by the cutter. I even use it as a table saw top lubricant and rust preventive if I am ripping wet pressure treated stuff. It has a very distinct odor unlike anything else If you still have all or most of the teeth on the hole saws it is very easy to sharpen them quickly. I even set the teeth on some a little bit more aggressively for additional dust clearance if again I am dealing with wet materials. One can also grind off every other tooth making it like a re saw blade. It will cut much faster specially in construction lumber. Edited December 23, 2020 by formariz 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #16 Posted December 23, 2020 Like watching This Old House.. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,441 #17 Posted December 23, 2020 Spider 14pc carbide hole saw kit $99 on sale at Lowe's. $50 off! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DennisThornton 4,769 #18 Posted December 23, 2020 If you miss the Lowe's sale: Spyder 14pc, $89 on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/i/393065049868?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=393065049868&targetid=882300791467&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9005048&poi=&campaignid=1669934603&mkgroupid=65058347419&rlsatarget=pla-882300791467&abcId=1123856&merchantid=138377926&gclid=CjwKCAiA8ov_BRAoEiwAOZogwaLeH_yMn2bflCr-4dwUimC2xU8zkt6XzKIuAHyhQlWCY0BJJJv3DhoCUSIQAvD_BwE 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RandyLittrell 3,885 #19 Posted December 27, 2020 On 12/22/2020 at 6:22 PM, wallfish said: Too bad it doesn't come in a dip can. So much of it gets wasted when spraying it. That's cheaper than I found it. At the rate we're going, a case of that stuff is certainly worth a try! It'll save $126 in new hole saws easy. Maybe even try it on the snow blower to see if it works better. When I was still in the glass shop, we would spray mirror sealer on a dauber then wipe on the edges. It really cuts down on waste and I would think it would work the same on a holesaw. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wool-Daubers-Regular-1-10-Pack-Leather-Solvent-Based-Dye-Applicator/260968136?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=14192&&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=pla-51320962143&wl5=9023400&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=117874815&wl11=online&wl12=260968136&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAiA25v_BRBNEiwAZb4-ZfwgQmkZ3eb7NSwCs5bmtxHDqLp2_MAfvTUmmYxoxY4gaKPawO0kCxoCovkQAvD_BwE Randy 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites