Hole saws for drilling metal?

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 2:41 pm

I'm going to be drilling out my x-member and a few other choices bits, can someone recommend a hole saw set/kit for this? They vary in price, this set any good?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hole-Saw-Cutt ... 0991597323

or this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-holesaw ... -kit/93131

harvey · Post by **harvey** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:02 pm

I've never bought kits, I bought the arbors and then bought individual holesaws as I needed them. The ones I used were:

http://www.starrett.co.uk/shop/holesaws ... _hole_saw/

And they were all worked hard and performed faultlessly.

Post by **katanaman** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:23 pm

Starret are by far the best quality wise and I used to use them when I was a spark. That's said the last set I got was from Lidle, cost about a tenner and have lasted well for the amount that I use them.

mgbv8 · Post by **mgbv8** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:30 pm

Starret are very good. But I've recently been using ones by Sandvik and they are good too.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:24 pm

On Perrys' recommendation I now have a collection of Sarret hole saws, a revelation, I had never thought of Bosch as cheep sub standard rubbish before! They are much better than others I have used.
best regards
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 7:15 am

After pricing up what I needed from Serratt (£££!!!), I went for the titan kit (skint due to xmas and buying a new fuel tank!). The serratt are great but very pricey. The two Serratt arbors alone would have cost me the price of the entire titan kit.

I'm only needing it for the front x-member for the moment, so hopefully they'll last enough for that, and if not I can just buy individual Serratt ones in the future and use the existing arbors.

Thanks for the advice guys

unstable load · Post by **unstable load** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 7:25 am

Just remember with drill mounted saws that the linear cutting speed is important as well as lubrication. Don't spin it too fast because it won't cut effectively and will be prone to overheating and destroying the saw. Lubrication speaks for itself.

Here is a pdf from a saw manufacturer that will give you an idea.
http://www.automationdirect.com/static/ ... speeds.pdf

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 12:16 pm

I had a go over xmas using an old bosch hand drill, and didn't do too bad. Broke the drill bit in the larger of the two arbors because the screw that holds it in just will not go tight, kept dropping out mid-cutting until it jammed and shattered lol. I fitted the bit from the smaller arbor and seemed to work better. Drilling out my cross-member and it's looking pretty good so far, taken out ove 1kg of weight and not 1/2 way through yet, so I'm happy.

DaveEFI · Post by **DaveEFI** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 1:53 pm

Once you have access to the 'back' of the box section using a holesaw, I'd change over to a Q-max for the rest of the holes. If possible. They produce a near perfect hole and edge. But do keep the bolt etc lubricated, and use a ball race on thicker steel.

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 2:56 pm

DaveEFI wrote:Once you have access to the 'back' of the box section using a holesaw, I'd change over to a Q-max for the rest of the holes. If possible. They produce a near perfect hole and edge. But do keep the bolt etc lubricated, and use a ball race on thicker steel.

Not really possible due to the odd shape of the cross member, and I don't want to go buying anymore tools if I can help it! The holesaws are workng out ok just need a bit of tidying on the odd hole - they're getting neater as I'm getting better though!

DaveEFI · Post by **DaveEFI** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 4:32 pm

You can never ever have too many tools.

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:25 am

DaveEFI wrote:You can never ever have too many tools.

Haha true. I used much more lubrication last night and the hole cutting went much smoother. Shame the arbors are crap tho takes me longer to change the cutting part than to cut the damn holes!

Currently upto about 2kg off the cross-member, and it looks great!

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 12:50 am

Holesaws are consumables, and you will go through a lot of them !!

the Arbor is the only piece that lasts really.

The pilot bits will break on a regular basis if you use them to actually drill a pilot hole. So it's best to drill a pilot hole first, and then use the holesaw.

DaveEFI · Post by **DaveEFI** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:15 am

Which is why a Q-max makes sense - if it is suitable - as they don't wear out if looked after.

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 11:53 am

QMax is great on thin panels.

Cant see them cutting through a crossmember maybe 2-4mm thick steel though ?