How to cut a 1 1/2 inch hole

[Jerry Cummins]

Apparently this is not the way. I had one of those sets that had multiple sizes, and used it over the years, but the 1 1/2 size got destroyed. So I bought this, and first cut in a 1" pine board, teeth clogged and started to burn before getting thru the cut.

I never had luck with hole saws, maybe I'm buying the wrong kind. But cutting a clean hole of this size and larger I need to do occasionally.

What am I doing wrong? What do you use to cut a hole like this? Is this hole saw simply poorly made?

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g27/jcummins42/Mobile%20Uploads/downsized_0802120922.jpg

[scott vroom]

Are you running that thing in a drill press or a hand-held drill?

For cutting 1-1/2" holes in wood I suggest a forsner bit in a drill press.

[phil harold]

burning a holesaw is from to high of speed
use 200-300rpm max

Clean holes can also be made with a plumbers bit
and if you have a drill press a fostner bit will excel

[Van Huskey]

Thats the playing field of the forstner bit...

[Jerome Stanek]

You need to run it slow and peck drill with it drill pull it out clean the teeth and drill a little more.

[Carl Beckett]

burning a holesaw is from to high of speed
use 200-300rpm max



+1

And is your wood dry? (if a lot of moisture content it can help buildup - relatively lower speed, let the sawdust escape, etc)

Forstners are great if you want a precision hole, but overkill for many things. You might be able to find an old fashioned spade type bit that would work.

If you had luck with your prior hole saw but this one isnt working for you, then.... very possibly a higher quality hole saw would give better results.

[Charles Wiggins]

I vote for the Forstner bit and slower speed. For pine I would go down to about 500 RPM.

http://www.fnal.gov/pub/takefive/pdfs/Drill_Press_Speed_Chart.pdf

[David Hawxhurst]

if you want a nice clean hole then the hole saw is not the tool for it. a spade type will be cleaner and forstner will be the cleanest. whole saws are good for construction where you need a hole but doesn't have to be real clean and neat.

[pat warner]

"What do you use to cut a hole like this?
Cutter on top left. 3-wing carbide, (http://patwarner.com/images/drilling_tools.jpg) drills flat bottom and laser quality cut walls. Drill press essential.

[Prashun Patel]

You can also predrill a 1/4" hole just inside the perimeter of the kerf of the hole saw. This will allow a place for the chips to fall thru, which will prevent them building up/heating up, and burning the wood.

When yr pilot goes all the way thru, then flip and drill from the other side to prevent blow out.

[Eric DeSilva]

Cool! Never heard of that before, but it makes sense. While I try to avoid those hole saws at all costs, I'm sure I'll use this at some point...

[Jerry Cummins]

This cut was done on a drill press at a speed of 390.

After reading these replies, I went and cleaned the hole saw. The wood was very gummy, and looks like it mixed with the paint that was on the hole saw. Got it clean and removed all the paint on the cutting area, and set my drill press to the slowest I can go 260. It cut slow, but did cut without burning. Afterwards wood was caked on the cutting threads, but you touch it, and it just fell right off. So it did the job, but I’m going to keep me eye out for some larger Forstner bits though.


I’m thinking the paint they put on this thing just gummed up that first cut, or so it seems.

[Lee Schierer]

This cut was done on a drill press at a speed of 390.

After reading these replies, I went and cleaned the hole saw. The wood was very gummy, and looks like it mixed with the paint that was on the hole saw. Got it clean and removed all the paint on the cutting area, and set my drill press to the slowest I can go 260. It cut slow, but did cut without burning. Afterwards wood was caked on the cutting threads, but you touch it, and it just fell right off. So it did the job, but I’m going to keep me eye out for some larger Forstner bits though.


I’m thinking the paint they put on this thing just gummed up that first cut, or so it seems.

Pine, particularly yellow pine is a gummy wood and you need to lift the hole saw out of the kerf periodically and clear the saw dust. Otherwise it will just pack into the teeth and clog them. For a cleaner exit hole stop cutting half way through and complete the cut from the opposite side. This also makes removing the plug from the saw much easier.

[Rich Engelhardt]

What do you use to cut a hole like this
A brace and bit work great & with a surprising lack of effort.
Somewhere I have my grandfather's old adjustable auger bit. IIRC, it adjusted from 1" to 3".

[Jeff Duncan]

Even the better hole saws can clog and burn. I have a bunch of Starrett hole saws and use them predominantly on hardwoods. I run slow and clear dust often. Some woods just cake the dust in the teeth, when that happens I keep a piece of scrap to tap the side of the hole saw when I raise it out of the cut.

I personally don't find spade bits to be any better, and oftentimes worse than hole saws. Forstner bits do cut clean, but sometimes you have to use what you have especially when you get into the bigger sizes;)

good luck,
jeffD

[Adrian Anguiano]

No one has mentioned using a router. Several ways you could do it. Get a 1/8" piece of hardboard as a template. Use that bit you already have. Then tape that template to your piece of wood and use a bit with a flush bearing on it. Depending on the router bit you may be able to plunge into the hole, or drill a hole with your hand drill just so you can start the router bit in the hole.

You can use a router table, plunge router, trim router. all good stuff.

I wouldnt spend 40 bucks on a forstner bit unless u wanted the hole flat, or if you planned on using it for something else like a hole cutting bit to make candle holders in wood or something.

[Phil Thien]

You can also predrill a 1/4" hole just inside the perimeter of the kerf of the hole saw. This will allow a place for the chips to fall thru, which will prevent them building up/heating up, and burning the wood.

When yr pilot goes all the way thru, then flip and drill from the other side to prevent blow out.

This.

But I'd go even larger (1/2").

[Mike Hollingsworth]

pretty sure that kind of hole saw needs a pilot bit. Good luck without it.

[Phil Thien]

pretty sure that kind of hole saw needs a pilot bit. Good luck without it.

I see a pilot bit. Do you not see a pilot bit?