Using a hole saw to cut holes through metal can be difficult and dangerous if you do not know how to use the drill’s safety features. This video shows how to cut a 1 ¾” hole in some 6mm mild steel. Brought to you by www.ultimatehan...
He is forgetting the most important part of drilling with a hole saw. Every so often disengage the pressure and pull it out. Use a brush to remove the chunks of steel clogging the teeth of the saw.
I've been following you for years and always enjoy your videos. I bought (what looks like), that same Dewalt 3-speed hammer drill about 20 years ago and still use it sometimes - that was a quality machine! Mine came with a side handle which I highly recommend when using a hole saw to spare your wrist in case of a jam. I also find that if you run the drill at too low of a speed it can over heat the motor. The motor is designed to run at 18 volts so running it at too low of a speed can cause it to work harder, plus since the motor is fan cooled, the fan needs to be spinning at a good rate to move enough air to keep the temperature down. For long jobs, every once in awhile, remove the drill from the work and run it at full speed to cool it down.
For weeks I had been putting of drilling a hole through the housing of a heating unit. (I was a bit intimidated by the task.) Today I watched your video, picked up some lubricant and went to work on the housing. It went perfectly. Thanks for the video.
This video helped me so much. I had ordered a metal media console from ETSY. They were supposed to drill holes but they did not. So I watched your video over and over and over again. Especially the torque. My drill was not as good as yours and I upped the torque and there was blow back on my hand so I put it back to the number that you stated. I ordered a Klein tool for the punch (did not work that well and danced on the 3rd hole that I drilled. I also purchased 2 in. Xtreme Tri-Cut Tungsten Carbide Hole Cutter and so glad I did. And some cutting oil. I have never did anything like this before and am so Thankful for your video. I watched it again just before I started and caught something that I would have done wrong. The Klein tip did not work as well your your punch too. This was the time when I wished I would have purchased a better drill. By the 3rd hole that I was working on, I was toast but I drilled slow and steady. :)
Very nice instructional. My dad taught me basic things while I was growing up. He never taught me that, but your teaching method is just like his was. Thanks!
I do this quiet often, but never on a vise. I put a plywood underneath the sheet, and firmly clamp it down on a table horizontally. Its way more safe, way more efficient, and the lubricant also stay as it suppose to lube. On the half way down i flip the metal, and start form the other side. So i don't let the friction slowing down the process, i give less torture to the saw-bit and the drill as well. Yes i know there will be a tiny rim in but thats not a big to get rid of it if its really wished.
A hole saw blade may grab when it first engages the material being cut often breaking the pilot bit. I dill the pilot hole first then engage slow and careful. But the most helpful tip is to install a 1/4" rod in place of the pilot bit. Drill pilot hole with a separate 1/4" bit, then use the hole saw with the rod as a pilot. It's alot cheaper than buying a buch of pilot bits.
I'd like to comment that the torque selector, when driving in Phillips head screws, is also a great feature to prevent the slots in the screw head, as well as the tip of the Phillips driver bit (over time) from getting stripped once that screw is all the way in and not needing anymore applied power twist for the finish, as it will be indicated by the "you can stop now, in far enough" clickity clack clack sound of the drill.
After your pilot hole is drilled and you’re ready to drill through, gently lower the teeth of the hole saw until they cut into the piece just enough to define the circle. Now drill a 3/8” hole inside your target diameter but right up to the outer rim of the hole you will be drilling. That will allow chips to drop down and lessen both the heat created from friction and the wear on the the teeth of the hole saw. Hope that makes sense.
Have done 6" holes in metal that thick using a cordless drill with/ handle. Exhausting work ,hurt my wrist a couple times before I figured out the torque control trick. Highly recommend using the trick shown here if you can.
Nice demo chez, i do exactly the same with the torque control when drilling large holes in wood with holesaws, and auger bits, it's better the twisting your wrists up if they jam.
StyXSISoriginal Thanks, Yes the torque control is very handy. In the past I have only used torque control when screwing but it's much easier using hole saws with it ;-)
Hi Gary, I'm glad the video helped. I don't accept donations, as I started both my website and RU-vid channel to help people out, unlike some other RU-vidrs that do it for financial gain. Thanks for the offer though, it is much appreciated 👍
@@ultimatehandyman Hi, well respect to you, that's great. I don't monetise my channel either, only 14K subs but i never will. Adverts are for the telly :)
@@GaryMcKinnonUFO My channel is monetised by adverts, as is my website (without the monetisation, I would not be able to pay for the server (£500 per month), but I don't accept donations from viewers or do the patreon etc. ) 👍
I’m trying to upgrade my boat compartment latches. The ones in there now are 1” diameter. I need a 2” hole. That means I need I wonder have a pilot to help guide the hole Saw. Any thoughts on how I can make this work?
This might help- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jurSZR1Se6A.html Or you can get a special arbour for this purpose, called an oops arbour- bit.ly/3vSnyNx
While I regard myself as a better than average amateur mechanic, there is always room to learn. Following your method I was able to open up a clean 1 and 1/2" hole in the bottom of a steel, elevated fire pit. This will allow enhanced burning characteristics. Many thanks for your tutorial!
Thank you. A very useful video. I will need to use a hole saw to cut holes for some skin fittings in the side of my Narrowboat (6mm mild steel). One question though: When cutting or drilling holes - roughly how much forward pressure should you apply to the drill?
Not too much pressure, or the holesaw will bite. As long as the torque control is used, you should not have a problem. When cutting the hole you'll be able to tell if you are pressing too hard as the drill will slow down. Thanks for the comment 👍
There is no reason for drilling it horizontally apart from it won't fit in the vice the other way around. It's much easier if you can lay the material flat as the coolant does not keep running off the same, you can also use your body weight if you can get above the work piece. I'm glad the video has helped ;-) Thanks for the comment
ShawnMrFixitlee This is exactly the info I came here for. I have some serious holes to drill tomorrow and was wondering about speed and oil use. Perfect lesson.
@@ultimatehandyman My dad has a mag drill. But I’d have to buy the new bit. Whereas I have the holesaw already. Thanks for your video, I’ll give the holesaw a go.
Neil George You are welcome Neil. I have been doing a few holes in stainless on site and got sick of nearly breaking my wrists so started to use the torque control- it worked well ;-)
In stainless??? Rather you than me mate. Are you a fitter in a Steelworks? the reason I ask is although you have a Lancashire accent (I know there isn't a strong steelworking area around there) alot of the tools you use are similar to the ones I see the fitters using around the mill. N.
Neil George I subcontract as a maintenance engineer at two local chemical plants, one of the plants has had a new production line installed and I have done quite a bit of installation/remedial work on it. Most of the machines are stainless including the wall partitions and control panels, so I have had to get the hole saws out a few times! Thanks for the comments ;-)
I reckon you really are an asset to them, your knowledge seems endless. I have learnt more from your channel than 13 years in education. Thanks alot mate. N.
What kind of Dewalt drill is that??? Looks like it has a square plug in the bottom battery. I’ve only ever seen the oval shape plug in battery??? And what voltage is tha battery???
It was the DC988, the newer XRP Li-Ion batteries were a slightly different shape than the original Ni-cad batteries. www.dewalt.com/products/accessories/batteries-and-chargers/batteries/18v-xrp-liion-battery/dc9180 That was a brilliant drill, but I sold it then I could upgrade to the newer XR battery tools. The battery was 18v 2AH, if I remember rightly
0:26 Hello, could you please share a link for ebay or amazon with that SCREW FX Cutting Tapper & Drilling Fluid? I can't see to find it... Great video by the way! Thanks
I originally bought that from Screwfix years ago, it does not seem to be on their website anymore. I now tend to use HMT speedlube, here that is on eBay- bit.ly/3zFtTgk
It's a bi-metal holesaw, they are designed for use on metal, but can be used on wood- although it tends to make them blunt, if you use them on wood. Thanks for the comment
I drill a lot of holes in steel with a cordless. Thickest I’ve done is half an inch - i prefer a hole saw over a twist bit as it means moving less material. I found this video while looking for tips on keeping teeth from breaking on my carbide hole saw. (It cuts faster but is more expensive) For lubricant i use gear oil or soap. Yes, soap. It sounds weird but it’ll work better than most oils for tapping small things.
RobBurnsDrums Most HSS hole saws will work, but I always tend to buy Bosch hole saws as they seem far superior to any others that I have used. A slow speed and lubricant/coolant ensures they will last a long time ;-)
I notice you only spay the coolant on to the work piece but not the drill bit (hole cutter) most of the sprayed component just runs off, is there a reason you don’t spray the actual drill bit at the same time. I have never done this type of work and only viewed the video as I really enjoy all that you post and learn lots. Thanks
It's difficult when drilling a vertical piece as the coolant runs off, it's much easier if the work piece is horizontal. You can spray the cutter if you like but it might get thrown off when the drill rotates.
I'm going to cut the end of my motorcycle exhaust with a circular hole saw as part of a KLR650 mod to make it bigger. I've never used one before though. I obviously can't drill a pilot hole since the exhaust has a hole in it already. I'm assuming I can leave the exhaust on the bike to do this? How can I keep the hole straight? Do I need to use WD40 or some cutting oil? Thanks!
You can get an arbor called an "oops arbor" , which allows you to use two holesaws on the same arbor, this means you can put a holesaw of the diameter of the original hole, then the larger diameter holesaw that you require on the same arbor for enlarging holes like this.
can i drill through the wall of a stainless steel bucket with a wood hole saw bit? I think its about a 40mm bit, designed for wood. will it be damaged beyond repair?
It will probably damage the hole saw beyond repair, I'm afraid. Even normal HSS hole saws struggle with stainless. These work well though- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1l9sqDMpbUU.html
Small tip: drill a through hole right on the inside of the ring you are cutting. That way the chips get pushed out on the backside rather than clogging the saw.
HI I am going to be cutting inch plus size holes in three dozen soda containers. My problem is most of them are too big for my vise. Any thought on how to secure them on a work bench.
+James Reed I'm not familiar with soda containers, so I googled it but all sorts came up from metal cans to plastic bottles! If you are trying to drill holes metal cans it might be easier and give you a cleaner cut if you use a step drill- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YD-WcAZ_ynI.html As for clamping something down, it's hard to say without seeing it. If you can show me a picture of a soda container I might be able to help more ;-)
+09ThunderOne You could do, but the fumes could be toxic, so best to use cutting/tapping fluid or even water.The oil will be ok in a well ventilated space as long as you do not breathe in any of the vapour.
+Ultimate Handyman thanks. I think I'll just drop by my local Ace and get some cutting fluid. I know there are several types. Should I get a specific kind for cutting into 3/16" steel?
I would also suggest removing the swarf (chips ) frequently by removing the hole saw clearing them from the hole, and use lots of lubricant. And go slow. High speed only heats up the hole saw. If you can find a carbide tipped hole that would cut much better.
I have a regular black and decker drill set. Can I find just those hole cutting pieces and snap them on my drill or do I have to buy a complete whole new set specifically for this capability? (Working on wood projects so I need small holes done)
I want to drill about a 2 inch hole into a speaker grill on my motorcycle to mount 2 inch tweeters . Is this the same process? Steel mesh speaker grill.
No, you have to be really careful with mesh, the hole saw teeth can bite into it and rip it. The only way to successfully cut holes in some mesh is to firmly clamp it between two pieces of timber etc. Then cut straight through one piece of timber and the mesh, until you get into the last piece of timber. There are a lot of variables though with mesh size and teeth size on the hole saw, so sometimes it might be possible to cut right through it, without the timber.
I need to drill a 2 inch hole through the rear bumper of my truck (to install the plug for a towing wiring harness). The bumper is pretty thick steel. I see you're using a Bosch drill bit. Is that what you recommend?
Yes, any decent make of HSS/bi-metal hole saw should drill the hole. Just take your time with it and use a good lubricant/coolant and it should be fairly easy. Best of luck with it ;-)
You need a hole saw that works on cast iron, like one of the starrett ones used in this video- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xm0GGDsw2OU.html Thanks for the comment 👍
You might struggle trying to cut holes in material that is not flat, but providing you can get the arbor drill started, you might be able to proceed very slowly. Thanks for the comment 👍
Using the side handle may have been a good option too here,to help you keep control of the drill,should it twist violently. Bosch has a 36v combi,with rotation control that senses the twisting action of the drill should it bind,shutting it down immediately.Very pricey though,so no thanks,lol. Great advice about using the torque control,i would never have thought of it...youve saved some strained wrists with this! PS...just bought the new DCD995 Brushless combi...its a brute,lol!
animal79thecat Thanks for the comment ;-) Some Bosch drills are very expensive, but I do believe Bosch make the best SDS drills (apart from Hilti) I keep looking at that Dewalt drill, but can't buy it yet as all my Dewalt gear is still going strong!
Odd mine didnt go anything like this neither did hole saw 2 or 3 and ended with my drill being chucked across the room. But I did end up with a nice new drill in the end
Ideally you want to drill your pilot hole out to 1/4" and replace the drill in the hole saw with a 1/4" rod. This is stronger and keeps the flutes of the drill from enlarging the hole which will widen the hole saw path and make your drilling time longer.
Not much will happen, you can't drill through something unless you have a tougher drill bit. Here are some videos on drilling harder metals- Drill out a broken tap or broken drill bit- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7JCfEMrCjhc.html&t Drill out a wheel bolt- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8Rm9fBXIzPg.html&t Drill hardened steel - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zbJq2z2ya80.html&t
You might have to use a die grinder and abrasive insert- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wLV7QpmzFOA.html Or a sanding bobbin in a drill - fave.co/3v7PFrM
Hey, Would you think round metal ducting could be cut with a evolutuion rage r255sms miter saw? Or would it crumple up, jam the saw and cause damage and possible injury? Thanks.
I'm not sure, it will definitely cut thin wall tubing, but because ducting is so large you would not be able to go straight through in one cut, so you might have to make a cut, then stop the saw and rotate the ducting. I have cut some thin boiler flue material on the Rage 2, with no problems, but that has a much larger diameter blade- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zI09uLXTvmE.html Thanks for the comment 👍
You took approx 8 mins for the task.. Damn.. I was making a pilot hole yesterday for the same on a 3mm sheet, took half an hour.. Another half an hour later I was left with a pilot hole, a hard to see circular scratch and a bruised back..🙂🤗
You ned a really good quality hole saw, some of the cheaper ones are not up to the job. Also make sure you use plenty of coolant/lubricant, to get the best life from the hole saw. Thanks for the comment
Can u tell the model on the drill? im looking to buy a dewalt cordless drill for something similar in this video. any sugestion? maybe something in the new line like flexvolt? thanks for your time
The drill used in this video is no longer made, but I think the closest model to it is the DCD996- fave.co/2O4PaqJ Which can of course be used with the Flexvolt batteries. Thanks for the comment
Thank you so much for this video. I need to drill a hole in metal exactly like this. I never knew about putting the drill into torque mode when using hole saws. Luckily, the metal I'm drilling into is only about 2-3 mm thick, so I'll have an easier go at. Cheers!
Thanks for another good video. Quick question: could I use wd40 or even water when drilling into metal? Or does it have to be a specific type of lubricant?
I used a HSS bi-metal hole saw as I have a set like this- fave.co/2hqeMSd You can use them on wood or metal but they go blunt when using them on wood, especially chipboard etc.
That is very good tips....Sir, going to take new hand drill machine like as in your video...Sir, can you send me some machine models/details set. I need upto 35mm hole on 2mm steel plate. Can you ask me witch one batter for that. Thank you.
Carbide tipped are better for stainless steel- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1l9sqDMpbUU.html HSS will work but the hole saw will quickly go blunt and stop cutting eventually.
+Ron Davis Stainless is a real pain, so ensure you use the torque control and plenty of coolant/lubricant as it can snatch violently. The holesaws that I used were Bosch Bi-metal. Best of luck with it ;-)
It is strong, but ductile (it won't shatter- like hardened steel). We sometimes use mild steel drifts for knocking in bearings, but most of the time we use a brass drift. I hope this helps
Thanks for your video man, really useful!! I have a question.. do you think is possible to drill a 20mm hole in a 15mm thick piece of brass with a Dremel 4000? Thanks in advance!
Not sure, 1/2 is a bit small. If its for thin metal, up to 5mm thick I would use a step drill (they are superb) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YD-WcAZ_ynI.html If you want an impact rated one (these are more expensive, but well worth the money)- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HPv0W0UNdks.html You can also get some that will drill metal up to 12mm thick with ease- holemaker-technology.com/collections/new-products/products/versadrive-impactastep-cutter-metric-sizes
The Saw teeth tends to lock up when the hole saw teeth are almost through the sheet or when some to the teeth has cut through. Is it advisable to start at the other end at this stage or make a starter cut from both sides?
I do that often to help remove the plug out of the hole saw if I don't need an absolutely clean hole.....quite often the pilot hole has enlargened slightly so when you drill through the other side, the two holes don't line up and you get a small ridge in your hole. If you want a nice clean hole, drill through from the one side. This is what I have found anyways, never tried drilling steel with a hole saw, just maple which is pretty damn hard in itself....
It depends how deep the hole saw is, some hole saws will bottom out about at bout that depth, but you can cut from both sides. Thanks for the comment 👍
What if you fix the plate horizontally? It's obvious that the lubricant is going away and not much is where it should be.. Clamps or grip pliers, lock it horizontally and the result would be more lubricant where it's meant to be..
This is a demonstration. If I had clamped the metal flat, I would have had hundreds of comments saying "it's easy when the metal is flat, try it on a vertical piece". Thanks for the comment
Tip to drill faster with a split point tip drill bit or chisel tip drill bit. Plenty of pressure and not too fast RPM. dont go crazy with the RPM. same for drill bits as well as hole saws. it'll cut faster when your making pencil shaving curly cues with your drill bit rather than metal dust and cut better too. make sure the piece your drilling is clamped or held down securely in some way. and set your drill torque to a reasonable level to not snap a drill bit!
I have always known these hole cutters as 'tank cutters'. They were once used to cut holes in metal water tanks. That's not a term they are known by nowadays as I found out when looking for a set.
Ultimate Handyman thanks for the reply. I heard you can use a bit of washing up liquid as coolant/lubricant too (while cutting metal nowhere else lol) is is best to use neat?
