Technical Looking for advice on carbide holesaw kit

A few years ago, I found a site about the best carbide hole saw kit, but can't find it now. I will be needing a quality carbide holesaw kit to drill out a series of holes in my frame rails (11 Ga) and other similar gauges. If you have any advice it would be much appreciated.

 

i have a few sets of Blair cutters, the spot weld cutter kit, a rotabroach set and some of the holecutters that they sell. a little spendy but make quick clean work of it. https://www.blairequipment.com/products

 

Any good hole saw brand will work. I use Milwalkee only because HD is around the corner, but if you can readly get Blu-Mol, I like those, try and get the ones with the least amount of openings to reduce flex.
Next lets talk about process, Too bad we cant use a drill press or mill to cut properly with the correct pressure, too light is just as bad as to much, once the pilot hole is drilled, replace the bit with a solid rod to support the saw arbor and eliminate side cutting of the drill, slow speed an clearing of the chips along with a lot of cutting oil, consider this to be a 2-man deal. Also think about wrapping some bungees to help pulling the drill motor into the material, trying to drill horizontal after awhile get tiresome

 

I have a Milwaukee kit which has served me well, but I need something a little more heavy duty for the amount of holes that I need to make. It will likely be in the dozens. I guess, technically I need a holecutter and not a hole saw. I'll be using my drill press, and have always used lots of cutting fluid, but with the carbide, it seems a lube stick is preferred.

 

I save the circles I cut out and dress the edges on a belt sander. Then I toss them in a drawer and save them for when I need some type of large thick washer to back something up or just fill some other hole.

 

I use Hougen Hole cutters

 

I've used a number of the above listed different brands of bi-metal holesaws with good success on frames. Drill slowly, and use lubricant/coolant (I often use wd40 in a squirt bottle...it's a bit smoky, but I always have it handy).

On my most recent chassis boxing plates, I used some patterns that I made, and traced the patterns with the plazma cutter. Both methods work well.

 

A trick I learned after you've made the pilot hole and started the cut , pull the drill back out and use a 1/4 drill bit and drill a few holes along the circle so the chips drain out the backside and don't pack up in the saw teeth

 

I use Lenox brand hole saws from Lowe's or Home Depot, run your drill slow and use a 90/10 water and dish washing detergent mixture in a spray bottle set to almost stream. Shooting the mixture directly into the kerf aids greatly in removing the chips. Don't be afraid to keep it wet. I've done this a lot on steel structural beams and haven't burned a saw up yet. Way cheaper and cleans up a lot easier than using oil

 

Saw Blades Direct quit making hole saws a while back. Maybe 18 months. But they had thousands of saws still in inventory. They were selling them cheap on the LandRacing web site . I bought some and they are very nice. As good as any I have used before. I looked and the site is down now, but you can call 636 224 0004 and ask for John L they might still have some left.

 

I use the lenox hole saws as well, they seem to work fine. I've notched alot of .120 wall tubing with them, they seem to last a good while. I never use them on metal without some sort of oil or fluid.

 

Ok. I have a cheap plasma cutter and never thought about using it to cut out the holes. I'll have to check into this a bit more. Thanks.

 

I'LL BET A WOODEN TEMPLATE WITH THE APPROPRIATE SIZED HOLE(S) COULD BE CLAMPED TO YOUR CHASSIS AND THE PLASMA CUTTER WOULD MAKE SHORT WORK OF IT.

 

I fish mouthed a bunch of .120 DOM tubing building my lakester. Use only bimetalic
hole saws,run the slow,and use lubricant.

 

Drill a starter hole first. I still think a holesaw would work better, provided your setup runs true. Holesaw would be a lot less clean up (IMO) than the little "oops" of the plasma torch.

 

Lenox carbide hole saws are amazing, but expensive. I bought a couple for cutting stainless, and they went through it like butter. Bi-metal barely scratched it.

Shop around on price. Zoro seemed to have the best prices, but glacially slow shipping.


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Blu-Mol is what I have. The set of them that I have has served me well