What Are Hole Saws

The hole saw is a cylinder shaped tool with a drill bit (arbor) located in the center. The center drill bit is used as a guide. The guide bit will engage the material first which will allow the rest of the hole saw to remain firmly entrenched. The hole saw blade will actually cut out the circumference of the hole rather than removing the material within the hole.

If you were to make a hole in a wall for instance, with a drill, then you would have to remove the amount of material shown in black in the figures below. However if you used a hole saw you would be removing the same amount of material with less effort thereby reducing the excess wear and tear on the blade.

Either method of removing the material will work, however hole sawing tends to be quicker and cleaner.

How To Sell Hole-Saws

When selling hole-saws your target audience should be people that drill a large number of holes into different applications. Common users of hole saws are:

• Mechanical Contractors
• Electrical Contractors
• HVAC
• Plumbers
• Carpenters
• Woodworkers
• Pipefitters
• Fiberglass Boat Builders General Contractors

Selecting the proper hole saw

There are four key types of hole saws. These include bi-metal, carbide grit, carbide tipped, and carbon steel. Like the other cutting tools discussed earlier, proper hole saw selection is driven by a number of factors the most important being application and material to be cut.

Carbide Grit Hole saws are typically used to cut hard materials such as hardened steel, cast iron pipe, brick, cinder blocks, ceramic and patio tiles, or plaster, you should choose a carbide grit hole saw. These hole saws have a very hard cutting surface that allows them to be used on these materials. The vibration when cutting these components at times can be great. You should remind the end user to take great care when using this blade; at times the blade can get caught up in the material being cut, become locked in place, which results in the tool spinning, and perhaps injuring the user.

Bi-Metal Hole saws are often used for cutting through stainless steels, tool steels, mild steels, wood, PVC, or plastic piping a bi-metal hole saws should be recommended. The bi-metal blade though, should not be used for hardened steel. The bi-metal blades have high-speed steel teeth that are very wear resistant and tough. All in all this is a very tough blade that can be used in a number of different applications.

The Carbide tipped hole saw is more delicate then the bi-metal hole saws, and is not suited for rough cuts like steel pipe. It's more suited for abrasive materials and will show less wear and tear when used on fiberglass and countertops. Other soft materials include composition board, masonite, plywood, carbon composites, fiber reinforced plastics, plaster board and tempered hardboard. They work well on low shock applications as well.

Carbon steel hole saws are used for woodcutting only, no metals. If the user does try it on metal, the blades have a tendency to break, shatter, or melt.

Guidelines for using a Hole Saw safely

1) Like all tools, the proper safety precautions should be taken to reduce the risk of accidents to the users. Remind them to wear safety goggles, gloves, facemasks, and if needed an apron.

2) Most hole saws come with an arbor. An arbor is the part of the hole saw that comes in contact with the workpiece first, and allows the hole saw to have more stability when it engages the material. You should never remove this piece, and if it breaks off; purchase another before reusing the saw.

3) When operating the saw, hold it perpendicular to the work surface with all teeth contacting the material being cut. Uneven tooth contact can causing twisting and break the saw.

4) Be sure to chuck the hole saw tightly and on center. This will help to avoid wobble and tooth damage.

5) Use cutting oils (except in cast iron) to promote cleaner cuts and longer blade life.