Getting the best results out of your hole saw 

Requirements:

  1. A drill or drill press fitted with a 3-jaw chuck
  2. A mandrel equipped with a pilot drill bit for the material being drilled into
  3. PPE Personal Protection Equipment i.e. safety goggles
  4. Various mandrels are available for different hole saws and hole saw diameters. The pin-type mandrel is used with hole saws larger than Ø 32mm. The pins need to be secured in the back of the hole saw when in use
  5. Consider the material being drilled into as mandrels can be supplied with a masonry drill bit or a steel drill bit.


The bimetal hole saw:

Tork Craft bimetal hole saws

The Bi-metal hole saw's fast cutting power lies behind its HSS (hi-speed steel) manufactured teeth. The teeth have been set to a variable pitch to improve harmonic vibration and improve chip clearance.

The hole saw can be used to cut into:

Aluminium, Copper, Mild steel (sheet metal), Stainless steel (sheet metal), Zinc, Wood, Drywall (plasterboard), PVC

The carbon steel hole saw:

Tork Craft carbon steel hole saws

Carbon steel hole saws are a more affordable option compared to bi-metal hole saws. They are limited to a shallower cut. Not designed to cut into metals.

The hole saw can be used to cut into:

Wood, Drywall (plasterboard), PVC

The diamond grit hole saw:

Tork Craft diamond grit hole saws

The hole saw is made from a tough steel body covered in a chrome finish. The cutting edge is covered with a permanently bonded electro-plated diamond grit coating.

The hole saw can be used to cut into:

Bricks, Roof tiles, Slate, Ceramics, Tiles, Marble/Granite, Reinforced plastics, Glass resins, Asbestos

The tungsten grit hole saw:

Tork Craft tungsten grit hole saws

The hole saw's cup design is manufactured from special alloy steel and the cutting edges are Tungsten Carbide gritted. It is specially designed to drill into abrasive materials.

The hole saw can be used to cut into:

Fibreglass, Kevlar, Asbestos, Graphite, Carbon, Brick, Tiles, Plaster slabs, Walls, Light stones, Weatherboard

The HSS hole saw:

Tork Craft HSS hole saws

The HSS (hi-speed steel) hole saw is uniquely designed for cutting holes in sheet metals up to 3mm in thickness.

The hole saw can be used to cut into:

Steel, Brass, Fibre-reinforced plastic

Tips and Tricks

  1. If it is possible, use a hole saw in a drill press. A drill press enables you to clamp the workpiece down and also ensures that the hole is drilled straight. Also, greater control over the speed and pressure is achievable.
  2. Cutting holes with a hole saw is hard work for a drill and it is possible to burn out the drill if not careful. Should the housing of the drill get hot, allow the drill to cool down. Drilling a hole on the inside edge of the cutting path should assist in chip clearance and ease the load of drilling.
  3. When drilling holes that need to look tidy, clamp a sacrificial backer board on the bottom of the workpiece, this should prevent splintering on the exit side and protect the drill press table.
  4. When using a portable drill, fit the auxiliary handle, this should give better control and help protect your wrist should the hole saw bind in the material. Also, refrain from using the trigger lock.
  5. The larger the diameter, the slower the speed. Please see the speed chart at the bottom of the page.
Using an auxiliary handle
Drill chip clearance holes
Use a drill press
Using a backer board

Recommended RPM speed chart

DIA. MILD STEEL S. Steel CAST IRON BRASS ALU. WOOD
Ø 14mm 580 300 400 790 900 3000
Ø 16mm; 550 275 365 730 825 3000
Ø 17mm 500 250 330 665 750 3000
Ø 19mm 460 230 300 600 690 3000
Ø 20mm 435 240 290 580 660 3000
Ø 21mm 425 210 280 560 635 3000
Ø 22mm 390 195 260 520 585 3000
Ø 24mm 370 185 245 495 555 3000
Ø 25mm 350 175 235 470 525 2700
Ø 27mm 325 160 215 435 480 2700
Ø 29mm 300 150 200 400 450 2700
Ø 30mm 285 145 190 380 425 2400
Ø 32mm 275 140 180 360 410 2400
Ø 33mm 260 135 175 345 390 2400
Ø 35mm 250 125 165 330 375 2400
Ø 37mm 240 120 160 315 360 2400
Ø 38mm 230 115 150 300 345 2400
Ø 40mm 220 110 145 290 330 2100
Ø 41mm 210 105 140 280 315 2100
Ø 43mm 205 100 135 270 305 2100
Ø 44mm 195 95 130 260 295 2100
Ø 46mm 190 95 125 250 285 2100
Ø 48mm 180 90 120 240 270 2100
Ø 51mm 170 85 115 230 255 2000
Ø 52mm 165 80 110 220 245 2000
Ø 54mm 160 80 105 210 240 2000
Ø 57mm 150 75 100 200 225 2000
Ø 59mm 145 75 100 195 225 2000
Ø 60mm 140 70 95 190 220 2000
Ø 64mm 135 65 90 180 205 1800
Ø 65mm 130 65 85 175 200 1800
Ø 67mm 130 65 85 170 195 1800
Ø 68mm 130 65 85 170 195 1800
Ø 70mm 125 60 80 160 185 1800
Ø 73mm 120 60 80 160 180 1800
Ø 76mm 115 55 75 150 170 1500
Ø 79mm 110 55 70 140 165 1500
Ø 83mm 105 50 70 140 155 1500
Ø 86mm 100 50 65 130 150 1200
Ø 89mm 95 45 65 130 145 1200
Ø 92mm 95 45 60 120 140 1200
Ø 95mm 90 45 60 120 135 1200
Ø 98mm 90 45 60 120 135 1200
Ø 102mm 85 40 55 110 130 1000
Ø 105mm 80 40 55 110 120 1000
Ø 108mm 80 40 55 110 120 900
Ø 111mm 80 40 50 100 120 900
Ø 114mm 75 35 50 100 105 900
Ø 121mm 70 35 45 95 95 900
Ø 127mm 65 30 45 90 90 800
Ø 133mm 65 30 45 90 90 800
Ø 140mm 60 25 40 85 85 800
Ø 146mm 60 25 40 85 85 800
Ø 152mm 55 25 35 75 75 800