Replies

1. 
   Dave45 | May 02, 2004 06:40am | #1

   Would a Forsner bit work better?  They cut a very clean hole and don't overload your drill unless you try to go faster than the bit can cut.

2. 
   forestgirl | May 02, 2004 08:10am | #2

   Alan, no tips on the best cutter here, but if you're desperate try spraying some (lightly, now) PAM non-stick cooking spray on the cutter before using it.  Might help.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

   
   

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   Edited 5/2/2004 1:12 am ET by forestgirl

1. 
   joinerswork | May 04, 2004 02:59pm | #8

   FG,

   I like the idea with the Pam on the cutouts, but have a couple questions:

   How hot should the oven be, and how long do you usually bake your cherry cookies?  Can I get by with dipping the hot cutter in lard? (I'm from the South) ;o))

   Cheers,

   Ray

3. 
   Elcoholic | May 02, 2004 07:44pm | #3

   If you're talking "Hole-saws", I 've had good luck with Milwaukie, at least that's what most of mine are since I can get them at Osh and avoid the long lines at HD.  You might check at Breaktime too.  Here's a great trick if the edge of the hole won't show, like when using a cable grommet in a desk top or with a lockset.  Start the hole just enough to score the surface.  Drill a (1 or 2) 1/4" thru-holes centered on the score depending on the thickness.  These exit holes give the sawdust a place to go, plus they make it a million times easier to clear the plug, you'll be amazed.  Not surprised Cherry is tough cutting for a hole-saw since it burnes so easily.  I don't think reasonable excessive speed is the problem since theres lots of teeth at work.  Try backing out frequently to clear the sawdust.

   John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

1. 
   UncleDunc | May 02, 2004 10:44pm | #4

   If you have room, you can make your sawdust drain holes a little bigger and move them in a ways so they overlap the inner edge of the kerf, but not the outer edge. That way they still work to drain the sawdust, but don't leave a divot in the edge of the hole.

4. 
   alanplanesaw | May 03, 2004 12:13am | #5

   Two things:

   1. You have given me a couple of ideas for questions I hadn't asked.

   2. I did not describe adequately what I was trying to accomplish.

   I needed a couple of 1/4 inch thick by about 1 & 1/8   or   1 & 1/4 inch diameter wooden washer with a quarter inch hole in the middle.  A hole cutter is almost perfect for the sizes.  I drilled three holes into a 3/4 inch piece of cherry and then resawed to a 1/4 inch proud.  The "washers" fell out.  A little sanding and they were perfect.

   The problem, as I mentioned, was the hole cutter gummed up.  The cherry was "dry" relatively speaking.  Was not a problem of too much moisture in the cherry.

   I figured that the hole cutters I bought were simply "cheap."  I don't typically buy "cheap" tools, but I don't need such holes very often.

   Any ideas?

   Thanks,

   Alan - planesaw

5. 
   SawdustSteve | May 03, 2004 04:03am | #6

   Hi Alan... First, slow down the drill to its slowest speed. Second, feed the drill SLOWLY. Third, drill half way from the top of the board, then reverse and cut from the 'back' side. If you feed slowly, you will feel the cutter break through. Stop feeding and use your finger-tips to remove the 'washer'.

   SawdustSteve

1. 
   alanplanesaw | May 03, 2004 04:09am | #7

   Thanks.  I know the drill press was set to fairly slow, but maybe I should check to make sure it was as slow as possible.  Maybe faster than I realized.

   Thanks,

   Alan - planesaw

6. 
   KeithNewton | May 04, 2004 04:54pm | #9

   Alan, Most holesaws have teeth which are designed for cutting metal. The gullet is too small to drill over 1/8 inch before they are full, and need to be cleared. If you don't you are just generating heat which melts the resin right out of the wood.

   What I have done is grind away 2 of every 3 teeth if they are ATB. and deepen the gullet. I also touch the front of the remaining teeth to take a little of the hook out. Too much hook makes them more prone to snag. If you have a powerful drill that can be pretty dangerous.

   If you have lots of big holes to drill of one size like for installing wire grommets I suggest that you grind 2 deep gullets and braze 2 carbide tips behind each of them. You will not believe how fast and easy they cut. I think there may be a set of these on the market now in some of the mailorder mags.

7. 
   Steinmetz | May 05, 2004 07:09am | #10

   ALLEN, MOST OF THE REPLYS TO YOUR HOLESAW TECHNIQUE ARE USEFUL, BUT LET ME ADD MY 2 CENTS.  I FIT ALL MY HOLESAW ARBORS WITH 1/4 " DRILL ROD PILOTS ,INSTEAD OF THE 1/4 " DRILL BITS SUPPLIED WITH THEIR ARBORS.

   WITH RODS, (INSTEAD OF TWIST DRILLS) THE HOLE STAYS CENTERED AND ACCURATE AND RODS DON'T 'EGG SHAPE' THE PILOT HOLE.  OF COURSE,YOU HAVE TO PRE DRILL THE HOLE FIRST.

   THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN DRILLING METAL.

   TO GET MAXIMUN LIFE FDROM HOLE SAWS WHEN BORING METAL, I USUALLY DRILL A SERIES OF SMALL HOLES FIRST IN THE 'WASTE' OR SLUG AREA IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN  LIKE A CLOCK FACE IE. 12 oclock,6 oclock,9 ,3 etc etc

   THE HOLESAW RUNS COOLER AND THE WORK IS EASIER

   AND YOU SAVE THE EXPENCE OF BUYING HOLESAWS.

   STEIN.   

    WITH WOOD, YOU SHOULD STOP THE MACHINE OCCASIONALY AND BRUSH THE SAWDUST FROM THE TEETH (INSIDE AND OUT)

   
   

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   Edited 5/5/2004 12:13 am ET by steinmetz