HF Hole saw kit

[LCHIEN]

I have a few of the HF gems. This one is not one of them.
I think I paid about $6 for this Drillaster 13-pc hole saw kit, up to 2.5" in a gray blow-mold plastic case.

38425-1VGA

tried to use it yesterday, when i chucked it up the pilot bit had visible wobble side to side, the drilling cup also had wobble side to side.
Removed the cup and had the arbor alone, it wobbles pretty badly despite several attempts to re-chuck it and bend the bit into the right direction. Put the 2" drill cup back on and it has visible significant wobble. I spent a bit of time reseating the cup and trying to bend the pilot bit so that they are more concentric and I get a bit better, not much. I had to go ahead and drill the hole. needless to say, it shook the workpiece and made a pretty rough hole.

Save your money on this one.

Anyone have a good hole saw set to recommend for when we need small circular discs?

[rjwaldren]

I picked up a decent blu-mol kit at HD. It wasn't much more than the comparable HF kit (off sale) so I figured it was a bit safer buy. I think mine goes from 3/4 to 2 1/4. It does a nice job.

[jackellis]

I have one of the HF hole saw sets. Seemed to work reasonably well. Certainly worked great for the price. I guess YMMV with HF tools.

[bfrikken]

Yeah, I bought mine when it was 2.99 I think. I had no problem with it the few times I've used it.

[Copper]

I bought one a while back and it works great for drilling holes in drywall. Other than that, it's pretty much useless. The drill bit was extremely dull out of the box. I had to put so much downward pressure on it in my HF drill press, that I thought I was going to bend the handle. Even after sharpening, it still used more energy to get the hole started than it should have. I agree with Loring, save you're money unless you're only going to use it a few times for drilling rough holes that won't be seen.

[Schleeper]

I bought one a while back and it works great for drilling holes in drywall. Other than that, it's pretty much useless. The drill bit was extremely dull out of the box. I had to put so much downward pressure on it in my HF drill press, that I thought I was going to bend the handle. Even after sharpening, it still used more energy to get the hole started than it should have. I agree with Loring, save you're money unless you're only going to use it a few times for drilling rough holes that won't be seen.

Question: When the instructions that came with the HF drill press say, "Do not use circle cutters, rotary planers, wire wheels, router bits, or shaper cutters on this Drill Press," does that include hole saws? (I didn't see that until after I'd already used the 3/4" saw in the DP.)

Loring, it sounds like you got one with a defective arbor and/or pilot bit. I bought their 18-piece set to cut the hole in a shower surround for the faucet, and it worked fine. Ditto for the plumbing holes in the back of the vanities.

As is the case for many of my purchases at HF, I would have probably purchased the hole saw set elsewhere if I thought I'd be using it regularly.

[JimD]

I have both the big and small set and they work reasonably well in the larger sizes. The small arbor for the smallest hole saws is worthless in my set. The bigger arbor works in mine. I'm trying to remember but I think my Craftsman arbor will also work in my HF set - something to check if you happen to have both.

Jim

[cgallery]

I bought a cheap set at my local Ace hardware set that was on "promo" and I guessed at the time was about the same quality as the HF tools.

I have used them to cut drywall and cut small wheels out of plywood. I use your trick to cut a relief hole for the sawdust and they work great. The arbor is straight and the saws run true.

I did once buy some carbide-grit hole saws at HF and they were an abomination.

[jussi]

I bought one a while back. I've used it to run some ABS and copper piping during a bathroom remodel. I wouldn't trust it in making more finished work.

[Stormbringer]

I bought two of each (small and large kits) in the cheesy plastic gray box since they were on sale $2.99. Just used them again yesterday- no problems. Still haven't opened the second box of each.

[sweensdv]

Question: When the instructions that came with the HF drill press say, "Do not use circle cutters, rotary planers, wire wheels, router bits, or shaper cutters on this Drill Press," does that include hole saws? (I didn't see that until after I'd already used the 3/4" saw in the DP.)

If that drill press can't handle a circle cutter than I'd question whether it could handle hole saws much larger than that ¾" one you used. What's that DP got for a motor anyways, a rubber band?

[backpacker85]

I would think that hole saws would be OK to use with that DP. It sounds like the things they are NOT wanting you to use are any kind of bit/attachment that would impart a SIDE load on the arbor. Just my guess, though

[JoeyGee]

I also got them for $2.99. They have been fine for what I have used them for. I have also used them on my DP.

[ke4rdb]

Had issue with them in 3/4" MDF mostly burned thru rather than cut. Worked kind of OK in softwood. But again for 3 bucks can't expect alot.

JW

[LYU370]

Ditto on the burning/wobbling.