Best brand hole saw for notching?

[gearhead6s]

A buddy of mine is going to start on my cage in the next week or two and told me to pick up some hole saws for his notcher because he goes though them fast. What brand are you guys using and how long do they last? We will be using them for 1 1/4" and 1 3/4" HREW tube.

[Todd W]

I like MORSE.

[jmhinescj]

I use lennox mainly cause I can get them at Lowes...only other kind I've tried was a rigid brand. It was complete crap...I literally got 3 or 4 notches out of it...compared to 2-2 1/2 cages with the lennox

[stealthcammo1]

ive used lenox so far.

[rfr002]

There's already a thread talking about this.

Seems like most people like the Lennox ones. I don't have a notcher but when I get one I'll probably run Lennox or give the new Milwaukee ICE blades a try.

[Brad]

I bought the orange ones from mcmastercarr a year ago, have built a few cages and other stuff since then and I still have all but 1 of them. My 1.75 one I have used for 2 cages, my 1.5 one has had a lot of tube cut by it. I think they said snap on or something on them too.
I know it looks like I have duplicates but I have a set for just cutting holes for dimple dies too.
http://beer.thisdysfunctional.org/TDOGallery/d/18680-1/Holesaws.jpg

[nissancrawler]

Lenox here.

[shawn t]

Lennox. Pferd is junk.

[AthlonAJ]

Lenox and I've tried a lot of top brands, nothing comes close.

[rock mafia]

Lenox and I've tried a lot of top brands, nothing comes close.

X10

They outlast everything else I've tried. I can usually do 3-4 complete chassis with one before it gets dull. 1 out of 3 might loose a few teeth. I never lube them, and use the notcher on a drillpress.

[Flexy Flatty]

Agreed on the lennox responses. I tried a bosch 1.75 the other day, it literally had no teeth left on it after half of a notch on a piece of .120 wall dom. Completely worthless excuse for a tool.

[ROXROES]

I've been using Morse and am happy for $6 a shot, but think I'm gonna have my buddy order me up some Lennox's since I have to order bandsaw blades anyways.........

[1TON73K5]

Starrett. Not a better hole out there. All you lennox users try one and you will see. I love the round thru hole, makes changing the saw WAY easier. The slots in most saws flair out if you stick a screw driver or pry bar in the slot to remove it from the arbor, then its junk if you tweak it. You use a 7/16 blot in the Starrett, does not deform the saw.

[87JeepWrangler]

Starrett. Not a better hole out there. All you lennox users try one and you will see. I love the round thru hole, makes changing the saw WAY easier. The slots in most saws flair out if you stick a screw driver or pry bar in the slot to remove it from the arbor, then its junk if you tweak it. You use a 7/16 blot in the Starrett, does not deform the saw.

ding ding ding. winner. lennox does make VERY nice jigsaw and sawzall blades. for a holen saw, you can't beat starrett tho.

[stealthcammo1]

what stores sell starrett? i think most people buy lennox because of the ease of availibility.

[oldjeep]

I'm going to disagree and say that of all the brands I've tried the Rigid ones from home depot were the best. The Morse saws I have are horrible, good for a couple cuts and that is it. The rigid has done 40+ notches and is still working well.

[78bronco460]

Blue-Mol carbide holesaws, use cutting oil and low speed they last a very long time.

[Proeliator]

Lennox is my favorite, followed by the Blu-Mol. Same goes for the blades. Never used Starret and don't even know where to get them :confused:

[almighty_yota]

Anyone use a roto-broach(I think thats what they're called).

[carwash]

IMO, morse suck balls. my best luck is with ridgid so far from HD.

[Davethorik]

Lennox is my favorite, followed by the Blu-Mol. Same goes for the blades. Never used Starret and don't even know where to get them :confused:

We use Starrett hacksaws and holesaws at work, because the cranky old machinists wont use anything else. I have never built a cage, but the Starrett hole saws do seem to last for general use.

I can get them thru MSC or Dayton Supply, but i'm pretty sure the last time I bought one for personal use it was from a Sears Hardware store that is local. They also sell Starrett hacksaw blades, or at least did.

[1TON73K5]

I pay $8.50 for my 2" and 1 3/4 " Starrett hole saws at a local industrial supplier.

[Shaggygto]

Starrett and Sandvik

[TMXONR]

I used Lennox to notch when building my cage and tube doors. It still cuts like new.

[Proeliator]

This thread makes me want to pick up some Starrets and check them out. But I
maintain that either way, the Lennox's are high quality.

[BAILEIGH INC.]

We tried Morse for a while but changed to Lennox. We have been selling our TN-300 notchers with Lennox holesaws and have had very good luck. Customers are very happy.

[Tech Tim]

Does this mean Pirate is big time when companies have a sales rep specifically for this board? :laughing:

Shane Henderson
Pirate 4x4 Sales Executive
Baileigh Industrial Inc.

[CurleysRacecars]

IMO, Ridgid holesaws dont LOSE their teeth, but dull fairly quickly. Lenox...used a couple times, but Lowes doesnt sell them in the 1.625" I use most of the time. DeWalt ones from OSH, just plain suck ass too. They had a lifetime guarantee on them, so it wasnt a big deal at $10 a piece, but I think they caught on when I returned holesaws every other day!
Ive actually had good luck with the Milwaulkee's, but am ordering some Starret's. They are DEFENITELY the shit. Blu-Mol is good stuff too!
Kyle

[rock mafia]

IMO, Ridgid holesaws dont LOSE their teeth, but dull fairly quickly. Lenox...used a couple times, but Lowes doesnt sell them in the 1.625" I use most of the time. DeWalt ones from OSH, just plain suck ass too. They had a lifetime guarantee on them, so it wasnt a big deal at $10 a piece, but I think they caught on when I returned holesaws every other day!
Ive actually had good luck with the Milwaulkee's, but am ordering some Starret's. They are DEFENITELY the shit. Blu-Mol is good stuff too!
Kyle

Are the Starrets any deeper than the lenox? That's the only thing I don't like about them, have to break/cut off pieces on alot of big angle cuts.

[zachv]

Starret's do seem to last the longest with minimal care. They are hard to find, but you can buy them online at http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/HS-/Starrett-Bi-Metal-Hole-Saws. (http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/HS-/Starrett-Bi-Metal-Hole-Saws)

[JohnnyJ]

I've been using Bosch hole saws and I love them. It made the notcher seem new again.

Agreed on the lennox responses. I tried a bosch 1.75 the other day, it literally had no teeth left on it after half of a notch on a piece of .120 wall dom. Completely worthless excuse for a tool.

That's odd, I just notched 4 pcs of 1.75x0.25 and it laughed.

[Flexy Flatty]

I've been using Bosch hole saws and I love them. It made the notcher seem new again.



That's odd, I just notched 4 pcs of 1.75x0.25 and it laughed.
Hmm, your saws must be different because there is no way that mine would have done what you're describing. They came in a set and were labeled as Bi-metal and rated for steel (according to the package) but they were most certainly not up to the task. I'm not hard on my equipment either.
I did however use a lennox saw to cut some holes through my frame today and it did a great job.

[JohnnyJ]

I had picked up a full set (HB25M) based on a friend's good experiences. I'm using a JD-tools notcher, Milwaukee 1/2" drill, and some good old cutting lube. It cut like butter. I've probably punched about 10 or so holes with the 1.75 and it's doing great.

http://www.boschtools.com/Products/Accessories/Pages/BoschAccessoryDetail.aspx?pid=538

Did you get it from some place like home depot or a bosch tools supplier? I wonder if they have different grades and aren't fessing up to it.

[Flexy Flatty]

I got mine at OSH. I'll check the exact specs on the set when I go to my shop tomorrow and will post up the info. It could have just been one bad saw too. After the one I didn't try any of the others.

[Myanarchy]

Have always had great luck with starret hole saws, used Lennox as well and have no complaints. Notch too infrequently to say one is better than the other though

[ROXROES]

Where are you guys getting your Lenox hole saws at. I bought some at Lowe's last week. Guess I didn't really pay much attention, cause the stupid things are only 1.25" deep. Thats not gonna work! doh :laughing:

[ROXROES]

Well I've been getting by with the Lenox hole saws I bought the last few days, but not being able to notch all the way thru blows billy goats even if they cut the best. Ordered a half dozen blue-mol's from McMaster Carr (called them to confirm brand), and went with the "deep cut" version. We'll see how they do, $6 a piece and next day delivery is nice as well.

[rowdy85]

I've had really good luck with the contractor packs of kobalt blades from lowes. i bought a pack of 3 9 monthes ago figureing id burn them up and im still on the first blade 1.5 cages and a bunch of other random shit later.

[LBHSBZ]

Stay away from the Ridgid ones from home depot...you can make about 2 notches and half the teeth are gone.

I've got a bluemol saw that's been through 100+ notches, half the teeth are gone and it still cuts like dammit.

My starret lasted about 10 notches.

[twentyfootdaredevil]

So how deep are the Blue Mols?

I use Lennox mainly but I would LOVE to find a good holesaw that is about 2"+ deep.

When I notch angles it would be nice to just cut through instead of taking the tube out and cutting that small peice off.

I have thought about taking two holesaws and making one deep one on a lathe but it would be nice to just find one for sale.

[ROXROES]

So how deep are the Blue Mols?

I use Lennox mainly but I would LOVE to find a good holesaw that is about 2"+ deep.

When I notch angles it would be nice to just cut through instead of taking the tube out and cutting that small peice off.

I have thought about taking two holesaws and making one deep one on a lathe but it would be nice to just find one for sale.

They are 1 7/8", just order from the Mcmaster Carr column that says "deep cutting bimetal -1 7/8" cut depth" those are Blue-Mol hole saws. I've done a half dozen cuts with mine since I got them and they are much nicer than Morse and so far the Lenox doesn't have anything on them.

I also thought about welding them, but thats alot of extra time. When I can just angle cut the tube on the vertical bandsaw, then hand cope.

[rfr002]

Has anyone tried the Milwaukee Ice Edge hole saws?

I tried some of the sawzall blades at the plant and they were much better than the Lennox.

[M CRISIS]

Bi-Metal hole saw basics:
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of brands of hole saws - but there are only a handful of manufacturers. Consequently most bi-metal hole saws are very similar in quality and construction. There can be some variations between the few because of the various tooth hardening processes or techniques and tooth composition. For example, Milwaukee says that their Ice Hardened™ saws last longer because of a special cryogenic hardening process. It must be true (at least in some cutting situations) or else Milwaukee could not make that claim. However I have heard that their reciprocating Ice Hardened™ saw blade are more brittle and subject to teeth shearing if used in an improper cutting manner and I would suspect it to be the case with their hole saws too (and that’s only an assumption). Regardless, all bi-metal hole saws are manufactured by a method of welding a HSS tooth onto a core body. Besides the various hardening processes, the other main difference between hole saws is tooth spacing.

What matters most to the end user is getting the max out of each hole saw. The question has come up “why does Johnny get only 4 cuts while Jimmy gets many more, using the same brand saw and cutting like material”? Did Johnny get one from of a bad batch? The answer is “most likely not”. The most probable reason has to do with the stability of what is driving the saw. In order for any saw to cut well it needs to be held as solid and rigid as possible - which is true for any machining process. All notchers have some flex or movement in them, at one point or another, regardless if it's in the bearings/bushings or if it's in the holding vise or the actual body of the tool. The bottom line is that cutting effectiveness and tooth breakage is directly proportional to how firmly the hole saw is held in the cut. If a survey were to be taken in garages/shops you would find a direct correlation between tooth breakage and the quality, or lack there of, of the tools or machinery that drives the hole saw. With that reasoning you would then expect to get the maximum number of cuts out of a hole saw when using a mill or lathe, because of the mass and stability of the machine (assuming the tube is properly secured).

So here are some pointers in getting the maximum life out of a hole saw:

*First of all, always select the best tooth configuration for the job you are doing. For notching purposes your general choices are:
4/6 TPI variable
6 TPI constant
10 TPI constant
http://www.syncnotcher.com/images/holesaws/finetooth.jpg
*Typically the 4/6 vary tooth is what most hardware stores and home centers sell. The vary tooth is the best choice for notching thick-wall (.175 and greater) round tubing and square tubing (held flat ways). This tooth pattern is also the best choice for cutting into thick flat plate.

The vary tooth is the fastest cutting of them all but encounters problems when cutting thin-wall material. In that situation the thin-wall will “drop” into the gullet of a hole saw. This is known as an “interrupted cut”. As one tooth breaks contact with the cut and the next tooth enters the cut, the shear force is so great that tooth breakage occurs - and frequently results in multiple tooth carnage.
(This also holds true (especially) with band saw blades as well. Many of you have experienced the catastrophic failure of many teeth when using a large toothed saw blade in too thin of material.)

*The 6TPI constant tooth has the broadest range of effectiveness and will give most users the least amount of grief when notching standard size wall thicknesses i.e..083, .095, .120 etc. They are less “catchy” or “grabby” and less likely to wrench that drill out of your hand that you’re using. In the construction business it would be comparable to a wood circular combination blade – overall a good cutting blade but not the best for ripping and not best for fine crosscutting however it can do both effectively well.

*The 10 TPI fine tooth is the best choice for tubing .065 and thinner. (10tpi would be a poor choice for thick materials). In fact, for very thin material it might be the only possible hole saw for the job unless you have tube support very close to the cut. And even then it's very likely that the tube will flex and catch and destroy both the tube and hole saw. Most all hole saw-type notchers do not support the tube close enough to the cut to effectively notch thin-wall.
(And an FYI - we (Medford Tools) are developing a tube support type product that will soon be available to the market – targeting in particular any thin-wall tube frame construction type i.e. light weight cages, bicycle frames, small plane kit construction etc.)

*Do not attempt to use carbide hole saws, annular cutters or end mills in a standard notcher. They will most assuredly self destruct (and they’re not cheap!). These type cutters need the rigidity of a mill or mag-drill.)

*Get into the habit, before each cut, of checking all points of your notcher that may become loose. Make sure to secure the work piece so no shifting of any part will take place. Again this is probably the most common reason for early retirement of a hole saw.

*As a general rule, the larger the diameter hole saw - the slower the speed.
1” ............. 350RPM
1-1/2 ........ 230RPM
1-3/4 ........ 195RPM
2” ............. 170RPM
One exception would be when notching thin-wall material. A faster speed would prove to be less of a chance of the hole saw catching on the tube.

*Use a proper cutting oil. Motor oil is not a cutting fluid!

*Do not “dive” into a cut. Ease into the material and allow the saw to pace its self. You should be able to “feel” how much pressure to apply.

*Hole saws can quite often be “out-of-round” as a matter of speaking because of a wayward tooth on the weld joint. Filing it down from the side (not the top!) will not damage the saw but give you a truer cut.

*Also get into the habit of checking after each notch to clear any remnant pieces of tube that may lodge and remain inside the hole saw. There's nothing more unexpected than to have one of those pieces engage and bring your project to an abrupt halt!

***For any of you that might be working with thin-wall chromoly tube, you can find the 10TPI hole saws available here (http://www.syncnotcher.com/accessories/holesaws.html).

[BigBlue&Goldie]

Great tech, thanks for sharing! :beer:

What do you recomend as far as an affordable cutting fluid? I'd be willing to bet 99% of the guys (my self included) just reach for the old WD-40 or the closest bottle of lube when notching :homer:

[gonefirefighting]

been using the chop saw method for a while now and really like it alot better than the hole saws. just takes a good chopsaw and a cheat sheet on the wall.


alot faster too.

[maxyedor]

Stay away from the Ridgid ones from home depot...you can make about 2 notches and half the teeth are gone.


I've had great luck with Rigid hole-saws, they seem to last about 90% as long as Lenox, and they have a lifetime warranty, which covers just about anything you can manage to do to a hole-saw.

[M CRISIS]

Great tech, thanks for sharing! :beer:

What do you recomend as far as an affordable cutting fluid? I'd be willing to bet 99% of the guys (my self included) just reach for the old WD-40 or the closest bottle of lube when notching :homer:
We sell Rapid Tap by Relton however there are a ton of good cutting fluids out there. The key is getting the fluid on the teeth were it’s needed. To make any cutting fluid affordable just use a small cheap brush and apply it to the rotating teeth. No need to slop it all over the tube where most will go wasted. Your can of fluid will last a lot longer.
:)

[M CRISIS]

I've had great luck with Rigid hole...and they have a lifetime warranty...Lifetime?? Yea, against manufacturing defect! Just like most other companies. Here, read the warranty (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/RIDGID-Warranty/index.htm).:p