• Manufactured by Bosch Power Tools
• 877-267-2499; www.boschtools.com
• Cost of 11-piece set shown here: $90
Why do plumbers get the good drill bits? They might endure other indignities, but when it comes to making holes, they drill in style. Carpenters, on the other hand, aren’t so lucky. They’re usually stuck with inexpensive, readily available spade bits that leave messy holes, dull quickly, and can be hard to control.
Having spent a fair amount of time drilling holes with spade bits, I’ve had only minimal experience with hole saws, and even the better hole saws I used for drilling locksets seemed problematic. The mandrel and bits often needed tightening, and clearing the plug from the bit was a constant frustration.
Recently, I had the chance to try Bosch’s Power Change hole-saw kit and might have to join the plumbers’ union to justify buying this new tool to drill perfect holes. The best part of this tool is that each bit snap-fits onto a single springloaded mandrel; pull down on the mandrel’s locking ring, and the bit pops off. Nothing seems to loosen in service, and the bimetal bits are sharp enough to cut perfect holes in almost anything short of armor plate, nails included. Also, the wood plugs clear easily when you pop the bit off the mandrel.
Bosch also makes a retrofit kit to convert standard hole saws to the Power Change system.
Photos by Krysta S. Doerfler
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