Hallo to all , I was helping a friend of mine do some siding ( Hardi plank) ? . When we got to a vent opening I needed to cut a round hole in the center of a peace . I asked the helpers what I was suposed to use ( freind/boss) had gone to bid on another job they said get a hole saw ( 4 1/2 inch ) from the tool trailer. Got the hole drilled but I think I fried the holesaw . There must be a better way to do that ?. Can you get a good arc with shears? Thanks
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Understand the difference between estimating and cost planning, and don't let your sweat equity evaporate into budgeting mistakes.
Featured Video
SawStop's Portable Tablesaw is Bigger and Better Than BeforeHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
Carbide tip hole saw
Sabre saw, but expect to eat a lot of blades
Roto Zip with carbide bits, go very slowly
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
we use the carbide encrusted jig saw blades works great and the blades aren't that expensive.
any cutter that will cut tile will work...
rotozip 1st choice and then the carbide hole saw turned really slow to avoid too much heat build up...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
On a hole that large a hole saw is hard to hold on to. We use a two inche carbide tip hole saw and then cut the larger portion out with a carbide tip jig saw blade. You can use the hole saw but it wants to grab and jerk to much.
The jig saw blade is bosch brand and the hole saw is lennox.
James
"On a hole that large a hole saw is hard to hold on to. We use a two inche carbide tip hole saw and then cut the larger portion out with a carbide tip jig saw blade. You can use the hole saw but it wants to grab and jerk to much."Whenever you need a clean cut with a hole saw, use the method plumbers use when drilling hole saws into expensive tubs or shower surrounds, go backwards first. First you drill your pilot hole without the hole saw on the arbor, then drill in reverse with the hole saw and get into the material a little less than 1/8", then you have your groove that the hole saw will follow. Going in reverse, the teeth are backwards so they don't grab very well at all. This works every time and its the only way I've seen plumbers drill into tubs.To the original poster, about the shears cutting a 4 1/2" hole, no way. For any type of vent, light, etc. I always use blocks
my feeling is.... fry'n the holesaw blade is just part of the deal... outer ways? yes... but a nice clean hole i think is worth it...
BUT... with a 4.5" grinder and a cut off blade in 3 min you can put crude teeth back on a dead hole saw blade that will get you one hole (per "sharpening") in hardie board...
even my time is worth something as little as that something might be...
p
I agree with angusi.
The black jig saw blades encrusted with carbide has worked the best for me. I got one at Home Depot for about $2.50.I think they are supposed to cut cast iron also.
Used a ceramic bit for my RotoZip ($7.00)and it broke very easily.
Shears are only good for gentle curves and straight cuts.
I keep dull jigsaw blades used with the collins coping foot (wide tooth set, coarse teeth for tight circles) and simply turn the speed down. You can cut a whole bunch of hardi with one blade unless you cut with too high a speed. The carbide blades take too long and although they last longer any savings in blade cost is eaten up in extra time.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.