Hole Saws & Accessories

Holesaws cannot be mounted directly into a drill chuck and are mounted onto an arbor, which in most cases, screws into the back of the holesaw. The material used for holesaw manufacture normally falls into two categories, carbon steel and Bi-Metal construction. Carbon steel is a low cost option more suited for light duty DIY tasks as it uses the same metal for the teeth and sidewalls of the holesaw. A carbon steel hole saw will make a limited number of holes in soft materials such as plasterboard and wood but are easily worn in tasks where heat build up on the teeth is likely, such as drilling steel.

Bi-Metal holesaws have a High Speed Steel (HSS) cutting edge welded onto a sprung steel backing (the sidewalls). This manufacturing method makes the holesaw resistant to shock with a cutting edge that is heat and wear resistant making it a much better option for drilling steel. To complicate matters a little more there are different versions of Bi-Metal construction.

Lower cost M2 hole saws use a lower grade of HSS cutting edge which is less resistant to heat and although suitable for steel it will struggle when cutting stainless steel. Premium holesaws such as Maxitek and Lenox have an M42 HSS cutting edge which contains 8% cobalt for very high heat resistance making them suitable for drilling stainless steel and other hard materials.

Many hole saws have a variable pitch tooth configuration which reduces noise and vibration whilst allowing faster cutting. For very thin materials, a standard, fine tooth pitch, may be preferable to reduce snagging and tearing. When selecting the holesaw, consideration should be given to the hole saw pilot; indeed, it is the pilot drill that makes the first hole in any hole sawing operation as it is used as a centering guide and therefore needs to be capable of drilling the same material as the hole saw itself.

The Maxitek brand uses an M42 8% cobalt pilot drill in its arbors so holesaw and pilot performance are equally matched. When life and speed of cut is critical in difficult to drill materials such as stainless steel, TCT (Tungsten Carbide Tip) holesaws can offer the best value. Capable of fast drilling and extremely long life, TCT holesaws are becoming more popular for the discerning user.

Quick eject hole saw arbors, SDS fitting holesaw arbors and holesaw extension bars are available from Protrade to compliment a range of hole saw kits and individual holesaws ranging in size from 14mm – 210mm.

The entire range of holesaws and accessories is available for next day delivery. You can’t always be at home to receive your deliveries, therefore FedEx now give you the option to customise your delivery dates! Alternatively, click and collect to any of our Protrade depots, located in, Chesterfield, Mansfield, Burton Upon Trent, Derby and Nottingham.