Hole Saws & Arbors

A hole saw uses a pilot drill bit held in the centre of its arbor, which drills first and keeps the saw on line as the teeth start cutting. The pilot bit can be replaced when it wears or breaks, so match the replacement to the arbor's fitting. The range here includes arbors supplied with pilot drill bits and a pack of replacement pilot bits.

Mark the centre of the hole, set the drill to a slow speed and let the pilot drill enter first. Keep the saw square to the surface, apply steady, light pressure and back out now and then to clear waste. On metal, a cutting lubricant helps keep the teeth cool. The range here includes bi-metal hole saws for steel, hardwood and plastics.

Screw the hole saw onto the threaded end of a matching arbor, then tighten the arbor's hex shank into the drill chuck. Check that the pilot drill sits proud of the saw's teeth so it starts the hole first. Smaller and larger hole saws usually need different arbor sizes. The range here includes small and large arbors with hex shanks.

A hole saw is a ring-shaped saw blade that cuts a round hole of a fixed diameter, removing a solid plug of material. Mounted on an arbor, it is driven by a power drill. Bi-metal hole saws typically handle steel, wood and plastics, and the cutting depth limits how thick the material can be. The range here includes bi-metal hole saws in a spread of diameters.