A hole saw is a circle-shaped saw. It is attached to a drill, and used to cut large holes in thin pieces of material, like wood, plastic, soft plaster, or soft metal. For example, a hole saw could be used to make a hole in a door for a doorknob.
A hole saw cuts using sharpened saw teeth. These teeth are molded onto the end of the saw’s cylinder that does not attach to a drill. The placement of the saw teeth affects the size of the cut hole. Typically, the hole that a hole saw will cut is slightly larger than the hole saw’s cylinder.
An adjustable hole saw can make holes of different sizes. It has a flat metal disc with a series of grooves that make progressively wider circles. The saw teeth can be snapped into the grooves that correspond to the size of the planned hole.
Although holes can be more efficiently cut with a boring bit, boring bits can be expensive and difficult to find. Hole saws can be purchased for as little as a few US Dollars. They also work with standard drills and are easily found at most hardware stores. Keep in mind that cordless drills typically don’t have enough power to work a hole saw, unless they have at least 18 volts.
It takes a little bit of skill and practice to use this kind of saw to cut a hole without ragged edges. First of all, the user should make sure that the hole saw is of the proper size. It is also important that the saw is tightly attached to the drill. To make a splinter-free hole, the user should drill from each side of the material. To ensure a straight hole, he should make sure that the saw teeth are evenly contacted with the material before he starts to drill.
Anyone using a hole saw should take care to make sure that it is used safely. If the saw hits a nail while drilling, or if the drill is accidentally tilted, it can forcefully twist. This sudden twist could cause injury to the user's wrist. It is difficult to predict a hidden nail, so there are ways to guard against this twisting motion. A user can brace the drill handle against his hip or leg while he drills, hold the drill with two hands, and make sure he uses the drill’s side handle, if it has one.
There are several other ways to ensure safe drilling. Users should not wear loose clothing or jewelry while operating the drill. If the drill has a speed lock button, the user should take care not to press it accidentally while drilling. With these tips, the hole saw can be used effectively.