Dropped $180 on a carbide-tipped hole saw kit and it paid for itself on one job

Was fighting with cheap bimetal ones for weeks on a boiler tube sheet, finally bit the bullet after three dull bits ruined my Thursday. Anyone else swear by the expensive stuff or am I just justifying my impulse buy?

3 comments

3 Comments

young.nora2d ago

My neighbor bought that same kit and his first hole on a 3/8 stainless plate wrecked the carbide tip. I think a lot of it depends on the specific material and how careful you are with feed rate. I've had good luck with a mid range Milwaukee set that cost me about eighty bucks and it's held up fine on standard electrical work.

miles_young592d ago

A 3/8 stainless plate wrecking a carbide tip changed my mind on cheap kits, @young.nora.

julia5492d ago

Oh man, that stainless plate stuff is brutal. Had a similar thing happen with a carbide masonry bit on rebar once. Just snapped right off. Made me rethink my whole "buy once cry once" philosophy.