ShopHacks: One Simple Trick to cut large holes in thick steel

[@riverbottomband]

Thanks for not only showing us but explaining why !

[@christopheriles1469]

Simple, but so effective. Your explanation of what is happening is brilliant. Really enjoyed the video, thank you!

[@user-wv9jt4ye5c]

I have experienced the same, but I never bother myself if I cannot finish it, I'm thinking of going to a machine shop to get things done. Your wonderful explanation and idea are making me so dammed; I throw my hole cutter away. Thank you anyway, I will try.

[@dustindavy4319]

That is amazing! Great explanation and demonstration. I'm gonna buy a cheap bi-metal hole saw today. I only need to make a 1" hole in 1/4 plate. Thank you for sharing this!

[@Johnwilliams-yi9xc]

Must try this if only to see if it works, and if it dose you are the man. Thank you.

[@dogsplantscarsneatstuff176]

I was just depressed since I was looking at a 1 in cobalt drill bit I needed to cut a hole in my modified piece of metal to fix my 6 in gate valve. Then I saw your video! I can use my bimetal hole saw to cut in steel by using a dill for a waste dump for the metal shavings. I would have never thought of this simple genius idea if I lived 1000 years. Thanks much.

[@CALDues]

I've seen this hack done on wood numerous times. Not sure when I picked it up but you do an outstanding job of explaining. I've even used this for oscillating saw cuts seems to help. Thanks for the video and hack

[@Grappa96]

Tried your tip today. Fantastic! Worked great!!

[@jozefbubez6116]

Very useful! Many thanks, Sir!

[@oxi8403]

I was wondering what is the best way to make a 32mm hole in a 2mm thick steel plate and since Im making just two holes this is the cheap and simple solution for me, this video was very helpful and you covered all my questions, thanks, and of course +1 like!

[@baohoainguyen]

Awesome video, thank you so much. This solves a very basic problem.

[@paullevy-adophy9198]

Absolutely amazing! Such a simple thing that produces big results. Thanks!

[@ci9640]

This was a life saver. Thank you!

[@MotoWanderer]

This was excellent. Thank you.

[@Tony240zt]

You explained this so well, thank you

[@akivajohnson8593]

Great trick! Thanks for sharing!

[@dozukime]

Thanks for the great trick!

[@aroundtheyardfun]

Hello, I am going to try to use this technique to cut a 3 1/8 inch hole in a 1 inch thick piece of steel, I am making a home made flathead engine. My “block” is going to be a piece of 3 inch steel pipe with the 1 inch thick plate welded on top to house the valves, but I need to get a 3 1/8in hole in it to slide over the steel pipe. Then it will be welded onto the pipe, and then a homemade cast iron cylinder sleeve will be made to fit in it. If you read all of this and want to see more I have my previous attempts at making a homemade engine on my KZbin channel that I’m posting this on. I am trying to make as much of it as I can with 3d printing to!

[@Gottenhimfella]

I find on large holes in thick steel it is beneficial to have more than one hole. I tend to go for three, but for my biggest hole saws (>120mm) I drill six unless the material is relatively thin. I don't imagine it matters unless (like me) you want these expensive items to last a lifetime. I use high performance cutting oil for the same reason. It's a lot cheaper than replacing hole saws!

[@brysonalden5414]

Excellent technique, and thanks so much for sharing it.

[@desfuchs4061]

Great advice!! Thank you 🙏

[@cd4222]

Very nice trick! Thanks for sharing!!

[@bodobodo9259]

That's the trick, I was looking for the last few weeks. Thank's o lot from Germany

[@ValleyConcreteGrinding]

I really appreciate these simple and extremely effective tactics for us get it done type guys! If good information is priceless what is bad information? Detrimental.

[@petecavanaugh9336]

You're an excellent teacher. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. I've enjoyed watching your videos.

[@TheBuildist]

Thank you Pete!

[@lilibois]

That's a really neat trick. Thank you

[@nonarrativeboxingnunn9856]

Great Tip! Thanks!

[@sdavey10]

Awesome, many thanks.

[@donnyo65]

Brilliant solution - and commons sense when you explained the theory.

[@tompreaney]

great, simple, practical tip.

[@denisrose6486]

Great Tip I will be using this method the next time I use a hole saw in thick steel

[@MrMEmEmEmEMEMEeeeeee]

The genius of simplicity!

[@SVSunnyJim]

Very nice, now that is a valuable trick. Well noted and thank you.

[@deeantler1350]

So smart! Thank you!

[@rigilkentaurus3313]

This is genius.

[@jorflothegreatone]

Wow! Thanks for sharing

[@YourOwnWay]

Thank you, sir!

[@leosmith1687]

Wow thank you for the knowledge

[@mohameddabous3781]

Thank you so much

[@tbtitans21]

Wow this was great, thanks.

[@hughchristian1976]

Well done video and great information. Thanks

[@scottlandb6579]

Amazing well done sir 👍🏼

[@samoandude6838]

Wow!! Great idea!! Thank you

[@TheBuildist]

Glad you liked it!

[@PeteTalks]

Great tip, wonder why I never realised it!

[@johngturner]

That’s a great trick!!

[@reggiemcdaniel1802]

Fantastic!!!! This will save me many bucks.

[@spacee3249]

I will try this out!

[@tpolley7075]

learn something everyday! Thank You Sir! Thats even more handy than a pocket on a tee shirt!

[@Supliviv1]

Thank you

[@nicholaskeenan898]

thank you for sharing

[@MN76.]

Thank You 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@paddyboy3791]

I learned something today thanks.

[@videodudecarl]

Great tip !!

[@Dibulok]

Wow that is really smart! Thank you. I am now a follower. 😁😁

[@ArcanePath360]

I can't even get my hole saw to form a scratch on the surface of steel, lol. Must be made of solid Chinesium. Great trick though. What I've learned lately are some really useful tips in drilling much faster through steel..... 1. Clamp the workpiece tight so there is absolutely no movement. 2. Keep the hole oiled, and go slow with firm pressure, taking as much of a pause as a drill press while stabbing at it. 3. Use a welding magnet to hoover up the chips as you go. 4. Throw away your garbage cheap drill press and get one where the quill doesn't shake around in blue swede shoes and mess up your whole project

[@georgeblack589]

This is BRILLIANT.

[@jessejamesdiver]

bravo thank you sir.the thing no one says

[@UberLummox]

Wow, thanks!!!

[@Tom23g]

Great tip if only there wasn’t copper shielding under the silicone steel sheets we holesaw through this would work wonders

[@yvonnecusworth3246]

subcribed! Thank you Sir.

[@TopCat2021]

EINSTEIN! GENIUS, Sir the award goes to you, thank you for this valuable information this tip is going to be saved for future reference, again thank you.

[@TheBuildist]

Thank you for such a nice compliment!

[@robertfontaine3650]

Awesome.

[@jameslabs1]

Thanks

[@Hardworkpaysoff04]

Great Video thanks for posting, I did notice @4:13 you could have misplaced a digit or 2 on the deck. Close shave.

[@miken.1717]

Very smart

[@laszlohentes61]

thx,my friends!

[@thomaskunda8009]

Helpful

[@TheBuildist]

Glad to hear that

[@tonyo6408]

very good video for the "non fabulously rich" like me

[@Militarycollector]

Smart..!!!

[@tetsubo57]

Thank you so much. This is going to make my life so much easier. What HP is your drill press? Thanks.

[@TheBuildist]

3hp (3 phase)

[@tetsubo57]

@@TheBuildist I am officially jealous. I've already shared this video with a friend.

[@GMak-oj7gm]

Thanks for posting. Where can I get a straight shank adapter so I can use one of these cutters in a drill press or milling machine? Thanks!

[@TheBuildist]

I've never seen one. I just mount a drill chuck and drive the arbor in there. You could weld an oversized shaft to the backside of an existing arbor and then put it in the lathe and turn it down and true to 1/2" or whatever size shank you need.

[@brettbret8836]

Great tip. What kind of lubricant are you using? I haven't seen anything like that.

[@TheBuildist]

I was just using a bit of dark thread cutting oil, which is what I use for most things. But in this instance, the hole saw was last used on treated pine. So as soon as it touched the work, a bunch of pine sawdust dropped onto the surface. So what you're seeing is just pine sawdust sprinkled on dark sulfur cutting oil. I wish I had something more impressive to tell you!😅

[@jessegodsey]

So, I need to do the opposite, kind of. I need the circle you cut out itself, not the surrounding steel. So, in other words, I am cutting out metal circles in aluminum. I have also noticed with 1/4" aluminum, it takes a long time to get through it and it gets hot. So, could I drill a hole right next to the outside edge of the disc I am trying to get then? Also, I do not want to create an indent in the disc so I am assuming it would have to be a precise hole on the perimeter of the disc.

[@TheBuildist]

You're exactly correct on both counts.

[@redwood1957]

Thank you that's great. I have 3/16 stainless plate. I need a 2.812 hole. I was thinking a greenlee punch size is not in my kit. If I were to do your method whats your advice. Again thank you.

[@TheBuildist]

Stainless is going to be on the edge of what a bimetal saw can do. I'd recommend you drill one of these clearance holes like in the video, maybe even two of them on opposing sides. And then use a whole lot of cutting oil and a very low spindle speed.

[@TheBuildist]

If you need the hole to be too precision size it will have to be bored on a mill or similar. But a 2 and 3/4 hole saw should around a 2.812 finished hole.

[@redwood1957]

@@TheBuildist going to try carbide hole cutter with 2 of those holes. I may try from 2 sides

[@steveboyd359]

Super trick for cutting large holes, thank you.

[@teel6060]

That vid got you a subscribe from me. Thanks.

[@micahwoods9606]

This is great i do have a question does it stock is vertical

[@TheBuildist]

What do you mean?

[@micahwoods9606]

@@TheBuildist if you were drilling horizontal instead of up and down like on he drill press

[@TheBuildist]

@@micahwoods9606 Yes the same idea definitely applies. By drilling the clearance hole it gives a place for the chips to go out of the kerf of the cut. The difficulty arises in holding a 2-in or larger hole saw in your hand drill. It generates quite a bit of friction/counter torque and so most people wouldn't be able to hold on to the drill very well for any steel thicker than just sheet metal. So for that practical reason the tip mostly applies just to a drill press. But if you have a strong enough drill and strong enough forearms it is conceivably possible.

[@johnthomas6456]

what if the plug is what u want. can you drill the hole on the outside of the circle

[@TheBuildist]

Absolutely. Just be sure that your drilled hole doesn't enter the area of the plug you want to keep.

[@johnthomas6456]

thanks

[@brentvonaschen7064]

How can I punch 1/2 in holes in 1/4 plate?

[@TheBuildist]

A regular 1/2" hand drill will put a 1/2" HSS drillbit through 1/4" plate without too much problem. For 1/2", I'd pilot drill with 1/8" or 3/16" first, then go for the 1/2" bit. Don't forget some kind of oil for lube. Pipe thread cutting oil is great, but any lightish oil will work.

[@nayanmipun6784]

What happens when the metal is of the same hardness as the drilling bit?

[@TheBuildist]

Unfortunately, you can't drill hardened steel with it. Perhaps carbide teeth might work for that? I know of carbide hole saws, but I haven't tried them in hardened steel. Good question!

[@nayanmipun6784]

@@TheBuildist the metal have to be high temperature to soften for the drilling bit to cut through, because the metal cutting saws were also manufactured by another saw cutting it

[@keepsave15]

Trying to cut a 5-3/4" hole through 304SS. There already is a hole, so I am really just trying to make it slightly larger. I took the advice of this video and cut three holes (plus there is one cut already, its an open circle) but the hole saw won't even start cutting without a large noise and eventually the mill will cut off. The blade does not seem to be dulling and I can't figure out why it is only "rubbing" and not cutting. I am using tool point and cooling air so it is not over heating but I'm making no progress. Any advice (to anyone on this comment section)? I have pictures if anyone want to talk off KZbin.

[@TheBuildist]

I'd welcome others to chime in, but from what you're saying, it sounds like the stainless is just too hard for the holesaw teeth to all pull a curl at the same time. It may be that for stainless that you need a carbide tipped holesaw. Just an educated guess. It sounds pretty frustrating.

[@jordzzzzzzz]

Just wondering if you had any success cutting your hole? My first thought was plasma cutter…

[@sadikhalishaik2026]

👍👍👍👌👌👌

[@6milesup]

Go to 7:35 to see the beginning of the simple trick. Use a bi-metal hole saw. The rest is fluff.

[@TheBuildist]

The rest is EXPLANATION my friend. Not to everyone's taste, but not intentional fluff either. Thanks for weighing in.

[@mr22guy]

I agree - this is a 20 second video with 10 minutes of fluff. Unless the video was called "ShopClass: Explanation of Why Saws Stop Cutting".

[@mr22guy]

And the trick isn't to use a bi-metal hole saw, it's to drill a hole for the swarf to escape.

[@baba-sm1fm]

@@TheBuildist I totally appreciate the entire video. People like you interested in understanding in how things work, are usually the people who move science forward with innovation. Thank you!!

[@bellagio88]

what rpm were you running ? 140 ?

[@TheBuildist]

I don't recall. I'd have to look at the scale on my machine. But it's the lowest my machine will run.

[@janoudman2695]

@@TheBuildist I find this important information. As a rookie looking into buying a drill press to drill 85mm hole into a aluminium plate I have no idea what specs i need for doing something like this. Should I even be buying drill press or is a round column mill a more universal tool for metal work. Almost every drill press I find does not go lower that 400 ~ 500 rpm.

[@TheBuildist]

@@janoudman2695 well clearly a round column mill or other bench top mill is far superior to a drill press. But of course they're also far heavier and far more expensive. But if you can afford it and if you have a place for it, then you will absolutely love having a round column mill. As far as the speed goes, the mills will generally run at a lower speed. But I think it's entirely possible to cut a decent hole in aluminum at the lowest speed the drill press will go. I'd be sure to use plenty of magic tap aluminum cutting fluid to keep the cutting edge cool.

[@AlejandroMartinez-yl3xu]

💪

[@romannorman6260]

Nice! Thank you. Alumin(i)um, not aluminum 🙂

[@TheBuildist]

If ONLY the Brits would learn to speak English...😆

[@romannorman6260]

@@TheBuildist 😅

[@squatch2461]

🍻

[@fredinhisshed5235]

Thank you