Advice on cutting holes

Thin bits of metal and bright blue light. Including glass & trim.

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killerme
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Advice on cutting holes

Post by killerme »

I have to cut a 5 cm hole in the floor of my vw t25, for the water tank, after some welding work.  Several of the vendors for metal hole saws say 'not to be used with hand held drills'.  Can anyone give any advice as to what sort of tools are required here and any techniques? I imagine the concern is that when cutting the saw can bind and wrench the drill from your hands leaving you with a broken wrist or something.

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Re: Advice on cutting holes

Post by TONYT25T25 »

When using any drill attachment it is a good idea to have it facing directly over what you are cutting and not at an angle ie sideways where your hand an wrist are at an angle so any sticking and then releases will not twist your grip hope I have described this properly. 
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killerme
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Re: Advice on cutting holes

Post by killerme »

I get the point.  I was just posting in case anyone said " Whooa! Don't do that!"  It sounds like there isn't anything that isn't kind of obvious.  I'll go ahead and order a drill bit now.  Cheers.

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R0B
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Re: Advice on cutting holes

Post by R0B »

I wonder what you are meant to use, if not a handheld drill.

killerme wrote: 05 Apr 2021, 13:57 I have to cut a 5 cm hole in the floor of my vw t25, for the water tank, after some welding work.  Several of the vendors for metal hole saws say 'not to be used with hand held drills'.  Can anyone give any advice as to what sort of tools are required here and any techniques? I imagine the concern is that when cutting the saw can bind and wrench the drill from your hands leaving you with a broken wrist or something.
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1664
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Re: Advice on cutting holes

Post by 1664 »

This sort of thing?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bi-metal-Hol ... 3308035333?

Use them at work all the time in drills, in fact thats what they are designed for
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nicq
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Re: Advice on cutting holes

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tobydog
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Re: Advice on cutting holes

Post by tobydog »

R0B wrote: 05 Apr 2021, 17:19 I wonder what you are meant to use, if not a handheld drill.

Pillar drill, magnetic drill, milling machine.......
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Re: Advice on cutting holes

Post by TONYT25T25 »

I remember once drilling a hole outside a window on my house to position an aerial,  could not get a good angle on it but just enough to drill, the drill bit stuck but the drill itself still rotated along with my hand, bit painful but could have been worse.
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Re: Advice on cutting holes

Post by Cecil »

If using a holesaw drill the pilot hole first with a 6 mm hss  bit , that will help avoid  the holesaw dropping harshly to the metal and snatching.Also be ready for it to snatch as  the  holesaw breaks through.A drill with a side handle attachment would be better to help get a firm 2 handed grip on the drill.
Also the holesaw will leave some very sharp burrs so ,half round file at the ready!
Proper pair of goggles , a must.

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