Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Rather the start an individual thread on hole saws (which is what my question is on) I thought I'd start a general tool thread like we have a toy thread.

Holes saws.

I've been buying Morse hole saws because I thought they were the best (the guy at Reece told me so ) but when I got the prices on the new ones I'd need to install the Uniseal fiitings I am planning on buying I thought I'd shop around. KP has already mentioned his fly cutter saw but they won't cut metal which I need to be able to do.

I have compared three.

Morse $145 (plus pilot screw $8), Red one;
Starrett $125 (plus arbour $45(but I allready have one), Yellow one; and
Lennox $54 (plus arbour $32 (but I can use my Starrett one)), White;

The obvious choice is the Morse because it is red and it will therefore go faster but the thought of shelling out almost $100 extra for the speed has caused me to pause before handing over my cash.

As fas as I can tell I'm comparing apples with apples all saws are bi-metal saws capable of doing everything upto and including cast iron and stainless steel. The price of the Lennox is not from a dodgy cheap tool shop but from Abbots Supplies in Bendigo (big local supplier of hard ware, tools, engineering and farm stuff.

Other than the fact that the Lennox blades are white and will therefore get dirty easily does anyone have any reasons why I wouldn't go the cheaper option?

Use the white ones Stu.... just how many times will you actually use them???

If speed is what's important... just paint red racing stripes on them...

Flycutters were originally designed for cutting sheetmetal and tin. What I have is an adaptation for wood or plastic.
Have a look at finding a proper fly cutter. Go to a real tool shop and see what they say.

Flycutters will do metal, used to use one to cut holes for guages in cars. Problem is has to be done slow and preferably on a drill press.
Bought a cheap Sontax set in holesaws, they stuff up after while though.
Best hole cutters are stepped drills, esp for plastic as they deburr, however I can only find them up to 40mm. I know there are bigger ones but can't locate them.

Been chasing a step drill Sleepe... having trouble getting one... any ideas??

Seymour alternative farming show had a hybrid step drill/fly cutter in years past.
It was a two step adjustable flycutter for drilling up to 4" holes in anything up to mild steel with max depth at about 80 mm I think, but that could be extended
It was expensive, but hey, it was cool. I didn't have the money, and didn't put forward a good enough case for Dad to buy it for me

bunnings stock the small ones Rupe.

Would have thought so Kuda... bloke I asked just looked dumb at me... well actually looked pretty dumb to me as well....

Agree with KP B's usually have them in, got a set up to 40mm from Mitre 10 in Perth. They used to have the bigger ones but I stupidly did not get one at the time. The have now gone the way of all big hardware stores (selling crap).

I have Lennox ones that I used to drill out all the downlights in my house. After 70 holes through gyprock which is pretty abrasive they still eat timber and tin without a problem.

Excellent. Sounds good to me. I'll get the Lennock ones and add racing stripes. Should the stripes go round the barrel of the blade or from the arbour to the edge of the barrel and then down towards the teeth?

tread plate and hammer tone paint will make it much more rugged

Ah wah?

what size(range) do you want Rope?

i like the cheapest ones i can find if im just boring wood or plastic. go slow and clean regularly and they are fine. harbor freight has a set of 5 for 5 bucks. mine have over 100 holes cut and are still fine

for soft metals they still work pretty well. for steel and 6061 aluminum the greenlee punch and their line of cutters and lube is king of the hill

if all else fail use the gas axe and weld in a close nipple