During the process of building a new home I had the need to run some conduit lines. I needed a few different sizes due to the places I needed to put the conduit, and the sizes I would be using. Having used these Dewalt hole saws years ago when building a log home I bought some new sizes and found that yet again they are winners and worked wonderfully. I love the dual action cutting edges, just in case I end up going through a nail in the framing as I cut a hole.
To be clear, these are just the hole saw portion, you will need the proper Dewalt Mandrel to screw them onto and make them useful.
There are a couple of tricks to learn when using these hole saws. The first is; I've found that rocking the drill slowly seems to work very well and keeps the hole smoothly moving along. I use a larger Dewalt drill with a large enough opening. The standard 7/16" Mandrel used by these won't fit into the smaller 3/8" drills that are typical for hand held drills. I also found that using a 120v drill made it easier and avoided any bogging as I cut through wall top plates. My 12v drills just can't handle these.
When you get through a piece of 2x4 for example, the hole saw is filled with the small hole you just cut. You have to get the core piece out before you can drill through another layer of wood. You can use a screw driver and sort of pry it out from the sides using the slits that are cut into the drill. Another way is to unscrew the drill from the quick change mandrel and punch it out from the center using a screwdriver and hammer.
If there's any negative with these drills, it's that sometimes when they are new, they are difficult to get screwed onto the mandrel the first time. The paint is just enough to make you think you might be cross threading it. I found that screwing it on a little, backing it off and then blowing the paint residue off and going again worked. After a few attempts you will finally get it all of the way onto the Mandrel. It might take a little force the first time.
5 stars, I've used these bits to build a log cabin and several homes now and they work great!
| Manufacturer | Dewalt |
|---|---|
| Part Number | D180032 |
| Item Weight | 4.8 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 2.5 x 2.25 x 3.5 inches |
| Item model number | D180032 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | Pack of 1 |
| Material | Other |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | Satisfaction Guarantee |
