# Carbide Holesaw Kit recommendations



## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

The lennox carbide hole saw kit I have is garbage. It's this one: https://www.lenoxtools.com/pages/30877300chc-electricians-carbide-hole-cutter-kit-12-piece.aspx. I bought it after snapping a tooth off on 3 Greenlee cutters from a couple Greenlee 635 kits. I don't need larger than 1" trade size since I have a Greenlee hydraulic KO set, but the 1/2-1" is convenient. The Lennox saws are rough as hell, catch way more than the old Greenlees did, and I have to clean out the hole from the 1/2" cutter to put in 22mm stuff. It's annoying, and I am sick of it. The Lennox have been crappy since I bought them, and I should have returned them, but I figured it was just operator error and I wasn't holding the drill square enough or something. After playing with speed, pressure, making sure the drill is square to the work, and using tap magic on the cutter, they are still crap. 

So with that in mind, I am eyeballing either the Ideal TKO 36-311 kit, or the Greenlee 660 qwick-change kit. I lean towards the integrated arbor style, since swapping between sizes is kind of a pain since the Lennox kit I have doesn't have indexing pins on the arbor, so it tightens down so much I have to use tools to remove one cutter to swap to another one. 

I am open to other suggestions as well. These are just the ones I have looked at thus far. Maybe I'm just better off buying the Klein ones if they are any good since I can buy the individual sizes when they break versus getting a whole 'nother kit.


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## Ctsparky93 (Sep 17, 2016)

Yea I bought the 7 pc set and it’s complete **** for its price. But they make a quick change arbor for smaller sizes also but you have to buy it separate. Now I own the southwire chckit4. I am probably at around 75 holes with 3/4 half probably in stainless steel and thing still has all its teeth and cuts nice. 


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## Smid (Jul 9, 2014)

https://www.greenleestore.com/produ..._7wdFu8nVKFzIpFqNp2gqsQLSj0Zj-UwaAiUoEALw_wcB

I have this kit and have yet to break any teeth. I used one set for 3 years before they finally wore out, and been solid for the last year on the new set. The only problem is if something’s deeper than 1/4”, you need to drill a pilot hole. It has a fluted pilot bit which is great so it doesn’t slam into whatever you’re drilling, but it will break if it catches on the deeper stuff. That’s only a couple times a year on oddball things for me though, no problems with panels, etc...


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

I have the Milwaukee set. It’s ok but a step drill and knockouts is my primary...hole saws are a backup. My partner has the Milwaukee hole cutters (not saw) that work awesome but I’ve never found them as a set, only individuals.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Smid said:


> https://www.greenleestore.com/produ..._7wdFu8nVKFzIpFqNp2gqsQLSj0Zj-UwaAiUoEALw_wcB
> 
> I have this kit and have yet to break any teeth. I used one set for 3 years before they finally wore out, and been solid for the last year on the new set. The only problem is if something’s deeper than 1/4”, you need to drill a pilot hole. *It has a fluted pilot bit which is great so it doesn’t slam into whatever you’re drilling*, but it will break if it catches on the deeper stuff. That’s only a couple times a year on oddball things for me though, no problems with panels, etc...


Can you explain that part please?

Are you talking about when the pilot bit finally cuts thru and the teeth of the holesaw/cutter slam down on the surface being drilled? If so, what fluting on the pilot avoids that? I have never used one of these or even seen one in real life so I am curious.

@Going_Commando, I have asked about these types of hole cutters here before when I was thinking of buying them and people seemed to say that they were all good, so I am glad this thread was made so I know to avoid Lenox. I normally like Lenox products.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

HackWork said:


> Can you explain that part please?
> 
> Are you talking about when the pilot bit finally cuts thru and the teeth of the holesaw/cutter slam down on the surface being drilled? If so, what fluting on the pilot avoids that? I have never used one of these or even seen one in real life so I am curious.
> 
> @Going_Commando, I have asked about these types of hole cutters here before when I was thinking of buying them and people seemed to say that they were all good, so I am glad this thread was made so I know to avoid Lenox. I normally like Lenox products.


I think he is referring to pilot bit being stepped, kinda like those weird dewalt stepped drill bits. It does help avoid plunging through the material because you feel the drill drop then stop so you can ease up before the holesaw teeth touch the surface.

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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

TGGT said:


> I think he is referring to pilot bit being stepped, kinda like those weird dewalt stepped drill bits. It does help avoid plunging through the material because you feel the drill drop then stop so you can ease up before the holesaw teeth touch the surface.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


Oh, that's awesome. No more trying to find a fender washer to use when I need to make a quick hole :biggrin:


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I’ve been using the ideal 1/2-2 inch car use cutter set for last couple of years. Works good for me.


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## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

X 2 on the Ideal, used for years, no complaints.


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## Smid (Jul 9, 2014)

HackWork said:


> Oh, that's awesome. No more trying to find a fender washer to use when I need to make a quick hole :biggrin:


Yeah I guess tapered would have been a better description. I still can’t figure out how to post pictures but it makes sense if you see it. The tip breaks through then tapers slightly bigger so you know to slow it down. 

I should have added, these aren’t great if you’re drilling deep holes with an extension or anything like they. They have a ring around the base of the base to stop the whole arbor from going into whatever you’re drilling. It’s really nice if you have to drill into a hot panel. Not that I do that sort of thing of course


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## Tonedeaf (Nov 26, 2012)

I like the Klein ones....the greenlee and idea ones are lesser quality IMO.


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

FWIW when I used hole saws, I would use a 1/4" drill bit to drill a starter hole. Then use the hole saw (the pilot bit is just a guide).


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## TheLivingBubba (Jul 23, 2015)

Smid said:


> https://www.greenleestore.com/produ..._7wdFu8nVKFzIpFqNp2gqsQLSj0Zj-UwaAiUoEALw_wcB
> 
> I have this kit and have yet to break any teeth. I used one set for 3 years before they finally wore out, and been solid for the last year on the new set. The only problem is if something’s deeper than 1/4”, you need to drill a pilot hole. It has a fluted pilot bit which is great so it doesn’t slam into whatever you’re drilling, but it will break if it catches on the deeper stuff. That’s only a couple times a year on oddball things for me though, no problems with panels, etc...


I have this set and like it. I always drill a pilot hole though using a self tapper, it just drills faster that way. My set is 2+ years old.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I have Milwaukee, Ideal and Lenox. Although the Lenox I have has pins so it's not that bad. The Ideals are great but I like the quick change style arbor that the Milwaukee has, it's just like the Greenlee 660 kits. 



See if you can find a local place that does carbide sharpening. I take hole cutters, rebar cutters, annulars and chop saw blades in and have them sharpened and/or re-toothed for nothing compared to new prices.


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## Smid (Jul 9, 2014)

Jlarson said:


> I have Milwaukee, Ideal and Lenox. Although the Lenox I have has pins so it's not that bad. The Ideals are great but I like the quick change style arbor that the Milwaukee has, it's just like the Greenlee 660 kits.
> 
> 
> 
> See if you can find a local place that does carbide sharpening. I take hole cutters, rebar cutters, annulars and chop saw blades in and have them sharpened and/or re-toothed for nothing compared to new prices.


Where did you get your Milwaukee set? I’ve only found the greenlee at supply houses which is why I haven’t gone with Milwaukee


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

Smid said:


> Where did you get your Milwaukee set? I’ve only found the greenlee at supply houses which is why I haven’t gone with Milwaukee


Home Depot has them.


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

One of the reviews on this product said this kit is the same as the Milwaukee kit only cheaper. 

https://www.harborfreight.com/general-purpose-bi-metal-hole-saw-set-13-piece-63761.html


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## jelhill (Nov 11, 2018)

Going_Commando said:


> The lennox carbide hole saw kit I have is garbage. It's this one: https://www.lenoxtools.com/pages/30877300chc-electricians-carbide-hole-cutter-kit-12-piece.aspx. I bought it after snapping a tooth off on 3 Greenlee cutters from a couple Greenlee 635 kits. I don't need larger than 1" trade size since I have a Greenlee hydraulic KO set, but the 1/2-1" is convenient. The Lennox saws are rough as hell, catch way more than the old Greenlees did, and I have to clean out the hole from the 1/2" cutter to put in 22mm stuff. It's annoying, and I am sick of it. The Lennox have been crappy since I bought them, and I should have returned them, but I figured it was just operator error and I wasn't holding the drill square enough or something. After playing with speed, pressure, making sure the drill is square to the work, and using tap magic on the cutter, they are still crap.
> 
> So with that in mind, I am eyeballing either the Ideal TKO 36-311 kit, or the Greenlee 660 qwick-change kit. I lean towards the integrated arbor style, since swapping between sizes is kind of a pain since the Lennox kit I have doesn't have indexing pins on the arbor, so it tightens down so much I have to use tools to remove one cutter to swap to another one.
> 
> I am open to other suggestions as well. These are just the ones I have looked at thus far. Maybe I'm just better off buying the Klein ones if they are any good since I can buy the individual sizes when they break versus getting a whole 'nother kit.


I have had good luck with the Ideal 36-311.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

I appreciate the info, guys. I think I'm going to snag the Ideal kit in the next couple weeks, and might grab a Klein 1/2" to try out as well. I still have a Greenlee 1/2" floating around somewhere in the sh*tmobile that is my work van. Having to ream a hole from the Lennox for a 22mm button was the last straw. Garbage.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Smid said:


> Where did you get your Milwaukee set? I’ve only found the greenlee at supply houses which is why I haven’t gone with Milwaukee



One of my suppliers ordered a bunch. I think they're pretty similar to the greenlee kit.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I think there is a bit of blurring between hole saw and hole cutter. 

This whole thread has been about hole cutters up until flyboy's posts, despite G_C saying hole saw in his OP, correct?


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Correct.


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## oliquir (Jan 13, 2011)

i had both of them (greenlee and ideal) and ideal was more though than the greenlee for SS, but both were too expensive compared to the cheap china ones i now use (get about 3-4 units for the price of one ideal or greenlee!)


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I still have regular Milwaukee hole saws in couple of different styles and they certainly have their place, but I think the carbide cutters certainly do a much better job in metal. The punch doesn’t come out of the van too often anymore. I think you’ll like the ideal set. I can’t speak to whether it’s better than the other brands other than it’s met my needs.


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## Smid (Jul 9, 2014)

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flyboy said:


> Home Depot has them.


I haven’t seen the carbide kit there


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## Smid (Jul 9, 2014)

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Jlarson said:


> One of my suppliers ordered a bunch. I think they're pretty similar to the greenlee kit.


They looked similar, but im also a Milwaukee fan boy. I’d really just like the case, I keep my stuff nicer than a lot of the other guys and people are always trying to give me the swap


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

I’m a fan of the Greenlee quick change holesaw kit (still call it Hogan) , it has its own small case (3”x4”) with 4 holesaws. Never had problems and they last


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I know this is a zombie thread but what’s wrong with Lenox? I broke a Slugbuster and ran to a local place and bought a Lenox and it works just fine. Is it life expectancy?


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

99cents said:


> I know this is a zombie thread but what’s wrong with Lenox? I broke a Slugbuster and ran to a local place and bought a Lenox and it works just fine. Is it life expectancy?


yeah i use lennox, and i dont have any comparison either
so i would like to know myself ???


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## Veteran Sparky (Apr 21, 2021)

Going_Commando said:


> The lennox carbide hole saw kit I have is garbage. It's this one: LENOX 30877300CHC Electrician's Carbide Hole Cutter Kit, 12 Piece. I bought it after snapping a tooth off on 3 Greenlee cutters from a couple Greenlee 635 kits. I don't need larger than 1" trade size since I have a Greenlee hydraulic KO set, but the 1/2-1" is convenient. The Lennox saws are rough as hell, catch way more than the old Greenlees did, and I have to clean out the hole from the 1/2" cutter to put in 22mm stuff. It's annoying, and I am sick of it. The Lennox have been crappy since I bought them, and I should have returned them, but I figured it was just operator error and I wasn't holding the drill square enough or something. After playing with speed, pressure, making sure the drill is square to the work, and using tap magic on the cutter, they are still crap.
> 
> So with that in mind, I am eyeballing either the Ideal TKO 36-311 kit, or the Greenlee 660 qwick-change kit. I lean towards the integrated arbor style, since swapping between sizes is kind of a pain since the Lennox kit I have doesn't have indexing pins on the arbor, so it tightens down so much I have to use tools to remove one cutter to swap to another one.
> 
> I am open to other suggestions as well. These are just the ones I have looked at thus far. Maybe I'm just better off buying the Klein ones if they are any good since I can buy the individual sizes when they break versus getting a whole 'nother kit.


MORRIS https://www.morrisproducts.com/pc_combined_results.asp?pc_id=744805421C8D4DDB993A1C23BDE30532


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## Veteran Sparky (Apr 21, 2021)

99cents said:


> I know this is a zombie thread but what’s wrong with Lenox? I broke a Slugbuster and ran to a local place and bought a Lenox and it works just fine. Is it life expectancy?


Garbage. Any bit bought in box store is garbage for mechanics who use them


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

99cents said:


> I know this is a zombie thread but what’s wrong with Lenox? I broke a Slugbuster and ran to a local place and bought a Lenox and it works just fine. Is it life expectancy?


I have several of the Lenox carbide hole cutters. I always had good luck with Lenox hole saws, and I saw the carbide hole cutters on sale, so I figured I'd try them. They were impressive on stainless out of the box, so far they've held up OK. They are no better or worse than the ones in the Ideal set, which is also very good. (Note that the carbide hole cutters are not the same as carbide tipped hole saws.)


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

The ideal carbide cutters work pretty well in the set that I have, but the smaller ones are missing teeth. I have used a couple of Greenlee off the shelf at the Depot and wrecked them in short order. Tough to say if thats the case with all of the stuff off the shelf there.


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

splatz said:


> I have several of the Lenox carbide hole cutters. I always had good luck with Lenox hole saws, and I saw the carbide hole cutters on sale, so I figured I'd try them. They were impressive on stainless out of the box, so far they've held up OK. They are no better or worse than the ones in the Ideal set, which is also very good. (Note that the carbide hole cutters are not the same as carbide tipped hole saws.)


when you say "hole cutter" how is the performance different from a hole saw ?


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Almost Retired said:


> when you say "hole cutter" how is the performance different from a hole saw ?


I was going to ask the same question. I went to the local tool store and they just had a hole saw. It worked fine for the four holes I drilled.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Almost Retired said:


> when you say "hole cutter" how is the performance different from a hole saw ?





99cents said:


> I was going to ask the same question. I went to the local tool store and they just had a hole saw. It worked fine for the four holes I drilled.


When I say hole saws I am talking about the familiar hole saws you buy to drill metal or plastic or wood, the most common ones are bimetal or carbide tipped, the carbide tipped work medium at best in stainless steel. 

I am calling the hole cutters the cutters made just for making holes in sheet metal, they have a rim so you won't push through the hole, and the walls are not very tall. The carbide ones are expensive, last a long time, and go through stainless very well. If you don't have a KO punch for stainless, which I don't, these are pretty much a must if you're working with stainless enclosures. 

Milwaukee and Dewalt and maybe others make cheaper non-carbide hole cutters for 1/2", 3/4", and 1" KO sizes with a hex shank, no arbor, they don't last all that long but they're not too expensive, fast, nice and small, and quick to change into your impact driver chuck. 

Carbide tipped hole saw: 










Carbide hole cutter:









Dewalt non-carbide hole cutter:

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