# Drill killer



## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

Most battery drills are rated for a 4" hole saw.
The Hilti is rated for 6".
A good carbide tipped saw cuts easier and lasts longer.
I've never used one, but some guys like the abrasive saws. 
Either way, a good saw is easier on the tool


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

$89 dollars. Side handle screws in , not one of those ring handles that you turn till it's tight , but it always comes loose again. 18 v RYOBI Brushless drill , charger, and battery at Home Depot. I think that little bastard is the best cordless drill I ever bought. I only use it for hole saw jobs. Drywall hole saw, wood hole saw, and cement block hole saw jobs. For just Romex drilling wood holes I use a Cordless Milwaukee hog. Pulling the trigger on your Milwaukee Cordless hog is like stepping into your Tesla. It's just different from anything else.


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## JMP Electric (Jul 26, 2018)

Probably a good idea, at least I wouldn’t cry as much when I break an $89 drill.

I do love the hole hawg, I have the smaller one not the super hawg, just disappointed in its durability. I can’t stand the thought of going back to dragging cords but i don’t think it’s as bomb proof as the old plug ins, maybe I was just too rough on it, I’ll treat the next one better maybe.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

I have had zero issues.

low gear and control of the speed with the trigger. Don’t just hold it down an go full speed, gotta learn to back it off.

I also make sure to use the handle. It gives you better control and lessens the drill binding up.

Just my 2 cents.


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

Pay attention to battery charge level. As the battery runs down (voltage drop) the motor will run hotter. Over time, this will shorten the drill motor life. Bogging down a drill repeatedly, with a big hole saw, will have a similar effect.


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## HertzHound (Jan 22, 2019)

I use a Roto Zip with a circle cutting jig. I’m usually not worried about sheet rock dust, but it does have a dust collector port. The adjustable circle cutters don’t go up large enough for commercial architectural housings. I can’t find a picture of the one the company has. It isn’t a single slide jig. It has a knuckle and pivots in the middle. So one end is the center spike, the other end is the Roto Zip and it folds in the middle. Cuts circles down to nothing and opens up pretty large.


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## Tonedeaf (Nov 26, 2012)

I use my 18V fuel no problem, you need to be in low gear mode and use feel as you user the cutter.

Now i have used a klien 6" down light hole saw(the shaft sheared and chuck fell off on my...i threw it away and never used it again)...those are drill killers I would never buy one again. Stick with the carbide for plaster with metal lath and the adjustable ones for drywall.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

For hole saws over 3" I just use a corded drill and don't stress killing a drill motor.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Bosch Brute Tough brushless with anti-kickback. If your hole saw binds, the drill shuts down. I love that feature.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

If you are burning out drills in drywall something's very wrong. It's very easy to cut. I mean FFS you can cut drywall pretty well with a foot long piece of 1/4-20 rod. 

Drywall puts up very little resistance to the teeth of the saw unless you push hard on it so the teeth are buried. Don't do that. It will work even worse if the teeth are big and sharp and aggressive. Let the tool do the work, just grind away the drywall. It actually works better if you run the drill in reverse, and it doesn't dull the hole saw teeth so much. Back out the hole saw every few seconds to let the dust escape. If you hate finesse, maybe a carbide grit hole saw will do better for you. 

The other is the choice of hole saw. The hole saw that's best for wood might not be best for drywall. For drywall, if you're not drilling like a gorilla, most of the resistance is friction between the wall of the hole saw and the drywall, not from the cutting action of the teeth. Lubricating the saw with WD40 or Pledge works well with wood but with drywall dust, it just cakes up instantly. But, if you can find one, you want a hole saw with a bigger set to the teeth that makes a bigger kerf. That way there's a lot of room between the wall of the hole saw and the drywall. You can also rotate the drill in a circle a little off center when you back out to let the dust go, that will enlarge the hole a little. 

Hole saws probably aren't really the best tool though. There are circle jigs for routers that work great for large holes in wood, I have used them for built-in speakers. But for drywall, there are lots of circle jigs for rotozips, most of them are under $20. 

Of course if you use the dustbowl type cutter, you probably won't have much trouble at all. I have never tried it but I'd like to use one of these with a bit and brace. I doubt it would be much work, it would never burn out, and it would be faster than a chunk of 1/4-20.


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

Tonedeaf said:


> I use my 18V fuel no problem, you need to be in low gear mode and use feel as you user the cutter.
> 
> Now i have used a klien 6" down light hole saw(the shaft sheared and chuck fell off on my...i threw it away and never used it again)...those are drill killers I would never buy one again. Stick with the carbide for plaster with metal lath and the adjustable ones for drywall.


That happened to me a couple times. 


Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> For hole saws over 3" I just use a corded drill and don't stress killing a drill motor.


I haven't used a corded drill this millennia! 
I remember starting out as an apprentice using a milwaukee pea shooter and a 4" holesaw cutting into a gutter. When the holesaw would bind it would take you for a ride! My journeyman would say.... hey kid, want to drill a few holes....[emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787]

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I dunno, I suspect that accumulation of drywall dust inside a power tool is a bad thing.


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## JMP Electric (Jul 26, 2018)

zac said:


> I haven't used a corded drill this millennia!
> I remember starting out as an apprentice using a milwaukee pea shooter and a 4" holesaw cutting into a gutter. When the holesaw would bind it would take you for a ride! My journeyman would say.... hey kid, want to drill a few holes....[emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787]
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


My first apprentice assured me he was “very experienced“ with drills and large holesaws. “Don’t worry I can do it boss!” Then he immediately knocked himself out with a 18volt using a 4” holesaw. 

It was very funny once I determined he was not seriously injured. 😆

I now know that not all people have enough sense to keep their face away from the drill. So I guess we both learned a lesson.


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## tjb (Feb 12, 2014)

Switched said:


> I have had zero issues.
> 
> low gear and control of the speed with the trigger. Don’t just hold it down an go full speed, gotta learn to back it off.
> 
> ...


These tips are so very important. I don’t know how many idiot apprentices (I mean that in the nicest way possible) run every impact and drill on full speed high speed full triggers every time. And they don’t understand why drills burn out. Or why their peanut screws go flying. Or why they cam out Phillips screws all the time. Or why their hole saw keeps binding up. To quote a certain potted plant, “Come on, man!”

Low speed on auger bits and hole saws. Control the trigger. Idiots who think “feathering the trigger” means PULSING the trigger at full blast for half a second eighty times. 

Incidentally, these are the guys who are abysmal shots at the range and don’t understand why they keep hitting low and left. Same exact muscle memory. 

SMH. 

Re-read the quoted post, learn the skills. Yes, there are skills to learn even in regards to running a drill motor!


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

We tend to use the abrasive bit and the Rack-o-Tiers dust bowl. Had the Klein adjustable cutter, used it once and scrapped it (well put it on the shelf at the shop with the junk tools). I use the 2704-20 and generally don't have problems with cutting block, brick or plaster in smaller sizes. If I was doing a lot of them, then I would get out the corded drill or our SDS.

Cheers
John


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I needed a drillers dust bowl two Saturdays ago. For some smoke detector openings in Kanik ceilings at a 2nd cousin's house. Mine got left on the job somewhere along the way, and I went to all the wholesale houses looking for one. Got the same reply everywhere- we can order one for you. I needed it in two days. My wife "Sells" Tupperware, which really means she buys insane amounts of the stuff and never sells any, just gets a teeny discount as a "sales lady". 
I found the fairly perfect one , clear, and good for the 4 inch hole saw needed for Carlon sliding 24" bar blue ceiling boxes. Only its not collapse-able. But..... I have the long ass mandrel bit and sliding mandrel that comes with my new Spyder hole saw set. So....... find me some 1/4" paneling around the shop, cut two 2" circles out of that using the 2" hole saw in the kit. Found 2 perfect size large fender washers in my vans drawer section. Found some contact cement in the garage. Drilled a hole in the bowel in the bottom center. Coat on contact cement bowl inside and back side, contact cement both wood circles and stick on inside and one on the bowl bottom outside . Repeat with the contact cement for washer inside and washer outside. Left overnight and tested in morning. Perfect. Took on job- Perfect. No dust got out of that bowl. The long shaft drill bit for the hole saw works great since I can adjust the length of it as needed. Tried it the other day for a horizontal clip in round box cutout and same story- perfect dust catching. 
I'm not sure of the moral of the story here except for the good old Spyder hole saw kit is super handy dandy on multiple counts so far........ Picture coming shortly to this thread.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Can you make me one?


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I use Diablo hole saws. Quick release and the same mandrel for all sizes.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)




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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)




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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

That drill is not the drill I use to drill when using holesaw's. But it was handy when I took these pictures 20 minutes ago


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

I got one of those Hole Pro kits that uses hole saws, it has the vacuum attachment on it as well. I have the Milwaukee cordless backpack vacuum and I connect the vac to the Hole Pro and have a pretty much completely dustless system. 

It works way better than the old Hole Pro and the other dust catchers.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Switched said:


> I got one of those Hole Pro kits that uses hole saws, it has the vacuum attachment on it as well. I have the Milwaukee cordless backpack vacuum and I connect the vac to the Hole Pro and have a pretty much completely dustless system.
> 
> It works way better than the old Hole Pro and the other dust catchers.


I coulda used that rig on the last house I wired that had over a hundred of the wafers in the job................. I had to drill all of em myself...... Mess. Mikey White


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

Switched said:


> I got one of those Hole Pro kits that uses hole saws, it has the vacuum attachment on it as well. I have the Milwaukee cordless backpack vacuum and I connect the vac to the Hole Pro and have a pretty much completely dustless system.
> 
> It works way better than the old Hole Pro and the other dust catchers.


Could you please give me model #s. Not the milwaukee back(vac). 
That seems like the way to go! 

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


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## Rob-Bryant (May 24, 2016)

If the drill is a year old, I'd bring it back to your SH to see if they could get it repaired under warranty. The service centers are pretty good with the warranty, especially around here. And with the battery tools, they usually just wind up replacing it with a new bare tool. Their warranty is now 3 - 5 years depending on the tool. Definitely worth a try.
Milwaukee Tool Warranty


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## JMP Electric (Jul 26, 2018)

So as an update, I did get two drills replaced on warranty. The third one I noticed before taking it in that the speed switch was halfway between speed settings, hence it it working right. I must have bumped it and was so irritated when I thought I broke another drill that I never looked hard enough at it. I just chucked in the van and moved on.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

JMP Electric said:


> So as an update, I did get two drills replaced on warranty. The third one I noticed before taking it in that the speed switch was halfway between speed settings, hence it it working right. I must have bumped it and was so irritated when I thought I broke another drill that I never looked hard enough at it. I just chucked in the van and moved on.


That happens.


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## dvpvic (Jul 23, 2021)

Dang I used a 6 inch holesaw in reverse today and it worked like a charm, no bidding up or nothing. Just like someone posted on here saying take it slow and let it eat at the the rock bit by bit, its just dust. Thanks for the tip guys


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Just stop sucking


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Majewski said:


> Just stop sucking


Said no man to a chic EVER!!!!


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## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

JMP Electric said:


> Hey all, wondering what everyone is using for larger holesaws and those adjustable recessed light cutters specifically for cutting holes in sheet rock or plaster.
> 
> I killed a 1yr old red fuel hole hawg last week, it was never heavily used and it just up and died on me. Mostly used augers bits, and hole saws when drilling larger holes in framing or rim joists. But I don’t do big rough-ins where it gets used all day. This week I killed two brand new fuel pistols drills with a the rack-a-tiers adjustable ceiling cutter.
> 
> I have had great luck for years and can’t remember burning up or wrecking drills. Would anyone suggest using a good old fashioned corded drill motor? I think the inertia when the larger holes saws or the hole cutters stop spinning is what’s doing it.


Milwaukee has a five year warranty, all you need is the receipt for purchasing it.
Use eService Tool Repair HERE
Sign up, print the shipping label, ship it and you should get it back free of charge in about 10-14 days.


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## RodDriver (Nov 9, 2019)

Use diamond blades for plaster. Might need a multitool with one. Anything else will be short lived.


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## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

THIS DRILL is rated 6" hole saw in wood. I have two of them, they are a beast.


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