http://www.blairequipment.com/ http://www.lenoxsaw.com/ there's the corresponding web sites for review if needed. I started a thread a month or so ago asking about tips when drilling out the front of my frame, and there was resounding loyalty to Lenox. Any reasons why? my dad had done some searching and came up w/ the brand Blair. I've never heard of them, but they pride themselves in being for auto enthusiasts. their stuff looks equally as good. Thoughts?
I have never used the bigger Blair cutters, but the small ones are good, but fragile. The sizes I'm refering to would be 1/2" & smaller. Great for spot weld removal.
I am an electrician and I have been using Lenox Holesaws for 25 years. I think they are the best. I have never used blair. Use a lubricant when you drill, It will make your saws last longer. And drill at a slight angle. Was that too much info??
Independent tests have shown that the the two best holesaw brands on the market are Morse and Lenox. Most holesaw manufacturers use generic saw strip sourced in the 'East'. This strip is of varying levels of quality and the price of the finished holesaw equates to the quality of the strip used. " You get what you pay for" Morse and Lenox both manufacture their own strip in the US. http://www.mkmorse.com http://www.lenoxsaw.com
Try McCoy? Its red and has white lettering.They used to sell them in Home Depot before they brought in the Rigid hole saws. But they might have them in smaller hardware stores. I know Tru-Value used to have them, at least the one i used to go to. Used one to cut some 40 or so holes in some brackets and it lasted, until i dropped it chucking it in the drill press. Damn oily hands. EDIT: Duh.. just saw the post before mine and it was a Morse, not McCoy or whatever i said John
I too use lenox. I'm pretty hard on tools, and they've never failed me..I have used sizes up to 6 inch. They really hold an edge.
I've had very good luck with Milwaukee. VermontAmerican makes crap ACE (hardware store brand) is ok. My stuff is probably lower end compared to what you're asking about, however. I wish all of those companies could standardize on mandrels. Every single store stocks a diferent non-interchangable brand. And OSH has been switching from Mlwaukee to DeWalt.
Have always used Lenox or Milwaukee. I've made litterly hundreds of holes with both and if you treat them properly (us lubricant, steady firm pressure, slow speed) both brands will do a good job. Frank
I'm curious if anyone has compared Starratt or Milwaukee to the Lenox brand? I've been using Starratt's and Milwaukee's and they've done pretty good. Gotta admit I don't holesaw the amount of holes some of you guys do. I'm guessing that Milwaukee is the actual mfg. of Starratt's. Their arbors are identical which is nice. I don't think you can buy any other type in these brands, but I note that both are labeled 'bi-metal.' As a side note, I used a single Black & Decker - which are more for wood than steel and far as I know they're not bi-metal - to cut four 3/4" holes in a 1/8" wall thickness aftermarket Deuce frame. Used 30 wt for the lube. In fact i bought two hole saws for the job figuring one would burn up. It didn't and the other is still in the package. I much prefer the Starrat/Milwaukee though, they run much truer than do the larger B&D's.
Lenox is the best with Starrett a close second . A quick tip:When holesawing thick material, drill a small hole tangential to the main hole , to permit the chips to fall through. HTH Jorge
This is a VERY good tip. If you don't do it the chips will just pile up between the teeth and the sawing action comes to a halt. After that the saw and the material just keep getting hotter and hotter taking the temper out of the saw and making further cutting impossible. If you don't drill the hole you've got to stop periodically and blow out the chips,and add a little lubricant before continuing. The thicker the material the more important it is to do this. Frank
My dad actually just bought a set of the Blair's. He likes them better than a conventional holesaw. They don't have a "sawtooth" edge, and they seem to cut nicer holes in sheetmetal than a standard holesaw, which is what he uses them for. I have been using the Starrett holesaws for a while and like them better than lenox. I personally don't like much of the Lenox stuff. The hacksaw they make is fairly nice, I have a snap-on hacksaw which I think they made for snap-on. It looks the same. I really don't like Lenox tubing cutters, instead I use imperial eastman for smaller tubing and rigid for large tubing.
man do i feel like an idiot now... i was drilling with a lenox holesaw through a 7/16" thick ductile iron tub drain at a house i was fixing up. though i did use water on it, i ran it at top speed and about 1/2 of the way through the teeth died...now i know better for next time though, thanks huys!
For which part, running full speed or using water as a lube? In all seriousness, IS water an acceptable lubricant? Sure would be cheaper than anything else. And cleaner.
I love the Blair Rotabroach cutters. The'yre more like an endmill than a hole saw. Absolutly beautiful holes, but they cost about 10 x as much as a standard hole saw. I use them in thin sheet that a normal hole saw tends to catch in and rip. Eric
Have to agree on Lenox. I use them daily cutting into thin to mild guage steel and aluminum. As far as lubricants...I love the wax if I do not have the wax handy then Magic Tap. I have a tub of the wax that has lasted me over a year. Slow speed is of great importance as was stated. If you have never had a hole saw running at high speed grab all of a sudden and try to break your wrist then just trust what is being said here . just my .02 Fitysix
The Blair Rotabroach cutter is without a doubt the best tool for cutting small holes in thin metal. They cut about 10 times faster than a twist drill and at a much slower speed. I'll admit I didn't do my homework before buying my kit, I bought it off the snap-on truck where they are sold under the bluepoint name. Well worth the money. Also works as the best spot weld cutter in on the market. I've never tried the Blair holecutter, but now that I know that they are around I certainly intend to buy a few as needed. Really, whats the best you can hope for out of a holesaw? Its a chunk of a saw blade, welded around an arbor. Its a crude tool for making crude holes.
another tip . i found out that a hole saw runs truer if you first drill a 1/4 pilot hole then i replace the drill bit in the holesaw with a piece of 1/4 drill rod. less chance for it to act as a router when drilling. mike
I would say Lenox. It's the best hole saw I have ever used. Their hacksaw blades are some of the best too.
i second that, great hole with no distortion and no walking.........and you can widen a hole with them too. i bought my kit off the corwell truck at $82 but you might be able to find them cheaper on the internet. i use them everyday and have yet to break them, of course i mainly use them for sheetmetal.
Have mostly starrett at work and they hold up better than the lennox saws, we're usually cutting through 1/4" or thicker though. Use a 1/4" bit for the pilot and 1/4" rod as the guide as mentioned steel rod is cheaper then drill bits when that saw catches and snaps it like a twig. When drilling steel drill straight through not at an angle, if you go at an angle one side of the cut is going to break through and the saw will grab and either trow you, your steel, or the drill around depending on the power of the drill and the strength of your grip. scott
The blair cutters are pricey, but they will shock the hell out of anyone that does the pepsi challence with ANY holesaw. they cut twice as fast, without chatter, at any speed, without fail, every time. and the holes are truly round, and exact- half of the holesaws I have used have a slight egg shape to them, which means you get a bigger hole than anticipated. Try the blair. you will look at your holesaw kit like a caveman built it.
What would you guys recomend for stainless steel say 1/8 th or so thick? Any special tips for stainless?
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