Does anyone have a good way to remove those donut pieces of wood left inside the hole saw when you are done drilling? I am tired of prying those stubborn pieces out.
Thanks, Jonathan
Does anyone have a good way to remove those donut pieces of wood left inside the hole saw when you are done drilling? I am tired of prying those stubborn pieces out.
Thanks, Jonathan
There are a number of ways to achieve a level foundation and mudsill.
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Replies
you using real cheap hole saws?
the cheaper ones are a bit harder to clear, but even they usually have 2 holes in the top, that you can use a nail, or whatever, to push out.
some of the better ones have slots on the side so you can work it out.
Mine have the slots, but I forgot who's they are.
Someone came up with a tool to do that job. Was looking at it not 3 days ago and I'll be darned if I can't find the reference.
You could probably make one.
It looks like a long wishbone with the ends turned in and down and sharpened. Hook the two sharpened ends into the plug through the elongated holes in the side of the hole saw and pull down. Out pops the plug.
Oscilate the drill when making the hole so as to create a wider kerf & the plug will just fall out
Start the hole saw into the wood, just enough to mark the outline of the cut. Take a smaller bit and drill a hole inside the bigger circle, but touching the outside line. Finish drilling the bigger hole. Depending oin the size of the second hole, it often relieves enough of the surface tension to allow the plug to wiggle free. It also acts as a sawdust receptacle which helps to keep the gullets clear and prevents burning.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
There is a tool. AndyE did a road test on it a couple of years ago.
I think it's a piece of spring wire that's bent to go into the two slots on the sides of the saw. The ends are sharpened to bite into the wood & pull it down.
Joe H
I thought it was Mike Gueritin ( sp?) but I recall it was a very simple tool that was quite cheap.
regards
Mark Quittintime
If you can get to both sides of the lumber, this trick works nicely. Bore from one side until the pilot bit appears on the other side. Now bore from the other side. When you cut through, most of the "donut" is protruding out of the saw, and you can grab it to pull it the rest of the way off.
Jamie,
I was going to say the same thing myself. I could add that this eliminates tearout also.
~Peter
I have a bunch of Lenox hole saws. They both have two holes in the top aside from the hole for the mandrel. When the plug sticks I push an awl in thru them one at a time and shove it out. Rocking the drill as you cut helps, as does drilling the last 1/8" of the hole from the other side. Sometimes the best thing to do is use plumbers self-feeding drills that turn everything to chips and cut faster than hole saws anyway.
I am surprised nobody sugested you run out and buy the new bosch self ejecting hole saws. You could also spray the hole saws you have with a blade lubricant.
Ditto on the oscillating while the saw is going through. Really more like withdrawing the saw repeatedly as it's going through to clear the sawdust. Easier in the drill too. If you take it easy, you should be able to reverse the drill, point it down, spool up, and spin the block out on its own.
Get a tough one now and then on a big holesaw:usually just screw a gimlet into the piece a couple of turns and yank it out.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
I keep a short rod and a piece of music wire in my hole saw box to handle the situation if I have more than one hole to drill. About 4" long and just small enough in diameter to go into the mantrel hole in the back of a hole saw the rod is simple to use.
Idea is that once the hole is cut I spin the saw off the mantrel. This is made easier by installing a fiber washer, cardboard will do, between the mantrel and the saw body. The hole saw will with a quick snap of the wrist. Easier still with larger saws as they have a mantrel with two pins controled by a nut on the mantrel.
Once the mantrel is off, taking the quarter inch pilot with it, the saw is placed on a block of wood and the rod inserted through the empty mounting hole, where the mantrel was. The rod, being larger in diameter than the pilot drives the slug flush with the saw edge of the saw. Often the plug will fall free. If not the second tool come into play.
The second tool is a piece of stiff, I used music, wire about 1/8" diameter with a right angle bent, actually a bit more of a hook, into each end. The tips are bent with a torch and vice and quenched hot to hold their shape. I usually make three or four at a time as these are also useful for snagging wires in a wall. One of these is inserted into the quarter inch pilot hole in the slug hooking the plug from the inside and allowing it to be pulled out smartly. In a pinch a piece of #10 work hardened, reverse bent and then bent the other way into the hook, will work.
All this is great where I have a half dozen holes to drill but where I have only one, usually, I just insert a thin screwdriver into a slot. By prying, wiggling and cussing, in the proper order and assuming your holding your tongue just right most slugs come out without too much trouble. In a production situation where there may be scores of holes to cut the drive rod and pick, my music wire tool, have saved me time and frustration.
I recently bought a plug ejecting hole saw mandral by Vermont American from my local hardware store. Haven't had a chance to use it so can't report how well it works. I think there may be other makers of plug ejecting mandrals but haven't seen any reports on them:
http://doityourself.com/store/6135073.htm
http://www.icscuttingtools.com/catalog/page_338.pdf
I like to use the Extended Length Version Calibrated Piffin Screw Mechcanism. I find that several revolutions into the wood in question, one ELVCPM on each side of the drill bit, usually provides enough substance that it can be worked out or if luck has it split the wood into pieces.
Sounds very slow .....On a hill by the harbour
just drive a LONG (3") screw into the anti-hole and let it bottom out inside the saw..it will walk the anti-hole out. Do it close to the pilot bit.
Go Stab yourself Ya Putz! Ya think I Parked here?
Post #4 doesn't work, and get you cut faster?
Sometimes I think we are dealing with monkeys.
I duuno,
Sorry I don't understand your questionOn a hill by the harbour
It wasn't a question, you nailed it in post#4.
But I enjoyed holesaw 101 class.
Thanks for all replies. I have definately picked up a few tips other than prying the saw clean with a screwdriver.
Thanks again to all,
Jonathan
i've occasionally resorted to driving a couple drywall screws into the plug on opposite sides of the pilot drill and pulling it out.
m
hey, Qtr's back!
I don't know what type of hole saw you have but I just unscrew the nut on the back of the hole saw that keeps it in place on the drill bit. Then I can easily slide the saw off of the drill bit and wood piece then slides off the drill bit nicely.
This requires taking it apart every time you cut a hole but its quicker than trying to push or pry the cutout piece.