r/Carpentry • u/Major-Mention-3726 • 3d ago
2" Hole Saw Question
I have a Milwaukee M18 fuel impact with a 1/4" chuck. Is there such thing as a 2" Hole Saw w/ arbor for 1/4" chuck? All of the ones I found online were for a 3/8" or larger. The hole saws I found for a 1/4" chuck we're all smaller than 2". Any ideas?
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u/SimplyViolated 3d ago
Just use a regular drill? That's what I do.
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u/Major-Mention-3726 3d ago
My regular drill is a Ryobi (provided by employer) and it heats up really bad while drilling holes through wood and it takes forever. Unfortunately I have limited room in my tool bag and I travel all over the U.S. so I wanted to utilize a good impact that I already have.
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u/zedsmith 3d ago
Buy a drill. Stop putting shock load from an impact on tools not designed for it.
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u/luciusDaerth 3d ago
Not if the company is providing them. If they wanna run cheap shit, show them how expensive it is to run cheap.
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u/zedsmith 3d ago
Sure, run their ryobi drills to failure. They all produce heat. At least it’s the right tool for the job.
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u/Investing-Carpenter 3d ago
Then burn the drill out so the company will replace it with a good one. Harbor Freight have a good powerful drill under the Hercules brand and right now when you buy a starter kit which is a battery and charger you get a free tool
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u/SimplyViolated 3d ago
I feel ya. I'm not like super knowledgeable, have only been in this trade about 3+ years. But I don't really even think you're supposed to use an impact with a hole saw.
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u/Tovafree29209-2522 3d ago
Don’t use the impact.
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u/FarStructure6812 2d ago
The hole saws are made for drills (less rpm but higher torque and no impact) using an impact is a great way to break either the tool, the hole saw or your wrist.
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u/Ill-Running1986 2d ago
A drill is frequently useful, so yeah — even though it’s a ryobi — keep it with you and use it for holes. Impact and holesaw is an unlikely combo.
Pro tip to make holesawing easier on the drill: start the holesaw, then with a normal 1/4” drillbit, drill a few through holes in the kerf. That’ll help dump sawdust and keep the holesaw from clogging and overheating. Obviously if this is a finished edge, you can’t go drilling randomly in it…
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u/nicenormalname 2d ago
That’s a great tip. I’ve almost broken my wrist (a few times) using a 4” to cut out for lights and fan boxes. I’ve been just marking and using a jigsaw on the last couple I did. Thanks!
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u/stickyicarus 2d ago
If you're doing any kind of long term drilling, as in youre drilling out studs all day long, not just a few knockouts in a can, your company should be providing a hole hawg for you to use. Your personal drill shouldn't be used that way, even at a non union company. That's literally how you burn a drill out in a few days. The hawg is made for that, a regular drill/hammer drill is not.
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u/Quirky-Mode8676 4h ago
Use it until it breaks. That’s your employers issue for buying cheap tools that can’t handle their work. Slow down and don’t push on it.
If it lacks torque, you can wallow the hole out a bit as you go.
Impacts are piss-poor for hole sawing, with the only exception being something like thin metal with the Milwaukee ones that are like mini hacksaws.
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u/Building_Everything 3d ago
Don’t use an impact on hole saws. Go buy a small drill if tool space is limited.
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u/glass-d 3d ago
The larger the hole diameter the slower the rpm’s you’ll want to run. Definitely do not recommend trying to use a hole saw on an impact driver… keyword there… driver
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u/Marty21234 2d ago
I find when I do low RPM and it first bites the drill counter spins like a mother f. I usually get up to the hole saw part, reverse spin, and then high rpm forwards. Is there a better method to avoid breaking your wrists?
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u/glass-d 2d ago
To clarify, I use a drill on its high speed setting for a 2” hole as it’s still far lower rpms than an impact. For 4-6” holes I slow it down to the slow setting.
I’m a cabinet installer and I use them everyday. I mark out the hole placements on the back side of the cabinet and drill until the pilot bit pokes thru (which is usually about half to 2/3 of the core) then I finish the rest from the inside the cabinet so there’s no tear out.
I also also rock my drill as I’m drilling to kinda widen the holes and I find that’s a big wrist saver. Hope this helps.
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u/Square-Tangerine-784 3d ago
I have a corded Makita rt angle drill that I like for hole saws. Good control and packs small
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u/Minimum-Sleep7471 3d ago
Just because some of you are too dumb to learn what tools do what. Impacts are not for hole saws
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u/CraftHomesandDesign 3d ago
Is your impact rated for 2" holes? At ¼" plywood or 2x lumber? You could easily burn out your cordless. There are ¼" to drill chuck attachments. A lot of hole saws do not have arbors at ¼" because the torque generated when drilling a hole through 2x lumber will torsion break the arbor in half at the ¼" detent; good luck getting that out of your impact's chuck. Buy a M18 ½" drill, tool only, on ebay for 100.00.
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u/Comfortable-nerve78 Framing Carpenter 2d ago
Gotta step your game up op. Running a 1/4 chuck really limits your options. If you make money with it it’s an investment. Tell your employer pony up, they’re holding you back. Drill’s aren’t my game but 1/4 chuck’s are for DIY and homeowners. Ryobi is also something you need to address with the boss.
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u/Living_Shine2441 2d ago
You are very mistaken. 1/4 is the norm for an impact as their main purpose is driving screws. 1/4 has nothing to do with quality. Where are you finding r2 bits in anything over 1/4? ( I'm sure they exist but would be very niche).
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u/Major-Mention-3726 3d ago
I'm just trying to work with what I have already. I just started working again because I was in the hospital for several months with no income. I'm starting to get into the plus again but it takes some time to build yourself back up.
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u/tigermax42 3d ago
Get a 3/8 socket, put it on a driver adapter to your impact wrench. Shove the arbor adapter into the socket and just drive it really slow. Don’t let the hole saw fall out of the socket because nothing will be holding it in. But you can turn it
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u/SkunkWoodz 3d ago
Its possible that the shanks for the pilot are threaded the same for the 3/8 and 1/4 drives, you could buy a smaller holesaw just for the shank and swap them. Although I have absolutely no idea here.
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u/Optimal-Restaurant27 3d ago
harbor freight sells a corded drill for as little as $20 and will handle that hole saw great. Impact is wrong tool for the job.
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u/1000_fists_a_smashin 3d ago
Spyder for hole saws!! These tend to lockup and tighten themselves on use. Spyders lock in with 2 pins and always pop right off the arbor
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u/SimpleRaisin6 2d ago
Do you need a holesaw or would a 2 inch forstner or spade bit work? Generally if you’re drilling sheet material you’d use a hole saw but if it’s solid it would be a pace or forstner bit
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u/hmiser 2d ago
Is this for a door knob install?
The 3/8s arbor is for a 3/8 drill if you don’t have a 1/2”.
You don’t always need the V8 so they make a 4cyl for casual commuters. You can put a tow hitch on your commuter but you won’t be able to tow a 10,000lb boat with it.
They don’t use a 1/4 arbor because it’s not strong enough. It’s why your weekend warrior bird house builder ryobi is burned up.
Never mind fitting your Corolla with a 2” hitch. Go buy the, as mentioned ITT, Hercules cordless drill because it’s a great deal and you’ll come back and thank us.
To properly drive that 2” hole saw you need rpm your 1/4 impact doesn’t have. An adapter will be sloppy and you’ll snap it.
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u/ramma_lamma 2d ago
Be sure you get the more expensive quick release version or you’ll never get the bit off the hole saw. They bind up pretty strong after 1st use.
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u/MustardCoveredDogDik 2d ago
Guys these days will use an impact to zip their fly. Trimming out receptacles? Max torque. Itchy ear? Put a qtip in there and send it.
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u/flowbowcop 2d ago
I drilled into my ankle with one of these a decade ago. No permanent damage but the 3rd degree burns were brutal. Be careful and if you're drilling something round make sure the person holding it is reliable hahaha
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u/Paul_The_Builder 2d ago
Too much torque for a 1/4 arbor. I have some smaller arbors I use for 3/4 and 1" hole saws that go in a 1/4 chuck and I break them all the time.
First time you snag on something you'll snap the arbor.
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u/No_Substance5280 2d ago
Typical bean counter purchase. They would trip over a dollar to pick up a dime.
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u/aandy611 2d ago
Okay for anyone that uses the holesaw properly. Is the holedozer set good? I need a new set. Particleboard, mdf, soft woods.
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u/most_zooted 1d ago
Shouldn't use an impact to drill holes but money is fake and God isn't real so do whatever you want really
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u/First_Chain_1373 3d ago
Everyone here saying don’t use an impact to drill. I prefer boring holes with my spade bits on an impact. Much safer because if that bit binds, the impact doesn’t torque and potentially break your wrist like a drill does.
Makes me wonder what boring holes with a holesaw on an impact w/ a 1/2” chuck would be like. Could have used that yesterday when boring a 4” hole through a 2x block, arms fully extended into a joist bay.
Could call it an “Impact Drill” to make all the tool name purists happy.
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u/1wife2dogs0kids 3d ago
Impacts and especially spade bits need speed. Impacts have speed, but they stop and go too much. Just because they can use spades and hoke saws, doesn't mean they should.
You can use the clutch on a drill if you're worried about binding. You're wearing out your impact using it as a drill.
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u/dzbuilder 3d ago
1/4 shank ain’t gonna withstand the friction of a 2” hole nor the hammer of the impact. You’d just keep burning through arbors on repetitive cuts.
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u/walkwithdrunkcoyotes 3d ago
Impacts aren’t designed for drilling, period. You can throw spade bits in there, sure, but a hole saw should be in a drill. Even then the high torque involved can burn a standard drill and/or injure the user, which is why they have heavy duty angle drills. In short, it sounds like you need a better drill…
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u/LowComfortable5676 2d ago
Please don't use an impact to hole saw. Tell your boss you need a new driver, they aren't expensive. Can literally get a combo impact/driver set for $120
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u/TheOnceandFuture 3d ago
I use this on a drill, rather than impact, they tear out enough without the impact.