Hole hawg or regular drill??

[scribble79]

I will be working on wiring up my 24x26 garage in the new few weeks and was wondering if purchasing a hole hawg drill would be worth it. I will be mainly drilling 3/4-1" holes but have been known to do some larger hole saws away from my drill press. I would be going with the m18 fuel version not the super hawg as I think that is overkill.

Thank You for everyone's assistance.

 

[oldwino]

Hard to beat a hole hog (never used the m18 version though). If you have power available the corded right angle Milwaulkee drills are a bit cheaper and will definitely do the job

 

[nadogail]

If you are absolutely certain that you will never need a Hole Hawg ever again I suggest you rent one. A good 3/8 drill and spade bits will be enough for most residential wiring jobs.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

ive seen several hole hawgs and super hawgs on the local CL and offerup for under a hundred dollars this year. some are in pretty good shape. if it was me I'd go that route.

 

[larry4406]

Regular drill and Klein auger bit is what I have used.

The 90 degree drill would have very limited uses for me. Unless perhaps it were variable speed reversible and then it could also serve as the drive for a bead roller I would like to one day make.

 

[gagecalman]

I use these with my Dewalt impact driver. Works great. They also make shorter bits and larger sizes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LQ9054/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have always said a 1/2" corded drill with TRIPLE gear reduction is the most useful.

 

[ez-duzit]

Get the corded 1/2" Milwaukee.

 

[Lassen Forge]

My 1/2" corded hole hawg (and a generator) would drive a ships auger through railroad ties on site over and over and over and over... sometimes through 2 at a time, and even occasionally 3...

It's one of the tools for which, when we move overseas, I'm bringing a generator with me...

 

[tarmy]

The torque and slow speed of a 1/2” Milwaukee corded hawg with good auger bits is hard to beat.. the bits just **** themselves thru the wood with little effort. Gotta hang on though, cause if it binds it will break you wrist if you are not careful.

 

[brownbagg]

hole hawg, yet, every penny
i use mine to start my riding mower every week

 

[Onator]

If you were just a bit closer to the TC's I'd loan you my Hole Hawg. I so rarely use it - but when I do, its a Godsend!

 

[adrenalinejeeper]

We bought a Super Hawg for our project, it may have been a little overkill but it has been great. It is heavy, but that weight comes in handy drilling down through triple top plates and beams. Just let the weight of the drill push the spade bit through...

Punching through studs is easy work for it, but the weight can get a little awkward if there are a lot of holes to drill repeatedly. The Super Hawg is reserved for the bigger or deeper holes.

We bought it with the intentions of selling it when we're done with this build, but I've grown to really like it. I may keep it "just in case".

 

[mike93lx]

For rarely used tools, I always go corded. The tool will easily outlast the battery platform that you are currently on.

That said, that's a lot of money spent for a single project. Whether that is worth it to you can't be answered by us

 

[Kaizen]

I've always used basic cordless dewalt drill with a bit like this. Only had an issue going through 8" old pine sill. 2x never an issue. Hole hawg not needed. I'd only get one if you were a plumber or electrician.

DIABLO 1/2 in. x 7-1/2 in. Auger Bit for Wood and Nail-Embedded Wood (1-Piece) DAG1050 - The Home Depot

Complete your wood cutting work easily and quickly with the selection of this wonderful DIABLO High Speed Steel Auger Bit.

www.homedepot.com

 

[signcrafter]

I have the m18 hole hawg and love it. The control it gives you is worth every penny. Almost zero chance of it twisting you because it caught like a normal drill does. I use it overhead one handed to drill top plates with zero issues.

For a small garage you can do it with a normal drill. But if you think you might use it in the future then get the hawg. It's so nice for hole saws for things like plumbing repairs.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

A Hole Hawg for one project is not a good ROI.

I personally have been able to run wire on many projects with a standard 1/2” corded drill and a few different sized auger bits. The drill is also a hammer drill- it gets a lot of work.

If I had a Hole Hawg it would spend a lot of time in the cabinet!

 

[mike93lx]

I find an impact with a hex-drive spade bit to work well as it is short enough to fit inside a stud bay

 

[jetnow1]

I wired my garage with just my 18 volt makita drill. New framing lumber is not difficult to drill if you have sharp drill bits. A Hole Hawg is a great tool but heavy and not really needed for most new construction. On old houses it is a god send.

 

[Prospecter]

I generally figure my DIY pays for any tools I purchase to do the project. And new, cool tool? No downside there!

 

[scribble79]

I decided against the hole hawg and just used my m18 drill and impact's with the Irwin speedbore bits I already had along with a decently used auger bit I found when moving things back to the garage. Save the funds for items I will use more frequently.