Milwaukee hole saw pilot bit

[1190R]

I've got an older hole saw kit and was drilling some sheet metal and broke two pilot bits before finishing the job probably because I did not stay perfectly perpendicular to the material
The bits that come in the kit are high speed steel and run about $10

High Speed Steel Pilot Bit 1/4" x 4" | Milwaukee Tool

Milwaukee Thunderbolt pilot bits are designed for extreme durability and long life. The Thunderbolt web features a thicker core than a standard pilot bit, which provides ultimate strength and protects against side-load breakage. A specially designed parabolic flute form clears chips and debris...

www.milwaukeetool.com

Milwaukee also has a carbide tipped bit that runs about $3

1/4" x 4" Carbide Tipped Pilot Bit

Milwaukee carbide tipped pilot bits are designed for long life in abrasive materials. Use for drilling fiberglass, brick, block and tile. Tungsten carbide tipped for extreme durability. Features a 3-flat shank that won't slip in arbor or chuck.

www.milwaukeetool.com

I mostly use the kit for wood and thin metal
Is the HSS bit worth 3 times the price for my purposes or should I refill the kit with carbide tipped bits?

 

[Zewnten]

So I drill the hole with a regular drill bit and replaced the pilot bit with a piece of metal rod (bolt would work I'm sure) and no more broken bits. Just my thoughts.

 

[1190R]

So I drill the hole with a regular drill bit and replaced the pilot bit with a piece of metal rod (bolt would work I'm sure) and no more broken bits. Just my thoughts.

smart

 

[RTM]

Or go off brand

4 1/4" Hole Saw Pilot Bit

4 1/4" Hole Saw Pilot Bit

www.harryepstein.com

Sheet metal probably doesn't care the quality of the bit, it should contort around the bit it seems.

They have a shorty too

3" Hole Saw Pilot Bit

3" Hole Saw Pilot Bit

www.harryepstein.com

Not sure how long you need, I try to stay relatively short, not too much longer than the saw itself

1/4" Norseman Heavy Duty Stubby Drill Bit

1/4" Norseman Heavy Duty Stubby Drill Bit

www.harryepstein.com

 

[Lwel9226]

So I drill the hole with a regular drill bit and replaced the pilot bit with a piece of metal rod (bolt would work I'm sure) and no more broken bits. Just my thoughts.

I have been doing exactly that for probably 50 years..... works great....

LynnW

 

[EricS]

Another for the pre drill and use metal rod. It also saves the teeth on the holesaw as people don't end up slamming the teeth of the saw when the drill bit breaks through.

 

[timgunn1962]

The predrill and use a plain rod is a pretty useful way to improve the quality of cut, particularly on bigger sizes of holesaw used with handheld drills. The normal pilot bit tends to get moved about a bit if/when the teeth on the holesaw first start to bite and can chew into the side of the pilot hole, allowing the holesaw to wander until it has cut deep enough to guide on the outer edge, rather than on the pilot drill.

If I need accuracy (it's a relative term: we are talking holesaws) on site, I'll usually holesaw a hole through a piece of scrap , clamp the scrap to the desired hole location, take the pilot bit out of the holesaw, and cut the hole using the clamped-on scrap as the guide/locator. This method is also very useful when you need to cut a disk of metal without a hole in the middle. In the shop, I'll normally just use the drill press if practicable.

I've used steel, wood and MDF as the scrap material. MDF is what I use when it's handy, though steel is obviously better when there are a large number of holes needed and particularly when a cutting lube is required.

 

[sparky 1971]

I also drill a pilot hole, but just use the hole saw arbor. After the pilot is drilled I put the hole saw on. Every single time I've broken a pilot bit, it's been when the pilot bit broke through and the saw slammed into whatever material I'm drilling through.