# How to cut a hole this big?



## pashley (Mar 22, 2008)

Here's the deal: i'm trying to cut a 3" hole in a 1 1/2" thick board - how to do it quickly and cleanly? The hole is completely inboard (so to speak) - that is, something like a band saw would be out.

I'm afraid something like this will plug up so badly I'll never get the cutting out:









I don't think a circle cutter will cut that thick of a piece.









Any ideas?


----------



## pete79 (Oct 20, 2009)

I just did something like this a couple days ago….drill a pilot hole all the way through the piece with a smaller bit than the hole saw's (first pic) pilot bit uses. Then use the hole saw to cut part way through the piece, flip the piece over and cut with hole saw from other side. If the hole saw is less than 1.5" deep, you should be able to just grab the waste and pull it out. If not, there should be a hole in the back of it to let you punch it out of the saw.

This is the same method that is typically used for cutting holes in doors for door handles and seems to work pretty well.

Hope that made sense.


----------



## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

The hole saw you presented will cut the hole you indicated just fine. You have to cut a little at a time and then clean it out depending on the material. You don't just start drilling till it's all the way through. Use some finesse and common sense.
I usually prefer to use a self feed auger.


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I do it just like Pete suggested.


----------



## pete79 (Oct 20, 2009)

And because it seems required once in a while, I will throw in the inevitable…..

If you're cutting a 3" hole, you will have a heck of a time with the hole saw in the picture being a 4" hole saw unless you know magic.


----------



## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

http://www.amazon.com/Steelex-3-FORSTNER-BIT/dp/B0000DD0KZ
You will also need a drill press.

Bob


----------



## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

pete hahahaha


----------



## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

If you use a hole saw (like the one shown) it helps alot to clean out the teeth often. They get clogged up with saw dust because that type of hole saw doesn't allow the cuttings to self clean easily. The augers like the forstners or self feed augers are much faster for this reason. (but they are much more expensive)


----------



## KentS (May 27, 2009)

Pete was right--Twice 
I've done it that way-it works fine


----------



## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

No need to say anything this is covered by pete


----------



## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

Not if you want a perfect hole. Drilling from both sides can often leave a slight misalignment.


----------



## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

Mic_54 the misalignment would only happen if you went at it like a bull we have a good saying gently gently catch the monkey that would stop it


----------



## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

Do it your way then. I'm the one that said "finesse"


----------



## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

I didnt mean to upset or offend you Mics_54


----------



## antmjr (Sep 7, 2009)

Only 1 1/2" thick board? cannot you hole-saw from one side? (be aware that 3'' diameter may be a lot: are you sure your power drill is strong enough? Mine is a portable METABO 600W, and frankly it would suffer with such a big hole saw)
--
Another method is to use the router with a guide bush; here a recess I made this way (black locust) :


----------



## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

If you have a lot to do I would go with the Forstner bit but using the two side method would work with the circle cutter too. We are only talking about 3/4" from each side.

Just make sure you use a drill press and that the piece being drilled is securely clamped to the table….Do not try to hold it by hand with any of these methods unless you like bruises and broken fingers.


----------



## gagewestern (Mar 24, 2009)

if you drill a hole just inside the the circle say 3/8 in dia. the saw dust will not clog as much. if this is a peice of good wood that is showing not covered up i think the forstner might splinter if its not nice and sharp or you are useing a hand drill


----------



## mark88 (Jun 8, 2009)

scroll saw if you can


----------



## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

I don't know what choice I'd make, so I'm staying out of this one. Just more than one way to skin a kitten.


----------



## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

Pommy, You didn't


----------



## Dovetail (Nov 16, 2009)

How about a drill press and drum sander? Just wonderin…


----------



## rhett (May 11, 2008)

2 3/4" lead slug from about 3 feet away should do it. Might have some tearout though.


----------



## GaryC (Dec 31, 2008)

My suggestion is send it to Pommy, with a bowl of Kidney Stew.


----------



## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

I think this is what gagewestern was suggesting. I have seen this tip before but have never tried it; it makes sense to me. I also ensure I clean the teeth of the hole saw before beginning and if it may be a tough job, I rub some beeswax on the teeth also.


----------



## wiswood2 (Apr 12, 2008)

Hole saw will do just great back it out and clean the teath everonce in a little time go tel the guide bit comes thru and then turn it over add finish cutting it . then file it smoth in the center
Chuck


----------



## teenagewoodworker (Jan 31, 2008)

i would use the router and template. pretty fast very easy and it will ensure that your cut is square


----------



## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

ive developed a new method for this very thing…draw the outline of your circle with a lead pencil..then place 10 of my specialy trained termites within the circle…come back to it in 8 hours and you will have a perfect 3 inch wide circle…...they will have also used the wood taken from the circle and would have made a small board to use for a diffrent project down the road…...this is just amazing…and no power tools required….no thanks nessesary…lol…..sorry i could not resist


----------



## Kindlingmaker (Sep 29, 2008)

One of the things I do is to wax the inside of a hole saw and that helps alot for the chunk of wood coming out. As in your picture there are holes in the hole saw to assist in wood removal also. A 3" hole is not that big put your arm is going to get tired…


----------



## McLeanVA (Dec 30, 2008)

Forstner bit is the cleanest option, but you can also drill a large pilot hole, double stick tape a 3" circle template and use a flush-trim router bit to smooth it out.


----------



## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

McLeanVA, if you used a flush-trim bit with a template, you'd need to have a 3" circle in the template. Otherwise, the circle would be 3" + 2 x bit diameter.

Jim


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Hole saws are too expensive to burn up cutting wood. They are made for metal which dissipates the heat.


----------



## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

I agree with the 2 sided hole saw method. The main problem with mis-alignment on the second cut is if your drill press table is not perfectly perpendicular to the quill. This is paramount to a smooth clean hole. The 2 sided method also eliminates any chipping/tearout on the bottom.
Also, I made 9 step stools that required 18- 4" Dia. hole through 3/4" oak. The hole saw still looks new. The white paint is perfect. You just need to run the quill speed slow enough to almost be able to see the teeth spinning and apply enough pressure to keep from dwelling. If you get chatter, the old rule of thumb is "slow down the speed and increase the feed".
Hope this helps.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

I too favor cutting from both sides. This is also makes it easier to remove the waste disk that is created. If the disk edge is totally covered by the saw cylinder sides it can be really difficult to remove.


----------



## rareddy (Jan 31, 2009)

How about a router on a circle cutting jig? Go from both sides, and not quite all the way through. Then you can clean it up by hand.


----------



## SEE (Sep 23, 2009)

I've done that with a Grizzly circle cutter. Their's is a bit different than most circle cutters that I've seen. It has a round blade. It won't work with the stock blade.

I bought some 1/4 HSS end mills and had them cut to my specified length and sharpened the way that I wanted them. It'll cut like butter through 1 1/2" stock. Again, it won't work with the stock blade. But, the results with the blades I had made are perfect.


----------



## SEE (Sep 23, 2009)

I've done that with a Grizzly circle cutter. Their's is a bit different than most circle cutters that I've seen. It has a round blade. It won't work with the stock blade.

I bought some 1/4 HSS end mills and had them cut to my specified length and sharpened the way that I wanted them. It'll cut like butter through 1 1/2" stock. Again, it won't work with the stock blade. But, the results with the blades I had made are perfect.


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

It depends on how close a tolerance you have on the 3" dia. If you don't have a 3" forstner bit( first choice) then you could layout the hole and drill a hole inside about tangent to the line and scroll saw it and then drum sand it to make it almost perfect. A fly cutter will work coming from both sides, but you need a long straight bit well relieved to get down 3/4" I have one that will do that if you need it. It takes a 3/8 Pilot hole.

.............Jim


----------

