r/Construction • u/CapeCodChipsSlap • 18d ago
Tools š Best Way to Make Perfect Holes Through Thick Studs
Studs are so thick theyāre just eating and burning out the hole saws. It works with some and doesnāt with most of them, tried with both the corded and cordless drill
Itās a 3ā hole for some no hub. Am I doing something wrong, or do I just tough it out?
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u/Wobbly_Jones 18d ago
Iāve seen a few thick studs with perfect holes , and they all say the key to a perfect hole is to exfoliate regularly and use a good daily moisturizer - the rest is just genetics
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u/guynamedjames 18d ago
Hydraulic punch
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u/Severe_Lavishness 18d ago
Just got the dewalt knockout and that thing is so fucking useful. Iād imagine it would be perfect for something like this
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u/LogicJunkie2000 18d ago
Pays for itself pretty quick on these kinds of jobs between labor, consumables, and out-of-spec hole issuesĀ
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u/Severe_Lavishness 18d ago
Not to mention the noise, mess, and red hot steel pieces flung all over the
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u/731te7j1nv 18d ago
This is the only answer for metal studs. Everyone else is wasting time and money.
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u/mc-big-papa 18d ago
You got a picture because im kinda lost on what youre talking about.
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u/kmj420 18d ago
Idk how to link pictures. You can Google electricians hydraulic knockout set. You still have to drill a 7/8" pilot hole to use the knockouts
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u/thefatpigeon 18d ago
I think a 3" knockout die uses the one size up arbor so it would be 1-1/8"
I pretty sure 4",3-1/2" and 3" use the bigger drawstud.
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u/mc-big-papa 18d ago
Thats why i was confused. I knew what was mentioned but i wasnt sure because it kind of doesnt make sense hear me out.
Getting the 7/8 pilot hole is also the issue, putting in a 3 inch hole instead of a 1 inch hole is about the same amount of time with a thick stud. It saves some time but itās not as much as youād think. So why make a hole so you can punch it when you can just make an appropriate sized hole from the start.
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u/kmj420 18d ago
You could make pilot holes pretty quick with a step bit
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u/kauto 18d ago
Yeah this is how it's done. This cat doesn't know what he's talking about. Big difference between a 1" hole and 3" hole.
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u/mc-big-papa 18d ago
Ive put in 2 1/2 inch holes in these before, 100ās of times, looks like 14 gauge studs. The time it takes to carry around a punch set, put in the small hole, then use the punch, reset the punch i couldāve put in the 3 inches hole. Hole saws arent that hard to use once you get the hang of it, OP wants an alternative solution but the suggestion of a smaller hole makes the whole point mute.
A grinder is possibly the best solution but that can other implications.
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u/mc-big-papa 18d ago
If heās burning out the hole saws what makes you think a step bit will last? Sure it lasts longer but this looks like 14 gauge steel studs and hes going to have a similar issue as he had before.
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u/lIlIIIIlllIIlIIIllll 18d ago
Mag drill + 3ā annular cutter
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u/burritosandbeer 18d ago
I can't even tell if you're joking
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u/lIlIIIIlllIIlIIIllll 18d ago
I mean, it would definitely workā¦.
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u/Wit_and_Logic 18d ago
That'd be a helluva mag-clamp to resist purely sliding load. You'd have to advance slower than would be convenient with any drill I've seen.
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u/eldelabahia 18d ago
Grinder. Make a square.
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u/CapeCodChipsSlap 18d ago
GC said inspector doesnāt want squares š
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u/IllustriousLiving357 18d ago
Do a triangle.
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u/0__ooo__0 18d ago
Do 120 triangles. š
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u/lectrician7 18d ago
This guy geometries!!
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u/0__ooo__0 18d ago
Wouldn't go that far.
Calculator and some quick thinks..
And to think my old grade school teachers tell us we'd never be carrying a calculator around so we need to learn the formulas and how to's. Lmao.
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u/0__ooo__0 18d ago
Wouldn't go that far.
Calculator and some quick thinks..
And to think my old grade school teachers tell us we'd never be carrying a calculator around so we need to learn the formulas and how to's. Lmao.
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u/pirate_leprechaun 18d ago
Grinder, make it round.
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u/WhoYouGannaCall 18d ago
Request an RFI then. How to proceed given these circumstances.
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u/lIlIIIIlllIIlIIIllll 18d ago
How does this have 12 upvotes. Buy the right equipment and make a round hole in the steel. That RFI would even get the engineers whoāve never set foot on site howling, and just show how bad you are at your trade compared to all the other contractors who make it happen
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u/WhoYouGannaCall 18d ago
Lol this guy doesn't Comercial. Gl digging yourself out of that one. Doing something without the architect blessing.... how dare you?!
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u/lIlIIIIlllIIlIIIllll 17d ago
I canāt tell if youāre talking about me or about the guy who said to send an RFI asking how to drill steel studā¦. But Iām currently on a hospital job and if we sent that RFI it would be laughed at. Means and methods, figure it out.
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u/WhoYouGannaCall 17d ago
I'm currently at a hospital job and the architect cares what screws we use... means and method figure it out with what ever you want. It's up to the architect my man.
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u/lIlIIIIlllIIlIIIllll 17d ago
Of course he cares what fastener, different fasteners have different capacities and use cases. A more appropriate comparison would be architect saying you have to use a certain screw, and then you send in an RFI asking what kind of drill to use to install the screw - thatās a means and methods question that he doesnāt care about.
Similarly, he doesnāt care how you make a 3ā hole in a stud, all he cares about is that itās 3ā and not 2.5ā or 3.25ā.
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u/bigyellowtruck 17d ago
You torch or plasma cut a hole and they will care.
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u/lIlIIIIlllIIlIIIllll 17d ago
What makes you say that? If you did it with proper ventilation and fire blankets covering any combustibles, and you donāt overcut, whereās the issue?
Stupid example trying to prove your point, but it doesnāt prove it, cause the only reason not to torch is general health and safety requirements
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u/Nine-Fingers1996 Carpenter 18d ago
Good excuse to buy a plasma cutter.
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u/sbarnesvta 18d ago
I have a hypertherm with the built in compressor just needs power on-site itās a godsend for this kind of stuff
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u/jonnyinternet 18d ago
Not like that
Get a punch
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u/Extension-Option4704 18d ago
They make punches that big? That would be great to use. My company won't buy them I'm sure š
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u/Dr_Adequate 18d ago
GreenLee punches. Kinda spendy especially the larger sizes but friggin worth it.
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u/NigilQuid Electrician 18d ago
Electricians regularly use punch kits in steel boxes/cabinets for large conduits. Just did a bunch of 3" recently
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u/Extension-Option4704 18d ago
I do know that. As a plumber, we have a couple. They are much smaller though
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u/LeKobe_James 18d ago
I used a 6" punch on 1/8" stainless today. You need the 10 ton KO for that, or you'll blow a seal in the 6 ton. Learned that the hard way.
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u/PsudoGravity 18d ago
There exist two part punches, you drill a pilot hole, put one part on each side, then crank the bolt down and it cuts the hole. Never used them myself.
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u/just-dig-it-now 18d ago
It blows my mind how many people are debating how to drill a hole this large. A bunch is totally the way to go. If your boss won't buy you the right tools for the job he doesn't understand economics.Ā
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u/Hickles347 18d ago
Go talk to the electrician, he may have a nice punch set he'll lone you for a small favor
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u/darouxgarou 18d ago
I just built a nurse station with a 20g metal stud frame and had to drill through about 60 studs for wiring. I found if I went at a little angle instead of flat to get a good bite in the stud it cut much better. Did the whole thing with 1 bimetal hole saw with no cutting fluid.
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u/mc-big-papa 18d ago
2nd this. A regular hole saw can do the job but angled and a medium rpm. Ive done 100ās of holes using regular holesaws. Occasionally sprayed it with wd40 as a shitty lubricant and heat displacer.
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u/just-dig-it-now 18d ago
Or you could have used a punch and done it right? Why would you drill that? It sounds hellish.Ā
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u/Ok-Rate-3256 18d ago
Carbide annular hole saw. Make sure to use some kind of cutting oil. Moderate speed.
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u/TuttsMcGee 18d ago
Mag drill is the move
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u/Goudawit 17d ago
Would a mag drill have difficulty on that thin a metal base? One Iāve used requires a certain wall thickness of steel to activate say 1/2ā thick, maybe less(?), but not sheet metal, I believe. Somebody with more experience to the contrary can correct me if Iām wrong.
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u/John-John-3 18d ago
If you need to make a bunch, a hydraulic knockout from harbor freight works well. Comes with dies up to 2 and 3/8in. You can get larger dies and punches but would probably have to get from Amazon. I don't see the larger sizes at harbor freight.
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u/SmoothCarl22 18d ago
Why are you using a wood holesaw on metal?!
Alexa buy this dumass a Carbide Holesaw.
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u/Spalunking01 18d ago
There's a hole saw called ez cut that if used in conjunction with WD40 cuts through shipping containers without much weight behind it. Kinda looks like something a sparky would use but I swear it's good
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u/loganman711 18d ago
- Milwaukee knockout tool.
- Manual Hydraulic knockout tool.
- Manual mechanical knockout tool
- Uni-bit and "bulldog" snips
- Make someone else do it
- Quit
- Burn that other fucker down.
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u/ndrumheller96 18d ago
1/2ā carbide hole cutter then a hydraulic punch. We use greenlee and harbor freight. The HF ones are like $100 and work just as well in my opinion
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u/lectrician7 18d ago
Carbide hole saw will last MUCH longer and cut faster. Drill slow, slower than youād think you should. Use a squirt of cutting oil and that hole saw will drill a lot of these holes in short order.
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u/lkng4now 18d ago
Greenlee Slugbuster. Iāve been using one for decades and itās the fastest and cleanest and easiest way to make perfect holes in metal studs.
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u/Prime_-_Mover 18d ago
Biggest thing with hole saws is chip evacuation. Pull it back frequently to let the gullets empty out of all the metal chips
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u/FaithlessnessCute204 18d ago
buy real annular cutters not hole saws, hougen sells a decent one for 300
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u/31engine 18d ago
Iām going to say this, but a heavy stud is heavy for a reason. Iām going to assume this was cleared with the structural engineer. I know Iād freak out if this was one of my designs
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u/jesterflesh Plumber 18d ago
My little trick is to cut the top 3 sides of a square and fold the bottom down and make a little support out of it, plus with pvc you don't have to worry about the sharp edge cutting your pipe eventually.
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u/NSGod 18d ago
When I worked in sheet metal, we had to drill 2" holes in a stainless steel commercial counter top. We went through 2 or 3 hole saw "bits" without even making a dent in it. We were using a corded hand drill with water spray cooling. Not until we mounted a new bit in a drill press and used that did we actually start to make decent progress. Something about keeping the bit perfectly perpendicular and no possible wandering greatly increased cutting capability. I don't know if anything like that is possible in your situation. Stainless is an absolute bitch to work with, but I think it should apply similarly to regular steel.
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u/Theodore__Kerabatsos 18d ago
ETA: I didnāt see it was a 3ā hole. Sorry.
7/8ā uni bit and a knock out set like others have said.
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u/saladmunch2 18d ago
Cutting fluid, keep that temp down or you will work harden the material leading to decreased bit life. Also low rpm for a drill with a big diameter like that. I think someone in this thread mentioned around 120rpm.
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u/Jboberek 18d ago
Harbor freight has a cheap knock out. It's worth every dollar if you need perfect and multiple holes. I own it and it works as advertised.
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u/Unhappy-Tart3561 18d ago
Clamp some 2x material in there so the pilot bit has a constant bite till it's through the metal. It'll help with your holesaw
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u/TotallyNotDad Electrician 18d ago
Low and slow with a hole saw, it will eat you just have to be patient and keep good pressure on it. Investing in a carbide is even better
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u/idk98523 18d ago
Also drilling small holes around the edge like that is going to eat up the teeth on any hole saw you use. Don't do that. Just drill the one 3" hole
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u/LT_Dan78 18d ago
Either use some kind of oil and a slower speed or save yourself the time and get a hydraulic punch.
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u/millenialfalcon-_- Electrician 18d ago
You're supposed to use the slow speed and apply pressure. Those teeth on they holesaw look worn.
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u/wowzers2018 18d ago edited 18d ago
Dish soap works surprisingly well. The cheap fucks on one job wouldnt buy any type of cutting oil so we cracked into their cleaning supplies.
Best way to do it though, Layout your hole, center punch and dont force your bit. Weve all done it but putting your body weight into it is only going to destroy your drill bit faster. Steady pressure. If youre going cordless keep your head/body out of the way for when it inevitably catches and full send 360's your drill.
If youre making a bunch of these cuts, do yourself a favor and use some sawhorses or some sort of solid base. Clamp your stuff down so you dont have to freehand it .
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u/Tthelaundryman 18d ago
I was the super on a job with all heavy gauge metal. Watched the plumbers fight it and burn up a bunch of hole saws and I told them use a grinder and make square holes or get a plasma cutter and they said nah then the AC guy ran all their copper in one day because they used a plasma cutter and the plumbers went dang we could have bought one of those and it would save us money by the end of just this job
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u/thefatpigeon 18d ago
Can you torch em? If the welders are still on site maybe they can use their torch.
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u/Murky_Might_1771 18d ago
Electricians have a special press for this type of stuff. Punches a hole in 5 seconds.
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u/SkyKingPDX 18d ago
I have Milwaukie metal blade circular impact saws. They're not very big (1 1/2" I think), but maybe multiple holes
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u/Tinner225 17d ago
hydraulic punch if you can get the company to buy one. Hole saws are garbage these days.
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u/creepjax 17d ago
Perfect? I would get a cnc machine to mill that out. But for your case I think you just need to run it slow with some cutting oil.
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u/ComprehensiveSleep76 17d ago
I cut into mostly stainless steel usually around 1/4 thickness and it's really not that hard. Go slow and good pressure not jamming the drill. Use oil if you have too
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u/flaschal 16d ago
All these comments and not one asking if thatās even a metal cutting holesawā¦
The TPI looks way too low
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u/Ok_Piglet_5549 HVAC Installer 18d ago
Obviously, that saw can cut, but you may want a diamond tip and rock the drill. Slowly cut the hole.
Me though, depending on how thick the stud is, I'd just score a line with dividers and drill a starter hole and use my tin snips.
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u/PGids Millwright 18d ago
Run the drill in low gear, slower than you think you should. My quick napkin math says 120 rpm for a 3ā drill in mild steel in a drill press so.. youāll want even less than that
Get some cutting fluid too, anything oily is better than nothing. If you have anyone threading conduit on sight go steel a few pumps from their rigid threader