Southwire has some new cutting tools, including a bi-metal hole saw kit thatโs designed for fast cutting of metals like steel, aluminum, and brass as well as wood, plastic, and drywall. The kit includes 6 different hole saws ranging in size from 7/8-inch to 2-1/2 inches, and there are two mandrels including a 3/8-inch quick change model thatโs very similar to what weโve seen in the Lenox Speed Slot hole saws.ย I like the deeper thickness of the back plate on these, howeverโyou can get a better grip on the mandrel when releasing it from the hole saw. Theย Southwire Bi-Metal holesaw kit BMHSKIT9 is just the latest product from this company to hit the market. Based on recent acquisitions and products announcements, Iโd say this is just the start. To give you an idea, products likeย Yellow Jacket extension cords and the Coleman Cable LED power light are now part of the family.
Southwire Bi-Metal Holesaw Kit Features
Hole saws are a very common tool, so you get used to looking for the differentiating factors that help each product stand out. Aside from their coloring, the mandrels really made an impression, and their hardened steel composition should make for an extremely durable product that wonโt break or even cross-thread after years of use. The hole saw teeth are pretty standard, but aggressive, so theyโll cut quickly through both wood and steel. Speaking of the mandrel, it uses largeย pin locks to drive the hole saw without forcing itย to thread so fully onto the mandrelย that you canโt get it off again.ย Over-tightening is a huge issue with hole saws, and weโre really enjoying the many solutions coming to market to help you remove the hole saws more quickly and easily. Many a Pro has cursed his hole sawsย when he had to reach for a pipe wrench to get it off the mandrel. This solution just works.
The drill bits on the 3/8-inch mandrels are split tip, so they wonโt walk on you. We found them to be really fast when drilling through plaster and into woodโtheyโll doย equally well on steel.ย About the only negative on the Southwire Bi-Metalย holesย kit is the use ofย really thin access portsย for plug removal. The upside, of course, is thatย the quick release mandrels letย you pull out the drill bit and eject the plug from behind (using the bit).
Southwire Bi-Metal Holesaw Kit Includes
- 7/8โณ hole saw
- 1-1/8โณ hole saw
- 1-3/8โณ hole saw
- 1-3/4โณ hole saw
- 2โณ hole saw
- 2-1/2โณ hole saw
- 3/8โณ hex shank mandrel
- 3/8โณ quick change mandrel
- 1/4โณ pilot bits
- High-impact, rugged plastic carrying case
Using theย Southwire Bi-Metal Holesaw Kit
We got a chance to experience theย Southwire Bi-Metal holes kit when we mounted a television in a local church. While not exactly a test of cutting prowess, the saw did manage toย plunge through about 1-1/4 inches of plaster, lathe, and drywall to run our cables.
The 1-1/8 inch hole saw cut cleanlyย through the material so quickly, our main photo was blurryโI barely had enough time to click the shutter! The split tip on the included drill bits areย asย nice in actual use as they are in theory. They stay where you put them, and that should be the case with either metal or wood. Weโre looking forward to using these hole saws on more and more projects, but for now weโre anticipating these are going to continue to perform very well for general use.
