Using a hole saw to bore into wood is useful for door hardware installation, for example. For example, a hole saw can be used when installing light fixtures, whether it is a hole for a ceiling fixture or wall sconce. Using a hole saw into drywall is a popular and appropriate use. There are several different types of uses and scenarios where you would want to use a hole saw. These include wood, drywall, plastic, and even stainless steel. Speaking of different materials to drill into, the hole saw is versatile in that it can be used across various materials.

Tip: If necessary, you can fill the small pinholes with wood putty or spackle (depending on what material you are drilling into) Then, simply pry off the guide - and now you have a clean, large, and perfectly round hole. Drill the larger hole saw inside the template. I prefer securing the guide, opposed to holding it in place or using a clamp, because it is more firmly in place and also safer.įor tips on the best technique to use, see my article on how to bore clean holes with a hole saw. It doesn’t have to be perfect or pretty as we will be taking this template off as soon as we’ve bored the larger hole. An easy way to secure this is with a pin nailer or small finish nails. The next step is to center the guide over the hole that you want to enlarge.

Find a scrap piece of wood - any piece of wood will do. Your hole saw kit may come with multiple sizes. In this post and video, I will show you how to make a template so you can easily enlarge a hole with a hole saw.įirst, determine how large you want your hole and select the appropriately sized hole saw to install on your drill. The solution is to make a hole template that will act as your guide. So, how do you enlarge a hole with a hole saw? What do you do if you’ve already made a hole and now you want it bigger? Not to worry, I have a solution for this problem… So, what happens if you’ve made a hole with your hole saw and now you realize that you need the hole to be bigger? The problem now is that there is nothing for the pilot bit to hold onto. Because of this, they are seemingly unhelpful if you are trying to enlarge an existing hole as the bit has nothing to drill into. With the pilot bit at their center, it keeps the saw teeth in place. The way a hole saw works, is that they are guided by a center pilot bit. Because it cuts out the perimeter line of the hole, it is also much more efficient than a spade drill for example. It can cut holes with much larger diameters than traditional drill bits. It makes perfectly round holes in wood, sheetrock, and other materials. Whenever you need to drill large diameter holes quickly and cleanly, a hole saw is often times the tool of choice.

Hole saw