Type of drill to get?

pirate · Jul 4, 2023

As an aside, check out the price for Milwaukee step-drills here:

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/c/tools/drill-bits/cat12140001?drillbittype=step

pirate · Jul 4, 2023

I have the Erbauer ones, and they are fine for light work, but when I bought mine a few years ago they were half the price shown, so prices have sure gone up.

nicebutdim · Jul 4, 2023

pirate said:
As an aside, check out the price for Milwaukee step-drills here:

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/c/tools/drill-bits/cat12140001?drillbittype=step

Seems the forum needs a 'shocked' emoji! I'm guessing they must be very good. While there nothing more useless than a poor quality step drill, £250 is a tad more expensive than one might expect to pay for good quality.

I have a small erbauer step drill. It's not up there with the best of them, but more than respectable for the price paid at the time. Treated with care they'll last quite well and certainly represent good value for money.

I think you've nailed the punch issue with the mention of time. While I like the idea of punches, I need to get stuff done quickly and efficiently and smooth cutting hole saws provide a decent compromise where it comes to making clean cuts quickly. If it came to fitting 50 loop in boxes to trunking, I'd be shown the door before punching a fraction of them.

pirate · Jul 4, 2023

Fair comment, @nicebutdim
Time is something of which I have plenty, but I fully realise that most guys don't have that luxury.
Just been helping a friend install CCTV and alarms and internet extenders...he hates what I do, I love what he does, but both retired so we just play about til we find a way we are both happy with and go for it!
His pet hate is my obsession with preventing premature collapse in the event of fire...but he goes with it, even though I may be slightly obsessive!
He knows his stuff though...I just install the cables!
We agonised for ages over gettin WiFi from the main building to a garage 50 metres away, but he came up with a mast on the main building and a receiver on the garage roof...we tweaked it for hours to get the best signal, then local lads kicked footballs against the garage mast and sent it askew...and it still works fine!
Variety...the spice of life!...and galvy band is your friend!

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

The time aspect is a factor for many commercial sparks, but of course if you have to work on an existing installation you also have to consider time / risk of masking off stuff and hoovering out swarf afterwards.

@pirate raised an important advantage and that is a hole punch can often be used in areas where you can't get a hole saw + battery drill in to, and I would also add that a hole punch is very useful if you have an existing hole that is too small. Unlike a saw, you can open out a big hole without precise centring, moving it a bit to one side if wanted, etc.

A cone drill is handy as well as it can open out holes, but they remain centred by design, sometimes better/easier, occasionally not best result is you need to clear larger gland nut, etc.

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

pirate said:
We agonised for ages over getting WiFi from the main building to a garage 50 metres away, but he came up with a mast on the main building and a receiver on the garage roof...we tweaked it for hours to get the best signal, then local lads kicked footballs against the garage mast and sent it askew...and it still works fine!
Variety...the spice of life!...and galvy band is your friend!

Sometimes radio is great, other time not! Running some outdoor CAT-5 cable, or fibre, is going to be faster and more reliable, but not always practical or cost-effective.

nicebutdim · Jul 5, 2023

I get that punches will operate within much tighter confines than a hole saw, but surely a pilot hole still needs to be drilled?

In really tight spots I'll use a less than powerful angle drill.

I'm still tempted to buy a few punches in common sizes...

rewireIT · Jul 5, 2023

pirate said:
He couldn't get his drill and hole saw anywhere near

How exactly do you use them? The only ones i've been able to find on youtube use something that looks like a drill so comparable in size

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

nicebutdim said:
I get that punches will operate within much tighter confines than a hole saw, but surely a pilot hole still needs to be drilled?

Yes, you need a pilot hole and for smaller sizes that may not be any more of a savings than a small drill & hole saw access. For larger sizes, like 51mm for large bushes, or cable glands, it is a space saving.

Sometimes you have an existing hole or knock-out that is not the wanted size but will do for pilot hole.

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

rewireIT said:
How exactly do you use them? The only ones i've been able to find on youtube use something that looks like a drill so comparable in size

The cup part goes on one side of the sheet, the die part other side, and then you tighten the through-bolt until the die is pulled through.

rewireIT · Jul 5, 2023

pc1966 said:
The cup part goes on one side of the sheet, the die part other side, and then you tighten the through-bolt until the die is pulled through.

Tighten it with what? I need to see one of these in action i can't picture how they're used. I've seen the milwaukee ones that use a gun type thing but not the manual ones

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

rewireIT said:
Tighten it with what? I need to see one of these in action i can't picture how they're used. I've seen the milwaukee ones that use a gun type thing but not the manual ones

Are you thinking of a cone/step drill, or a hole punch?

The cone/step drills are used just like a drill but as you push further in it gets larger.

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

Here is a hole punch in parts, dashed line where the metal sheet would be:

[ElectriciansForums.net] Type of drill to get?

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

That punch is small, 14.5mm, just one I had laying around my flat.

pirate · Jul 5, 2023

Couldn't use CAT5 or fibre as we had to cross ground not owned by us, otherwise that would have been preferable, @pc1966.
I see your punch has a nice big nut for tightening, which means you can use a ratchet and socket. My old ones were like that but recent ones are tightened by hex-wrench, which is not as good, imho.

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

pirate said:
My old ones were like that but recent ones are tightened by hex-wrench, which is not as good, imho.

You could change the bolts for hex-head ones, though often Alla bolts are in higher tensile steel (10.9 or 12.9, not the common 8.8)

Or get a set like this:

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/magnusson-1-2-drive-hex-bit-socket-rail-6-pieces/5207v

loz2754 · Jul 5, 2023

pc1966 said:
Are you thinking of a cone/step drill, or a hole punch?

The cone/step drills are used just like a drill but as you push further in it gets larger.

The eye-wateringly expensive Milwaukee knockout punch kit is an amazing tool for anyone punching a lot of holes.

telectrix · Jul 5, 2023

loz2754 said:
The eye-wateringly expensive Milwaukee knockout punch kit is an amazing tool for anyone punching a lot of holes.

there's a simile for that, but it would get me a ban.

pc1966 · Jul 5, 2023

Just took a look at the M18HKP-501CA kit for the princely sum of £1,079 and it looks really smart.

Alas, I don't get as much opportunity to punch holes as I might like, so my money is better spent elsewhere. On beer, for example, to cry in to...

pirate · Jul 5, 2023

Thanks @pc1966, that looks like a good set of hex sockets. I do have hex bits, but then you have to put them in an adaptor for a socket, which makes it a bit unwieldy, a bit wobbly, and of course increases the height when you want to go low profile. However, I'll probably get that set anyway.
I must have dozens of "sets" of assorted bits, sockets, security bits...I really must stop buying stuff!
(Clearly...I won't!)

rewireIT · Jul 5, 2023

pc1966 said:
Here is a hole punch in parts, dashed line where the metal sheet would be:
View attachment 109221
View attachment 109222

Ahhh now it makes sense. Milwaukee do a version that goes in a cordless device that does the punching for you nut knowing them it'll be about 300 quid. EDIT 300 quid? Jesus H Christo it's £1100.

So I'm presuming you just tighten the nut and it cuts through?

oscar21 · Jul 5, 2023

I bought a hole punch years ago for cutting a tap sized hole into a stainless steel sink, I lent it a plumber the other year who was mesmerised by it and said it was the best thing he has ever used, never really thought about them for 20 or 25mm holes, I just use a hole saw or step cutter.

As for using impacts for joist drilling, why would you not use a cordless angle drill? perfect tool for the job.

loz2754 · Jul 5, 2023

Using an impact for joist drilling is best when using the Bosch blue self pulling spade bits.
It's noisy yes, but almost effortless.

nicebutdim · Jul 5, 2023

loz2754 said:
Using an impact for joist drilling is best when using the Bosch blue self pulling spade bits.
It's noisy yes, but almost effortless.

Or wood beaver style bits.

I quite fancy an angle impact driver as my angle drill just about keeps up with joists.

rewireIT · Jul 5, 2023

loz2754 said:
Using an impact for joist drilling is best when using the Bosch blue self pulling spade bits.
It's noisy yes, but almost effortless.

Those Bosch bits are incredible. Treat timber like butter

Type of drill to get?

pirate

-

pirate

-

nicebutdim

pirate

-

pc1966

pc1966

nicebutdim

rewireIT

pc1966

pc1966

rewireIT

pc1966

pc1966

pc1966

pirate

-

pc1966

loz2754

telectrix

-

pc1966

pirate

-

rewireIT

oscar21

loz2754

nicebutdim

rewireIT

Similar Threads

Electricians Tools | Electrical Tools and Products

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Trending Electricians Tools

YOUR Unread Posts