Need the right tool

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COELECTRIC

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What's the best tool to cut 3.5" holes in residential siding for light fixture. Typically I use my hole saw, but the siding on this house ruined the hole saw within minutes.

Thank you,
 
What kind of "siding" are you talking about?
Vinyl
Aluminum
Stucco
Cement shingle
Wood
?
 
stickboy1375 said:
Home depot sells throw away hole saws...:grin:
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That may be the better bet. Those carbide holesaws are expensive. Or like mentioned in another post, WHO CARES ABOUT HOW MUCH IT IS!? Just relay the cost down to the customer.

Just remeber to save your reciept for your taxes! :grin:
 
carb3.jpg



Tungsten Carbide Grit Hole Saws

The long-lasting choice for cutting holes in materials too hard or abrasive for standard bi-metal saws, or so thin they would strip bi-metal or chip carbide teeth. Ideal for cutting ceramics, fiberglass, hardwoods, cast iron, composites, etc.

* Super resistance to heat, wear and abrasion with shock resistant back.
* Tungsten carbide grains are bonded to alloy backs with a gulleted, snag resistant edge.
* 1-1/2" cutting depth.
 
I've tried what Stickboy has pictured above, they are sharp for metal but I found them lacking for cement shingles. (Edit: In my test, the grains of the 'teeth' of those filled up with cement dust halfway through the hole, I was using a 4" at the time.)

I used carbide-tipped hole saws, from Lennox. One key is to drive your phillips-tipped screwdriver through first as a pilot, so the pilot bit doesn't just sit there and spin and burn up, while your waiting for the action to start.

I set my Hole-Hawg on high speed, medium pressure behind it, and my carbide-tipped holesaws lasted pretty good. Stop after the siding, get the siding out of the holesaw, then continue through the OSB.
 
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The stuff I'm thinking of is used on new contruction. It's apparently less expensive than wood-based siding, because it's typically found on the lower-end houses, from what I've seen. (Edit: Forgot my point! Since it's a new material, I don't think asbestos is involved.)

Cutting in cans or two-gang boxes requires a tile/cement board bit for my roto-zip. In Loveland, CO, they require a strobe to be installed (that's tied into the smokes) in a front soffit of the house. The best thing I could come up with is cutting in a two gang box with a rotozip.

This stuff would literally heat up and snap off a general purpose bit, and the tile bits were only good for a few houses.
 
Holesaws

Holesaws

I always run the metal holesaws in reverse when cutting sheetrock it doesnt damage the blades as much. I dont know how it would do on hardi plank (concrete planking ). You could use a grinder with a diamond blade but you would have to cut a square hole or rectangular. you could use a remgrit holesaw which is what i would probably go for try a rotozip with a ceramic tile bit or a nice bosch jigsaw with a grit blade . keep the water bottle handy as this might catch the sheathing on fire.
 
COELECTRIC said:
What's the best tool to cut 3.5" holes in residential siding for light fixture. Typically I use my hole saw, but the siding on this house ruined the hole saw within minutes.

Thank you,
Click to expand...

Assuming you're talking about Hardy Plank cement board siding, save your ruined hole saw and use it to scribe your next hole. Take a 16 penny nail and a hammer and punch a series of holes through the siding along your perfectly round scribe mark. This doesn't take as long as you might think. Once you've made it all the way around, tap the center of the hole with your hammer and remove the siding. If you like, you can now use your "ruined" saw to easily clean up the hole. I've found that my 18 volt Milwaukee cordless drill is powerful enough to drive even a 4" hole saw through solid wood and is much safer to use than a Hole Hog. For rectangular holes, it's hard to beat a 4" diamond blade in a grinder, again using a nail as a punch to clean out the corners. :)
 
Guys should keep in mind that some of the older fiber cement type siding used asbestos as the fiber. Not such a good idea to make so much dust when you're dealing with that stuff. They were typically siding "tiles" about 2' long, with 6 or 8 inch exposures and about 2 inches of headlap.
 
gary said:
Assuming you're talking about Hardy Plank cement board siding, save your ruined hole saw and use it to scribe your next hole. Take a 16 penny nail and a hammer and punch a series of holes through the siding along your perfectly round scribe mark.
Click to expand...

I agree with gary here. I usually just mark the hole with a pencil and then use my thin screwdriver to cut around the perimeter. Once the hardy plank is removed there is no problem using the hole saw.

I do the same for the receptacles--- saves on sawzall blades.
 
asbestos siding

asbestos siding

as far as i know the asbestos was installed in a shingle form which is easy to recognize as asbestos shingles. I am not aware of hardi plank type containing asbestos just concrete which th dust can cause pnemonia. I have been through formal asbestos training and was licenced at one time as a handler and the key to safety is to keep it wet with a spray bottle and cut with water to neliminate any airborne dust. I am not promoting anyone not properly trained to remove asbestos but commonsence goes a long way reducing any airborne asbestos with water is a good idea especially because one exposure to some people could prove to be fatal. This is nasty stuff boys and girls do not take it lightly.
 
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