64mm HoleSaw borrow or an hour drilling holes

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Shindig

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#265420 20-Jan-2020 20:12

I bought a NFT vegetable growing system off Alibaba, it is exactly what I was after however the holes are a little too small for my needs.

Would anyone have 64mm holesaw I could borrow for a weekend, or would it be possible to bring a load of PVC piping round to have the holes widened.

The little things make the biggest difference.

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#2402695 20-Jan-2020 20:16

Whereabouts?

RunningMan

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#2402699 20-Jan-2020 20:28

For drilling plastic, even the cheapest holesaws will be fine. $14 delivered for a set that includes 64mm https://www.trademe.co.nz/building-renovation/tools/hand-tools/knives-cutters/listing-2491652624.htm

Jase2985

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#2402702 20-Jan-2020 20:43

hardest bit will be lining it up on the hole and not have it go walking

snnet

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#2402712 20-Jan-2020 21:20

Jase2985:

hardest bit will be lining it up on the hole and not have it go walking

Do this all the time - just start it on an angle :)

edit: Obviously you'll want to secure what you're drilling so it doesn't fling you in the face or worse

elpenguino

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#2402723 20-Jan-2020 21:56

I find hole saws are easier to use when not starting with a hole already.

If you already have a large hole consider a step drill - ideal for plastic.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33045089545.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.75b754cbOJjhhg&algo_pvid=d8f7f02e-1e27-462a-a218-7bff14a48d90&algo_expid=d8f7f02e-1e27-462a-a218-7bff14a48d90-4&btsid=eeaedb1b-14ea-4a8a-99f6-afabf57cadf5&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_9,searchweb201603_55

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eracode

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#2402736 20-Jan-2020 22:56

DarthKermit:

Whereabouts?

@shindig Yep - wants to come round but the whole thing is ridiculous if he/she won’t say where he/she lives.

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richms

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#2402742 21-Jan-2020 00:27

You can stack holesaws on most arbors so that the smaller one is slightly longer and it will locate it inside the existing hole. There are even specilist arbors for this that have a longer thread and a stop to give even more of the small one protruding. Used for downlight replacement mostly.

Richard rich.ms

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Bung

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#2402745 21-Jan-2020 07:01

Another alternative is to cut a new hole in some scrap material and position that over the smaller hole to guide the blade.

Shindig

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#2402754 21-Jan-2020 07:42

Sorry there team! LOL. The detail helps.

Auckland, I'm central but can travel.

sorry! Cheers

The little things make the biggest difference.

neb

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#2402921 21-Jan-2020 11:53

Shindig:
I bought a NFT vegetable growing system off Alibaba, it is exactly what I was after however the holes are a little too small for my needs.

Would anyone have 64mm holesaw I could borrow for a weekend, or would it be possible to bring a load of PVC piping round to have the holes widened.

I can't see how you're going to be able to drill that with a hole saw, even clamped and in a drill press it's going to oscillate wildly inside the existing hole. I'd look at routing it out, e.g. with a Dremel and router bit. Depending on how much you need to remove, you could also have a go at it with a half-round file.

Shindig

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#2402948 21-Jan-2020 13:18

Thanks for the replies...

The little things make the biggest difference.

eracode

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#2402979 21-Jan-2020 15:04

neb:
Shindig:

I bought a NFT vegetable growing system off Alibaba, it is exactly what I was after however the holes are a little too small for my needs.

Would anyone have 64mm holesaw I could borrow for a weekend, or would it be possible to bring a load of PVC piping round to have the holes widened.

I can't see how you're going to be able to drill that with a hole saw, even clamped and in a drill press it's going to oscillate wildly inside the existing hole. I'd look at routing it out, e.g. with a Dremel and router bit. Depending on how much you need to remove, you could also have a go at it with a half-round file.

One way that might stop it oscillating would be to have a cylindrical piece of timber with the same OD as the inside diameter of the pipe - with a perpendicular hole drilled in it the same size as the holesaw pilot bit. Slide the cylindrical blank into the pipe and position the guide hole in the centre of where you want the new larger hole to be.

Clamp it all tight then drill the holesaw into the guide hole in the blank. The guide hole should stop oscillations of the holesaw as it bites into the pipe. If you take it easy, this should work by hand without needing a drill press.

Thinking further, the blank wouldn’t necessarily have to be timber - another piece of pipe with the correct OD to fit inside the workpiece pipe would probably do it. Might be easier to source or make.

Thinking furtherer: A timber blank wouldn’t even need to be cylindrical. A square cross-section with diagonal dimensions that would enable it to slide snuggly inside the workpiece would probably work OK provided the pilot bit can reach it OK.

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neb

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#2403005 21-Jan-2020 15:54

eracode:
One way that might stop it oscillating would be to have a cylindrical piece of timber with the same OD as the inside diameter of the pipe - with a perpendicular hole drilled in it the same size as the holesaw mandrill. Slide the cylindrical blank into the pipe and position the guide hole in the centre of where you want the new larger hole to be.

Ah, excellent idea! As you say, you wouldn't need cylindrical piece, just something that's a reasonably good fit inside the pipe so it won't jump around. If the OP has the tools for it, get a length of timber slightly larger than the ID of the pipe and plane the edges (so you're heading towards vaguely eight-sided shape) for a good tight fit.

riahon

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#2403156 21-Jan-2020 21:03

Not sure if this would work but if you had a pipe that slid over the work piece you could drill 64mm hole in that and then just slide it across as a guide.

BTW - I have a hole drill you can borrow. I am Hamilton based but travel to Auckland every couple of weeks. I don't use this much so you're welcome to use it til I am next up there. I am in Auckland tomorrow. I will message you with details if this is suitable.

Shindig

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#2403162 21-Jan-2020 21:24

riahon:

Not sure if this would work but if you had a pipe that slid over the work piece you could drill 64mm hole in that and then just slide it across as a guide.

BTW - I have a hole drill you can borrow. I am Hamilton based but travel to Auckland every couple of weeks. I don't use this much so you're welcome to use it til I am next up there. I am in Auckland tomorrow. I will message you with details if this is suitable.

Top man! Cheers feller...

The little things make the biggest difference.

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