Premature wear of a tool can be frustrating, leading to potential downtime in having to quickly source a replacement to finish a piece of work. Not to mention the extra costs involved – something that may not have been budgeted for.
Can premature wear to your Acceler8% Sheet Steel Holesaw be prevented? The short answer to this is… yes!
After 50 years in the business, we’ve seen a fair few worn out tools in our time, but many of these could have enjoyed a longer life. We want you to get the best performance out of your tool buddy, so we’ve included some useful hints and tips below.
- Observe speed operation chart (see technical tab at armeg.com)
- Use of an appropriate lubricant will increase tool life – try Armeg Cutting Compound (Part Number – ECC002).
- Remove material “slug” before commencing subsequent holes.
- After pilot drill penetration, be careful not to “bang” the holesaw onto the surface. This could damage or break the cutting teeth.
- Maximum recommended material thickness – 1.6mm. Drilling thicker than recommended material causes “clogging” and leads to premature wear or even tool breakage.
Misuse
The cutter in this image has been used beyond its capabilities.
1. The teeth have completely worn away
2. When paint on the inside of the cutter has been worn down by some distance, it’s typically caused by either drilling through materials that are too thick or by not removing the discs of material before subsequent holes are drilled.
3. The spring in the image is also damaged (fully compressed). This will mean that the discs will not be ejected.
4. The pilot drill has been broken. This can be caused by drilling through too thick a material causing the flutes to become clogged
- Drilling through too thick a material causes the gullets between the teeth to become clogged with nowhere for the chippings to go. Further use like this will result in premature wear, and eventually tooth removal.
- Allowing the discs to build up inside the cutter, causes clogging, overheating, premature tooth wear and possibly tooth removal due to having less room for the chippings to go.
Correct use
This cutter has been subjected to normal use – the spring and all the teeth are in good condition.
1. The paint on the outside of the cutter is worn down to the shoulder – this is normal due to the cutter rubbing on the side of the hole produced.
2. The paint in the throat of the cutter is only worn down a small distance. This is because the cutter has been used only up to its maximum capability. Paint wear occurs like this because the thin disc of material is ejected by the spring before it can travel down the throat of the cutter wearing the paint off right down. This paint wear is also an indication that discs have been removed before subsequent holes have been drilled.
If you would like further technical advice on any of our products, simply fill in our ‘Ask an Expert’ enquiry form or contact us at our Sheffield HQ.