What are the ultimate 'bits' for drilling holes up to 32mm in timber studs with nails and screws in?

[Copper T]

I've used a few types in my time:

• Bosch multi-construction hole saws (generally very fast provided no nails or screws)
• Standard bi-metal hole saws
• Auger bits
• Bosch speed bits (generally very fast provided no nails or screws) but self-driving screw soon gets blunt.
• Armeg/Irwin stubby augers (generally very fast provided no nails or screws) but self-driving screw soon gets blunt.

Is there a product that will 'hack' through nails and screws without snagging?

[Mr Punter]

You can get auger bits that claim to be nail proof

[markc]

Fast cutting speeds in timber require large teeth gullets, but that means nails or screws can end up in the gullet and jam the cutter.

the multi material hole saws tend to break the carbide teeth because most drills won’t spin fast enough to “mill” through nails etc.

ive had some success using ordinary bi-metal hole saws (starrett out perform most) with 2 or 3 large teeth gullets cut with an angle grinder . These allow more swarf to be cleared and make cutting faster. Also works well for holesawing aluminium which clogs the small teeth.

 

[SimonD]

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a completely reliable solution but I have gravitated to always using Starrett hole saws. Just a a few weeks ago I had to make some holes in a stud wall right the way through some 5mm screws. The Starrett hole saws didn't show any undue wear from this excercise. I use the deep-cut version as they go all the way through normal joists etc.

[garrymartin]

Armeg Nail-Proof Wood Beaver bits

https://armeg.com/products/nail-proof-woodbeaver/

 

But, to be clear, they won't cut through nails; they will just survive hitting them. So once you hit a nail or screw, you either need to remove it or you need to re-position your hole.

 

Edited December 22 by garrymartin

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, Copper T said:

...

Is there a product that will 'hack' through nails and screws without snagging?

 

No, there isn't.  How I wish there were. Just broken yet another drill bit a few minutes ago. 😐

 

The Independent variable (nail, screw) is too  'variable' for manufacturers to claim that their product can  ... 'hack' through nails and screws without snagging. 

If there were, the whole world would know. And I would have bought several hundred of those mythical bits.

[dpmiller]

38 minutes ago, garrymartin said:

But, to be clear, they won't cut through nails

technical info says otherwise?

[SteamyTea]

Are the nails there for a reason i.e. holding the timber in place.

 

1 hour ago, SimonD said:

Starrett hole saws

Used in proper engineering all the time. Cost a bit more but are good.

[garrymartin]

1 hour ago, dpmiller said:

technical info says otherwise?

OK. They will cut through a nail, but you reduce the working life of the bit. From the "Tech-Tips" at the bottom of the page - "

• When encountering a metal object, if possible reposition the drilled hole. Continued drilling with the Nail-Proof WoodBeaver will reduce it’s working life"

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, dpmiller said:

technical info says otherwise?

Yup. Nails are soft, screws are hard, and those bits (and the Erwin ones, as long as you buy the correct ones)) are defo rated to go through nails; I have these and they plough through nails with relative ease.

 

Screws is a very different thing as there’s nothing other than diamond that eats those. 
 

The Starret bits do go through, but after a few holes / screws you’ll defo see the teeth beginning to fail. I treat these as a consumable and just but multiples of the go-to sizes and bin when they start to struggle.

 

Same with flat wood bits, just buy cheap ones off amazon, boxes of multiples of 12/16/20/25/28/32mm and treat as disposable.

 

If the know there’s a screw, try to remove it, if you’ve gone through nails, whack a screw in after to reinforce what you’ve removed.

 

Another joyous day of house-bashing.

These are the best ones imo, if you’ve a whole house to 1st fix for plumbing and electrics. LINK

 

[Copper T]

2 hours ago, ToughButterCup said:

 

No, there isn't.  How I wish there were. Just broken yet another drill bit a few minutes ago. 😐

 

The Independent variable (nail, screw) is too  'variable' for manufacturers to claim that their product can  ... 'hack' through nails and screws without snagging. 

If there were, the whole world would know. And I would have bought several hundred of those mythical bits.

I realise I was being fanciful in using the word 'hack' ~ sometimes overstating a situation brings out insightful replies 😀