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Which bit to drill 1.5" diameter holes in wood?

S

sonambulo

Diamond Member
I need to drill holes through 1" thick poplar but don't have access to a drill press. All I've got is a corded drill. Is there any bit I could use to accomplish this?
 
GodlessAstronomer said:
I would suggest one no bigger than 1.5" in diameter. Hope this helps.
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Forstner bit and make sure you have some scrap wood under the boards you are drilling to prevent tear out on the backside.
 
Fayd said:
a forstner bit would give a cleaner hole than that speedbore bit or the hole saw.

if you have a drill press that you're using, i highly suggest the forstner bit.

else, speedbore bit.
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I agree but the OP doesn't have access to a drill press, and freehand with a forstner bit absolutely suck on most wood, but it might be fine on soft poplar.

Cheapest would be a spade bit and use 2 pieces of wood for backing and one on top. Or step up to a holesaw.
 
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holesaw. start with small pilot bit, mark wood on both sides so you know your holes are straight.
 
I use a bit brace for that kind of thing. I suppose you don't have one, but they're worth acquiring. You can find them at flea markets, and antique shops for not too much money.
 
MikeyIs4Dcats said:
holesaw, but you don't want to use a seperate pilot bit, use the bit on the hole saw.
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my thought was to get a perfect undersized pilot before you break out the saw. once you start sawing a hole, you're pretty committed, so i like to have a good tight guide for it.
 
A forstner bit will likely burn up on a hand drill. The outside of a forstner bit is like a cylinder and will rub if you rock it while drilling. 1 1/2" spade bit might work, but at that size it's going to be really unstable if you run into a knot or when you exit the board. The hole saw will be painless.
 
Squisher said:
A forstner bit will likely burn up on a hand drill. The outside of a forstner bit is like a cylinder and will rub if you rock it while drilling. 1 1/2" spade bit might work, but at that size it's going to be really unstable if you run into a knot or when you exit the board. The hole saw will be painless.
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when you stop buying at harbor freight, get back to us.

LOLZ at the forstner bit spelled right, then the hole saw recommended because it must not be a cylinder.
 
Forstner especially if you have a lot of holes to drill. The hole saw is alright but if you have a lot of hole to drill then cleaning them out is a PITA.
 
paperfist said:
Forstner especially if you have a lot of holes to drill. The hole saw is alright but if you have a lot of hole to drill then cleaning them out is a PITA.
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Is 32 a lot? I'm leaning pretty heavily towards the forstner at this point.

PROS:
Clean holes
Looks cool
Gives me an excuse to buy a drill guide

CONS:
Hard to spell

Seriously, thanks for all the input everyone. However if I'm going to have to clean out the holesaw that many times it's going to get annoying. In regards to the bit burning out I'll be cautious but put some money towards a higher quality bit just to be sure.
 
alkemyst said:
when you stop buying at harbor freight, get back to us.

LOLZ at the forstner bit spelled right, then the hole saw recommended because it must not be a cylinder.
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LOLZ at you probably never using a hole saw because you obviously don't understand how they work.
 
sonambulo said:
Is 32 a lot? I'm leaning pretty heavily towards the forstner at this point.


Seriously, thanks for all the input everyone. However if I'm going to have to clean out the holesaw that many times it's going to get annoying. In regards to the bit burning out I'll be cautious but put some money towards a higher quality bit just to be sure.
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You said you don't have a drill press. Paddle bit or hole saw.

Worried about clearing the hole saw? Drill 3/4 through on one side, flip it do the other 1/4. Nice piece sticking out of the saw that you can grip with a pair of pliers. Assuming you have a pair of pliers.


Edit: What are you making?
 
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alkemyst said:
when you stop buying at harbor freight, get back to us.

LOLZ at the forstner bit spelled right, then the hole saw recommended because it must not be a cylinder.
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The set of the teeth on a hole saw extend beyond the cylinder. The hole saw cylinder doesn't generally rub. This is not the case with a forstner bit.

I have tried using forstner bits in a hand drill, if you plan on throwing the drill bit away after drilling a couple holes be my guest. Also keep some water handy so you won't be smelling burning wood all day.
 
Has anyone actually asked the OP what he's intending to do? If he's making a bird house he doesn't need a relatively expensive forstner bit. If he's cutting a hole in a desk and filling it with a grommet, he doesn't need a forstner bit.
 
highland145 said:
Edit: What are you making?
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Shelving. Aluminum pipe for uprights with kee klamps to hold the actual shelves in place. I plan on drilling straight through the wood so I can adjust the shelves whenever I feel like it. Meaning, when I buy more crap to put on them.
 
sonambulo said:
Shelving. Aluminum pipe for uprights with kee klamps to hold the actual shelves in place. I plan on drilling straight through the wood so I can adjust the shelves whenever I feel like it. Meaning, when I buy more crap to put on them.
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Hole saw.

I'm going to assume you've accounted for lateral shifting so your shelves won't wobble and fall over.
 
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