Recommended speeds hole saws

Bi-metal hole saws are ideal for cutting perfectly round holes in metals, plastics and wood. A correct drilling speed is important for a good result and a longer lifespan of the holesaw. On this page you´ll find (in two tabels) the correct drilling speeds in revolutions per minute (rpm) for using Bi-Metal HSS holesaws in various materials.

The first table shows the drilling speeds in plastic, steel, cast iron and inox.
The second table shows the drilling speeds in copper, aluminium and wood.

Whenever possible, use cutting oil to lubricate the hole saw when drilling metal. There´s one exception: Cast iron is always drilled dry, so don´t use any sort of lubrication when drilling in this metal.

diam.	RPM
(mm)	plastic	steel	cast iron	inox
14	580	580	400	300
16	550	550	365	275
17	500	500	330	250
19	460	460	300	230
20	440	440	290	220
22	390	390	260	195
25	350	350	235	175
27	325	325	215	160
28	315	315	210	155
29	300	300	200	150
30	285	285	190	145
32	275	275	180	140
33	260	260	175	135
35	250	250	165	125
38	230	230	150	115
40	220	220	145	110
43	205	205	135	100
44	1952	195	130	95
48	180	180	120	90
50	175	175	115	85
54	160	160	105	80
57	150	150	100	75
59	145	145	100	75
60	140	140	98	70
64	135	135	90	65
67	130	130	85	60
68	125	125	80	60
74	120	120	80	60
75	115	115	75	55
79	110	110	70	55
83	105	105	70	50
86	100	100	65	50
89	95	95	65	45
95	90	90	60	45
100	85	85	55	40
114	75	75	50	35
121	75	75	50	35
125	65	65	45	30
133	60	60	40	25
150	55	55	35	25
165	55	55	35	25
178	55	55	35	25

Common type hole saw. Hole saws typically have a pilot drill bit (arbor) at their center to keep the saw teeth from walking.

diam.	RPM
(mm)	copper	aluminium	wood
14	790	900	3000
16	730	825	3000
17	665	750	3000
19	600	690	3000
20	580	660	3000
22	520	585	3000
25	470	525	2700
27	435	480	2700
28	440	470	2700
29	400	450	2700
30	380	425	2400
32	380	425	2400
33	345	390	2400
35	330	375	2400
38	300	345	2400
40	290	330	2100
43	270	305	2100
44	260	295	2100
48	240	270	2100
50	235	260	2000
54	210	240	2000
57	200	225	2000
59	195	225	2000
60	190	220	2000
64	180	205	1800
67	170	195	1800
68	160	185	1800
74	155	175	1700
75	150	170	1500
79	140	165	1500
83	140	155	1500
86	130	150	1200
89	130	145	1200
95	120	135	1200
100	110	130	1000
114	100	105	900
121	95	95	900
125	90	90	800
133	85	85	800
150	75	75	800
165	75	75	800
178	75	75	800

Heavy duty hole saw wich cuts a variety of materials including cast iron and other metals. The grub screw holds the saw firmly against the shaft of the drill bit so that it revolves at the same speed.

Cutting oil
Why you should use cutting oil to lubricate the hole saw when drilling metal (except cast iron)

It reduces friction, which keeps the hole saw cooler so it cuts better and lasts longer.
Cutting oil helps flush metal chips out of the kerf, allowing the saw teeth to do their job.

Some metalworkers insert a sponge soaked in cutting oil into the hole saw. This gives them a self-lubricating hole saw, wich works perfectly.

Remember!
Cast iron is always drilled dry.

Extra