Hole Pro X-230 Kit: 1-7/8" to 9" Infinitely Adjustable Twin Blade Hole Saw Cutter 3" 4" 5" 6" 7" 8" 9" Hole Wood Sheetrock Plaster Fiberglass Plastic MDF Cement Board. Use ¼ Torque of Hole Saw to Cut Twice As Fast

Reviews of Hole Pro X-230 Kit: 1-7/8" to 9" Infinitely Adjustable Twin Blade Hole Saw Cutter 3" 4" 5" 6" 7" 8" 9" Hole Wood Sheetrock Plaster Fiberglass Plastic MDF Cement Board. Use ¼ Torque of Hole Saw to Cut Twice As Fast

1.) great hole cutter and very well built
Reviewed by: Michael Winters
Rating:
I have used a variety of adjustable hole cutters and hole saws for shop and construction work over the years but none that work as well as this twin blade hole cutter. The blade design enables my DeWalt 1/2" cordless drill (manufacturer rated for maximum 3-1/2" hole saw in wood) to cut 10" holes in plywood and Hardie board in less than a minute.

Holes in sheetrock take seconds and all the dust and the cut plug are held inside the shield and quickly fall out when the cutter is flipped over to dump everything into a 5-gallon bucket. I don't need to tape up plastic sheeting or even use a drop cloth when cutting holes for can lights in sheetrock or plaster ceilings.

The 1-7/8" to 9" size range is great for installing light cans. Last year I put in light cans that took cutouts from 2-1/4" up to 8-5/8" and this tool was all I needed. I have seen carbide grit hole saws for can lights but they only come in 4-3/8, 6-3/8, 6-5/8, 6-7/8 inch sizes and while that used to work for tungsten lights in the past, now there are over 20 different diameter cans stocked just at Home Depot and most of them are not in these old standard sizes. Even so, the cost of just these 4 hole saws runs well over $200 and when they wear out you need to spend $50-70 for a new one. With the X-230 a new set of tungsten carbide blades is only $17 and I always have a spare pair in the tool's carry case.

The high speed steel blades are great with wood and most plastics. I did 21 holes 7-1/8" diameter cutouts in 5/8" tongue and groove ceiling last month and I took less than an hour to cut the holes and there was no splintering. I also was able to use the orange adjustment knob to set the cutting depth so I did not have to worry about cutting the electrical wires that were already run in the space above the ceiling.

I have even used this hole cutter for production jobs where I have cut out hundreds of discs in 3/4" plywood or MDF and the blade holders cinch down tight so I get exact size holes or discs time after time. I leave the shield on just to keep my hands out of harms way but it can be used without the shield on a drill press as well.

For cutting without a drill press the ball bearing mounted shield keeps the hole cutter straight so it is like having a very light and portable drill press when cutting holes in 4x8 sheets where a drill press is not going to work. Even cutting can or vent holes or putting audio speakers holes in the ceiling having the shield makes it easy to get straight side cuts so the grills and trim rings all sit flush and look neat and professional every time.

It surprised me at first how well it cut wood with a 18v cordless hand drill and cutting holes in sheetrock was fun instead of a chore. I now even use the hole cutter to make access holes for running wire or making repairs. I cut 3-1/4" plugs ahead of time in a piece of scrap sheetrock and then cut the access holes 3" in diameter. After the wire has been pulled I screw a small piece of wood to the wall or ceiling as a backing and then push in the sheetrock plug and add a 3rd sheetrock screw in its center. I can do one thin coat of mud and the patch is ready to paint. I can do this in no time at all and the end result is a very clean patch and happy customers. They can paint the patch themselves the next day and no need for another worker to come and patch a large hole in the drywall.

I replaced a shower mixer valve by cutting a 8" diameter hole in the wall on the other side and after I was done soldering in the new valve I cut a 8-1/4" plug and patched the hole. So much better than cutting out the sheetrock stud to stud and a whole lot faster to do. When I do work for hospitals and hotels they cannot use the room until there is an airtight seal (and using fireproof materials) so they really appreciate it when I do the work and leave them with a ready to paint wall or ceiling.

I have a couple models of single blade adjustable hole cutters, NORA 6" and LSD Inc.'s HC-12, but the Hole Pro twin blade hole cutter is superior in every way imaginable. With twin blades there is perfect balance and no balance bars to change. With balance bars if they are under tightened or over tightened they break off and leave the threaded section inside the tool. The twin blades are easy to adjust with the way the bar is marked. Put one at 7" mark on each side and you get a 7" hole - no math needed. The high speed steel blades on the X-230 are great for cutting wood but the bits provided with the NORA and the LSD Inc. kits do not work well at all.

This tool is built to cut holes faster and cleaner than any other way I can think of and it is built to last year after year and not let you down in the middle of a job. After I let one of my crews use this hole cutter I had to buy ones for the other trucks as they were fighting over who got to use it.

2.) Well built, easy to use
Reviewed by: Lost My Mind California, United States
Rating:
The Hole Pro X-230 is a well built tool that makes the task of cutting holes much simpler. If you are required to cut holes into drywall, you cannot live without this tool. It is also capable of cutting woods, plastics, and other materials.

This worked great with my puny 14.4v Dewalt drill. The plastic shield does an *excellent* job of containing dust, debris, and flying chunks. Anyone doing renovation work or a job where cleanup is a big issue, this is a must have tool. I cannot ever imagine going back to cutting holes with a drywall saw.

All of the parts are heavy duty and well built. The shield doesn't leave marks, the blades are strong, and the spinning motion is perfectly balanced. Do not waste your money with the cheaper imitations (~$50).

Because the saw blades are adjustable, this can literally replace a dozen hole saws of various sizes. The only reason to keep hole saws is for specialty applications such as cutting metal or tight locations. While the shield is removable, the "bar" that the blades attach to is a fixed length.


3.) Easy to use, makes very clean holes
Reviewed by: Aaron K. Olmstead
Rating:
I'm very pleased with the Hole Pro I bought. It's pricey, but, as long as you've got a high-torque drill, it makes neat, tidy holes in sheetrock, without the ragged edges I get with the traditional hole saws I've used. The dust cup thing really does work. Tip: get the blades spinning fast, freely, then press them gently into the surface you're cutting, to avoid jamming. I regret I only got this at the end of my recessed lighting project!

4.) Great tool - fast and easy to use and no cleanup
Reviewed by: Peter Mitchell
Rating:
What I like about this tool, besides how well it it cuts, is that the clear shield does a great job of catching all the shavings and the cut piece, makes it easy to get a perfect straight in cut, and adjusts to limit how deep you cut. With 5/8" thick ceiling sheetrock or 5/8" tongue and groove wood ceilings I can set the depth to about 3/4" and not worry about cutting into wiring, pipes, or insulation. The shield is strong enough to stand on and yet is very lightweight and the slots catch all the shavings so you can see what you are doing even when cutting into a ceiling. The absence of a cross brace as with cheaper versions I have used, makes it easy to wipe the shield clean at the end of the day - no need for a compressor to blow out the dust.

The blades are top quality. I have cut more than 200 holes in TJI with a single set of the tungsten carbide blades and used these blades to cut holes quickly in Hardie siding, plaster and lath, OSB, plywood, and even fiberglass. The high speed steel blades which also come with the kit are perfect for wood, T&G, and plastic sheet goods.

I found that when running wires I could adjust the blades by 2 measure marks and pre-cut plugs out of scrap sheetrock ahead of time. Then when I make the hole for the wire pulls I have a perfect patch that is ready for mud and some paint. This is a real time saver and the patch meets fire codes.

I liked that it goes from 2" up to 9" which means it works for every recessed light can on the market, including the new 8 inch CFL light cans. Used to be there were only 4 sizes, now there are dozens and I don't know what cutout size is needed until I open the box and look at the template. Once I set the hole cutter to the right size for the hole I need I can cut holes in seconds and a lot less time than it used to take just to trace the circle on the ceiling.

With all the dust going into the shield I don't have to move furniture or lay tarps or get out the shop vac when I am done. And I do not worry about accidentally cutting a wire or cracking plaster and turning a small job into a big one.

Hole Pro provides a 5-year warranty which is unusual for any tool and says a lot about the quality of the tool and the people behind it at Hole Pro.

5.) Great tool and nice improvement over the X-200
Reviewed by: Phillip Marsh Texas
Rating:
Our crews have used the Hole Pro X-200 since it was first introduced to make holes for recessed ceiling can lights. The X-200 would adjust from 1-7/8 up to 8" and worked very well. The X-230 is similar to the X-200 but the measure bar is 50% thicker and an inch longer and uses a better design for the blade holders. The X-230 works with the same 11" diameter shield as the X-200 but adds an inch so it can cut holes up to 9 inches in diameter. With the new 8" CFL recessed can lights we have to cut holes over 8-1/2" in diameter and the X-230 is the perfect tool for these jobs with its 9 inch hole cutting.

The X-230 uses the same blades as the X-200 so having both models of adjustable hole cutters is not a problem. The X-230 is really a slightly smaller version of the X-305 12" model and uses the same blade holders and same thickness of bar. Nice to see Hole Pro taking a great tool like the X-200 and making it better. I wish more manufacturers would take that approach.

We use the X-230 on both 18 volt and 14 volt cordless drills on the low range setting. You don't have to push the cutters through the material being cut the way you do with a hole saw. The large blades cut quickly and when you are done cutting the cut piece just falls out without any prying so you are ready to cut the next hole.

For some projects we have wanted discs and not holes and used the X-230 in a drill press (needs 5" clearance between the chuck and the support column) with the pilot bit out and a jig to hold the material in place for cutting. Works very well either with just the hole cutter or even leaving the shield on the tool for extra safety.

It takes a lot less power from the drill than a hole saw and I have found it easy to cut 8" holes in 5/8 plywood with 18 volt cordless drills. There is some torquing in plywood with large holes and a drill with a side handle does help. The 1-1/8 inch cutting depth is adequate for just about every wall, ceiling, and flooring hole we have had to make.

Great design with perfect balance from the two blade holders and very tough ABS shield makes for a great tool for cutting large holes in many different materials. Add in the 5-year warranty and you have a great tool that you can count on to finish the job day after day - makes a great gift too!

Features of Hole Pro X-230 Kit: 1-7/8" to 9" Infinitely Adjustable Twin Blade Hole Saw Cutter 3" 4" 5" 6" 7" 8" 9" Hole Wood Sheetrock Plaster Fiberglass Plastic MDF Cement Board. Use ¼ Torque of Hole Saw to Cut Twice As Fast

One kit takes the place of dozens of hole saws while enabling fast dust free cutting exact size holes from 1-7/8 up to 9" inches in diameter. Kit includes high quality adjustable hole cutter, ball bearing mounted ABS shield with soft rubber gasket to trap dust and shavings, user replaceable sets of both High Speed Steel and Tungsten Carbide blades, hex wrenches, and sturdy carry case. Shield keeps cutter perpendicular to work surface and cutter has adjustment knob to limit the depth of cut when making holes in walls or ceilings to avoid accidentally cutting wires or pipes. All parts precision machined, measure bar is chrome plated and marked in both inches and millimeters. ABS composite plastic shield is made from the same material as used in hockey helmets and is lightweight, strong, and will not discolor with age. Perfect for installing recessed lights, tubular skylights, in-ceiling speakers, ceiling fans, duct vents, or providing access holes for repairs. Kit includes user replaceable High Speed Steel blades for cutting wood, MDF, Lexan and other plastics, acoustic tile, tongue and groove, laminates, and Tungsten Carbide blades for cutting sheetrock, plaster, cement or Hardi board, fiberglass, OSB, chipboard, plywood, and similar materials. Twin blades for faster cutting and perfect balance eliminate the need for balance bars which can break off inside other cutters. Requires ¼ the torque of common hole saws so a smaller drill can be used and cordless drills can cut more holes before needed to be recharged. ½ cord drills that are rated for maximum hole saw size of 3-1/2 inches for wood can cut holes up to 12 in diameter in plywood using the Hole Pro hole cutter. Like all Hole Pro Power Series kits the shield can be used with the Hole Pro XL-Arbor kit to enable the use of specialty hole cutters such as tungsten grit cutters when cutting tile or stone and have the same dust control and depth control as provided with the adjustable hole cutters.

1.) Adjustable hole cutter for cutting 1 7/8" to 9" holes in ceilings, walls and floors;
2.) Depth of cut: 3/16" (5mm) - 1 " (25mm) cut from one side, 2" (50mm) cut from 2 sides;
3.) Cuts plywood, sheetrock, lathe & plaster, MDF, acrylic sheet, ceiling tiles, fiberglass, etc;
4.) For any 3/8" drill, Twin blades - User replaceable.;
5.) Comes with one High Speed Steel blade set and one Tungsten Carbide blade set.;