🔪 Enhanced Cutting Efficiency with LENOX Tools Bi Metal Arbored Technology Review

I used this to cut 1" holes in 1/2" thick 1018 steel as 1" drill bits are expensive and "a lot". It worked great on my drill press which I started as slowly as possible and used an excessive amount of cutting fluid. 95% of bad reviews came from people using it incorrectly. You must not force it (push a little, don't walk Hercules on it), you must hold it straight as you go down, or you will break the pilot jet, use a center punch on the metal before going in, you must move slowly over the metal

Fairly good product. Cuts well. My only problem is with the Pilotbeat. I drilled through sheet steel on the deck of my tow truck to reroute some hydraulic hoses. Worked fine until the pilot bit started protruding from under the floor, then the bit got hooked (that in itself wouldn't be unusual) and indeed the bit was BENT! It was so far off center that I had to take it out, clamp it in a vise, and straighten it. I've broken many drills in my life, but I've never seen a single bend like this…

I ran it at 530rpm as slow as my drill would allow but it still burned the edges of the hole. I had to stop for 15 minutes about every 1/2 inch to let everything cool. Terrible smell of burnt wood/glue - had to turn on the industrial air purifier overnight. It just isn't the right tool for this particular job, which consists of drilling 36 1" holes in 1" Baltic Birch plywood into each of several violin shapes. Luckily in this case I can cut channels with a saber saw instead of a series of…