DRILAX2-1/2 inch Diamond Coated Drill Bit Hole Saw Ceramic Porcelain Tile Glass Fish Tank Marble Granite Quartz Holesaw Kitchen Bathroom Shower Faucet Drain Drilling Tool 2.5 Inch

So experience and my gut said to try this out due to the mostly positive reviews. For 17 bucks as opposed to $45+ from retail/hardware stores I figured it was worth the shot, especially since I only needed to make one hole. My mission was to drill a 2-1/2" hole in 3/8" porcelain tile for a shower diverter. No offense intended, but I've learned that some people base their reviews on their own inexperience, lack of skill or failure to follow directions. That does not result in an accurate product review - the product’s quality and performance is supposed to be reviewed and not be based on someone's inadequacies. Before purchasing an item, I run through many reviews to get a feel for the product. I've learned to disregard some reviews based on how they are written and by getting a feel of individual skill levels - whether it's for a tool or a blender. My method once again paid-off.Some denounced the hole saw because it didn't have a pilot bit, but a pilot bit would "walk" on tile and glass anyway and wouldn't serve much of a purpose. I created a guide out of a leftover piece of foam backer board and clamped it to the tile. It served as a drill guide and also helped keep a "dam" of water around the hole. I then had a hose nearby set on "mist" to supplement the water and clean-out the debris. I set this up over a 5 gallon bucket and began drilling. I used a variable-speed drill and squeezed the trigger just enough to give a pretty low RPM and applied fairly light pressure on the tile. Because I was using a guide, I didn't begin on an angle as you typically do with a diamond bit. After about 20 rotations, I felt a groove being made. At this point I knew it was working and continued drilling, cleaning out the hole with water spray every minute or two (the guide kept a pool of water in-between spray intervals). Within about 5 minutes the saw popped through. It probably would've been quicker but I stopped to examine the bit to see if other's claims of the diamond dust wearing smooth came true - but it didn't. I was surprised at how clean the hole was and that it only varied in size by 1/8" (in this type of work, that is considered acceptable - we're not assembling the space shuttle engine). So...I can almost guarantee failures were the result of not enough water, spinning the bit way too fast as if it was a high-speed bit, or leaning into it with too much pressure. I only needed it for a single hole but don't see why it wouldn't get through a few more. Now that being said, it seems as if it's designed and constructed for occasional use and is not meant to be a daily-use hole saw for a granite or tile contractor. The hole saw is ready to use as purchased - its arbor is welded to the bit and will fit in any standard 3-jaw drill chuck. It served my purpose well and I would recommend it for a few light-duty applications.NOTE: I purchased this item on Amazon for full price and have no affiliation to the seller. I try to write helpful, unbiased and insightful reviews because I also read reviews prior to making my own buying decisions. I notice many reviews lack helpful information, are not well written or give poor reviews based on not reading directions or failing to read the product details prior to purchasing. Writing valuable reviews helps pay it forward.

not really dislike. the tool worked and performed great. their was instruction and when followed the tool worked and got the job done. the one this is i think it would have been better with a centering bit. But again it worked just fine as is.

You need to make a jig or buy the one recommend for cutting into granite, etc. - otherwise, it will "walk" and not keep aligned. Even if you had the "arbor type" with a diamond or carbide bit, you would still need a jig of some sort to keep it aligned because the bit will "walk". I think this is a cheaper option for a diamond hole saw than those with an arbor. On a counter top, you could cut a hole in a piece of wood using a same size wood hole saw such that the piece of wood fits firmly against the backsplash or wall allowing you to just hold the wood with one hand and drill with the other. Put a little water in the jig hole. Once you are into the granite 1/8", you can do w/o the wood and keep spraying water into the cut and onto the saw.

Cutting hole in tile

I needed to make a 2-1/2" hole in 2/5" thick porcelain tile, and was having no luck at all with masonry or diamond drill bits. A little research brought me to the listing for this drill bit, so I bought one, got it the next day, and had my hole done in less than a minute. I made a jig out of a scrap piece of paneling by drilling a 2-1/2" hole in it with a wood hole saw, then I clamped the jig and tile to the top of a portable work table. I poured some water into the hole in the jig and started drilling, holding the drill in one hand while slowly pouring more water on the bit, and like I said earlier, my hole was done in less than a minute. I highly recommend this drill bit.

Made a plywood jig to make these drill bits work with precision since they don't have a center drill and I couldn't find any diamond hole saws in this size that did. Made a 4.5" hole with a 4.5" wood hole saw for my temp valve and a 2.5" hole with a 2.5" wood hole saw for my transfer value (both measured and aligned, of course). The piece of ply wood was routered out to be the same size as the tile exactly. Placed plywood perfectly on top of the tile, filled the two holes with water for cooling, and started drilling with my Makita cordless on the fast setting. I had my two perfect holes in probably just over a minute's time and I didn't have to hope and pray like I would have to using an angle grinder. The tile looks like it came from the factory with these holes, they are very precisely cut. None of that ugly, jagged (even though you don't see it) crap you often see. The smaller and more precise the hole, the less likely water will find its way to wherever it wants to go.

I had tried another hole saw from the big box store to drill a hole through porcelain for a draft tower for my outdoor kitchen. After an hour and a lot of cussing it broke the tile about 3/4 of the way through. This one buzzed through it like butter. No joke, less than 5 minutes I had a perfect hole. Save yourself some aggravation and get this thing.

The plating did peel off the spindle on first use.No worries cuts very good