NEIKO 00823A Diamond Hole Saw, 5 Pc Diamond Drill Bit Set, 5/32–1/2-Inch Hollow Core, 1/4-Inch Shank, Glass Drill Bit, Ceramics, Tile Drill Bits, Granite, Glass Cutter for Bottles, Pots, Marble

== IntroductionMy seedlings have started to produce flowers and I wanted to transfer some of them onto ceramic cups and bowls for display purposes. After purchasing a few beautiful cups and bowls, I found that drilling holes into ceramic material wasn’t easy. It took a couple of hours to drill five holes at the bottom of three cups using masonry bits. There had to be a better and quicker way. After some online research, I found that I needed diamond drill bits. A search on Amazon for inexpensive diamond bits led me to Neiko Tools’ Diamond Grit Hole Saw Drill Bit Set.== PackagingAs seen on the included photos, packaging of the set is very simple. The bits are housed inside a styrofoam cutout. No fancy plastic case, just the bits, the styrofoam, and the external packaging that contains the name and picture of the product.I was fine with the simple packaging because it is a factor in reducing overall cost.== PerformancePrior to receipt of Neiko Tool’s diamond grit hole saw bits, I purchased an all-purpose bit from a local home improvement store that was advertised to drill holes into concrete, metal, plastic and wood. I also purchased a diamond bit set from a local budget tool store so that I could finish drilling holes on the ceramic cups and bowls I had already purchased. The all-purpose bit barely made a scratch on ceramic material. The diamond bits worked better but were fully spent after drilling three or less holes.The diamond grit hole saw bits from Neiko Tools arrived a day early. With around 20 ceramic pots, cups and bowls purchased from a flea market, I was ready to use the diamond grit bits. Armed with a driver on one hand and a bottle spray on another, I started to drill at a 45-degree angle and as the diamond bit “bit” into the ceramic surface, I slowly changed the angle to be perpendicular to the surface I was drilling into. Three sprays and a few seconds later, the hole was made. I was really impressed at how simple it was to make a hole through ceramic material. The reviews were mixed so I had my initial doubts but I was delighted with the results. Listed below are tips that I found to be helpful in my project.• Wear protective eye gear and dust mask. This is a must for your safety.• Just like any drill bits, the diamond grit hole saw from Neiko Tools will become dull with time. Time is determined by the material you’re drilling and whether you use lubrication or not.• Be patient and take your time especially if you’re new to this. Your patience will pay off with the results.• Lubricate when drilling. This will increase the life of your bit by reducing heat, dust particles and results in cleaner cuts.• Start drilling at a 45-degree angle and slowly adjust to 90 degrees as the bit starts to cut into the material.• Apply very little pressure and let the saw do the cutting.• Keep in mind that with every hole you drill, the bit becomes more dull. As the bit becomes more dull, I had to increase the pressure by just a little.• As a bit became more dull, I had to use both hands on the drill to start the bit to cut into ceramic material. Once the bit started cutting, only one hand was needed. The other hand was back with the spray bottle.• To further stretch the life of my bits, I used the smaller diamond bits from the local budget hardware store to make a smaller hole and then finalize/increase the size of the hole with Neiko Tool’s diamond bits. As of this writing, I’ve only used one bit and it’s not fully spent yet.== Pros• Inexpensive• Works as advertised== Cons• Bits wear out eventually (expected)ConclusionWhat used to be a gargantuan task of drilling holes through ceramic became a smooth and more rewarding process with Neiko Tool’s diamond grit bits. For what it does and especially the price, consider this tool as disposable once the bits become dull. Lubricate to extend the life of your bits and purchase a new set when the current ones become unusable. Alternatively, you may opt with more expensive sets for longer lifespan.Based on my results, I highly recommend this set to anyone needing to drill holes through ceramic material.

I put a new floor in one of our bathrooms this past week and I decided that I wanted to have the flange on top of the tile. That meant that I would need something that could delicately cut through my nice new tile without causing breakage. I ordered this set (Neiko 00823A 5-Piece Diamond Hole Saw Set) hoping that it would get the job done.And did it? Yes, yes it did and better than I had hoped. I used two of the bits. I used the largest one to also some of the tile around the drain hole since I didn't get it cut quite right. I also drilled 5 holes for the screws with the 1/4 inch bit. Both bits did a fine job and helped make my work look semi-professional. I was quite pleased.There are a couple of things people ought to know though. The first is that anytime you used a diamond studded bit or saw that you need to mitigate the heat as best you can. I poured a little water over the area I planned on drilling in, and then about half way through I gave it a little more. You don't need a lot. I used a syringe, but a glass would have done fine. Keeping it cooler will help prevent the diamonds from detaching. The second thing is that cleaning out the shafts might not bee very easy if you don't do it regularly and by that, I mean every hole. If the dust mixed with the water hardens then it will take more effort to get it clean. Be patient. This isn't going to work as fast as a wood or metal bit and you don't want to put too much pressure on it at any given time (heat is your enemy). If you wonder if these are cutting just look for the dust or pull it up and see.Finally, understand that it takes a moment for these bits to grab and start a hole. The big one wanted to slide around on me, but when I fired it up and got my drill at full speed before touching the tile, that helped. When I tried to cold start it in place it went all over the place.All in all, these were a great purchase and they did they job very well. I have no idea how well they'd stand up to heavy use, but for my little job they were perfect. I'd expect them to do well for many more to come though.

These bits worked quite well in my hands. I was able to drill six holes through porcelain tile and cement backer board in order to mount a grab bar in our shower. However, the bit is largely worn away, and I doubt that you could get many more holes out of it at this price though it was a great choice.If you haven’t drilled ceramic tile before, I would strongly encourage you to practice on a scrap piece in advance. As other users mentioned, you need to start at about a 45° angle on the perimeter of your planted hole so that you can get a starting point and then, once you’ve cut a groove into the material slowly lower the blade into the face of the tile and continue drilling. Either dip the bit into water periodically or spray water onto the hall. You’ll get a much cleaner, cut and much less dust if you keep it wet. For starting, bring your drill up to a medium speed carefully guide the edge of the bit down to the tile . If you begin at a very low speed, the drillbit will catch and skate across the tile potentially damaging the finish. (Don’t ask me how I know this).The only problem I encountered was that you end up with tile and backer board material filling the inside of the bed and you have to periodically stop to clean this out. A finishing now or possibly some stiff wire, will help to push the little Coors of tile and cement out of the end of the bed, especially if you keep it wet.