Replies

1. 
   craig | Sep 21, 2006 06:02am | #1

   It's called a step drill.

2. 
   JMartinsky | Sep 21, 2006 06:06am | #2

   Dear Muck,
   You described it perfectly. It's called a "step bit" (SURPRISE!) Commonly used in metal fabrication, it allows a single set up to drill many different sized holes as well as larger holes, without using multiple bits.

   Best,

   John

3. 
   tms | Sep 21, 2006 06:20am | #3

   Hey Richard,

   You'll find that it's a tool common to nearly every electrician's box. It's used to make holes for conduit in panels and boxes.

   Tom

4. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Sep 21, 2006 06:58am | #4

   Some places like Home Depot call them uni-bits

   http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@1575216614.1158810954@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgjaddilkhfeejcgelceffdfgidgin.0&MID=9876

   Jack

1. 
   Elcoholic | Sep 21, 2006 03:44pm | #5

   We were replacing a 75' sports lighting pole at a park with one designed to also suppoprt cellular antennas.  We were reusing the flood light mounts and platform from the old pole.  (8) 7/8" mounting holes in 1/2"  HDG steel plate had to be re-drilled because the mfr blew it.  We had a mag drill but quickly went through the bits on hand.  It was about 3:00 and soon it would be too late to try to find an industrial supplier or even make it to Graingers.  It was the 11th hour and as the PM I was screwed.  I was facing serious OT on a 150 ton crane and the city (landlord) was threating to collect damages if the lights weren't up and operating by 6:30 for a softball tourney.  My "sparky" (electrician) offered up his brand new TiNi coated Unibit (Klein, of course, as any self-respecting sparky would have in his box.)  Even though they're only meant to enlarge knockouts in sheetmetal and it took both of the two he had we got it done.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   The more things change ...

   We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized.  I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

   Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC

1. 
   MuckSavage | Sep 21, 2006 04:05pm | #6

   Thanks for replies everyone. :-)   I'll be picking one up this week.

2. 
   craig | Sep 22, 2006 04:54am | #8

   Been using the unibits for 18+ years, drilled up to 1/2" steel with them..

   Don't you know that the monopole manufacturers always get the light arm mounting put in correctly and always use the correct drawings to match the old light arm mounts......Can't say how many extra's i've gotten over the years for modifying poles to match light arms.

1. 
   skip555 | Sep 22, 2006 05:29am | #9

   one of those things i looked at for years but didnt want to spend the $$$ bought one and I love it , rally works slick . I have 4 or 5 now if you have a harbor freight nearby they have a three bit titanium set for 10 or so that looks tempting .

2. 
   Elcoholic | Sep 22, 2006 04:05pm | #10

   Sounds like you've been there.  You wouldn't be Craig from WTC would you?  This one was from Valmont, they also got the mounts for the remote contactor panel on the wrong side of the pole too.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   The more things change ...

   We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized.  I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

   Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC

1. 
   craig | Sep 23, 2006 05:46am | #11

   Not the same, presuming that WTC is a company?

2. 
   highfigh | Sep 21, 2006 05:12pm | #7

   Uni-Bit was the first company to sell them, so it's not just the big-box store's name for them. Uni-Bit, Greenlee and others sell them. Mainly made for sheet metal work.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."