Annular Cutter Depth: 1 Inch, 2 Inch and Stacked Material

Write down the actual thickness

Use the material specification or a suitable measurement rather than estimating from a photograph. Record whether the cut passes through one solid piece or more than one layer. Include the finished hole diameter so the supplier can check depth and diameter together.

Nominal product descriptions can hide these details. A listing headed two inch cutter may be referring to depth rather than hole diameter. Confirm both dimensions in the specification and save the exact part number with the project.

Compare three separate limits

Check cutter depth rating, the machine’s stated cutting capacity and the clearance available with that cutter installed. The relevant working limit comes from the complete approved setup, not whichever number is largest. Longer tooling may require an exact pin or holder configuration, so include those items in the confirmation.

Hougen’s magnetic drill chart publishes different maximum depths for different models, from its low profile machine through dedicated deeper-cut machines. This is why a long cutter offered in a manufacturer’s catalog cannot automatically be assigned to every drill from that brand.

Treat stacked plates as a different application

Hougen explains that standard cutter geometry is intended for a single piece, while stack-cut geometry is used for multiple layers. Confirm the correct geometry and manufacturer procedure for the proposed stack. Do not treat a deep cutter as permission to cut any collection of plates at once.

Describe the layer thicknesses and material to the supplier. If the job requires clamping or fixturing decisions, have the responsible fabricator establish them. This buying guide is intended to prevent mismatched tooling, not to design an improvised stack-drilling setup.

• Verify diameter and cutting depth separately.
• Identify single-piece versus layered work.
• Confirm machine capacity and complete tooling clearance.
• Order the correct pilot with the cutter.

Buy depth for the work you expect

For a mixed workload, separate ordinary holes from genuinely deep jobs before building a cutter set. Buying every diameter in the greatest depth may increase cost without benefiting the common tasks. Conversely, buying shallow tooling for a known deeper job creates an avoidable replacement purchase.

Ask the manufacturer or supplier to confirm a short list of cutters for representative jobs, then retain that list. When the material thickness, cutter family or machine changes, repeat the compatibility check. An old successful setup is useful evidence only for the conditions it actually covered.