The BUG-O HOB-O® is a lightweight, portable precision hole borer, circle cutter, beveler and welder for accurate flame-cutting applications. It is quickly centred from a single punch mark, set by radius on a built-in scale, and designed to produce smooth, repeatable holes with minimal grinding and touch-up.
With inside cutting capacity from 1″ to 8″ / 25 mm to 200 mm, outside cutting capacity from 14 1/2″ to 48″ / 368 mm to 1220 mm, optional Blind Area Kit coverage from 8″ to 14 1/2″ / 203 mm to 368 mm, and magnetic or vacuum mounting options, the HOB-O® is a flexible portable solution for industrial hole cutting and beveling work.
Overview
The BUG-O HOB-O® is a lightweight precision hole borer, circle cutter, beveler and welder designed for accurate flame-cutting work directly on the workpiece. It is portable, easy to set up and quickly centred using only a single centre-punch mark, making it a practical solution for workshops and field teams that need smooth, repeatable circular cuts without relying on heavy fixed equipment.
The operator sets the required hole radius on the built-in scale, lights the torch, starts the cut and activates the machine to produce accurate holes in position. This helps reduce manual inconsistency and can virtually eliminate the need for extensive grinding and touch-up after cutting.
The HOB-O® cuts holes from 1″ to 8″ / 25 mm to 200 mm inside diameter and from 14 1/2″ to 48″ / 368 mm to 1220 mm outside diameter. With the optional Blind Area Kit, the system can also cut holes from 8″ up to 14 1/2″ / 203 mm to 368 mm, covering the intermediate range between the standard inside and outside cutting capacities.
The main technical advantage of the BUG-O HOB-O® is its ability to produce accurate circular flame-cut holes directly on the workpiece with a simple centring procedure. The operator only needs one centre-punch mark, reducing setup complexity and making the machine practical for both workshop and field cutting tasks.
The built-in radius scale improves repeatability by allowing the operator to set the required hole size mechanically before cutting. This is especially useful when multiple holes need to be produced with consistent diameter and less dependence on manual torch control.
The HOB-O® also improves post-cut efficiency. Because the machine controls the circular motion of the torch, the resulting cut is smoother and more accurate than most freehand methods, reducing the need for grinding, dressing and correction after the cut.
The Magsquare versions provide a strong holding advantage for ferrous materials. The rare earth on/off magnets allow the machine to be positioned easily while the magnetic force is off, then locked securely once correctly placed. BUG-O states that the Magsquare configuration provides a total holding force of 2400 lb / 1089 kg, supporting stability and extra security for out-of-position work.
For non-ferrous materials, the optional HOB-1140 Vacuum Base extends the usability of the machine beyond magnetic applications. The vacuum feet adjust to the work surface and are used with the ARV-2020 Vacuum Pump Kit.
The BUG-O HOB-O® is suitable for industrial cutting tasks where accurate circular holes are required in plate, structural components and fabricated assemblies. It is particularly useful when the workpiece is too large, heavy or awkward to move to a fixed cutting station.
Typical applications include hole cutting, circle cutting, bevel cutting, weld preparation, fabrication work, structural steel work, tank and vessel fabrication, shipyard work, maintenance operations, repair work and field cutting tasks where portable mechanised accuracy is required.
With the correct mounting configuration, the HOB-O® can be used on ferrous materials with magnetic feet or Magsquare feet, and on non-ferrous materials with the optional vacuum base and vacuum pump kit.
The BUG-O HOB-O® is a strong choice for companies that need accurate circular flame-cutting without the size, cost or material-handling limitations of a fixed cutting table. It brings controlled circular motion directly to the workpiece, making it especially valuable for heavy fabrication, repair operations and field-based work.
Its practical advantage is workflow efficiency. The machine is portable, quickly centred, easy to set by radius, and designed to produce smoother holes with less manual correction. This can reduce rework, grinding time and operator fatigue while improving consistency from one cut to the next.
The accessory ecosystem also makes the HOB-O® flexible. Standard units cover the main inside and outside diameter ranges, the Blind Area Kit fills the intermediate diameter range, Magsquare versions improve magnetic holding and positioning, and the vacuum base option allows use on non-ferrous materials.
| Product | BUG-O HOB-O® |
|---|---|
| Product type | Lightweight precision hole borer, circle cutter, beveler and welder |
| Cutting process | Flame cutting |
| Standard inside diameter cutting capacity | 1" - 8" / 25 - 200 mm |
| Standard outside diameter cutting capacity | 14 1/2" - 48" / 368 - 1220 mm |
| Blind Area Kit cutting capacity | 8" - 14 1/2" / 203 - 368 mm |
| Power options | 120 VAC / 50-60 Hz / 1 phase, 240 VAC / 50-60 Hz / 1 phase, 42 VAC / 50-60 Hz / 1 phase |
| Standard order references | HOB-2303 120 VAC, HOB-2323 240 VAC, HOB-2313 42 VAC |
| Standard unit dimensions | 15.06" L x 28.50" W x 10.50" H / 383 x 724 x 267 mm |
| Standard unit net weight | 30 lb / 13.6 kg |
| Standard unit shipping weight | 35 lb / 15.9 kg |
| Standard box size | 20" L x 19" W x 15" H / 508 x 483 x 381 mm |
| Magsquare version order reference | HOB-2303-MSQ, 120 VAC with Magsquare feet |
| Magsquare version net weight | 35 lb / 15.9 kg |
| Magsquare version shipping weight | 40 lb / 18.14 kg |
| Magsquare holding force | 2400 lb / 1089 kg total holding force |
| Drive type | Solid-state DC drive |
| Speed calculation | Minimum speed per minute = 0.4 x diameter; maximum speed per minute = 8 x diameter |
| Capacity and speed example, 1" diameter | 0.4-8 IPM / 25 mm diameter, 10-200 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 4" diameter | 1.6-33 IPM / 100 mm diameter, 40-800 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 8" diameter | 3.3-66 IPM / 200 mm diameter, 80-1600 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 15" diameter | 6-125 IPM / 380 mm diameter, 150-3000 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 20" diameter | 8-160 IPM / 500 mm diameter, 200-4000 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 25" diameter | 10-200 IPM / 600 mm diameter, 250-5000 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 30" diameter | 12-250 IPM / 750 mm diameter, 300-6000 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 35" diameter | 14-290 IPM / 900 mm diameter, 370-7500 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 40" diameter | 16-330 IPM / 1000 mm diameter, 400-8000 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 45" diameter | 18-375 IPM / 1100 mm diameter, 450-9000 mm/min |
| Capacity and speed example, 48" diameter | 20-400 IPM / 1200 mm diameter, 500-10000 mm/min |
| Blind Area Kit order reference | HOB-2080, torch not included |
| Blind Area Kit net weight | 12 lb / 5.45 kg |
| Blind Area Kit shipping weight | 15 lb / 6.80 kg |
| Blind Area Kit with Magsquare order reference | HOB-2080-MSQ, torch not included |
| Blind Area Kit with Magsquare net weight | 16 lb / 7.27 kg |
| Blind Area Kit with Magsquare shipping weight | 20 lb / 9.07 kg |
| HOB-O® with Blind Area Kit order references | HOB-2204 120 VAC, HOB-2224 240 VAC, HOB-2214 42 VAC |
| HOB-O® with Blind Area Kit net weight | 40 lb / 18.18 kg |
| HOB-O® with Blind Area Kit shipping weight | 45 lb / 20.41 kg |
| HOB-O® with Blind Area Kit and Magsquare order reference | HOB-2204-MSQ, 120 VAC |
| HOB-O® with Blind Area Kit and Magsquare net weight | 45 lb / 20.41 kg |
| HOB-O® with Blind Area Kit and Magsquare shipping weight | 50 lb / 22.73 kg |
| Vacuum base | HOB-1140 Vacuum Base for non-ferrous materials, used with ARV-2020 Vacuum Pump Kit |
| Torch supply | Torch not included |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Country of manufacture | USA |
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