Newest Toy

[Jim Thompson]

Had a problem installing a receptacle inside a wall cabinet where I
could barely get my arms inside, let-alone my head and shoulders.

While perusing the reciprocating saws at Lowe's I stumbled onto this
tool...

http://www.analog-innovations.com/SED/CutOutTool.jpg

It's basically a small-format router running at 30K RPM with a special
narrow bit.

Cut a receptacle box shape through 3/4" plywood in about 30 seconds!

...Jim Thompson

 

[Chuck Harris]

Had a problem installing a receptacle inside a wall cabinet where I
could barely get my arms inside, let-alone my head and shoulders.

While perusing the reciprocating saws at Lowe's I stumbled onto this
tool...

http://www.analog-innovations.com/SED/CutOutTool.jpg

It's basically a small-format router running at 30K RPM with a special
narrow bit.

Cut a receptacle box shape through 3/4" plywood in about 30 seconds!

Yep, the infamous rotozip tool. I have used them for years. It does
the best job of opening a hole for an outlet in drywall. You do have to
start where the box is touching the board, though or it will tear up the
paper when the box pressing on the board breaks the last little bit you
haven't yet cut.

-Chuck Harris

 

[Jim Thompson]

Yep, the infamous rotozip tool. I have used them for years. It does
the best job of opening a hole for an outlet in drywall. You do have to
start where the box is touching the board, though or it will tear up the
paper when the box pressing on the board breaks the last little bit you
haven't yet cut.

-Chuck Harris

Thanks, Chuck! I'll watch for that. The next part of the project
will be thru drywall.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Chuck Harris]

Thanks, Chuck! I'll watch for that. The next part of the project
will be thru drywall.

...Jim Thompson

First, take the handle of your drywall hatchet, and pack the wires
deep into the back of the box. Then lean the sheet against the box,
and look in from the top, and reach down with your hatchet, and peck
the drywall in the center of the box (It takes good depth perception).
Next, put a nail or two along the top edge of the sheet, at least 4 feet
away from the box. This is just to hold the sheet in place. Punch the
zip tool through the center of the box, and go until it hits the side of the
box that is touching the drywall sheet. Make sure that you head for
the most clockwise corner of the box where the sheet is touching, and then
carefully extract the tool so you hop over the edge of the box, and start
cutting in the counter clockwise direction. Counter clockwise is important,
because the force of cutting pushes the tool into the edge of the box,
making it easier for you to keep it hugging the edge. Be quick as you
finish the last side of the cut, just in case the cutout is going to break,
and tear the paper. Try and keep the force of the drywall leaning on the
box to a minimum. If you don't have the depth perception to be able to peck
the center of the box with a hatchet, use your tape, and measure X-Y to the
center of the box, and make a mark.

Oh, and get help carrying the sheets, I have a couple of disks that give me
the nicest sciatica phantom pains because I didn't.

-Chuck Harris

 

[J.A. Legris]

First, take the handle of your drywall hatchet, and pack the wires
deep into the back of the box. Then lean the sheet against the box,
and look in from the top, and reach down with your hatchet, and peck
the drywall in the center of the box (It takes good depth perception).
Next, put a nail or two along the top edge of the sheet, at least 4 feet
away from the box. This is just to hold the sheet in place. Punch the
zip tool through the center of the box, and go until it hits the side of the
box that is touching the drywall sheet. Make sure that you head for
the most clockwise corner of the box where the sheet is touching, and then
carefully extract the tool so you hop over the edge of the box, and start
cutting in the counter clockwise direction. Counter clockwise is important,
because the force of cutting pushes the tool into the edge of the box,
making it easier for you to keep it hugging the edge. Be quick as you
finish the last side of the cut, just in case the cutout is going to break,
and tear the paper. Try and keep the force of the drywall leaning on the
box to a minimum. If you don't have the depth perception to be able to peck
the center of the box with a hatchet, use your tape, and measure X-Y to the
center of the box, and make a mark.

Oh, and get help carrying the sheets, I have a couple of disks that give me
the nicest sciatica phantom pains because I didn't.

-Chuck Harris

And wear a good face mask. You've never seen so much dust.

 

[Phat Bytestard]

And wear a good face mask. You've never seen so much dust.

That's what a good vacuum cleaner hose is for.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

And wear a good face mask. You've never seen so much dust.

If you want to see lots of dust try removing old wood lath and
horsehair plaster from a 100 + year old house that was heated with coal
for over 50 years. I had big fans running constantly, and I could still
barely see where I was swinging my 20 pound sledge hammer.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

If you want to see lots of dust try removing old wood lath and
horsehair plaster from a 100 + year old house that was heated with coal
for over 50 years. I had big fans running constantly, and I could still
barely see where I was swinging my 20 pound sledge hammer.

I hope you used a really good respirator in that environment.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Phat Bytestard]

If you want to see lots of dust try removing old wood lath and
horsehair plaster from a 100 + year old house that was heated with coal
for over 50 years. I had big fans running constantly, and I could still
barely see where I was swinging my 20 pound sledge hammer.

Cool house... Sounds like it would be a pain in the ass to wire up
though.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Cool house... Sounds like it would be a pain in the ass to wire up
though.

Not at all, after all of the old plaster was gone.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Jim Thompson]

Yep, the infamous rotozip tool. I have used them for years. It does
the best job of opening a hole for an outlet in drywall. You do have to
start where the box is touching the board, though or it will tear up the
paper when the box pressing on the board breaks the last little bit you
haven't yet cut.

-Chuck Harris

Chuck, Took me awhile to realize exactly what you were saying. You're
hanging drywall over boxes, so alignment is crucial. I'm adding a box
to an existing hung piece of drywall... "old work" boxes with fold-out
"ears".

Normally I do this with a drywall saw, but this location didn't allow
for easy access or much physical movement.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Paul E. Schoen]

Not at all, after all of the old plaster was gone.

I have two houses that were built around 1877 and I removed all the old
lath and plaster. I found it was possible to pull large chunks of plaster
from the laths, and then remove them (mostly) intact, using a flat "wonder"
bar. It was still an incredibly messy job. There was already some wiring in
the house, mostly old cloth covered romex that had been fished behind walls
and ceilings, and under the floor.

When I was pulling down the plaster from one part of the ceiling, something
that I first thought was a coil of old black romex cable fell to the floor,
but then it moved. A head appeared, and it turned out to be a black snake,
who was now flitting his tongue to check out his newly changed environment.
I got him to wrap onto a stick and I put him outside to make a new home in
the bushes.

Wiring is certainly a lot easier with the plaster removed. It's basically
the same as new construction.

Paul

 

[Richard Henry]

First, take the handle of your drywall hatchet, and pack the wires
deep into the back of the box. Then lean the sheet against the box,
and look in from the top, and reach down with your hatchet, and peck
the drywall in the center of the box (It takes good depth perception).
Next, put a nail or two along the top edge of the sheet, at least 4 feet
away from the box. This is just to hold the sheet in place. Punch the
zip tool through the center of the box, and go until it hits the side of the
box that is touching the drywall sheet. Make sure that you head for
the most clockwise corner of the box where the sheet is touching, and then
carefully extract the tool so you hop over the edge of the box, and start
cutting in the counter clockwise direction. Counter clockwise is important,
because the force of cutting pushes the tool into the edge of the box,
making it easier for you to keep it hugging the edge. Be quick as you
finish the last side of the cut, just in case the cutout is going to break,
and tear the paper. Try and keep the force of the drywall leaning on the
box to a minimum. If you don't have the depth perception to be able to peck
the center of the box with a hatchet, use your tape, and measure X-Y to the
center of the box, and make a mark.

"...the most clockwise corner..." ???

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

I have two houses that were built around 1877 and I removed all the old
lath and plaster. I found it was possible to pull large chunks of plaster
from the laths, and then remove them (mostly) intact, using a flat "wonder"
bar. It was still an incredibly messy job. There was already some wiring in
the house, mostly old cloth covered romex that had been fished behind walls
and ceilings, and under the floor.

When I was pulling down the plaster from one part of the ceiling, something
that I first thought was a coil of old black romex cable fell to the floor,
but then it moved. A head appeared, and it turned out to be a black snake,
who was now flitting his tongue to check out his newly changed environment.
I got him to wrap onto a stick and I put him outside to make a new home in
the bushes.

Wiring is certainly a lot easier with the plaster removed. It's basically
the same as new construction.

Paul

Except for drilling in 100+ year old hand hewn oak beams. Some of it
was so hard that I had to use masonry bits. A couple minutes a hole
wasn't uncommon, unlike 15 to 30 seconds per hole for fresh pine 2*4s.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Chuck Harris]

Chuck, Took me awhile to realize exactly what you were saying. You're
hanging drywall over boxes, so alignment is crucial. I'm adding a box
to an existing hung piece of drywall... "old work" boxes with fold-out
"ears".

Normally I do this with a drywall saw, but this location didn't allow
for easy access or much physical movement.

...Jim Thompson

Ok, then we change the tact a little bit ;-). When you are cutting to
a line, it usually works better if you go clockwise. Also, go slow, it
is easy to have the cutter wiz outward, and go outside of your line.

I was wondering what you were doing hanging drywall. I rarely do it anymore,
and I am about 15 years younger than you.

-Chuck Harris

 

[Jim Thompson]

Ok, then we change the tact a little bit ;-). When you are cutting to
a line, it usually works better if you go clockwise. Also, go slow, it
is easy to have the cutter wiz outward, and go outside of your line.

I was wondering what you were doing hanging drywall. I rarely do it anymore,
and I am about 15 years younger than you.

-Chuck Harris

Yep. It's been 26 years since I added a room to the old house and
hung drywall... my office. And I cheated... rented a special sprayer
to put down "orange peel" ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[Rich Grise]

Had a problem installing a receptacle inside a wall cabinet where I
could barely get my arms inside, let-alone my head and shoulders.

While perusing the reciprocating saws at Lowe's I stumbled onto this
tool...

http://www.analog-innovations.com/SED/CutOutTool.jpg

It's basically a small-format router running at 30K RPM with a special
narrow bit.

Cut a receptacle box shape through 3/4" plywood in about 30 seconds!

What's its name? I see ads for those things all the time on late-nite
teevee, and they look like they'd be just absolutely awesome for that
kind of job, and I have a couple of others in mind already.

Just one question - are you willing to sacrifice a cutter (if it
works out that way) to test it on ceramic tile, like they show in
the TV ads?

"Spiro-Cut", maybe?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Simon]

What's its name? I see ads for those things all the time on late-nite
teevee, and they look like they'd be just absolutely awesome for that
kind of job, and I have a couple of others in mind already.

It's a rotary saw. Pretty common tool, actually. Take a look at Home Despot.

Just one question - are you willing to sacrifice a cutter (if it
works out that way) to test it on ceramic tile, like they show in
the TV ads?

They've got different bits for different jobs. Just take a look at your
local tool shop.

 

[Chuck Harris]

What's its name? I see ads for those things all the time on late-nite
teevee, and they look like they'd be just absolutely awesome for that
kind of job, and I have a couple of others in mind already.

Just one question - are you willing to sacrifice a cutter (if it
works out that way) to test it on ceramic tile, like they show in
the TV ads?

They are called Roto-zip tools, and they are nothing short of fantastic,
for what they were intended to do. Somewhere, someplace, they got the
idea to hang everything, including the kitchen sink off of the tool, and
sell them to harry homeowner. I think that was a dangerous mistake.

With the proper bit, they will cut most anything, but they are more than
a little bit wild. They will core you if your aren't careful. The bits
will break in a blink when they get dull, or if you force them.

Using them with fly cutters, and router bits is an accident waiting to
happen, yet they are encouraging just that kind of use.

-Chuck

 

[:-:Ghost Chip:-:]

Had a problem installing a receptacle inside a wall cabinet where I
could barely get my arms inside, let-alone my head and shoulders.

While perusing the reciprocating saws at Lowe's I stumbled onto this
tool...

http://www.analog-innovations.com/SED/CutOutTool.jpg

It's basically a small-format router running at 30K RPM with a special
narrow bit.

Cut a receptacle box shape through 3/4" plywood in about 30 seconds!

...Jim Thompson

Great tool. How do cut a straight line?
GC