Please recommend a drywall cutout tool

[Victor Robinson]

Decided to do some drwalling myself as it's a fairly small job and the quotes have been outrageous. I'll need to do some cutouts for recessed lights and the usual outlets and switches. What do you all like to use that's quick and easy? And hopefully cheap? I do have a FMM but would prefer a rotary. I get dizzy looking at all the Dremel and Rotozip options...not sure which would be right. Thanks!

[Bruce Elasik]

utility knife

[ray hampton]

I will not consider cutting drywall quick or easy, the clean -up of all of the dust will transform a easy job into a pain, a roto tool will perform as well as a key hole saw

[Steve Griffin]

No need for motorized tools for everything. I'd suggest a 10$ sheetrock jab saw--no cords/batteries and super fast.

It's the layout that can take the most time. Templates are great for this--I cut 1/4" melamine templates for single, double and round cutouts. Use with a t-square and you only need to use your tape measure for left/right location.

[Sam Murdoch]

I use a saws all blade in a handle - similar to this 226389 especially good and cheap for a small job.

[Bob Lloyd]

I use a Porter Cable drywall router which uses 1/8" and 1/4" cutout bits. ($75-80) You could probably get something cheaper on Amazon or a trim router from Harbor Freight that would work if you wanted something semi disposable.

[Bill Huber]

You could use a multi tool, they work very well, the last thing I would use is a Rotozip, they blow dust everywhere.
I normally just use a box knife like was stated by Bruce.

[Victor Robinson]

No power? Blasphemy! Point taken...

Great tip on the templates Steve!

[frank shic]

I use a saws all blade in a handle - similar to this 226389 especially good and cheap for a small job.

+1

i've used a rotozip as well as a circle cuttnig drill attachment and i never felt safe with using either of them overhead. the jab saw works very well for this purpose. you could also use a multitool but you'll have to make multiple plunges since the blades are mainly flat.

[Ryan Baker]

There you go. A utility knife and a drywall jab saw. That's all you need.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Decided to do some drwalling myself as it's a fairly small job and the quotes have been outrageous. I'll need to do some cutouts for recessed lights and the usual outlets and switches. What do you all like to use that's quick and easy? And hopefully cheap? I do have a FMM but would prefer a rotary. I get dizzy looking at all the Dremel and Rotozip options...not sure which would be right. Thanks!

Absolutely nothing motorized-not needed and just will make you sick with the dust! First a good utility knife. Stanley 99 with fixed blade was what I carried decades ago (hung more sheets of board than I care to remember). Next is a good jab saw-you can get these at any borg. Take it, and use a file to sharpen the point to a knife like point. Finally, if you have a lot of doors to do, you need a larger jab saw (think small panel saw) with the same type of teeth. If you can't find one at the borg, go to their handsaw section and get the roughest cut Stanley hardpoint handsaw, with the shortest blade. All three of these will set you back maybe $30.00 total. Get a drywall T-square if you're going to work with full sheets (about $12 to $15). Unless you're going to make this a full time job, you don't need anything else. When hanging, I'd use drywall screws, but if you don't have a powered driver, use ring shank nails, but also use glue.

You going to tape? You'll need a mud pan, a 4", 8" and 10" or 12" knives. Use ring shank nails to affix the outside corner bead. For inside corners, the borgs now carry preformed metal, topped with paper. Makes inside corners a snap. Use paper tape on flat joints (mesh is for plaster or skim coating). Get yourself a sanding pole and some 120 grit paper. Take your time with bedding the first coat as smooth as you can.

Any other questions, PM me as you proceed. As I said, I've did this many, many moons ago for a living, both hanging and finishing. Can't be anywhere near it today because of the dust, plus, I left the trade in 1989 and started a manufacturing plant and been there ever since.

[ian maybury]

Must say i've got great use from a Multi Master (with the chisel type blade) for cutting out awkward shapes in ceilings and the like situ.

ian

[Dan Hintz]

If the cuts are straight, I might use a knife if I have nothing else. But since most canister cutouts are circular, I prefer a keyhole saw for everything.

[frank shic]

victor, the other thing you will need to deal with is texturing otherwise the seams and irregularities in the framing behind the drywall will be fairly apparent under a raking light.

[Van Huskey]

Another vote for a utility knife and a drywall saw, those and a tape, a couple of foot lifters, T-square, hammer and a screw gun are pretty much all you need to hang rock, add a hoist if you are doing a ceiling alone.

[Peter Quinn]

I like a rotozip with pilot point bitts for getting tight around fixtures, making door and window penetrations. Its quick, it can be accurate with a little practice. Its also noisy and very messy if doing work in living space. So I guess it depends on the size of the job and the job site conditions. For a small job with just a few cut outs, I'd go manual with a keyhole saw. For a large ceiling with 15 cans, i'd start thinking rotozip and a vacuum cleaner.

[Tom Ewell]

Razor knife, drywall saw (keyhole and handsaw types), Hole Pro for can lights and circle cuts in sheet goods up to 17"

[fRED mCnEILL]

You can also get an adapter to use a roto zip bit in your router.

[Don Bullock]

There you go. A utility knife and a drywall jab saw. That's all you need.

I agree. Though I have a Roto Zip and A multi tool, I found the drywall saw much easier, faster and more accurate. Yes, I was surprised that I preferred it over power tools.

[Alan Lightstone]

A Fein multimaster works. That's what I've used since I have one. I like it better than the rotozip.

That being said, a keyhole saw works just fine and costs next to nothing. I agree. Power tools not necessary (Stand back. Lightning could strike.)

[Craig Michael]

First choices would be a hole saw for the recessed lights and for any outlet boxes, etc. I would use a multi master style tool.

Why are people complaining about dust with a oscillating tool or rotozip style tool? Use a vacuum and put the nozzle near the cutting blade and suck up all the dust as you cut. Pretty simple and effective solution. Hole pro is nice and works but you are not going to pay $100+ for that so don't even bother looking.

[Rich Engelhardt]

The RotoZip is a God send if you're doing any decent sized job.

For only one room though it may not be worth it.

[jonathan eagle]

First choices would be a hole saw for the recessed lights and for any outlet boxes, etc. I would use a multi master style tool.

Why are people complaining about dust with a oscillating tool or rotozip style tool? Use a vacuum and put the nozzle near the cutting blade and suck up all the dust as you cut. Pretty simple and effective solution. Hole pro is nice and works but you are not going to pay $100+ for that so don't even bother looking.
I think most of are not pros, or are doing very small jobs. I can't imagine not using power on a big job.

[Kevin Presutti]

Decided to do some drwalling myself as it's a fairly small job and the quotes have been outrageous. I'll need to do some cutouts for recessed lights and the usual outlets and switches. What do you all like to use that's quick and easy? And hopefully cheap? I do have a FMM but would prefer a rotary. I get dizzy looking at all the Dremel and Rotozip options...not sure which would be right. Thanks!



Seems like you don't do alot of drywall, so you decide to do a fairly small job..............spending money on a rotary cutout tool won't make the job any smaller just a little shorter in the cash department. Go buy a nice new sharp drywall saw.

[Ron Natalie]

I've got a dewalt cordless "rotozip" clone. It works well but is overkill. The drywall poke-saw (what we call the "steak knife") still gets a lot of use. Sometimes when I'm really lazy I'll plunge cut with my hackzall.

The one drywall tool I've come across in 25+ years of work that is really cool and useful, and is $25 is the Goldblatt Blade Runner. It's two drywall cutters that stick to opposite sides of the sheet with a powerful magnet and score both faces at the same time (and you don't even need to follow a straight line if you need to. It makes things a lot faster, you no longer have to score, snap, cut again. Just one pass and snap and you're done.

[Ben Hatcher]

Make sure to buy extra bladed for the utility knife and change them often for tear free cuts. The drywall square is well worth the price. I found a mud pan or hock to be very helpful in speeding up the finishing, but skip the plastic pan and buy the stainless one. The plastic one has steel scrapers which rust and are generally a pain to clean off. For electrical box cut outs I typically use the key hole saw. For doorways and windows I hang a full sheet across it and use my cordless sawzall to cut the sides of the opening and score it from the back to cut the top. There's not a lot of dust and it is incredibly fast. I bought a circle cutter for the cans. It just scores the paper and you punch the plug through. I can't say that it is faster than a hole saw but you do at least get a nice clean edge.

[Bob Lloyd]

With all due to respect to Tony and others, every drywaller I have used over the last 20 or so years uses a router. Sure it creates dust, it is a construction site! As Craig points out you can always have someone hold a vacuum to get most of the dust.

[Ruel Smith]

I'm in construction, and in the past 8 years, I've only seen one occasion that any drywall hangers ever used a RotoZip. Every other time, it's been a jab saw or a utility knife. They promote those tools on television on shows like This Old House, but like I said, it's rare to actually see a professional use one. I'm in commercial construction, so I don't know if that makes a difference or not. Would seem to me that the scale of commercial construction would more likely be the place they would use the better tool because of the sheer amount of work output needed.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I'm in construction, and in the past 8 years, I've only seen one occasion that any drywall hangers ever used a RotoZip. Every other time, it's been a jab saw or a utility knife. They promote those tools on television on shows like This Old House, but like I said, it's rare to actually see a professional use one. I'm in commercial construction, so I don't know if that makes a difference or not. Would seem to me that the scale of commercial construction would more likely be the place they would use the better tool because of the sheer amount of work output needed.

My background was also commercial construction (once in a great while, some residential) and the jobs were quoted to be done fast. An experienced drywaller with a jab saw could be a Rotozip hands down any day. The additional upside of the jab saw is a neater cut--I've seen many blowouts around an inexperienced machine cut-out, costing more time in finishing. I actually have a Porter Cable cut-out tool, used it a few times and put it away--just wasn't as fast and no where as neat on the cuts.

Another thing I noticed on "This Old House" type shows is a large number of jobs being nailed. The jobs I did were always screwed and glued. Bear in mind, I've been away from the trade for better than twenty years and things do change, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but if I were to look for a reason to buy another power tool, I'd be looking in a different direction than a drywall cutout tool!

[Adrian Anguiano]

If your cutting it out before its up. Use a multitool. My harbor freight 19 dollar one works perfect for this.
If you put the drywall up and know whats behind the wall. Multitool.

NOW

For old construction. ALWAYS use a hand drywall saw.

You do not want to use a powertool and accidently go right through a wire and fry your brain and kill yourself, or hit a water pipe or something else. Using a handsaw you will feel the item behind the wall before u cut right throught it.

[Ruel Smith]

Another thing I noticed on "This Old House" type shows is a large number of jobs being nailed. The jobs I did were always screwed and glued. Bear in mind, I've been away from the trade for better than twenty years and things do change, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but if I were to look for a reason to buy another power tool, I'd be looking in a different direction than a drywall cutout tool!

Don't get me started on "This Old House". I'm a plumber, and I cringe at that plumber they have. Every time he solders, it looks like the work of a first year apprentice, and he's doing it wrong. Then, I watch him get all excited about putting PEX into a house, running a manifold system. I'm sorry, but as a plumber, nothing but copper goes into my house... Maybe with his soldering skills, he should be running PEX.

[Ron Natalie]

The rotozip cutting part of the bit shouldn't extend further than the drywall you're cutting. The chances of hitting a wire or pipe is minimal (and that first jab with the steak knife could hit something as well).

[frank shic]

love pex.. almost seems too easy except for soldering in that first adapter!

[Craig Michael]

Don't get me started on "This Old House". I'm a plumber, and I cringe at that plumber they have. Every time he solders, it looks like the work of a first year apprentice, and he's doing it wrong. Then, I watch him get all excited about putting PEX into a house, running a manifold system. I'm sorry, but as a plumber, nothing but copper goes into my house... Maybe with his soldering skills, he should be running PEX.

Copper has its place, when you want somehing ridgid such as body spray piping, shower valve, etc. Pex is a much better product than copper. It is faster to install, cheaper and price stable, much quieter, much fewer joints, resists broking on freezes, etc.

Also, I assume the "plumber" you are speaking about on 'this old house' is Rich Trethewey. Threthewey was a plumber a long time ago but he has not been a plumber for nearly 30 years (he probably still has the license though) and even then he wasn't in the field doing plumbing for years before that. Threthewey is a manufacturers rep for products now. One is Unico which TOH used quite a bit, one that he used to rep is Viessmann heating equipment. He doesn't rep for them anymore so TOH doesn't show that stuff anymore.

I agree Trethewey isn't a very good at soldering but seeing that he only does it a few times a year, I'll cut him some slack. He also is the Heating/ AC expert for TOH, not the plumber. He does some plumbing stuff for the 'Ask this old house' show. All the work on the TOH shows is by plumbing companies Trethewey's family company Tbros if it is in the boston area (Rich left there to start RST, his brother owns and runs the company), then local plumbing companies when they do a house in another part of the country.

http://www.rstthermal.com/bio_richard.html

This is the family run plumbing business. http://www.tbros.com/company-info

[jonathan eagle]

I'm in construction, and in the past 8 years, I've only seen one occasion that any drywall hangers ever used a RotoZip. Every other time, it's been a jab saw or a utility knife. They promote those tools on television on shows like This Old House, but like I said, it's rare to actually see a professional use one. I'm in commercial construction, so I don't know if that makes a difference or not. Would seem to me that the scale of commercial construction would more likely be the place they would use the better tool because of the sheer amount of work output needed.
Maybe it is something regional. I'm not a pro, but all the jobs I've seen around here, were clearly cut with the rotozip or equivalent. They could have cared less about dust as the subfloor was all that was there. I'm talking about new construction.

Jonathan

[Craig Michael]

Maybe it is something regional. I'm not a pro, but all the jobs I've seen around here, were clearly cut with the rotozip or equivalent. They could have cared less about dust as the subfloor was all that was there. I'm talking about new construction.

Jonathan

No it's not a regional thing. Every pro I've ever seen, commercial or residential uses a power cutout tool. Saying a jab saw is faster than a power tool is one of the craziest things I've heard recently. It's like saying hand nailing is faster than a nail gun.

[Ruel Smith]

Copper has its place, when you want somehing ridgid such as body spray piping, shower valve, etc. Pex is a much better product than copper. It is faster to install, cheaper and price stable, much quieter, much fewer joints, resists broking on freezes, etc.


If it was the traditional PEX setup of using barbed fittings and clamps, yes it is cheaper. However, running everything in home runs to manifolds like he was was not cheaper than copper, and he even said so himself. Copper does cost more, these days, thanks to the cost of the raw material, but so does PEX. PEX is petroleum based, and crude oil costs more these days, as does the brass barbed fittings.

PEX is being persecuted in California for harmful contaminants leaching into the water it holds. I believe the battle is still ongoing about it there. PEX is inferior as plumbing all around, IMHO. PEX does not like UV at all. Also, rodents apparently like to chew on it. And, lastly, it tends to get a biofilm formation on seldom used runs on non-chlorinated potable water systems, such as filtered water. Think Legionaire's disease... The house I just bought has some old polybutylene pipe in it, which will be disposed of ASAP, and the same things you're saying about PEX was true about it years ago. Now, its proven to be an vastly inferior product. A properly soldered copper pipe will never give you a problem. The taste of the water is also better with copper. I don't know a single plumber that would rather have PEX in their own house than copper, period, and I know about 500 of them.


Also, I assume the "plumber" you are speaking about on 'this old house' is Rich Trethewey. Threthewey was a plumber a long time ago but he has not been a plumber for nearly 30 years (he probably still has the license though) and even then he wasn't in the field doing plumbing for years before that. Threthewey is a manufacturers rep for products now. One is Unico which TOH used quite a bit, one that he used to rep is Viessmann heating equipment. He doesn't rep for them anymore so TOH doesn't show that stuff anymore.

I agree Trethewey isn't a very good at soldering but seeing that he only does it a few times a year, I'll cut him some slack. He also is the Heating/ AC expert for TOH, not the plumber. He does some plumbing stuff for the 'Ask this old house' show. All the work on the TOH shows is by plumbing companies Trethewey's family company Tbros if it is in the boston area (Rich left there to start RST, his brother owns and runs the company), then local plumbing companies when they do a house in another part of the country.

http://www.rstthermal.com/bio_richard.html

This is the family run plumbing business. http://www.tbros.com/company-info

I still wouldn't do some of the things he does on that show. I've seen him run rolled soft copper over to a laundry sink. If that wasn't the ugliest run I've ever seen... Like i said, I have a little more pride in my work than to do some of that stuff. Having a business, a license, or a certification doesn't mean you're very good at it. I've seen plenty of hacks that have had all 3, and I wouldn't let them plumb up a dog house.

[Ruel Smith]

Like I said... I'm in commercial construction. I've worked on everything from a small bank branch to skyscrapers and huge hospitals. I've been on remodels, but I'd say 90% of it was new construction. I've only seen one single occasion anyone ever cut anything out with a RotoZip tool. Any other time, it's jab saws and utility knives. These guys come in like gangbusters and you go from a bunch of studs to walled off rooms in no time. It's amazing how fast they knock that stuff out. I just hate hearing those drywall screw guns all day long. It just wears on you after awhile.

[Bob Lloyd]

Ruel Smith
I'm in construction, and in the past 8 years, I've only seen one occasion that any drywall hangers ever used a RotoZip. Every other time, it's been a jab saw or a utility knife. They promote those tools on television on shows like This Old House, but like I said, it's rare to actually see a professional use one. I'm in commercial construction, so I don't know if that makes a difference or not. Would seem to me that the scale of commercial construction would more likely be the place they would use the better tool because of the sheer amount of work output needed.





Tony Zaffuto
My background was also commercial construction (once in a great while, some residential) and the jobs were quoted to be done fast. An experienced drywaller with a jab saw could be a Rotozip hands down any day. The additional upside of the jab saw is a neater cut--I've seen many blowouts around an inexperienced machine cut-out, costing more time in finishing. I actually have a Porter Cable cut-out tool, used it a few times and put it away--just wasn't as fast and no where as neat on the cuts.


I am also in construction and as I mentioned earlier in the thread, for the last twenty years or so I have not seen any drywaller not use a router. For me I would be surprised to see one cutting with a jab saw. I do not think that a jab saw would be any neater. Like Tony, I have seen mistakes made with a router but, like any tool, in the hands of an inexperienced operator errors will occur. My experience is mainly residential but my observation holds true for commercial as well. I find the router way faster and easier on all those metal mud rings. In the end it comes down to what a person is comfortable with and what works for them. I respect that for Tony and Ruel they prefer to cut by hand. For me and all the people I have worked with, a router is the tool of choice.

Off the track of the original post but I have to agree with everything that Craig has said about pex. Ruel states that he always uses copper and that he is in commercial construction. In my area we still have to use copper in commercial work and maybe that is where his bias comes from.

Victor, if you are still reading, try and find what works for you and go with it.

[Victor Robinson]

Victor, if you are still reading, try and find what works for you and go with it.

Sooo, I should use PEX? :confused::p

[Larry Edgerton]

My new house will be Pex free on the supply side, and I will cut out my boxes with a Roto-Zip.

Larry

[Myk Rian]

I recommend a Porter Cable 3.5hp router, with a 3/4" mortise bit.

[Bob Lloyd]

Victor Robinson
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Bob Lloyd http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1890546#post1890546)
Victor, if you are still reading, try and find what works for you and go with it.



Sooo, I should use PEX? :confused::p



Sorry Victor, I was referring to the rotary or jab saw differences. You had stated a preference for rotary tools, I answered with what I have used. As sometimes happens, threads get a little off track, I just wanted to return to your original post.

[jonathan eagle]

No it's not a regional thing. Every pro I've ever seen, commercial or residential uses a power cutout tool. Saying a jab saw is faster than a power tool is one of the craziest things I've heard recently. It's like saying hand nailing is faster than a nail gun.

Craig we are agreeing!

[Bill McDermott]

Tony, EXCELLENT information in your reply #12 above. Thank you.

[David Hostetler]

I just use a regular drywall saw. Quick, easy, and the dust produced doesn't jam up and expensive power tool...

[Albert T. Tappman]

I do have a FMM but would prefer a rotary. I get dizzy looking at all the Dremel and Rotozip options...not sure which would be right. Thanks!

I recently bought the $150 Rotozip kit that includes the attachment for mounting a small circular saw blade. I have a Dremel, but they just aren't powerful enough to cut drywall, in my opinion. I also bought the overpriced dust collection attachment for the Rotozip. With that, I didn't have any trouble with dust. I used it to cut around the perimeter of a tub surround, and cut some holes for electrical boxes. I found it easy enough to use, and I'm satisfied with it. I didn't give a second thought to buying a gimmicky Binford-like power tool when a $6 drywall saw works just as well, because at the time I had no idea there was such a thing as a jab saw snob. Maybe from now on when I think of my Rotozip I'll have to suck my thumb until the feelings of inferiority pass.

The saw blade attachment, on the other hand, is completely worthless. I tried to cut a piece of 1/4" plywood with it, because I was at somebody else's house and didn't have any other tool to use. It's almost impossible to cut a straight line with the thing, and it burned the plywood pretty badly. If I had it to do over again, I'd just get the Rotozip without the dumb saw blade attachment. There's an entry-level model for $69 that gets bad reviews, so I'd go with the more powerful model that sells for $99 I think. And get the crummy little dust collection kit, even though you have to pay $30 for 50 cents worth of plastic.

[Larry Edgerton]

The saw blade attachment, on the other hand, is completely worthless. .

I agree that the saw blade is useless, but throw a cutoff wheel in there and it is a great cutoff tool and small hand grinder in a pinch. Just thought inquiring minds should know......

Larry

[David Larsen]

I am kinda old-school with some of this stuff. Kinda like shingling many roofs by hand before getting an air nailer. yes, I wouldn't do a roof without air if I can help it.

Sheetrock. Yes, many sheets cut with a jab saw. If a small project, then get the jab saw and get r done. I have a couple of the rotozip drywall tools and after using them I would recommend them for future projects. Quick and fast. A little dust never hurt anyone. Less dust than sanding anyways.

But for what you are considering, just use a utility knife and a jab saw and a good t-square and you will do just fine.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Get a drywall T-square if you're going to work with full sheets (about $12 to $15).
Drywall T's are good for laying out the cuts.
I vastly prefer to use one of those clamp and cut guides to use for scoring.
It locks solidly and doesn't move plus, it sits up higher which keeps my off hand and thumb out of the way of the utility knife if (more like when) the blade rides up on the guide.

I was just scoring and cutting some vinyl floor tile the other day and cursing myself for leaving the clamp and cut @ home. All I could think aanout while scoring the tile was how bad it was going to hurt when the blade rode up on the straight edge and then sliced across my thumb.

[Tony Zaffuto]

You'll find if you follow a steel square with a utility knife, you'll lessen the chance of the blade riding up on the edge. Happens easily when you're scoring against aluminum, if you're not careful. Helps to have a very sharp knife (in two ways: follows the blade better and if it does cut you, it leaves a cleaner cut!!!).

[Jeff Connelly]

Old thread, I realize, but I was Googling for cutout tools and happened upon this. Thought I would add a little of my opinion for future searchers.

First tools, then applications:

Utility knife: the obvious choice for most of your straight cuts, no dust, no kerf
Jab saw: good handheld control, dusty, wide kerf
Rotary: good depth control, requires power, loud, dusty, wide kerf
Multitool: decent depth control, requires power, loud, medium dust, medium kerf

So, take the advantages of each and apply.

- cutting drywall before installing, single straight cuts. Obviously the knife.

- cutting drywall after installing, straight cuts at door edges. The knife, then snap off along frame

- cutting drywall after installing, straight cuts but angled at door and window corners. Jab saw using the frame as a guide for first cut, then the knife for the second cut and snapping off.

- cutting around round boxes after installing. This is where the rotary shines. The spinning tool pulls the blade left. Therefore, when cutting along the outside of a box or frame, move counterclockwise. When cutting along the inside of a box or frame, move clockwise.

- cutting square electrical boxes before or after installing. Before - jab saw or multitool. After - rotary saw or jab saw. Rotary follows metal boxes well, but will sometimes cut into plastic boxes.

- removing drywall to patch - rotary is not good at making straight lines freehand, because it pulls. Rotaries like a frame to hold against. A jab saw if you have to follow along the outside edge of a stud, a jab saw or multitool if you just have a line to follow. Multitools make very clean lines with less dust than jab saws. Also, multitools are required when you don't know what's behind the drywall, or if there is no room behind the drywall. You don't want to cut plumbing or electrical, or you want to cut directly along a stud line (multitool much better than knife here.)

[Mark Bolton]

- After - rotary saw or jab saw. Rotary follows metal boxes well, but will sometimes cut into plastic boxes.


How can you cut any box after the board is hung with a jab saw? You may be able to cut three sides on a rectanglar/square box (or 70% of a round) with the jab but there is no way to cut the side/portion thats against the stud/rafter/joist? Your stroke is so short its a nightmare.

The only time a rotary is a problem with a plastic box is if the operator stalls, or gets lost in the cut. Or possibly sticks 2" of bit through the board. Most commonly they melt through the side of the box.

The dust with a router is generally minimal with regards to boxes because the bit (down spiral) puts all the dust behind the board. Of course if you use one on a door your putting it in the room. Windows too.

Drywall is dusty.. there is no way to avoid it. Its just a sucky job.

[Chris Padilla]

I use a Rotozip. Yeah, it's messy but I think it is kind of fun zipping out outlets following the mud ring.