Best tool for the job?

[Jay Knoll]

Hi everyone

Well this appears to be my year for rot repairs. I have to get out a 2 x 4 stud from the intersection of my garage and an attached courtwall. I"ve opened up the wall (yes a GCS worked real well for that application) but I can't get any of the tools I own into the space to cut out the damaged wood.

So, I'm thinking about a Fein MultiMaster. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Jay

[Don Baer]

Yeow thats a tight space. Can you get in there with a Sawsall ?

[Jay Knoll]

Don,

Nope, I borrowed a Sawsall, no luck

Jay

[fred woltersdorf]

i have used the fein multimaster to remove rotted 2x4's,be careful of nails,those blades are pricey but they will do the job.

[Steve Clardy]

Hammer and an old big chisel.

[Steve Jenkins]

I can't tell much from the pic but I've used a sawzall with a long metal cutting bladeblade (about 10-12") The blade will flex and you can press it flat to the panel and cut through the nails while holding the sawzall at a slight angle.

[Gregg Mason]

From the looks of the amount of rot there. I think I would take out the entire corner, back at least a stud, maybe even two along each wall. This should give you more room to work. I think a sawsall and BFH should do the trick. You could double up the matings studs when you rebuilt the corner. And hopefully you've found/repaired the source of the problem too.

[Tyler Howell]

A agree with Steve buttttt...... If ya gotta have a new tool , ya gotta!;)

[Frank Chaffee]

Jay,
Sawzall
Sawsall blade held in vise grips
Jigsaw
Hammer and chisel
1/4 or 5/16 steel hook... a few blocks and a crowbar.

Lay those things down on the floor in front of that rotted stud, and I bet that puppy will *jump* out of there!

Get the Fein as Tyler advises. Just don't use it here as the blades are too expensive.

Frank

[John Miliunas]

Jay, I think any of the above suggestions will work BUT, if you're intent on the Fein, it will do the job, as well. However, the blade they have designated to go through nails is NOT cheap!:eek: It's only HSS and I'd guess its life would depend largely on how many nails you need to go through. Who knows? You may not hit any! :) :cool:

[Jarrod Nelson]

My SawzAll has never met a job it couldn't crudely tear through. With such a wide variety of blades, I would think you could find a combination that would work.

[Steve Stube]

Nope, I borrowed a Sawsall, no luck

Well Jay, you may have to call in the big guns for this one.

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product.asp?product=176185zz&dept%5Fid=12100&subdept%5Fid=12150&code=macs=MP5WGGL&cm_mmc_o=7BBTkw%20swY8ByplCjCG4V%20%20m5ybET%20nii D%201W7qKWCjCmfAF5%20qwFBMzkCjClfAF5%20ywFBMwy

Merry Christmas!

BTW, You can be sure that I have no idea how this product (in the link) would perform - it was just my first thought. Hammer, chisel and of coarse the Stanley Wonder Bar is how I would approach it.

[John Lucas]

I can't tell much from the pic but I've used a sawzall with a long metal cutting bladeblade (about 10-12") The blade will flex and you can press it flat to the panel and cut through the nails while holding the sawzall at a slight angle.

Absolutely works for this app.

[Dan Larson]

And another one from the "Amusing-but-not-so-useful-suggestion Department". I'm sure it would take care of that rotten stud with ease, although collateral damage may be a little high.:D

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000735.php

I keep looking for an excuse to buy one of these...

Dan

[John D Watson]

Jay, If you want to save yourself alot of work, you can try the wood restoration Kit from LV. Espeacially the liquid resin part. The damage to the wood does not look that bad in the pic. First I would find out where the moisture is coming from and stop it. This stuff is amazing and will make that corner stonger than it was originally. I've used it on door sills and window sills both, with fantastic results. You do not even have to have access to the back of the wood as this product will soak right on thru the wood to the other side. Other than that the sawsall sounds like the best bet. Good Luck

[Jay Knoll]

Thanks guys

Well I got a moisture meter on the wood and it doesn't appear to be TOO bad, on the stained areas near the bottom the highest reading I could get was 16%, on a study that I exposed when I ripped out the siding that appears totally dry I was getting an 8% reading (remember this is Florida and outside)

So, I'm going to let things dry out a bit before I go any further. I ordered a Multi master (new job, new tool!) I can't see any way of getting a sawsall into that area without butchering up the surrounding wood.

I was thinking of using the West Epoxy system on the stuff, but I really want to see what is going on behind the rotted stud and the only way to do that is to cut it out.

Jay

[Matt Crew]

I think Dan and Steve are looking out for you. W ith either of thier suggestions, you could be looking at a bigger and better shop.

[Jay Knoll]

RAFLMAO

Yeah right guys, while I"m at it, why don't I just tear the rest of the house down and rebuild it with Pressure treated lumber (no, wait I'm in FL maybe I should go for concrete block!)

Boy would I like a bigger shop, but right now the garage will have to do and the cars will have to stay out in the driveway. We have a corner lot and are right up against all the set back lines so no luck on expansion. The only way to go would be UP but tearing down the garage, putting in a new foundation and then rebuilding would cost more than we paid for the house. I don't think so!


Anway I'm hoping that with some careful use of the MM I can come "close" to the nails, and then chop the wood free around them with an old chisel, and then go in with a hack saw to finish the job.

I'll keep you posted

Jay

[Jim Dannels]

Should`n probably post this in the power section?
But Steve had something there a chisel would work.
I remember as a small boy watching my dad remodel a house with a minumum of hand tools. That house should probably have been condemed, but he not only made it liveable but added a second story.
Some of the techniques he used would probably have evidenced his growing up on a farm during the depression and having to make something out of nothing. I remeber him making kitchen cabinet from masonite table cutoff from the Monroe Banquet Table Company he bought for 10 cents a piece.
I think the only power tool he has was a 3/8" drill. And was standing in high Cotton when he got a skillsaw.
If I could not get my sawzall in there, I would go up into the solid wood and drill a hole with a large spade bit through the 2X.
Then I would drag out the neglected and abused keyhole saw and saw out the rest.

[Jay Knoll]

Progress report everyone

Well after a period of enforced leisure while Amazon took my money and send me a Fein MultiMaster it arrived today.

An hour later I have the rotted portion of the old 2 x 4 removed. I used the MultiMaster to cut a base line flush with the 2 x 4 next to the rotted one, and to cut off at the top. Then I hogged out pieces with a chisel (recently shapened and will have to be "redone" to take care of the nicks when I discovered some "hidden" nails. Oh well I really want to practice my sharpening skills :D

I didn't cut into the siding that was abutting the 2 x 4, something I was afraid I would do if I used a sawsall (and I still don't think I could have bent a blade enough to keep it flat and under control).

So now I've got to rip down a new 2 x 4 to make up for what I've cut out. I'm going to paint West System epoxy on all exposed surfaces before I start putting things together.

Here is what it looks like. That is one powerful little tool. My Festools are turning orange with envy (well not really, because this bugger really kicks out the dust, something I've forgotten about with the F line.

Yes Tyler, this is a stealth gloat but I did get the picture in the post!

[John Miliunas]

Congrats Jay, on the Fein, as well as the repair!!:) I think you'll find a LOT of uses for that bad boy!:) :cool:

[Joseph O'Leary]

I did this once by plunging the rounded tip of my chainsaw in to remove the bulk of the 2x4 then used a large framing chisel to finish in off.