Cutting plaster walls, your method

[480sparky]

I got a Rockwell SoniCrafter last year, and it's one of those tools I keep thinking, "How did I get along without this for so long?"

I have yet to use it on plaster & lath walls, so I can't address it, but I can't help thinking it's far better than a sawzall or drywall saw or jigsaw.

 

[M4gery]

I got a Rockwell SoniCrafter last year, and it's one of those tools I keep thinking, "How did I get along without this for so long?"

I have yet to use it on plaster & lath walls, so I can't address it, but I can't help thinking it's far better than a sawzall or drywall saw or jigsaw.

What do you mainly use it on? I assume drywall, wood paneling, tile backspashes?

It definitely seems like a great tool to have.

renosteinke, to add to your list, from what I have read, the Rockwell Sonicrafter comes with an adapter to use any brands blades as well. Also, the Fein can be purchased right now from Amazon for $199.

Thanks for all the information gentlemen.

 

[GUNNING]

HAZMAT suits extra.

HAZMAT suits extra.

If the plaster is real delicate I will take a pre drilled block and secure the lathes from the front before I cut the hole. Predrill then screw the lathes to the block through the plaster on each side of the hole (if its not near the stud). Then chip away plaster and cut the lath with a very sharp new blade. The lath are generally made of ruff oak around here. If you can, set the box between existing lath so you dont have to notch a piece. I use a pruning blade on the saw saw or a new cross cut on a saber saw. Getting the lath stabilized is the key. To finish I have a little drywall joint compound to patch with.

RRP says not more than 6 square feet of disturbed interior wall. Use a hepa vac anyway and control your dust and debris. Anyone under 6 YOA in the house will be affected by lead. Wash your clothes separate from your families so as not to contaminate your kids clothes.
Shaving cream around your holes will contain dust or just a little spritzer bottle of water ,cleans up nice and is cheap at the dollar store. Use plastic sheeting, blue tape, swifter pads for clean up and a respirator for yourself, at the very minimum.
Everything before '78 is a hazardous position now. DON'T make any extra dust by using VIBRATING tools. You might have to clean up the entire house with a hepa vac, wipes and hazmat suits. A real career ender.

 

[LarryFine]

3) The $30 Harbor Freight version is reported to work just as well as any other version;

That's the one I have,m and it works great . . . so far.

5) It seems that Fein is the only one that comes with a decent case, and an assortment of blades;

HF has (or had) a multi-speed model that comes with a case. I just use the original box. When it falls apart, I'll improvise.

 

[LarryFine]

What do you mainly use it on? I assume drywall, wood paneling, tile backspashes?

The more you use it, the more things you'll find it does well. It's great for cutting in an old-work box in just about any surface.

It's the absolute best tool for cutting a recess into framing when you need to sink a new box, and hit a wood (or metal) stud.

 

[glene77is]

Have a Harbor Freight near you?

Thanks for the URL.
I have used a Rotozip in the past, and it is noisey and dusty.

I have
(1) cut plaster with a sharp screw-driver, then chip/peel out.
(2) Followed by the Rotozip on lathe.
I once did a whole K&T house with a Rotozip, lots of work!

 

[glene77is]

At that point no method is going to give you good results since the walls probably aren't going to tolerate even the smallest amount of vibration and they definitely won't hold a box well.

IME, I find that the 30,000 rpm of the Rotozip is so far above the resonant frequency of the plaster/lathe wall that the wall does not vibrate.

OTOH, If you have a wall frequency of 20 Hz and you hit it with a SawsAll, then you may get both objects into a syncronized dance and start cracking plaster all over the place.

 

[glene77is]

I just use the original box. When it falls apart, I'll improvise.

Larry,

I have used the 'cardboard case' that comes with my tools.
When it wrinkles bad,
then I buttress the container with layers of Duct Tape !!!

An additional 'feature' of this method is
that co-workers are less likely to borrow my tool.
Suits me fine!

 

[M4gery]

Another thing that a multitool might be good for is to cut the nails holding an existing box (such as when you need to change a single gang out to a 2 gang).

Usually I use a sawzall but the multitool might work well for this.

 

[M4gery]

Larry,

I have used the 'cardboard case' that comes with my tools.
When it wrinkles bad,
then I buttress the container with layers of Duct Tape !!!

What I've been doing is buying those $8 Husky tool bags from Home Depot for each loose tool. I put some attachments for the tool, safety glasses, even a 15' extension cord into the tool bag so I am all set and ready to go.

 

[kentriolinda]

I purchased a fein multimaster last year and use it on lath and plaster all the time start with a diamond blade finnish with a fine cut wood blade and it works great . also works great on stucco . the main thing to remember is adjust the speed down or you will go though blades quickly . Also i am very selective who I let use my multimaster If they cant afford the blades i cant afford to loan out!

 

[CopperTone]

for horse hair plaster and wood lathe - we first pencil out the box, then score the plaster with a razor knife, keep cutting into the plaster with the razor knife until you get to the lathe. clean out the plaster nicely to the wood. We then use a rotozip to cut the wood only. nice hole without any damage to the rest of the wall.

 

[GUNNING]

Help... rotozip broke again

Help... rotozip broke again

Every time I use a rotozip it burns out the bit. It takes seconds. Whats the secret? Is is diameter? pressure? Speed? Thickness of material?

 

[mivey]

I have used the Fein Multi-master, and it is the cats' meow for our work.

I agree. I am definately a Fein fan.

 

[goldstar]

Every time I use a rotozip it burns out the bit. It takes seconds. Whats the secret? Is is diameter? pressure? Speed? Thickness of material?

When you find out let us all know. I purchased a Roto-Zip when they first came out, used it about 5 times and it's been sitting in my shed ever since. Unless you're cutting sheetrock it doesn't seem to work like it's shown on TV. You never see them burning up bits on TV either.

 

[renosteinke]

All those nice things folks are saying ... heck, they might go to my head!

A further note about the multiMASTER, (a 'multi-tool' is, to me, your usual Dremel) and it's clones ...

I just saw one of those infomercials, where they kept claiming that the tool replaced seven other tools. That claim is pure hokum.

The multimaster does not REPLACE anything. You still want to have a jig saw, a saws-it-all, an angle grinder, etc. Only after you have the basics is it time to ADD something like the multimaster to your collection. It's a tool that shines in a few specific situations.

My personal advice is to buy the Harbor Freight version. After you have it a while, if you decide it's of value to you, then go and front the money for a Fein.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

We didn't do a huge amount of electrical boxes in plaster, mainly HVAC diffusers, but the old-school method was to honeycomb around the scribe line with a 3/16"-1/4" drill, then chisel out the plaster to the lath, then cut with a jab saw. Of course if the hogshair plaster was soft, crumbly, or lath was loose, all bets were off.

 

[bluesmoke...oops]

Have a Harbor Freight near you?

Well if you want a generally one use tool you can go there.

 

[M4gery]

for horse hair plaster and wood lathe - we first pencil out the box, then score the plaster with a razor knife, keep cutting into the plaster with the razor knife until you get to the lathe. clean out the plaster nicely to the wood. We then use a rotozip to cut the wood only. nice hole without any damage to the rest of the wall.

I see a lot of people do it similar to this. But if you are going to use a rotozip for the lath, why not use it with a tile bit for the plaster too? It soooooo much easier and IMO makes a much cleaner cut with less possibility of breaking or cracking the plaster on the wall. The tile bit really cuts smoothly without vibrating the wall.

 

[M4gery]

Every time I use a rotozip it burns out the bit. It takes seconds. Whats the secret? Is is diameter? pressure? Speed? Thickness of material?

Are you using a tile bit? Are the walls in your area grayish concrete?

I get at least 10 cuts of plaster with the normal tile bit from Home depot, more if I get the more expensive carbide bit. If you use the tile bit to cut thru the lath at the same time it will smoke and get black, but it still works just fine.

I've never had anything but good luck with the tile bit and Rotozip, the only issue is dust.