Panel replacement, studs too close together

[Mr. Serious]

I've run into this problem on three out of four recent panel installs/changes. The old panel will be a 1970s model that is only 12 inches wide, the studs in the house aren't perfectly straight and so when I go to put the new panel in, I'm lacking space. The studs are 1/4 to 1/2 inch too close together, to fit the new panel in, and the studs can't be pushed aside because it's a finished wall with drywall.

On the first one, the homeowner had a crazy boyfriend with a sledgehammer, and he swung it hard against the studs to expand the space and give me the extra 1/4 inch that I needed. The drywall cracked at the top corner and he said "don't worry, I'll fix that."

On the second one, I was working with an apprentice who had a cordless circular saw and a cordless oscillating tool, we used the circular saw but it didn't go deep enough, then we used a cordless drill, then the oscillating tool, with some hits with a pry bar and hammer in between all of that, and finally we got enough space for the panel. All our batteries were dead by the time we finally got it done.

On the most recent one, I considered that the circular saw makes a lot of dust, and it didn't seem to help much since it doesn't go deep enough, so we started with the cordless drill with a long bit, drilling 3/16" holes out every 1/4" or so along a line, then breaking out the remaining wood with a hammer and pry bar. But it seemed to take forever, maybe even longer than starting with the circular saw first.

So, what tool do I need, to deal with this situation?

 

[rc/retired]

I used a hammer and chisel. But I'm an old timer. I think.

Ron

 

[Little Bill]

If you use the oscillating tool correctly it will work. It's not fast but does a decent job.
They do make narrow panels but would have to be ordered.

ETA:
I used to try and not damage drywall, but soon learned that it's cheaper/easier to repair drywall then spend extra time trying to save it. I tell the customer that drywall repair is on them!

 

[zbang]

Oscillating tool then hammer and a sharp chisel. Might have to use the o' tool to cut any nails/screws holding the piece you need to removed.
(I hope this isn't a load-bearing wall.)

 

[Eddie702]

Cut the drywall back and install a new stud & remove the old stud. Drywall repair on the customer

 

[Todd0x1]

There are some 4" long router bits, but you'll have to do two passes as they don't cut the entire 4". I'd probably just drop the $300 on a 10-1/4" skilsaw, then: "Your studs are too close together, that will be an additional $100 because we have to bring out a special saw" to pay for it.

 

[Coppersmith]

I've had luck just beating the side of the studs with a hammer or small sledge. The studs will slide over. The drywall will tear a bit where the screws are. but this is easily fixed with lightweight spackle. If it were more than 1/2", I'd just cut one of the studs at the top and bottom of the panel and slide the panel into the gap.

 

[suemarkp]

I wrestled with that installing a wall safe in a friends house. Made the most progress with a 3" wide belt sander stuck into the opening and run along the stud with 36 grit paper. Made a hell of a lot of dust. Best to have a belt sander with knobs on only one side so the other can get up next to the sheathing.

A circular saw would have been quicker, but i didnt want to come back and patch the saw kerf in the wall.

 

[retirede]

I have a 3-1/2” hand planer that I bet would do the job nicely. One issue is that you might ruin a not-so-cheap blade if you happen to hit a drywall screw.

 

[hbiss]

So, what tool do I need, to deal with this situation?

I used a hammer and chisel. But I'm an old timer.

There's your answer. Your problem is you are too fussy. There's going to be repairs and a mess. You are an electrician, not a magician.

-Hal

 

[LarryFine]

Oscillating tool then hammer and a sharp chisel.

Same here, but you should be able to make top, bottom and long sde cut with the oscillating tool, remove the wood you can, then cut the rest of the way through the stud. Channellocks are good for prying cut wood out.

 

[guschash]

I use my saw saw to score , maybe very two inches down the 2x4 and use a hammer and chisel to chip pieces out of 2x4.

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

I guess because I’m a remodeler as well as an electrical contractor, it’s not a big deal for me.

I have probably 20 Milwaukee batteries on the truck, along with 4 chargers and an inverter

I would take a sliver off the side with the circ saw, which would get me about 3/4 of the way down, and use a multi tool with a sharp blade, or just a hammer and chisel, to finish it off.

I don’t think it would take me more than about 15 minutes to do it.

If I was really lazy, I’d bring the beam saw and do it in one pass.

 

[Rdcowart]

I cut the drywall a foot above and below the panel. Then I use a hammer and chisel if it doesn’t fit in between the studs. Usually let the homeowner know up front about the sheet rock so they can get it repaired.

 

[McLintock]

I’m pretty good with my saw-zall, if not a load bearing wall I’ll cut the section of stud out and sister one next to it and fur it back in till I get my 14 1/2” I can usually do it without damaging drywall. ( watch next panel change out I’ll reck the drywall)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[James L]

For me, same as changing a single gang box to 2-gang where there isn't quite enough width...

I use a drill with an appropriately sized drill bit ( if I wanted to take off only 1/4 inch I would use a 1/4 inch drill bit. Right in the edge of the stud, I drill from the front all the way through the depth. Start at top and bottom corners, and about every 3 inches up or down that side. The chisel out what's between the holes.

 

[norcal]

As a last resort & needing to move the stud, running a metal Sawzall®blade between the stud & the back of the drywall to cut the nails attaching the drywall to the studs, plus the nails through the plates, won't do well if drywall screws were used, had to do that on a bathroom remodel, where the stud was almost as crooked as the politicians in Washington, Ottawa, & London, it worked pretty well. Too much vibration will cause the nail heads to pop through the drywall.

 

[electrofelon]

Make some notches every foot with the sawzall to the needed depth and just chip it out with your big screwdriver and hammer. If it's real uncooperative wood and doesn't chip out nicely, I really don't find cutting the entire 3.5 inch width with the sawzall to be a big deal. The key is a sharp/new blade.

 

[Mr. Serious]

Reading the comments, I remembered I did use the Sawzall on one of them, but it was difficult to keep from going too deep and damaging the outer sheathing of the wall, since it was an exterior wall.

I kind of like the idea of the extra-large circular saw, but then that's just one more tool to have to lug around. Belt sander seems like it would be smaller and lighter, at least.

 

[4x4dually]

You are an electrician, not a magician.

Oh, now, Hal, don't be so pessimistic. LMAO