I have been noticing that more brands are making those cut out tools. I never had the chance to use one, but they seem like toys. Can they really cut out holes in drywall and in plaster and lathe wall quickly and acurately?…or is the reciprocating saw still better?
Any thoughts on which brand or feactures are good….I like the thought of a circle cutter to put in high hats.
Thanks
DoItYourself
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Replies
Like most things you see on TV, they don't work as well in real life. But that doesn't mean they aren't useful.
I really like mine for cutting out boxes, etc. when hanging drywall. It's a lot simpler than measuring the location of each box and then trying to cut it out. But it's also a pretty easy to "lose" the side of the box and cut a slot wandering off in the wrong direction. (Or so I've heard)
I've never used one for anything but drywall.
Truss Designer Extraordinaire
Just keep in mind that some Rotozip models have been recalled for safety reasons.
T. Jeffery Clarke
I have the Roto-Zip and use it religiously for drywall cutouts. It takes a little practice before you`re able to avoid the wandering. Once you have the hang of it though, you`ll look forward to recessed lighting cutouts. Read the owners manual thoroughly, and practice on boxes in closets. Pretty soon you won`t need that keyhole saw any longer.
Only drawback I`ve noticed is the stripping of the thumbscrew, which sets the plate depth. They need to beef it up a bit.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
I noticed the dremel has a drywall attachment and sell drywall cutting bits as well. Is the dremel capable of cutting drywall or should i run out a buy a Rotozip??? Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"
I've used a dremel in place of a true rotozip. Dremel sells their own drywall bits, but they burnt up real quick. Rotozip brand will fit in the dremel, so I used them instead. It was OK, standard 1/2" rock bogged the machine down a bit. I've used them in plaster too, and it was almost worthless. It made the cut, but I think it would have been just as quick to use jab saw. I tried it just to see how it worked. Dremel was good enough for DIY, but if I were doing a lot of cuts, I'd look at the rotozip more carefully. I haven't used a Rotozip proper, but I assume it's got a much more powerful motor. If the motor isn't more powerful, it's not worth it, IMHO.If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.
RotoZip and Dremel are both toys compared to real thing. Been using a Porter Cable drywall cutout tool for 20 years. Tried Dremel recently for electrical boxes and experienced the "wandering effect", and I'm pretty experienced at it. I did get better with it in a little while, but I wouldn't want to work with that tool for any extensive amount of drywall. Great little thing for grout removal though.
I recently bought the DeWalt model that came with the circle cutter in a kit. Not cheap at $90. My experiences have been mixed - positive in drywall, mediocre in Lathe/plaster. I used the rotozip bits (the bigger carbide 1/4" that they recommend for lathe)and it took quite a while and burned the lathe as well. I found several shallow cuts better than one deep one. It did sometimes catch and get away from me as well. In the "tools for $20" section JS recommends a diamond blade grout saw for the job - guess I'll try that next
For twenty five bucks you can get a Crapsman router at the pawnshop and do cutouts all day long.
Ken Hill
I have a Porter Cable and love it, very nice with sheetrock especially recess cans. Also used it the other day to cut sink holes in counter tops.
JMM
I use my roto zip alot. it's great for sheet rock but plaster eats up the bits. I like a dimond blade for plaster. I also use the zip to cut patches in hard wood floors, boxes in cabinets and mortices for pocket door hardwear. I thought it was going to be a cheesy tool at first but it turns out I love it. I also have a dremel which I almost never use.
I used a Rotozip throughout my whole house remodel and it worked great. Except the part where the shaft lock broke (twice) and I had to return it for a new tool. A cut out tool will pay for itself on the first drywall job, but I would look hard at other brands. Don't buy the TV spiel and leap for the rotozip without at least looking elsewhere first.
WBK
I have a rotozip, but don't like it too much. Cutting through plaster/wood lathe was a pain. Took a lot of time, hard to control, made a lot of dust, broke too many bits.
HERE's a different twist on the same subject. What tool (dremel, roto, router, or other) have you used to cut out a piece of baseboard or a section of chair rail with? In remodeling, it's not always an advantage for me to pull a whole section of base or chair off a wall when installing a corner cupboard cabinet, or vanity or something. I can't always notch the cabinet to fit, so I must score and cut the moulding.
In the past I scored with a razor knife, and actually tapped the razor knife clear through the wood with my hammer. This takes too long. I started experimenting with a 4-1/2 inch grinder with a thin metal cut-off wheel(less than an 1/8th thick). This makes excellent cuts, but I have to finish the baseboard cuts by hand when it gets too close to floor level. A very small cut-off wheel would probably work just fine.
I've tried different straight bits in my roto tool for cutting out base, but was too hard to control. Has anyone used a small cut-off disk in their dremel or roto for cutting through baseboard? Pros and cons?
Thanks.
Davo
Take a look at the Fein multi-tool for the work you describe. With the segmented blade you can do extremely fine cut-outs right to a wall or floor or whatever with complete control.
I also use mine for a lot of other things including cutting in remodel boxes in drywall. I don't do a lot of drywall but most of my subs use the Porter Cable.Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a piece of chalk and cut it with an axe.
He's right, fein multitool.__________________________________________
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Davo - I have a Fein Multimaster and recently used the segmented blade to 'plunge' through 3/4" beadboard installed too close around a subpanel to allow for cover installation. It worked really well in that application, but you'd need a slightly different blade to work into a square corner. It would be perfect for 'plunging' through a chair rail to cut off, although the max. depth for the standard blade would be around 3/4", meaning you'd have to finish off with a different tool.
Whoops, I spoke too soon - click here for the larger diameter (3 1/8") full-round saw blade. That would probably get you to 1-3/8" or so. m $40 for a 3" dia. blade!
T. Jeffery Clarke
Quidvis Recte Factum Quamvis Humile Praeclarum
Edited 4/23/2002 8:19:00 AM ET by Jeff Clarke
the E blades will help get into a corner, but you do have to watch it
used an e blade to cut a 2x4 in a tight place, takes practice for a good straight line
blade burns
used the "metal" E blade to cut a section of plaster wall hoping to reduce dust (nothing reduces plaster dust) bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's cheat sheet
I got a Roto-Zip for a job I had cutting a through wall vent for a gas stove in a lath and plaster wall in a 200+ year old farm house. I was afraid of what would happen if I tried it with a Sawzall. I did break several bits, but ended up with a perfect square hole and no plaster damage. As far as I am concerned, this tool was worth the price for this one job. I have used it for drywall since with good luck. As for freehand cutting in wood and plywood- fuggetaboutit!!!
Dana