All,
I’ve got the addition all rough wired, plumbed and insulated. Need to start hanging the sheetrock on the wall and install 1X10X5/8 ship lap cedar on the ceiling. Do you all have tricks/tools for effective/precise cut out boxes etc. Last time I did it; I wasted more time and material doing it.
Thoughts?
Ted
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Replies
RotoZip on the sheetrock.
It takes a little getting used to, but I don't think there's a faster way to cut out boxes.
It won't work all that well on the ship lap. You're probably better off just using a jig saw there.
Rotozip - The baine of the gyprock job I paid to have done on my place, when I couldn't do it myself. After being extra careful with the vapor barrier and the ourlet box shields the installer came in with the rock and his Rotozip. From the marks in the wall I deduced that he screewed up the rock, tried to remember where the boxes were and plunged the tool into the wall and wandered about untill he hit metal, then cut out the box opening in the rock. When confrented he assured me that he would take down the rock and patch the VB but I've no assurance that he did it. Also, make sure the bit is just long enough to cut the rock. I have a number of very short electrical connections in my wall boxes because the Rotozip bit chewed the insulation off wires. Since your doing it you'll hve to deal with your mistakes.
Make a mark on the floor (if it's still rough flooring) at the center of where each box is. Write the type of box and it's height to center next to the mark.
Loose-hang the rock, go to each mark, and poke through with the RZ at the noted height. Zip out to the edge, "jump" the edge, then follow the box around. There's a "correct" direction to outline the box, based on bit rotation, but I can't remember whether it's CW or CCW.
Once the cutout's done, finish fastening the rock.
For the ceiling, make yourself a template the size of the box, including margin, so you don't waste a lot of time measuring.
If you have a bunch of boxes, all the same size and orientation, make the template out of metal, with a "handle" on one side about 12 inches long. Fasten the "handle" to a piece of scrap shiplap (for thickness) and fasten a metal "stop" on the other side of the scrap piece so that it just comes to the nearest edge of the template cutout (plus a tad more for the margin). If you do it right this stop can have an L cutout at the end so it will index against both end and side of the box.
Test-fit the shiplap piece up, spaced properly from the adjacent piece, then slide this template around the new piece so that the stop hits the box, then trace the box.
rotozip, the only way.
Measure - x,y axis, draw lines, cut, lift into position, screw, done.
What Ralph said ,'cept we didnt draw lines . Butt the utility knife and tape measure end , with other hand guide tape on edge of sheet while cuting the box location. Pop it out glue and screw . Use the knife to put a tic where you want the box. If they are all the same size you will not have to measure each one . take all your measures from the same side of each box all the time and make both cuts from that measure .
You are just a DIY guy. So am I. Take your Rotozip out to the dumpster and toss it in. Best thing you can do for yourself, unless you like to tear apart you electrical boxes and destroy a few sheets of rock.
I do as another poster suggested and mark the boxex on the floor. I use a framing square and mark each side and then write down the bottom and top height. Then I lose hang the rock and use my framing square to draw the box on the paper and then cut it out with a small drywall saw. Takes time - yeah - wouldn't do it if I had 5,000 sheets to do, but in my lifetime I think I can afford the extra couple of hours I might spend at this approach. It also works for the ceiling paneling except you take the paneling down to cut it with a jig saw.
Having said all that, I used to mark the rock to guide the rotozip so I knew when I was going astray. But those things are so noisy and dusty, I just prefer to use the saw and have more peace in my life.
MERC
Hello Ted.
If you don't like the rotozip. (like me) the next best thing is.
a. Install the upper layer first. (as level as you can).
b. Take your measurments from the edge of the already istall drywall.
C. Because if you take the measurment from the floor you will have the same problems as before. Measuring from the floor means that you have to rest your drywall on the floor.
D. Trying to cut a hole while the drywall is hangind on the wall is not EZ.
Edited 3/5/2005 5:54 pm ET by YCFriend
Just thought of this, never tried it : Get a strip of cardboard, long enough to reach the nearest adjacent surface (panel,floor, whatever). Align one end with a specific edge of the box. Hold this in place while taping the other end to the nearest surface. Now you've got a "hinged" reference point which can be swung out of the way - reusable!
I keep a handy supply of lipstick (bought at garage sales for about 25 cents each).
I mark the box edges with the lipstick, then set the drywall sheet in place, and push up against the drywall where the box is (you don't have to be 100% accurate about where the box is, just close). Remove the drywall, and cut out the lipstick lines.
Perfect fit.
I also install the top sheets first, then measure from the top sheet to the boxes, mark the cutouts, and then cut them out with a rock knife and drywall saw. Once you have done a few, you get pretty quick at it.
Just an opinion...
James DuHamel
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You can also get a gizmo that you stick in the box that has teeth sticking out. You put that in the box, put the rock in place and press, and the teeth mark the required opening.
Before I got a Rotozip, I did the lipstick thing too. But no self-respecting rocker would be caught dead with a tube of lipstick in his pouch. Besides it takes too much time. Another trick I used in the old days was to take two bolts (they're either 6-32 or 8-32, but I can't remember). Clip off the heads, sharpen them to a point, screw them into the holes for the outlet/switch, position the rock, press it against the screw points. The marks will reference the box, use another box of the same size to drawer your lines and cut away with a rock saw. If you don't want to buy a Rotozip, you can also use a laminate trimmer, if you have one. The Rotozip people sell a collet adapter, so you can use their bits in the trimmer.