drywall/router tool

[Freds]

That's a pretty good testimonial, Duane.
I ordered the bit pack for doors and windows. I figured they must be designed for longer continuous run times and keep the bit cooler plus they have the smooth end to be used against a guide (the wood framing). I noticed that some of their bits must be designed to make their own start hole. 10 bits were as much as the tool! It's funny how electric/battery tools keep getting cheaper, but the working end doesn't.

I plan on doing a couple practice cuts first to see if the same bit will cut the FRP attached to the drywall or if I need to cut the drywall out first, glue the FRP in place and then use a different bit or method. I'm wondering if things will gum up once the adhesive heats up plus the FRP...

Does anyone know this, I'll try to get by without starting another thread:
I was going to rent a powder actuated fastening gun to attach the 2x4s to the block wall. They will be anchored the flat way, so I will be shooting through the 1-1/2" into the block. It's obviously pretty important that the nails countersink themselves pretty much for when I hang the drywall.
Is this expecting too much? Am I better off just going with Tapcons? Is seems like I remember the newer guns having adjustments to help vary the strength of the charge and my block walls are pretty uniform....I know which one I'd rather use /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Freds]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What better way to test the warranty then to work a tool hard right from the start )</font>

Sort of the old break it in like you're going to use it. Uh-oh, let's not start that discussion again... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jpr62902]

Fred,

I used a Ramset to attach my framing to my basement floor. I used the 2 1/2" nails with the yellow loads, which, I believe, are the strongest. Everything's holding up real well, and yes, the nail should be a little recessed using the yellow shells.

I also used my Dremel for my drywall cutouts. They make an attachment for it to turn it into a mini RotoZip. Worked great!

 

[Evasive1]

Okay several questions to answer here.

Yes it is dusty but I have never had a Roto-Zip fail, except one and it had a faulty switch from the begining not dust related that was under warrenty. I called Roto-Zip and they mailed a new one to me that day.


If I have a sheet that overhangs a wall I would not use a utility knife, I would hang it and zip off the end. This keeps you from having to measure the wall, then measure the sheetrock, score it several times and breaking it. By just hanging it and cutting it you get an absolute perfect cut that is dead even with the end of the wall. In far less time than it took to type this.

Yes the bits are expensive but if cutting just sheetrock they last virtually forever. Just remember to keep the tool at a 90 degree angle to the cut and most important do not set the blade too deep into the collar.

 

[Freds]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( and yes, the nail should be a little recessed using the yellow shells )</font>
Super. I was also thinking 2-1/2" nails with the yellow loads.

I'm kind of on a time scheduled for finishing as quickly as I can after I start this project and you all have helped tremendously in helping me plan ahead.

 

[BigEddy]

I've always been pleased with the tapcons - carry both a hammer drill and a drywall gun, and use the phillips flat head versions. Drill the hole with the hammer drill, clip it onto the tool belt, grab the drywall gun and tapcon and run it in. Better still with 2 people. First holds the 2x4 while the second drills, then the first screws in the tapcon while the second drills the next hole.

I find the Tapcons tend to be cheaper, as well as faster, but then I'd have to rent the Hilti

 

[boustany]

Just about the only thing those little routers are good for is drywall and laminate. The bits break too easily, and even a 1/4" spiral bit doesn't have the bite to agressively cut even 1/2 plywood.

The real use of those gizmos is for electric boxes, lights, etc, where you are plunge cutting. For windows, etc., you may as well use a knife to cut the drywall.

I don't know what FRP is.

As for the wood frame, you have to be carefull: if the tool slips or the bit is set wrong you will easily cut into the frame.

 

[SPIKER]

hi all:

My brother is a full time drywall hanger/finisher. he has his own buisness and I did it with him for a year or two...

]yes you can cut out just about everythign with them. BUT they do creat a good bit of dust. with if bit is turned into dust for every inch of cut you make one inch of dust is created one bith wide by drywall width high. best use is for doing boxes light switch covers can lights and windows. perimiter nail the drywall on after marking all the box locations using the drywall hammer hatchet end to punch a small hole into it at the box location. nail lightly (nit TIGHT) and rotozip out the box/window and then finish nailing it down tight. zip CAN be used for doors but we find that a good drywall HAND SAW (short looking hand saw about 24" long by 6"wide at handle end and 4" at tip ) with an agressive kerf. cut the vertical part then use utility knife to scarf the paper along the door jam top edge. snap it back (out away from frame) and use the saw tip to scarf the top face edge of the drywall by reaching up and over the now snapped back drop. run bottom door jam edges out and over door frame and then cut back side of drywall with utility knife and snap as normal. cut front face edge with knife too after the snap.

when cutting with the roto zip always go in a (I think it was)counter clockwise rotation so the bit is pulling into the cutout. (rotation forces keep the blade tight to the cutout object as the tip rides on the object.) it has been 10 years since then! lol. anyhow they last a good long time and need to be torn down and blown out to keep them going. the switches are the weak part for sure... (now also the brushes are getting hard to get as the MFG don't want to sell em to ya they want to force ya to buy new one insted.) /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

MarkM

 

[Freds]

I may end up going the tapcon route, Eddy.

I guestimated about 600 fasteners. The cheaper way to buy them from the Hilti rep (I used to deal with him and he will lend me the better gun with the bells and whistles) is to buy 1000 charges and nails for $280. The hardware store by me rents the gun for $14/day and has the charges and nails for $17/100.... or so they told me over the phone. That's a pretty big difference and I might stop there tomorrow to make sure. The problem with their gun though, is it's the plain Jane model. All you have is the charge itself and their aren't any adjustments for adjusting the strength of the charge if needed.

On the other hand, I can buy 600 tapcons for $72 plus pick up the tool (I highly recommend the tool that allows you to switch from drill bit to screw bit without changing drill motors or messing with the chucks) for $40.

Obviously Hilti is out of the picture and I need to doublecheck my phone quote from the local hardware store on their gun.

I'm hoping I see my roto-zip by the end of the week. I'm anxious to try it out /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MMM]

I'm restoring an 1873 home and living in it all the while. I'm real familiar with dust and where it all ends up. If you don't want the dust cleanup, a drywall saw would be your best bet for larger openings. The coarse teeth don't make much dust. Nail it up, cut opening and fit FRP

 

[Red_rider]

Have to agree that it will do the job. My Roto-Zip did all the work in my 1100 sq. ft. garage with no problem. Just make sure you use the drywall bit.

 

[Freds]

Just got email notice that is has been shipped fedex, should have it tomorrow. Christmas in January. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
The project is a few week off as I'm having a hard time getting the colored FRP in the correct size from Panel Outlet in TN, but it will be worth the wait for the savings.

 

[KubotaSteve]

My brother bought one of those barn style sheds from 84 lumber company and the floor was 3/4" plywood. We used my dad's rotozip to cut the floor around where the wall assembly came through. We ended up cutting around and 20 2X4's with the same bit. Doing it that way insured the best fit for the floor.

 

[Richard]

The roto zip is the cats meow. Something I did with mine, was take a 5 gallon bucket, filled bottom with rock/block material for weight. I then took a 3/4" by about 18" square piece of plywood and cut a small hole in it's center. I rigged the roto zips height spacer piece on the UNDERSIDE of the plywood, with the cord comeing out a hole for on/off abilities. I also put some small blocks of wood on underside of plywood to help hold it laterally in place on the bucket.

Why did I do all this? So that when we did our tile installations, I'd have a working flat table with the roto zip bit sticking up so I could do some freehand work where I needed to fine tune some curves or some such.

Just be careful when someone is looking for a cheap seat to sit on /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Other than that (lack of) safety item, at the risk of not sounding modest, it was one of my ideas that worked out rather well.

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Freds]

Clever idea, Richard. What kind of tile were you cutting (porcelain, vinyl...)?
I like hering the different ways the roto-zip can be used.

I had wanted to pick up some different bits for future projects, but at the price of bits I figured I would wait to see what those projects will be first. I was surprised I couldn't find a multipack of bits for different applications. I'm hoping the 10 pack I ordered gets me through this project.

 

[Richard]

Here are some shots of what I did, this is the entire thing (though the rotozip is inside & no cord sticking out)

 

[Richard]

Inside bucket

 

[Richard]

Underside of the "table"

 

[Richard]

Close up of "the holder".

This was used primarily for wall tile, though as I recall, I needed to custom shave/fit some wall plates that were too close to some trim. Sooooooo, I tried my fancy invention on that (found out that mitre saw worked better /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif)

Anyways, you can see the adjuster piece of the rotozip that I worked into there...kind of a pain to take screws out to take that part OUT, but as long as it's left inside, you can just twist the tool on/off

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Freds]

Nice.
I'm sure if you were switching from the bucket to your hand enough times, you could always order an extra foot and leave it in place.

The last time I saw a bucket with a board on it and looked just like the first photo it had crap in it. Literally. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif One of my drywall finishers had taken a dump in the bricky's mud bucket and covered it with his mud board. Didn't make the bricky too happy and they were working different shifts, so I was the one hearing about it all day.