It IS all *that* bad... just ask anyone who got it from 'casual
contact' with silica dust and now needs oxygen to survive. Better safe
than sorry, I'd say!

How to cut a circle or hole in hardibacker? It's EASY. Scribe the
circle or shape you want to punch out of the hardibacker and then
scribe an "X" in the middle. Use a hammer to lightly punch out the
center (X marks the spot) then break out the rest by hand - see it's
EASY and you won't die from the dust.

Jeff

Keith Williams wrote:
In article .com,
says...
Hardibacker all the way -

I want to voice a note of caution however, you should NOT use a power
saw to cut Hardibacker unless you are wearing a resperator, and you
should wear a resperator when sweeping up cuttings as well. Hardibacker
dust when inhaled can cause silicosis (a dangerous and sometimes fatal
lung disease)- and it doesn't take long exposures over many years to
get it either.

It's not all *that* bad. The size of the particles has to be just
right and it does take a while for silicosis to set in. A mask is
a good idea (there is a warning on the label), and I do all the
cutting (backer and tile) outside because it does make a mess.

It's better to just score and break it.

How do you "break" the hole for a toilet waste line or dryer vent?
I use a RotoZip. ;-)

--
Keith