On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 21:18:47 -0500, "Colbyt"
wrote:


"Bill Davis Jr" wrote in message
news
Just purchased a 80 year old house. It is a Ranch style house with
wood lathe and plaster. No chicken wire.

What is the best way to cut into the plaster and lathe to add
additional electrical boxes? I have seen were you could use a grider
and a diamond blade. I tried this and it seemed as if it was burning
the lathe.

Is the Dremmel the only way to go?

Thanks,

Bill

Your grinder and a diamond blade are fine for cutting the plaster if you can
live with the dust.

Have a shop vac (outside the window is the best) and suck up the dust
as it's generated.

hth,

tom @ www.CarFleaMarket.com






A dremel or rotozip with a wood cutting bit will do a better job on the
lathe after the plaster is removed from the area you are about to cut. A jig
saw works but will shake the lathe more and might create some problems if
the lathe is loose or in those spots where there is only one nail holding
the remaining board.

A low tech almost dustless way to cut the plaster is to mark the box outline
and use an old smaller screwdriver to score the line and then chip out the
plaster. Only the first 1/8" or so is the "hardcoat" the rest is pretty
soft stuff.

Just another side note; if you are drilling up from a basement or crawl into
the wall cavity use a wood bit for the first 2-2 1/4" and then switch to a
masonry bit because there is almost always 1-3" of mortar drippings inside
the wall cavity that will ruin a wood bit real fast.

Have fun. I recall those days.


Colbyt