Cutting a 4" diameter hole in wood
 

I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter

"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the
outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter

scribe the hole, drill a 1/2" hole inside it, and use that to start your
jigsaw.

--
¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º° `°º¤ø,¸¸,¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º° `°º¤ø,¸¸,¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸
"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the
outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter



yep, use the drill, first draw your circle then drill a few billion holes
along that line.

another option, who says it has to be round cut out a square and use
expandable foam to fill in the corners.

"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the
outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter

It is almost a given that such vents have flanges around them to hide the
actual hole which might therefore be quite ragged. If your intended vent has
a flange then all you need to do is to drill a series of holes around the 4"
diameter and saw away between them. This technique is especially useful for
jobs like making 6" high-volume vent holes in brick and block walls -- just
hammer-drill a series of 3/8" holes and then break out the center connecting
the dots. All this isn't to say that you can't make the hole neater by
making it smaller than needed and then using a wood rasp to enlarge it, just
that neatness doesn't count as much as you might think..
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

Most jig saw rip fences have a small hole that lines up with the blade. Put a
nail in there and adjust to create the 2" radius.

"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the
outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter



Well..of course, we use a 4 1/8th inch hole saw for these, but you can do as
others have suggested, by marking your hole, taking a drill and drilling a
close series of holes around it, and taking your jig and playing connect the
dots.
I would NOT use expanding foam to seal it. use a min expanding foam, or if
you get it close enough, silicone and then use your trim plates that should
be with your vent.

On 11/30/2004 10:27 AM US(ET), Walter Cohen took fingers to keys, and
typed the following:

I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter

But do you have a RotoZip? That's one tool that has a myriad of future
uses. Alternately, you can drill a pilot hole and then use the jigsaw to
cut around the circle, or drill holes all around the circle and use the
jigsaw between the holes. Use a 1/2 round file afterwards to smooth the
hole if looks are important.

"Walter Cohen" wrote:
I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Personally, I'd use this as an excuse to reciprocating saw (Sawzall or the
like).

However, if the toy budget is lacking, then simply trace the perimeter of the
pipe you want to go out the hole, drill a starter whole somewhere along the
perimeter, and then use the jigsaw to cut along the perimeter.

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 10:27:19 -0500, someone wrote:

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

As someone else said, the hole doesn't have to be very neat at all.

Don't know what the clearances and conditions are to get the jig saw
in there. A large recip saw (borrow/rent would work. If you care
more about $ than your time right now, the drill a series of holes and
connect by hand saw method is long but possible.

How much is a holes saw blade that big?

-v.


Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the
outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter

Rent the hole saw.

"willshak" wrote in message
...
On 11/30/2004 10:27 AM US(ET), Walter Cohen took fingers to keys, and
typed the following:

I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the
outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter

But do you have a RotoZip? That's one tool that has a myriad of future
uses. Alternately, you can drill a pilot hole and then use the jigsaw to
cut around the circle, or drill holes all around the circle and use the
jigsaw between the holes. Use a 1/2 round file afterwards to smooth the
hole if looks are important.

The above is the way to go. When drilling the pilot hole, use your largest
bit and drill where the edge of the pilot hole will be pretty close to the
line you've drawn for the 4" hole. Then it will be easy to saw TO the line.
Because most "pilot" holes are made in the MIDDLE, this smaller hole is more
of an "entry" hole than a "pilot" hole, yet still within the circle. The
precision obtained with a hole saw isn't necessary behind your dryer. Make
sure you attach the vent hose firmly with hose clamps, at both ends.

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 17:21:09 GMT, someone wrote:

Rent the hole saw.

The 'hole saw' is the bit, and considered a consumable. Don't know
that you could rent just the bit. The drill that drives it, sure, but
doubtful on the bit that goes in it. Maybe. Guess he could ask.

-v.



Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

"v" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 17:21:09 GMT, someone wrote:

Rent the hole saw.

The 'hole saw' is the bit, and considered a consumable. Don't know
that you could rent just the bit. The drill that drives it, sure, but
doubtful on the bit that goes in it. Maybe. Guess he could ask.

-v.



Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

Our local rental shop has a whole rack of hole saws.
Or is that a hole wrack of whole saws?
Anyway, they are available to rent.

The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

By the time you get some kind of crude opening hacked through the timber you'll
really wish you'd used the hole saw.
Be smart, buy a 4 1/8" hole saw and arbor. You can use it for cutting speaker
holes in door cards, window openings in kiddy toys, etc. Milwaukee makes good
ones, most box store brands will work fine. Prices aren't all that steep
considering the time saved. Good luck.

Joe

"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the
outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter


Others have some good advice, if a new tool is out of the question, the
drill then jigsaw would be my approach.

Have a Harbor Freight nearby? -
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=36222
Bores through 1'' thick drywall, wood and plaster with ease. Includes
cutting cup sizes 2-1/2'', 3'', 3-1/2'', 4'', and 5'', plus 3/8'' mandrel,
6.1 mm drill bit, drive plate, hex wrench, and blow mold case. Perfect for
around home or on the job.

$2.99.........

Rick

Thanks for that suggestion. I'm going to try it.

Walter

"John McGaw" wrote in message
...
"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I need to install a dryer vent from my basement laundry room to the
outside.
The opening needs to be 4" round. I do not have a 4" hole saw and don't
really want to buy one as I'll probably never use it again.

Is there another means to make the 4" hole for the vent? I have a jig
saw
and a multitude of hand saws/drills.

Thanks,
Walter

It is almost a given that such vents have flanges around them to hide the
actual hole which might therefore be quite ragged. If your intended vent
has
a flange then all you need to do is to drill a series of holes around the
4"
diameter and saw away between them. This technique is especially useful
for
jobs like making 6" high-volume vent holes in brick and block walls --
just
hammer-drill a series of 3/8" holes and then break out the center
connecting
the dots. All this isn't to say that you can't make the hole neater by
making it smaller than needed and then using a wood rasp to enlarge it,
just
that neatness doesn't count as much as you might think..
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

Home Depot sells 4" 4-1/4 and so on hole saw blades a bit expensive but
well worth the time saved.