Fast and accurate way to cut plasterboard to match patress boxes - how
do *you* do it?

Is there a definitive method?

Tried a plasterboard saw (slow, not terribly accurate)

Tried a Fein multimaster with a tatty old blade in it (fast, can be
accurate, but too easy to overcut)

With care and patience, any method will be no problem - but I have a
lot of them to do, so it's worthwhile to find the *best* way.

I'd prefer to fix the patress boxes on the studs first, measure the
loose board with reasonable accuracy, take out a core in the board, in
approximately the right place with a holesaw, pull the cables through
the hole, fix the board, then trim the plasterboard to match the
patress box.

However, I could leave the cables loose, fix the board, cut the holes
for the patress boxes (using a template), pull the cables through,
then fix the patress boxes through the holes.

What works best?

In article f52cb339-931c-4a51-831a-38b82e1429f1
@e25g2000yqh.googlegroups.com, " wrote:

Fast and accurate way to cut plasterboard to match patress boxes - how
do *you* do it?

Is there a definitive method?

Tried a plasterboard saw (slow, not terribly accurate)

Tried a Fein multimaster with a tatty old blade in it (fast, can be
accurate, but too easy to overcut)

With care and patience, any method will be no problem - but I have a
lot of them to do, so it's worthwhile to find the *best* way.

I'd prefer to fix the patress boxes on the studs first, measure the
loose board with reasonable accuracy, take out a core in the board, in
approximately the right place with a holesaw, pull the cables through
the hole, fix the board, then trim the plasterboard to match the
patress box.

However, I could leave the cables loose, fix the board, cut the holes
for the patress boxes (using a template), pull the cables through,
then fix the patress boxes through the holes.

What works best?

To install several Cat5e cable sockets, in a house with plasterboard
walls, I've used the Bosch equivalent to the Fein (with a good plunge
cut blade that, OK, is now tatty :-) ). I put tape around the blade as a
depth marker and was able to cut the plasterboard without cutting the
damp proofing membrane on the insulation in the cavity behind. I was
able to extract the rectangular cut-outs, with no over-cutting in the
corners beyond the lip of the front-inserted plasterboard-wall back box.

Neatest job I've done on a wall for some time... :-)
--
John W
I you want to mail me, replace the obvious with co.uk twice

On 28 Jan, 15:20, " wrote:
Fast and accurate way to cut plasterboard to match patress boxes - how
do *you* do it?

Is there a definitive method?

Tried a plasterboard saw (slow, not terribly accurate)

Tried a Fein multimaster with a tatty old blade in it (fast, can be
accurate, but too easy to overcut)

With care and patience, any method will be no problem - but I have a
lot of them to do, so it's worthwhile to find the *best* way.

I'd prefer to fix the patress boxes on the studs first, measure the
loose board with reasonable accuracy, take out a core in the board, in
approximately the right place with a holesaw, pull the cables through
the hole, fix the board, then trim the plasterboard to match the
patress box.

However, I could leave the cables loose, fix the board, cut the holes
for the patress boxes (using a template), pull the cables through,
then fix the patress boxes through the holes.

What works best?

Save yourself a lot of hassle and use fastfix boxes. Contrary to
roumer in some quarters they do not rip out of the wall. Appleby are
the best, avoid cheap ones from diy sheds. Get the joiners to bring
the cables through the board at the correct height.(some are incapable
of doing this!) Cut the backside out of one box to use as a template,
offer up box with short sprit level draw around with pencil, cut out
hole with plasterboard saw. Some saws have quite a thick blade which
can make a rough edge, CK I find the best nice thin sharp blade,
makes a nice clean cut. Use some scrap plasterboard to practice
cutting holes.
Allan

To install several Cat5e cable sockets, in a house with plasterboard
walls, I've used the Bosch equivalent to the Fein (with a good plunge
cut blade that, OK, is now tatty :-) ). I put tape around the blade as a
depth marker and was able to cut the plasterboard without cutting the
damp proofing membrane on the insulation in the cavity behind. I was
able to extract the rectangular cut-outs, with no over-cutting in the
corners beyond the lip of the front-inserted plasterboard-wall back box.

Neatest job I've done on a wall for some time... :-)

Which of the many bosch PMF blades is best for this job?

it's a fantastic tool, i'v bought one of each blade but only used a few
so far
(mainly i use it for aggressive sanding and floorboard cutting)

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/..._med ium=ncpc

http://www.mtmc.co.uk/product.asp?P_... ny&PT_ID=all

[g]

On Jan 28, 3:20 pm, " wrote:
Fast and accurate way to cut plasterboard to match patress boxes - how
do *you* do it?

do you mean dry line boxes or metal boxes already fixed to wall?

Tried a plasterboard saw (slow, not terribly accurate)

mmm is it any good? they cut on the push to avoid tearing the pboard
paper "out",

If they have big teeth they cut quicker!

I have an ancient Stanley pboard blade (that you put in a stanley
knife handle) but the teeth are small and it gums up quick then
bends... the cheapo thick "proper" pboard saw is more accurate and the
few large teeth cut quick....


I'd prefer to fix the patress boxes on the studs first, measure the
loose board with reasonable accuracy, take out a core in the board, in
approximately the right place with a holesaw, pull the cables through
the hole, fix the board, then trim the plasterboard to match the
patress box.

spose if you can't use pboard backboxes (appleby et al) then I suppose
that's it...
if you *can* use applebys then I would defo use them and avoid all the
sh1t you're pondering now...

Cheers
JimK

Tsk.

Angle grinder... with 12" diamond disc obviously... ... what do you
mean you don't want 4 two gang outlets... and one in the door... can
not please some folk :-)

In article , "george [dicegeorge]"
wrote:


Which of the many bosch PMF blades is best for this job?

it's a fantastic tool, i'v bought one of each blade but only used a few
so far
(mainly i use it for aggressive sanding and floorboard cutting)

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/..._med ium=ncpc

http://www.mtmc.co.uk/product.asp?P_... ny&PT_ID=all

[g]

I used the HCS plunge cut wood saw as it was one I had available. It's
only cardboard and soft plaster it's going through, but the plaster will
wear the cutting edge so it's now relegated to plasterboard use only.
I'm not sure the metal blade would be better since there is a lot of
dust to get away from the cutting edge

--
John W
I you want to mail me, replace the obvious with co.uk twice

In article
,
wrote:
Fast and accurate way to cut plasterboard to match patress boxes - how
do *you* do it?

Is there a definitive method?

Tried a plasterboard saw (slow, not terribly accurate)

Tried a Fein multimaster with a tatty old blade in it (fast, can be
accurate, but too easy to overcut)

With care and patience, any method will be no problem - but I have a
lot of them to do, so it's worthwhile to find the *best* way.

I'd prefer to fix the patress boxes on the studs first, measure the
loose board with reasonable accuracy, take out a core in the board, in
approximately the right place with a holesaw, pull the cables through
the hole, fix the board, then trim the plasterboard to match the
patress box.

However, I could leave the cables loose, fix the board, cut the holes
for the patress boxes (using a template), pull the cables through,
then fix the patress boxes through the holes.

What works best?

Cutting plasterboard to a pencil line with an ordinary hand padsaw surely
isn't a problem? It doesn't have to be mm accurate as the fitting overlaps
the cut.

If you are in a hurry, dry lining backing boxes are the easiest type to
use - but I personally don't like them since they show behind the fitting
- and look very untidy with some of the newer 'flat plate' metal fittings
which stand proud of the wall with them. If you have a stud or whatever
behind to fix a metal box to then that makes a neater job. What I do if
there's nothing to fix to behind - but it's rather time consuming - is to
fix a couple of battens to the back of the plasterboard either side of the
metal box and screw into them. You can either glue and clamp them in place
until the glue sets or screw through the plasterboard with plasterboard
screws and fill the heads. Depending on make, some metal boxes may need
additional holes drilled for fixing screws. This method gives an extremely
rigid and neat fixing.

--
*Heart attacks... God's revenge for eating his animal friends

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Jan 29, 8:44 am, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article
,
wrote:



Fast and accurate way to cut plasterboard to match patress boxes - how
do *you* do it?
Is there a definitive method?
Tried a plasterboard saw (slow, not terribly accurate)
Tried a Fein multimaster with a tatty old blade in it (fast, can be
accurate, but too easy to overcut)
With care and patience, any method will be no problem - but I have a
lot of them to do, so it's worthwhile to find the *best* way.
I'd prefer to fix the patress boxes on the studs first, measure the
loose board with reasonable accuracy, take out a core in the board, in
approximately the right place with a holesaw, pull the cables through
the hole, fix the board, then trim the plasterboard to match the
patress box.
However, I could leave the cables loose, fix the board, cut the holes
for the patress boxes (using a template), pull the cables through,
then fix the patress boxes through the holes.
What works best?

Cutting plasterboard to a pencil line with an ordinary hand padsaw surely
isn't a problem? It doesn't have to be mm accurate as the fitting overlaps
the cut.

If you are in a hurry, dry lining backing boxes are the easiest type to
use - but I personally don't like them since they show behind the fitting
- and look very untidy with some of the newer 'flat plate' metal fittings
which stand proud of the wall with them.

yebbut if you fit 'em as intended *before* plastering they "disappear"
in the skim coat...

Cheers
JimK

In article
,
JimK wrote:
If you are in a hurry, dry lining backing boxes are the easiest type
to use - but I personally don't like them since they show behind the
fitting - and look very untidy with some of the newer 'flat plate'
metal fittings which stand proud of the wall with them.

yebbut if you fit 'em as intended *before* plastering they "disappear"
in the skim coat...

Fine on a new build where things are done in the correct order. ;-)

--
*Do paediatricians play miniature golf on Wednesdays?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Jan 29, 10:33 am, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article
,
JimK wrote:

If you are in a hurry, dry lining backing boxes are the easiest type
to use - but I personally don't like them since they show behind the
fitting - and look very untidy with some of the newer 'flat plate'
metal fittings which stand proud of the wall with them.
yebbut if you fit 'em as intended *before* plastering they "disappear"
in the skim coat...

Fine on a new build where things are done in the correct order. ;-)

or in a refurb where new pboard & wiring going in - like the
OP.......:))

JimK

In article
,
JimK wrote:
Fine on a new build where things are done in the correct order. ;-)

or in a refurb where new pboard & wiring going in - like the
OP.......:))

Assuming you know exactly where you want all the sockets, etc. It's
sometimes best to wait a bit and decide on room layout first. Instead of
having most behind bits of furniture. But YMMV.

--
*Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder...

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Assuming you know exactly where you want all the sockets...

Thanks for all the input.

This morning I made up a template in thin ply, single and double
patress box cutouts, 450mm and 1100mm off the floor. It's designed to
stand on the floor so that the square holes in the board are in
exactly the right place for sockets and switches.

Cut plasterboard to size, slap template against board as it's stood
where it will go, cut holes with multimaster, slip boxes through
holes, and screw to studs, lean board forward and push cables through
patress boxes and through holes in board, screw board to studs.

Speed - pretty good (I'll get faster). Results - very neat.

Upsides - absolutely consistent positioning of sockets and switches,
and measuring errors eliminated. Downsides are it's a bit fiddly when
there's several sockets on the same board.

On Jan 29, 3:09 pm, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article
,
JimK wrote:

Fine on a new build where things are done in the correct order. ;-)
or in a refurb where new pboard & wiring going in - like the
OP.......:))

Assuming you know exactly where you want all the sockets, etc. It's
sometimes best to wait a bit and decide on room layout first. Instead of
having most behind bits of furniture. But YMMV.

yup - best to know where sockets are going before starting wiring and
*most definitely* before fixing plasterboard and plastering over it
all etc.... erm....??.... ;)

JimK

In article
,
JimK wrote:
Assuming you know exactly where you want all the sockets, etc. It's
sometimes best to wait a bit and decide on room layout first. Instead
of having most behind bits of furniture. But YMMV.

yup - best to know where sockets are going before starting wiring and
*most definitely* before fixing plasterboard and plastering over it
all etc.... erm....??.... ;)

Depends on the house design. I'm used to suspended ordinary wood floors
and partition walls so the wiring is done via them - not through the
walls. The only room in this house where I've fitted sockets before
plastering was the kitchen which has solid brick walls all round, being an
extension. And wish now I'd left it till afterwards - despite the
additional work ;-)

--
*If a thing is worth doing, wouldn't it have been done already?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.