Installing electrical receptacle in plaster wall

[JRF]

Installed numerous electrical receptacles in walls, however this will be my first one in an older home with plaster walls. What is the best way to cut the hole in the plaster? Thanks in advance. JRF

[beenthere]

RotoZip is the best way. Look at www.rotozip.net

[GaryM]

I agree. The Rotozip, with the correct bit, will cut through the plaster and lath with no problems. There's less chance of cracking the adjoining area than if you used a recipricating saw. They tend to shake everything loose.

[bgott]

Sears has a Craftsman rotary tool just like the RotoZip. It comes with a plunge router base and a couple of other attachments. If you get the tool club flier they are on sale for $53 and change just about every time the flier comes out. That's a lot cheaper than the RotoZip and I like the feel of the tool better. They regular price is $59 and change which is still $20 cheaper than the RotoZip.

[bgott]

Here is the link

[GaryM]

Looks like a good deal! I like the lights too.

[pbenven]

How many do you have to do?

I agree with others that a rotozip is the best way to go. However, if you only have a few to do, you can get by with a sharp utility knife. I've done it and it works - just keep running over the same spot until you break through. Is it fun? No, but you can get it done with a little persistence.

If you go this way, just don't tell anyone it was me who said you didn't need to buy another tool - I've got a reputation to uphold.

[Pat]

pbenven, Did you miss something or are you a real Arnold S. type guy?. He is working with plaster NOT PLASTER BOARD/SHEETROCK. Real plaster has wooden lath under it that might prove a chalenge to a few hard strokes with a utility knife. Especially after the real plaster has dulled the utility knife in short order.

My previous house was built in 1928 when the plaster's brown coat had horse hair in it to add strength. Recip saws will certainly find weak spots. Never used a Rotozip but if they cut lath they sound great for OLD plaster work. HOw do the bits like eating the lath's NAILS?

I used a Dremel, sometimes aided by judicious hammer and chisel, to cut holes for outlets and switches. I tried a diamond blade in my 4 1/2 inch angle grinder as well as an abrasive cut off wheel. They both do ok on the plaster and limit colateral damage. Abrasive cutoff wheel in Dremel works but is a bit slower and requires a couple wheel changes.

The advantage of the Dremel is that it will take a small wood cutting blade that does a neat job on the lath with virtually no colateral damage to nearby lath or plaster. When I first started on that house, Rotozips weren't common (or didn't exist).

I recently got a Rotozip for "FREE" as a companion tool to a cordless belt fed autoloading (semi-automatic) drywall screw gun. Shares batts between screw gun and rotozip. Haven't tried the Rotozip yet but am anticipating that it will be a fine improvement over keyhole saws.

Pat

[beenthere]

Keep cool [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img] . All plaster walls are not over wood lath. In the 50's, 'rocklath' (a near form of drywall) was popular for a substitute to wood lath under plaster, and I remember the early rocklath had holes in it to take the plaster. As a boy, I really enjoyed nailing on rocklath and can still recall the smell of the new plaster going onto the walls.

Rotozip has a bit for cutting ceramic tile, and just noticed one popular use is making craft ornaments out of ceramic tile using that bit. Not sure going through nails would work, but I don't think touching one would cause the bit to be wiped out.

[Stoneheartfarm]

Dremel makes a heavy duty unit called an "Advantage" that appears to be designed to compete directly with Rotozip. I chose to go with the Dremel due to the ability to accept a snake, which greatly enhances the tool's versatility.

We have cut ceramic tile with the Dremel, using the rotary tile bits. All we've cut with it so far has been soft tile, as opposed to hard tile, but it did a real good job. We've also used it to cut drywall, and I used it to cut kitchen countertop to install a sink. It worked excellently for all three applications. It does not, however, like to cut 3/4 treated plywood. And, I find that if I want really smooth, straightish cuts, I'm better off with the jigsaw, as the Dremel is hard for me to hold cleanly to the line. Although the Dremel is variable speed and the slower speeds seem a little easier to handle (fast speed, fast mistake).

Walmart has a 5 pack of bits for about $8-9.00. That includes 2 general bits, 2 drywall bits and 1 tile bit. Since the single packs of tile bits are about $7.00, I've been buying the assortment. If you have a regular Dremel, rotozip or Dremel Advantage you might pick up the assorted pack and try them on an inconspicuous spot. The regular dremel will handle the bits, just a lot slower and it won't take as much punishment.

Another option would be a multipack of jigsaw blades and a variable speed jigsaw. The blades are cheap enough you could change them out for every hole. Just look for wood/metal cutting blades. If the blades appear to be too long (going straight through the wall), add a piece of plywood to the saw's foot to shorten up the depth the blade can bite.

SHF