Menu
What's new

best saw for cutting out a floor plate?

G

Garrett French

Member
Messages
64
Location
Tennessee
Hey guys - Dick submitted this question to ToolCrib.com. Do you have enough information based on what he said to give a good answer? If not let me know and we'll dig for more information from him.

Here's the question:
“I need to saw out the floor plate in a cold air return.

Normally, the entire space is cut out for the cold air to flow. However, my contractor only drilled a series of holes and now I need to saw out the wood between the holes. The drywall is installed on both sides so I must reach through the cold air register.

What type of saw would you suggest?

I was thinking a keyhole saw. Is there a power or air saw that is small enough to get within the 3.5 inch wall and cut out the wood?”
Click to expand...

My ToolCrib.com buddy Adam (yes there are more of us :) shot this question at the LumberJock community. Their response thus far is:

"You may have to go the old fashion way, by using a hammer, & chisel."
Click to expand...

Check the post here if you want:
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/110#reply-723

We don't typically like to ask the same question in more than one forum, but in this case we thought a second opinion from the "family" would be helpful to our woebegone site visitor facing a potentially tedious job :D .

G
 
Garret....It sounds like the holes were marked in the cold air return but never cut. Now the wood floor has been installed over it and he wants to cut the hole through the wood floor? Down below, it sounds like they've wall boarded over the cold air return duct...

If that's the case and I'd try to transfer the hole from the cold air return up through the wood floor and then use a Jig saw, a sawsall or if you're skilled enough a circular saw could be used to cut through the wood and if necessary a jig saw to cut the metal if that's necessary.

A little more information would be handy in giving advice in this case.
 
Hi Ken,

Thank you - I will see if I can get any more info out of Dick. I'll send him this thread too so if you have specific questions that would help you answer HIS question let me know here :D

THANK YOU!
G
 
I'm with Ken on this, thinking that to transfer the dimensions to the outside would make sawing easier. How about a right angle drill inside the duct and drill holes at the 4 corners - then the jig or sawsall to connect the holes?
 
ok in my mind, since he says that the drywall is applied to both sides, and he needs to cut a "floor plate" i would assume he has a wall mounted return for the air, and it needs to flow air through the floor. so again i'm guessing that he is needin to remove the section of 2x4 that makes up the floor plate in this area. depending on how big the air return opening is would determine how big of a saw he can get in there. i would think a jig saw.

all in all like others said it's hard to tell by the description.

hopefully we'll get more info so we can better help.

chris
 
I agree with others that there is too little information here, but I will say that I have found the Fein MultiMaster to be an amazingly versatile tool for many close quarters cuts in remodeling. Mine will fit into the stud space on a 2x4 wall. The cutters cost a lot, so don’t trash one by hitting a drywall screw or nail. Maybe best to use a metal cutting blade from the get go if you are not sure.
 
some pix of the problem

Dick shot us some pictures of his problem... hope this helps solve it a little better.

G

360738762_9b0abe2299_m.jpg

360738757_a2d33949f8_m.jpg

360738753_a78843828d_m.jpg

360738750_d32d838ac8_m.jpg
 
should be able to easily get a jigsaw in that space. maybe a recip saw at an angle. other than that i can't think of anything else. well besides a hand saw of course.

good luck Dick
chris
 
Why bother?

I don't think you're going to significantly increase the air flow by cutting out the little pieces of wood between the drill holes;

If you are only going to us them as starting points and you're going to cut closer to the walls and further to the right, then I think the Multimaster is the way to go.

Jay

Alternatiavely, just drill a couple of more holes with a forster bit on the wood at the right hand side of the picture.

Jay
 
garrett, a fein multimaster will do what the fellow asks......at a price.....i`d tell him to pop for one and back charge the hvac installer for not doing the job right to begin with.....tod
 
Dick wrote back:
> I really appreciate all the help. When I had several HVAC contractors look at
> the house, they say these holes are reducing the air flow to 40%. The whole
> house has this problem. It is a new house and the builder did a very poor job
> with the construction.
Click to expand...

So thanks again guys - your advice on the right tools for the job should help save him some cash on contracting the work out and give him the satisfaction of doing it himself.

Big thanks to the Family!
 
Dick says THANK YOU.

> I wanted to let you know that Frank Chaffee's suggestion is probably going to work. He suggested a Fein MultiMaster. I tried one over the weekend and it seems to do the job,

> Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
Click to expand...

:D thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top