Cutting Ducting holes in floors ??

[Dreamscape]

Hola amigos

I'm writing today to ask some of you out there with some power tool experience what I should be using to cut 6" & 8" duct holes in the ceiling / floor of a room...

The plan is to cut an intake hole in the bottom of the floor for an intake through a 6" ducting set up. And then exhaust through the ceiling out an 8" ducting set up.

What powertool(s) should I use for this ??

I've got a general Idea - i just dont have the hands on experience and dont feel like running back and forth between the hardware store if I get the wrong tools ...

thanks
~Dream

 

[screwdriver]

Depends on material.
Ceiling is drywall a utility knife would work or a keyhole saw, rotor zip etc.
Wood floor: Drill hole for a jig saw with wood blade (don't cut joist)
Concrete floor is a little harder.
Hope thats a start.

 

[Dreamscape]

Ceiling is drywall but above that dry wall is wood on the floor ...

Bottom floor is wood ...

I'm assuming the joist is the beam running across for support right ?

Isn't there some type of attachment I could put on a drill that would give me a perfect circle as opposed to using a Jig saw ?? Or is that no a good idea ??

 

[mysticls]

a 6 inch or 8 inch hole bit is $$$ your best bet is trace out the size you need and cut with a jigsaw and than caulk around it

 

[Dreamscape]

how much $$$ are we talking for a middle of the line decent one ??

 

[Prone_2_Clone]

you should really use a hole saw. i assume youve got a drill.
just by the hole saw and drill bit attachment. i got a 6'' with bit for about 30usd.
ive tried cutting with a jig but just dont have those kinda skills yaknow. you will be a lot happier with a perfect hole than a jagged on you will get from using the jig. peace
prone 2

 

[Dreamscape]

yeah i'm thinking investing in a jig may be an overall better way to spend the money - just saw a 6" milwaukee hole saw for 40 USD just for the saw bit itself ...

EDIT : Just saw your post Prone right after I posted mine ... good point , i'll have to think things over a bit.

Thanks for the info guys ...

 

[mysticls]

i cut a 6 inch hole with a jigsaw no problem.. just trace it and cut it.. hell i would say my hole is damn near perfect and it didnt cost me $40 for a bit you will use once or twice

 

[Guest]

sawzall all the way. my opinion.
opinions are like assholes. why didn't george1 and barb name george2 opinion?

 

[marx2k]

Whats a sawzall?

I am considering a 6" hole drill bit. I am standardizing everything (ducting, cooltube, fan, etc) to 6" so I can see myself uding this bit more than once.

But I am interested in a better solution (The problem with a jigsaw is if you have an unsteady hand, you're not going to cut a hole as good as a 6" hole cutting drill bit would get you

 

[screwdriver]

If you insist on a 6" hole saw. You'll need a heavy duty drill. Going thru the wood with a hole saw is going to take torq. There are also bits with wings that cut, but be steady using those. Cut the floor or ceiling not the beam its attached too. If you cut thru and there is a beam there move over. You may also use a stud finder to locate studs behind drywall. On floor look for nail pattern to find joist.

 

[thc43]

firstly id try to avoid drilling holes,, i have to many to fill in at 3 different houses....lol

use that head of your drill as a last resort, how about removing a floor board, celing would be easier to fix later, or maby you can drill out a door rather than wall or floor..


as for tools depends on the size hole. hole saw upto 150mm bigger hole needed drill a strater hole then jig saw. watching for gas and electrical wires before you make that first hole. One of my last outvent holes was cut without lifting roof insulation once the 300mm hole was cut i realised i was within 1cm of a gas pipe so lucky i didnt cut straight through it with the jig saw.

 

[chosen]

One thing is do you own or rent? Just trying to save you later headaches. A Sawzall will blow through most things. What are you trying to do? Break it down... You may not need to go through all of this...

 

[Guest]

if a perfect hole is your goal, you can use a router, its what i used to cut holes in the box i made for a home theater system i built a few years back. theres an attachment you can get or comes with it, i had to buy it since my router was quite a few decades old lol. kind of like using a compass with a pencil, only the router is the pencil.. takes a little longer but well worth it if a nice circular hole is what you desire. best of luck mate.

 

[Guest]

go with ceiling into attic if possible, drywall is soft, use anything. what does it matter if it's a perfect hole? it will be hidden by the ducting anyway right? just make sure you save the piece you cut out so it will be easy to repair when you break down.

 

[Guest]

yeah i'm thinking investing in a jig may be an overall better way to spend the money - just saw a 6" milwaukee hole saw for 40 USD just for the saw bit itself ...

EDIT : Just saw your post Prone right after I posted mine ... good point , i'll have to think things over a bit.

Thanks for the info guys ...

that'll be $40 for the bit and another $30 for the arbor. anything over a 4" in wood is much easier and safer with a right angle drill. if you use a standrd 1/2 " drill you'll wanna use one with a screw in side handle. i've seen people break their arms with these things.
a jig saw would be like 30 or 40 bucks(for a cheap one) but they limit you to flat areas and you hafta stay away from corners and other obstructions that limit the turning of the saw itself.
a sawzall is jig saw on steroids. can cut just bout anything anywhere. thye go for around $250(for a nice one). every tool rental place has em tho, probably like 25 or 30 a day. home depot rents tools for 24 hr periods so if you get it at 2:00 in the afternoon, you have till 2:00 tthe next afternoon to return it. most other places want em returned by first thing in the mornin.
if your gonna use a tool and then put it on a shelf ya should probably just rent one.
perfect round holes are pretty and all but in the end don't really matter. it ain't finish carpentry we're talkin bout here.
good luck and be careful.

 

[Ono Nadagin]

get a craftsman rotary tool/spiral saw
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/subc...Spiral+Cutting+Tools&sbt=1&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

I think they come with a circle cutting attachment, mine did... just push the bit through the wood and then run around your circle.. they cut through solid oak flooring like it was nothing

 

[Guest]

get a craftsman rotary tool/spiral saw
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/subc...Spiral+Cutting+Tools&sbt=1&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

I think they come with a circle cutting attachment, mine did... just push the bit through the wood and then run around your circle.. they cut through solid oak flooring like it was nothing

yeah thats a great tool. if your gonna do 1 or 2 growrooms that would work perfect. i dont own a rotary tool but having seen it in use , i'd hafta say, if you only owned one power tool , that kinda tool would be the one to have. if you could just change the attachments and do it all?.....i'm buyin one.

 

[marx2k]

Hey, a router sounds like a good tool to have! Can we see some links for quality routers at nationwide chains just so I can see what youre talking about?

 

[Ono Nadagin]

Yeah I use my rotary/spiral saw for tons of stuff it replaced my router,jigsaw, anglegrinder cutoff saw... shit it does tons of stuff... I bought the biggest combo set for like 150$ at the sears parts store(most large towns have a sears parts store)the pricesd there are 1-20% cheaper than sears itself on new merch with ful warranties... you can get the basic one for $50ish