Wooden cladding / multi tool

Dustydazzler · Jun 28, 2021

I have been asked to price a massive rewire and the entire downstairs is wooden clad walls. The wooden cladding is staying, I have to cut new boxes into it.
Will a multi tool cut the cladding neatly and quickly ?

I have never used a multi tool so any advice appreciated

Dustydazzler · Jun 28, 2021

This type of French farm house style cladding

I’ve got about 45-50 back boxes to cut into it, I’m thinking a multi tool might be the best tool?

if just 1 or 2 boxes I would chain drill with a sharp drill and the chisel out but will take ages this way

Dustydazzler · Jun 28, 2021

I’m going to try to cut boxes and use a long bit down the back of the skirting to get under the floor boards

timhoward · Jun 28, 2021

I had a job like that once, after various experiments I ended up drilling a 10mm hole in diagonal corners with a spade bit then using a jig saw on top of a small bit of board to limit the depth. That was quick and not too noisy. By the end I was flying through them.
A multitool would definitely do it cleanly but I'm not sure I'd say it was terribly quick.

Dustydazzler · Jun 28, 2021

thanksc

i don’t really want to spend £100 on a new multi tool if it’s not going to make the job quicker

my limited experience with multi tools is they are very noisy and the blades blunt very quickly if you hit a bit of block wall

GBDamo · Jun 28, 2021

Jig saw, as mentioned, only cut the blade to length with an angle grinder.

Last time I did similar I was faffing about with a piece of batten as a spacer and some old builder ended up taking it off me and chopping an inch off the blade.

Baddegg · Jun 28, 2021

For that amount of cuts I’d buy a 240v multi tool, a B&Q special would be fine for that.....I had the same job last year on a 17th century place down here (Nelsons mistress lived there apparently) on that job I ended up doing the whole thing in quinetic ?

timhoward · Jun 28, 2021

It would have certainly been quicker to cut the jigsaw blade! My only comment is that most have a 1" stroke so if you make it too short it leaves the slot you are cutting - steady hand required!

FatAlan · Jun 28, 2021

I’d definitely go with a multi tool. With the right blade it would be pretty quick. If the cladding is directly on to plaster / brick, wouldn’t that cause a problem for a jigsaw?

FatAlan · Jun 28, 2021

Wouldn’t be without a multi tool now. Just done a small job putting extra socket in living room for Fused spur and TV mount. Didn’t want to use disc cutting dust machine. Used a multi tool masonry attachment to get clean cut through plaster and was lucky that it was really soft block underneath. Clean cuts either side of chase and quick knock out with SDS chisel.

nicebutdim · Jun 28, 2021

45-50 boxes in that stuff? Multitool will pay for itself on this one job - just bear in mind that they eat batteries, so make sure you have a few spare if planning on cutting everything in one day.

*Buy decent blades and one will make all those cuts effortless.

timhoward · Jun 28, 2021

nicebutdim said:
45-50 boxes in that stuff? Multitool will pay for itself on this one job - just bear in mind that they eat batteries, so make sure you have a few spare if planning on cutting everything in one day.

*Buy decent blades and one will make all those cuts effortless.

Maybe I need to spend more on multitool blades ?

ruston · Jun 28, 2021

Try to keep the blade cool, most people I have watched using them are too enthusiastic and overheat the blades.
Ps Assuming it is variable speed,

nicebutdim · Jun 28, 2021

timhoward said:
Maybe I need to spend more on multitool blades ?

Cheap blades have their uses (and expensive doesn't necessarily mean good), but there's nothing worse than blades which aren't fit for purpose.

ruston · Jun 28, 2021

nicebutdim said:
Cheap blades have their uses (and expensive doesn't necessarily mean good), but there's nothing worse than blades which aren't fit for purpose.

In my opinion Saxton are a reasonable blade for the price if you don't dog them . But Fein take the ribbon.

Wooden cladding / multi tool

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