Sunday, August 10, 2008

Minimum Damage, Minimum Repairs


Hole saws and other tools of the trade do more than make pretty holes for your electrical work. They also keep damage and subsequent repairs to a minimum. This is especially true when you’re cutting through plaster and lath. Lath is the wood or metal backing that acts as a form for wet plaster. The plaster is forced into the lath where it eventually dries into a wall or ceiling. It’s almost impossible to cut a clean hole through lath using hand tools. A hole saw or a reciprocating saw will do the job quickly and cleanly.

Believe me, you’ll never catch an electrician using hand tools when a power tool is the better choice. You might think you have limited use for a hole saw, and you might not want to spend the money on one, but there’s another way to look at it. A four-inch hole saw costs around $20. If you have to install five light fixtures, the hole saw is costing you $4 a light. It’s also greatly reducing your labor time, and you can avoid the frustration of trying to cut a clean circle with hand tools. Besides, you can always find a future use for it, especially if you have more remodeling projects in mind.

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