Floorboard Cutting - what a chore!

[wildgoose]

Been working in a big old house, where I needed to lift multiple floorboards for access. Pipes, cables were often touching the underside of the floorboards, so needed to cut with care. Using the Bosch POF cutter to cut between them but it's hard going and the blades are rubbish so not lasting long - there must be an easier tool to do this with?

Been therefore looking at the mini mains powered circular saws with small blades that can be quickly and accurately set for depth. Various ones on the market around the £75 mark.

Any feedback/experiences out there with these saws ie:
- are the up to regularly cutting boards?
- do the blades last ?
- any makes or models recommended?

 

[Top Cat]

Usually just use my ordinary circular saw set just above depth of floor boards. Never had that much trouble but the plumber is on speed dial on mobile just in case!

 

[Des 56]

I had to have a look on google to see what cutter you are using and can honestly say,I have never used a router to cut a floorboard,never mind the fact that I don't know how to use them in the first place

Circular saw has always been my standard tool for floor boards

I rarely if ever cut a board.without lifting a little, unless I know exactly what is underneath
Its often that plumbers will have the pipe forced down by the floorboard, never mind how precise you make the depth of cut,the next joist along may be slightly thinner and that could be enough to damage whats underneath

I would say, always wedge the board up slightly before making that cut if you don't know what's below and yes circular saws are a must have
The cheapies are just as good as a good quality item if all its used for is floorboard cutting

 

[wildgoose]

I had to have a look on google to see what cutter you are using and can honestly say,I have never used a router to cut a floorboard,never mind the fact that I don't know how to use them in the first place

Circular saw has always been my standard tool for floor boards

I rarely if ever cut a board.without lifting a little, unless I know exactly what is underneath
Its often that plumbers will have the pipe forced down by the floorboard, never mind how precise you make the depth of cut,the next joist along may be slightly thinner and that could be enough to damage whats underneath

I would say, always wedge the board up slightly before making that cut if you don't know what's below and yes circular saws are a must have
The cheapies are just as good as a good quality item if all its used for is floorboard cutting

Well spotted Des56. I got my Bosch numbers wrong, should have read GOP.
Thanks for your advice about wedging the boards up first. This is fine if you already have an edge to lift but if practice thats not always possible!

 

[Geordie Spark]

Usually just use my ordinary circular saw set just above depth of floor boards. Never had that much trouble but the plumber is on speed dial on mobile just in case!

That was always my method too.

Never had a problem with it.

 

[Plonker 3]

Can't beat the good old lump hammer and bolster for lifting floor boards, especially in occupied houses.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Can't beat the good old lump hammer and bolster for lifting floor boards, especially in occupied houses.

Ohhh ............ you Rough Ar$e you !!!

 

[telectrix]

Can't beat the good old lump hammer and bolster for lifting floor boards, especially in occupied houses.

for lifting, yes. it's the initial cutting across. where possible, i try and lift the board/s at to point of cutting, even if inly by 1/2 " or so.

 

[Top Cat]

Came across metal tongues in one house now that was a problem! Anyone else seen this?

 

[drew35]

I paid £30 off eBay for an inspection camera and found multiple uses for it, one is to carefully drill a 10mm hole in a board, slide in the camera and have a look around. Once you see its all clear, gash away...

 

[Top Cat]

I paid £30 off eBay for an inspection camera and found multiple uses for it, one is to carefully drill a 10mm hole in a board, slide in the camera and have a look around. Once you see its all clear, gash away...

Secret cameras, gash's! you could get arrested for that! Lol

 

[a12jpm]

Dewalt 18v rip snorter set just shy of board thickness. So far not gone through any pipes but it's going to happen at some point I'm sure.

The way I see it if I go through a pipe every few hundred cuts then that's pretty good odds.

 

[sythai]

Came across metal tongues in one house now that was a problem! Anyone else seen this?

Bet that was interesting with a circular saw :uhoh2:

 

[Top Cat]

Bet that was interesting with a circular saw :uhoh2:

Certainly was on the first cut with sparks flying everywhere! Only way i could do it was with a hammer and bolster.

 

[telectrix]

thought you would have done it with your claws, TC.

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Screwfix are doing an Evolution circular saw for just under £50, those blades are bloody amazing. I have the evolution 255 mitre saw, last week I was cutting 60mm box section 4mm thick to make a sliding gate, the blade is still in A1 condition.
I highly recommend their cutting products.

As for using the GOP, you do have to be gentle and get a rhythm with them to cut efficiently and last a long time.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Came across metal tongues in one house now that was a problem! Anyone else seen this?

Dunno aboot metal bonny lad ... but me Pikey lass has a sharp tongue. (No ..... DON'T go there!!)

 

[Guest111]

Came across metal tongues in one house now that was a problem! Anyone else seen this?

You lucky sod waited years to see one of them,remember reading about them when I was doing my time apparently they were very popular during the victorian period.Best way to get a floorboard up if you don,t know whats under it is chop the tongues off with a bolster then lever up one side slightly and push a thick screwdriver in,put bolster in other side and lever up then push screwdriver in until it rest on the board s at either side then cut through raised board with a handsaw.this is called SPRINGING a board and is usefull when board is trapped under a wall at both ends.

 

[Top Cat]

You lucky sod waited years to see one of them,remember reading about them when I was doing my time apparently they were very popular during the victorian period.Best way to get a floorboard up if you don,t know whats under it is chop the tongues off with a bolster then lever up one side slightly and push a thick screwdriver in,put bolster in other side and lever up then push screwdriver in until it rest on the board s at either side then cut through raised board with a handsaw.this is called SPRINGING a board and is usefull when board is trapped under a wall at both ends.

Lucky sod was not what i thought at the time Phil!

 

[geordie]

i got one of these makes cutting the board so easy
[h=1]Bosch GSA 18VLI-N 18V Multipurpose Saw[/h]