what to use to cut fiberglass

K

keepitgreen05

Member
i am putting a new breaker switch panel in and i have to cut out a hole about 2" wide by 6" lond what should i use to cut it...............
 
Ferm is right on the money about a sawzall being great for cutting fiberglass. For large projects I wouldn't use anything else. But there are a few other tools that might be a little easier to use for delicate work. Fein makes an Oscillating Multifunction Power Tool that is simply fantastic, but very expensive..($300+). however you can buy the same type of tool from Harbor Freight http://www.harborfreight.com/oscillating-multifunction-power-tool-68303.html for $29 - $49 dollars, depending if you just buy the tool or if you buy the entire kit. Very nice, about the size of a mini disc grinder, and easy to control. (These are the same types of tools that doctors use to cut fiberglass casts off broken limbs) Also, if you have a jig saw or a scroll saw both of them will work really well also. The only problem with them is the need to first drill a starter hole for the blade to go into...but after that they're fine. If you should decide to use a jigsaw or scrollsaw then I'd stay with the 10-14tpi blade that Ferm mentioned.
 
I've tried everything know to man to cut fiberglass with exception of a Fein Tool(i'm too scared to try one with $80 blades). Best thing I've found is my Bosch jig saw, look for a fine tooth blade with the blade tip pointing down, they keep it from chipping out. Go ahead and buy a pack of blades, keep the speed down and when it stops cutting, replace the blade and go slower
 
The best thing I have found to cut fiberglass is my 4 1/2 inch angle grinder with a cheap 16 to 20 dollar masonary wheel ( Diamond wheel) from lowes or home depot. It cuts its like butter!!! no chipping of edges and will even cut thru core material to a certain extent. go back to the tile floor section were all the tile tools are.
 
Kracker Jack said:
The best thing I have found to cut fiberglass is my 4 1/2 inch angle grinder with a cheap 16 to 20 dollar masonary wheel ( Diamond wheel) from lowes or home depot. It cuts its like butter!!! no chipping of edges and will even cut thru core material to a certain extent. go back to the tile floor section were all the tile tools are.
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agree best to use that's what i've found to be best and leaves cleanest edges. i always use my 4" angle grinder and my air cut off wheels.
 
spareparts said:
I've tried everything know to man to cut fiberglass with exception of a Fein Tool(i'm too scared to try one with $80 blades). Best thing I've found is my Bosch jig saw, look for a fine tooth blade with the blade tip pointing down, they keep it from chipping out. Go ahead and buy a pack of blades, keep the speed down and when it stops cutting, replace the blade and go slower
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LOL Spare....spend the $50 bucks and buy a Multifunction Tool Kit from Harbor Freight. http://www.harborfreight.com/carbide-tipped-half-moon-cutter-blade-67462.html
Then buy a half moon carbide blade to go with it for an additional 12.99 http://www.harborfreight.com/carbide-tipped-half-moon-cutter-blade-67462.html
You'll still be less than the $80 for a single blade for a Fein tool and you'll be amazed at what the tool will do. My brother gave me one for Christmas 2 years ago.. I thought I'd never use it... I mean, I have tons of saws, drills, sanders, grinders, etc. But I figured that before I put it away "in storage" I'd use it to build a birdhouse.. Now I know that there's nothing very special about building a birdhouse, but let me tell you, that tool made cutting the wood easy as dew rolling off a leaf.... Once you try one you'll wonder how you ever got along without one. I've used mine for all kinds of thihgs, and one of the best things I love about it is how you can put the blade against solid wood and plunge cut just by turning the tool on. You can cut a perfectly square hole in wood in 4 plunges, in less than a minute. Fantastic for cutting out rectangular holes for electric boxes in sheetrock and paneling..And you never have to worry about cutting yourself... it only cuts hard objects, not soft things like flesh. "Try it..You'll like it" :beer:
 
I've been skeptical of those, I'll have to try one out. I bought a roto zip tool a few years back, thought it was going to make my life easier, biggest POS I've ever bought, only thing I've found it will cut worth a crap is sheet rock. I even tried the carbide bits, all they did was break. For rough cutting fiberglass, I've got a home made tool, combining an old shipyard angle grinder with a 4 1/2 carbide saw blade, looks real mean, would probably give an OSHA inspector a heart attack, It cuts quick and makes large chips rather than fine dust, it doesn't make you itch as much, but you have to be carefull with it, its not for the faint of heart to use
 
agree with destroyer on the harbor freight fein knock off . the nearest h f to us is 100 miles away, but i have found the bosch blades from depot will fit and tend to be a better quality than the h f ones.
 
spareparts said:
I've been skeptical of those, I'll have to try one out. I bought a roto zip tool a few years back, thought it was going to make my life easier, biggest POS I've ever bought, only thing I've found it will cut worth a crap is sheet rock. I even tried the carbide bits, all they did was break.
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I have one of them also. Biggest disappointment ever. They're good for cutting round holes in ceiling tiles for lights...that's about it. I agree totally with you that they're a POS. :cen:

As to your Frankincutter, be carefull with it..lol. (I won't tell you that I have something similar to it here at my house) :head:

(Oh, and if you should get the HF Fein knockoff, spend the bucks and buy the kit. It comes with blades, and a nice case, etc. The cheap one for $29 just comes with a single blade, no case and I don't think it's of the same quality as the $49 one)
 
Dont be skeptical of the Harbor Freight multi tool. A buddy has one and we have used it a ton remodeling the hunting camp. After I used his I purchased one from lowes Dremel brand for about 90$. Best $ Ive ever spent. They will do alot that other tools like a jigsaw or sawzall just cant. Very good investment.
 
I guy I used to know up in NC used to build wood boats(biggest ones was 72'). When he fitted the planking to the keel, he would cut a grove for the planking to fit in. He had an old 10" angle grinder with a 10" carbide table saw blade(no guard) in it to make the cut, he said if it ever felt like it was going to catch on something, he's just throw it away from himself and let it hit the ground. He called it his bob cat. Surprisingly, when they buried him(stroke), he still had all his fingers
 
spareparts said:
I guy I used to know up in NC used to build wood boats(biggest ones was 72'). When he fitted the planking to the keel, he would cut a grove for the planking to fit in. He had an old 10" angle grinder with a 10" carbide table saw blade(no guard) in it to make the cut, he said if it ever felt like it was going to catch on something, he's just throw it away from himself and let it hit the ground. He called it his bob cat. Surprisingly, when they buried him(stroke), he still had all his fingers
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OMG!!! :oh:
 
i have the Milwaukee brand multi tool, I use that thing more than any other tool in my truck. Great for cutting shims on a cabinet installation, rgeat for notching studs to burry a wire, cutting back floor base molding when installing the case molding on a door, cutting outlet boxes into the cabinet over the microwave. chamfering moldings. notching the quarter inch reveal on a top hanger cabinet to accept crown molding , square holes in sheet rock for repair,cutting door frames to slip laminate flooring under it. I even used it once to notch hinges in a door when my router broke. i dont know what i did without that tool for so many years. oh and the best part is no dust !. this week i will try it widen the hole for my new switch panel.
 
Kracker Jack said:
The best thing I have found to cut fiberglass is my 4 1/2 inch angle grinder with a cheap 16 to 20 dollar masonary wheel ( Diamond wheel) from lowes or home depot. It cuts its like butter!!! no chipping of edges and will even cut thru core material to a certain extent. go back to the tile floor section were all the tile tools are.
Click to expand...

Like this one? This is what I found at Lowes.

grinderblade.jpg
 
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