Cutting out Windows and Doors in sheathing is always a chore. If you precut them before nailing on the sheathing, they often need to be trimmed or don't fit properly. I always carry a router with a straight bit for this job. If you look at the bit it has a spiral cutter, to help the cutter stay on course and follow the lumber. It also has a double bearing, which I often spray with Tri-flow or WD40, since they tend to heat up and stop spinning over time. The bit pictured is made by Ocemco. Amana and Velepec also make a straight bit with double bearings. The cut is always perfect and easy to make, except for the sawdust that sprays all over me. Do not try this with a 1/4" shank router bit, use only a 1/2" shank bit. The smaller bits will bend under this type of pressure. I use my old Porter Cable 1 1/2 h.p. router for this job. I own a couple of 3 h.p. routers, but they are just too cumbersome, and the 1 1/2 h.p. works just fine, as long as it is not pushed too hard. Next time you have a window or door cut out, try this technique. You will be pleased with the clean result. Make sure there are no nails or nail heads sticking out for the router to hit. It will shoot shrapnel all over and ruin an expensive router bit.
3 comments:
I can't believe there are no posts to this site. I am loving it! Remodeling my own mobile home and this is the first site that justifies the word "remodel" in terms of a mobile home. I note your last posts are 2010. Does that mean you finished the project? (I'm still going through all the posts) Anyway, thanking you for sharing all of this. It's immensely helpful in my effort.
Great site! Thank you for posting all of this. I'm finding it quite helpful and inspirational for my own project.
Thanks Wolf Teacher for your comments. I have been very busy and away from the Blog for a while. I'm not finished posting, and I'm never done remodeling. I was just kind of discouraged that there wasn't more traffic or comments, so I took some time off posting articles, I'll put up some new ones soon. The big bummer about my remodeling now, is most of my work involvs short sales and reposessions, with banks and it pays the bills but it is really a negative way to make money.
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