Installing plasterboards and making holes for electrical outlets

[Robert Anderson]

Don't they include the centering tool with the box cutters anymore? They work decently if you don't trust the ruler.

Yes, all box cutters come with a "plastic cover" which is a simple centering tool...

 

[Lolight]

Since I need to make several holes in the same board, you don't want to buy a lot of expensive tools. There is a simple way that I use.

You need a good drill bit/hole saw designed for the correct mounting box.

Find a piece of board. Cut through it with the hole saw. You now have a wooden cover with a hole in the middle.
Sand the cover on the belt sander around the edge until it fits in the mounting box.

You also need to sand down two sides so it fits in the mounting box.
Fill the mounting box with insulation material so much that the wooden cover slightly springs out beyond the edge of the mounting box.

Measure the center of the mounting box on the wall. Draw on the drywall. Drill a small hole. Drill with a hole saw so you get a hole the size of a five-crown coin.

Mount the drywall on the wall. Get the hole saw. Now the drill fits perfectly into the hole on the wooden cover. Saw, and then remove the wooden cover.
Done.

 

[Stefan N]

Feels like all the suggestions are just worse and more complicated solutions compared to Hole-in-one. It costs under 500:- which is a minimal expense for perfect holes.

 

[Lolight]

Feels like all the suggestions are just worse and more complicated solutions compared to Hole-in-one. It costs under 500:- which is a minimal expense for perfect holes.

My method gives completely perfect holes. Without spending 1500 kr for 3 Hole-in-one, if you need to make 3 holes.

 

[Stefan N]

You don't need to buy three sets to make three holes at the same time, as it contains two of each size, and it's possible to buy singles.

 

[Lolight]

You don't need to buy three sets to make three holes at the same time, it contains two of each size and can be purchased individually.

It still comes to around 700 SEK. And what if I need to make 4 holes?

I haven't used these magnets, but they don't seem good at all. For example, they seem to have an edge that goes over the box cover. That is, I can't mount the box flush against the sheet. Because this edge then sticks up.
Also, I don't trust magnets, there's a risk of missing by a few mm. Then you have the next problem. You don't know where they are.
Let's say you're building a large wall. And then you do something else.
Then you forget where these boxes are. You then have to go around and search with the magnet for these boxes. If you're unlucky, it can be a huge task. You might even end up forgetting some part behind a wall. It's also not obvious or becomes a problem if several of you are building.
Why buy expensive, poor, and unnecessary tools when you can do it completely free and much better?

 

[Demmpa]

You need a good hole saw designed for the right junction box.

Find a piece of wood. Saw through it with the hole saw. You now have a wooden lid, with a hole in the middle.
Sand the lid on the belt sander around the edge until it fits in the junction box.

You also need to sand down two sides for it to fit in the junction box.
Fill the junction box with insulating material so much that the wooden lid just springs slightly outside the edge of the junction box.

Measure what the center hole is on the junction box on the wall. Draw on the drywall. Drill a small hole. Drill with a hole saw so you get a hole the size of a five-crown coin.

Mount the drywall on the wall. Take out the hole saw. Now the drill bit fits exactly in the hole on the wooden lid. Saw, and remove the wooden lid.
Done.

How long does it take to make these junction box lids? What does this labor cost?

I have not used these magnets, but they do not seem good at all. For example, they seem to have an edge that goes over the junction box lid. So I can't mount the junction box flush against the board. Because then this edge sticks up.
Also, I don't trust magnets, there's a risk of being off by a few mm. Then you have the next problem. You don't know where they are.
Let's say you build a large wall. And then you do something else.
Then you forget where these junction boxes are. You then have to go around and search with the magnet for these junction boxes. If you're unlucky, it could be a big job. Yes, you could even accidentally forget some part behind a wall. Moreover, it's not obvious, or it becomes a problem if there are several of you building.
Why should you buy expensive, bad, and unnecessary tools, when this can be done completely free and much better?

They build a maximum of two (2) mm, and that is nothing compared to the drywall thickness (13 mm). You have the exact same problem with your system.

A Hole-In-one kit includes a finder, an insert for ceiling boxes, an insert for junction boxes, and three inserts for device boxes.

You drill the holes directly when you have just attached the board. You don't cover an entire wall and then drill the holes.

With your system, each hole takes significantly longer than using Hole-In-one. This is because you have to measure and mark where the junction box is, plus you have to drill an extra hole for each junction box.

 

[Lolight]

How long does it take to make these dosträlock? What is the cost of this working time?

How long do you have to work to earn 700 kr after tax? It takes a maximum of 20 minutes to make 4 of them.

They build a maximum of two (2) mm and that's nothing compared to the gippstjockleken (13 mm). You have exactly the same problem with your system.

I don't understand what you mean at all. Mine build nothing at all. They are completely inside the box.
And what does gippstjockleken have to do with it?

A Hole-In-one kit includes a locator, an insert for a ceiling box, an insert for an electrical box, and three inserts for apparatus boxes.
You drill the holes directly when you have just mounted the board. You don't cover an entire wall before drilling the holes.

Often I have 3 or 4 holes to make on the same board. So yes. That's necessary.

With your system, each hole takes significantly longer than if you use Hole-In-one. This is because you have to measure and mark where the box is plus you have to drill an extra hole for each box.

Yes, exactly. If you build and drill holes in gips every day. Then maybe it's better with tools. But not if you do walls once every 10 years. And you have 5 holes to make. Then it's not worth it.

How long can it take to measure on the gips and drill. 10 minutes?

Besides, I don't understand how you can complain about tips on how to do things cheaper or easier. But it seems that the know-it-alls residing here are really arrogant and stupid people. Like all other Swedes, by the way. Totally ungrateful. No wonder the country is going to hell then either.

 

[Demmpa]

Don't understand what you mean at all? Mine don't protrude at all. They are completely inside the box.
And what does the thickness of the gypsum have to do with it?

It wasn't even a mm that protruded. The reason I mentioned the gypsum is that the box makes the gypsum stick out further before hole sawing than after, and the mm that the insert might protrude is nothing compared to what the box sticks out (before hole sawing).

Often I have 3 or 4 holes to make on the same sheet. So yes. It's needed.
Yes, exactly. If you build and drill holes in gypsum every day. Then maybe it's better with tools. But not if you make walls once every 10 years. And you have 5 holes to make. Then it's not worth it.

As mentioned, the set includes three inserts for junction boxes.

I've used my set seven or eight times in about ten years, half the time at relatives'. I have barely started renovating the house yet.

How long can it take to measure the gypsum and drill? 10 minutes?

After about ten holes with a Hole-In-One set, you've earned back the cost if you value your work time at the same cost as a craftsman would charge.

By the way, I don't understand how you can complain about tips on how to do things cheaper or easier. But it seems like the know-it-alls residing here are really obnoxious and stupid people. Like all other Swedes, by the way. Totally ungrateful. No wonder the country is going to hell either.

We are not against tips.

 

[Lolight]

It didn't even build by a mm. I mentioned the plasterboard because the box makes the plasterboard stick out further before cutting the hole than after, and the mm that the insert potentially builds is nothing compared to what the box builds (before hole cutting).

Ok, you build like that. Still, my method builds less. I never put up boards like that. Then you have to hold the board or it doesn't lie against as it should. No, I set the height of the box in line with the substrate. This way, you can retrofit an insert to get it at the right height. The advantage is that you can mount the board as it should be before you make the hole.

After about ten holes with a Hole-In-One kit, you've earned back the cost if you value your work time at the same cost as a craftsman costs.

It's then up to those who are going to build to decide what they want to do.

We are not against tips.

Ok, but it seemed a bit like "the way I do it, that's the only correct method". When you've bought something, you often think it's good. I'm like that myself sometimes.

 

[Demmpa]

Ok, you build like that. Still, my method builds less. I never set up boards that way. Then you have to stand and hold the board or it doesn't fit as it should. No, I set the height of the box at the level of the substrate. That way you can retrofit an insert to get it at the right height. The advantage is that you can mount the board as it should be before making the hole.

I rarely replace (whole functional) boxes if I want them in the exact same place they are. I change board material, among other things, because I want to put insulation (as soundproofing) in the interior walls. Often it is less work and less cost to change board material than to fill a wall smooth before wallpapering.

 

[SBH]

one can buy secondhand
http://www.tradera.com/search?categoryId=32&q=hole+in&expanded=1&queryScope=AllWordsAnyOrder
never encountered a problem using hole in one.
two screws in the board and then drill in the board.
then there are accessories to buy for hole in one if you have a lot of dosor

 

[PCLarsson]

A set with Hole-In-One makes it onto my list of my top 10 investments in connection with the house renovation. Has paid off quickly compared to previously damaged drywall

 

[Montören]

Always fun to hear about people's clever inventions/solutions, but I must agree that Hole in one works great.
Bought my set new on Tradera for 399 SEK and have used it for the entire house extension.

 

[Direktörpelle]

Haha, it's not a rocket you’re building. What happened to the method - measure the cc containers and then drill with the right pocket cutter?
Unless you have a hole-in-one, of course.
OSB/plywood I use square holes with the handheld saw.