# before routers



## grid ninja (Mar 21, 2010)

in the old days of hand cutting , on commercial jobs i wood measure boxes up from floor to bottom of boxes. most of the time the boxes are the same off the floor. this is stand up board .that number is my up on all my boxes and thin add three and three quarters up . so i already have all my ups. thin my over wood be the only measurement i wood need . thin measure one side of box only , thin add two and a quoter for other side . makes for a perfect box cut every time . you only have to remember one over measurement that you take before you go after your next sheet . its fast but i love my router.


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## Saul_Surfaces (Jan 8, 2010)

there was life before routers? Seriously? It's like life before I switched to auto tools. I don't remember that either.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

I remember when **** was on VHS tapes, but them days are gone too


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

Pre cut small , then trim.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

moore said:


> Pre cut small , then trim.


Here's a good one to go along with that....when cutting with your keyhole saw (on your small numbers) cut at an angle, then you only have to basically trim the face paper (yeah, I still cut some boxes with a keyhole saw......routers are the bees knees, but sometimes it's just easier to not drag the thing around if you're one of those 'dinosaurs' who doesn't have a cordless model)


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

SlimPickins said:


> Here's a good one to go along with that....when cutting with your keyhole saw (on your small numbers) cut at an angle, then you only have to basically trim the face paper (yeah, I still cut some boxes with a keyhole saw......routers are the bees knees, but sometimes it's just easier to not drag the thing around if you're one of those 'dinosaurs' who doesn't have a cordless model)


I'm surprised how many rockers can't cut a box with a key-hoe saw, seems to be a lost art. I don't know how many times I have seen a rocker drag out a extension cord and router to cut one they missed. ill ask why don't you just cut it out with your saw and they say they can't


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

I recall several years back not even bothering with the keyhole saw. Just put some knife marks where you want the hole and slam it with the hammer. Pretty rough but the tapers could get it.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

Mudshark said:


> I recall several years back not even bothering with the keyhole saw. Just put some knife marks where you want the hole and slam it with the hammer.* Pretty rough but the tapers could get it.*


:w00t::clap: (pssst.....just so you know, there might be some tapers hanging around, I don't think they like hearing things like that)


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## Arey85 (Jan 2, 2010)

grid ninja said:


> in the old days of hand cutting , on commercial jobs i wood measure boxes up from floor to bottom of boxes. most of the time the boxes are the same off the floor. this is stand up board .that number is my up on all my boxes and thin add three and three quarters up . so i already have all my ups. thin my over wood be the only measurement i wood need . thin measure one side of box only , thin add two and a quoter for other side . makes for a perfect box cut every time . you only have to remember one over measurement that you take before you go after your next sheet . its fast but i love my router.



So if you pull your measurement from the floor,what happens when you jack up your sheet to the ceiling?


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

Bottom sheet,,,, mark the down on box.
Put sheet in place .
Mark sides with hatchet end.
Saw out. jack up.


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## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

Arey85 said:


> So if you pull your measurement from the floor,what happens when you jack up your sheet to the ceiling?


 as long as you dont jack the floor with it you should be ok:whistling2:


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## Arey85 (Jan 2, 2010)

moore said:


> Bottom sheet,,,, mark the down on box.
> Put sheet in place .
> Mark sides with hatchet end.
> Saw out. jack up.


He was talking standups. We always cut our standups a half inch short or whatever so if you measure from floor to box and transfer to the sheet your measurement is off when you jack it. I always pull from the lids down. That's how I was taught. Even with drop ceilings I always like to leave some kinda gap at the bottom


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

moore said:


> Bottom sheet,,,, mark the down on box.
> Put sheet in place .
> Mark sides with hatchet end.
> Saw out. jack up.


Was not referring to stand ups.
I don't do stand ups, unless It's a closet.


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## P.A. ROCKER (Jul 15, 2011)

moore said:


> Was not referring to stand ups.
> I don't do stand ups, unless It's a closet.


I'm glad to see someone still uses lights(your avatar). A guy I do work with from time to time says if you have experience you shoulden't need to use lights. He misses alot of the details.:thumbup:


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## 800PoundGuerrilla (Nov 24, 2013)

grid ninja said:


> in the old days of hand cutting , on commercial jobs i wood measure boxes up from floor to bottom of boxes. most of the time the boxes are the same off the floor. this is stand up board .that number is my up on all my boxes and thin add three and three quarters up . so i already have all my ups. thin my over wood be the only measurement i wood need . thin measure one side of box only , thin add two and a quoter for other side . makes for a perfect box cut every time . you only have to remember one over measurement that you take before you go after your next sheet . its fast but i love my router.


We made measurements and precut, we poked center and prodded, we scored with a knife and popped with a hammer, (remember those box cutting tools that you poked a whole in the middle of the box and placed this tool, that looked like bolt cutters, into the whole, squeezed the handles and compressed a die into the board) and then came the rotozip, the router, the reamer ... are you kiddin me ... forgettaboutit ... and then came the cordless ... whatchyou talkin about Willis. There are still enough uses for the ole keyhole saw to keep one in your pouch, but not electrical boxes. Then there's the guys who overreach with the rotozip ... I remember getting extremely irritated with these robo-rotozipping automatrons as they cut out door openings with them, when a butch saw and a simple score with the utility knife would do it much faster. Don't get me started.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

Field General said:


> We made measurements and precut, we poked center and prodded, we scored with a knife and popped with a hammer, (remember those box cutting tools that you poked a whole in the middle of the box and placed this tool, that looked like bolt cutters, into the whole, squeezed the handles and compressed a die into the board) and then came the rotozip, the router, the reamer ... are you kiddin me ... forgettaboutit ... and then came the cordless ... whatchyou talkin about Willis. There are still enough uses for the ole keyhole saw to keep one in your pouch, but not electrical boxes. Then there's the guys who overreach with the rotozip ... I remember getting extremely irritated with these robo-rotozipping automatrons as they cut out door openings with them, when a butch saw and a simple score with the utility knife would do it much faster. Don't get me started.


My dad has those box cutting tools ,the bolt cutting looking tool..
was a 70s thing right? he has the plates ,,and all .


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

moore said:


> my dad has those box cutting tools ,the bolt cutting looking tool..
> Was a 70s thing right? He has the plates ,,and all .


pics!!


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

Field General said:


> .... when a butch saw and a simple score with the utility knife would do it much faster. Don't get me started....


I worked with a guy who would score front and back (only on sheets that broke partially in the door opening) and just pop that sucker off. I've done it a few times here and there when I don't feel like walking and bending over :yes:

I like the saw for doors sometimes, and even when routering I only do enough so that I can score the rest.


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## jackleg (Jan 22, 2008)

downside of routers is way too much dust.... in the end, its the dust that will kill you...


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## DSJOHN (Apr 5, 2010)

moore said:


> My dad has those box cutting tools ,the bolt cutting looking tool..
> was a 70s thing right? he has the plates ,,and all .


:thumbsupude thats what I learned with--2years-- then a rotozip1980--never looked back--I use the throw away Ryobi cordless-get about 1 year out of it[$39] did I say--I HATE CORDS.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

jackleg said:


> downside of routers is way too much dust.... in the end, its the dust that will kill you...


,,,But g/d there fast, and here to stay jackleg ,,get use to it.


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## evolve991 (Jan 24, 2008)

jackleg said:


> downside of routers is way too much dust.... in the end, its the dust that will kill you...


Yeah but it's Ultralight dust now so we can handle 30% more in our lungs:whistling2:

Easy answer to the dust- Shopvac mini. One guy can hit the window ledges while the other sweeps up. If ya REALLY wanna declare war on dust have your partner follow your router with the vac hose. Of course this answer won't please the warp speed hangers who focus on quantity rather than quality,


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