cutting foam board ? Fein Multimaster or Supercut or

[reible]

Hi,

One of my summer tasks will be to do a bit of work on my father-in-laws house in the form of a bit of insulation. The house is over a hundred years old, it has been moved and added on to and has had several things done to it over the years to better insulate it. It still costs him over $400 a month in the winter to heat it so over the last few years I have been taking sometime to add more insulation and seal things up.

This summers projects will include adding some of the pink insulation board in various places. A couple of years ago I did this but found that I really didn't have a very good way of cutting the 2" material. I found that the sheets have a slit to let you break away pieces the typical stud spacing but that is of little use in this house. I resorted to using a utility knife and then hoping the piece would snap off where I wanted and not at the normal break lines... the results were varied.

Anyway I have since looked at a hot wire cutting system which was a bit to commercial for what I have to do and wouldn't be much use to me after. But then when the discussion started on these multimaster/supercut etc machines I began to wonder if they might be a good reason for me to get one. For one thing it would be useful for a lot of other projects and two it might come out of money that is not my tool budget. I still don't think I could afford the Fein but perhaps one of the others.

So the question is, will these cut the foam board well enough to be worth getting it for that??

I tried a couple of searches and did not find a direct reference to do this operation but I could have missed it???

Ed

[dusty]

I have cut some foam board but never with these newer, power tools so I have no experience there. I have, however, cut foam board with a small hand saw. I'd had it for years and never used it - the teeth have virtually no set - sort of like a back saw. It worked real well. The saw I have is a Disston - if you need it, I probably can read the number off the saw.

[baysidebob]

A few years back I had a small project working that I needed to cut some foam board. I had 2" board and was doing basically straight cuts. What worked quite well for me was an ordinary electric carving knofe. Not sure if todays foamboard is made any different but you might give it a try. Carving knives are pretty inexpensive.

[beeg]

Ed. I would suggest that an energy audit be done. That way you'll know what needs to be done.

[reible]

I think an audit would tell you to replace all the windows and doors, take off the siding etc etc... The problem is he is 93 now and in that area a house like his sells for about $30K. If we put another $30K of improvements it will still only sell for $30K. If we put a couple of hundred into it and fix a few of the obvious issue then it is worth it.

A few years ago we insulated a pour concrete wall in the basement by adding a stud wall and insulation. He use to have to run a electric heater in that room to keep the pipes from freezing. The next year he had to only run it a few times. Two years ago we blocked of the garage door to the basement and for the last two years he has not had to use any electrical heat. Those two projects only cost us a couple of hundred and he has saved more then that in electrical bills.

This year we want to do some more to the basement, if we can do that for say $100 and he saves maybe $100 next season then we both feel good about it. As of now he lives alone and does quite well but we all know at this point things can change very fast... Nursing homes cost in the $50K to $60K range so once his savings are gone either we have to sell the house or the state takes the house to help defray costs.

Either way spending large amounts of money makes little sense. At best we could maybe recover $500 or $600 per year for very large investment that will never payoff... The next person who gets the house can make the investment if they want.

So anyway back to the subject of using an electric knife or maybe getting one of the aforementioned tools....

Ed


Ed. I would suggest that an energy audit be done. That way you'll know what needs to be done.

[a1gutterman]

I doubt if the Fein will cut the foam any faster then a hand saw. Foam does cut pretty fast. Stanley makes a hand saw that is rather short and cuts in both directions. They call it a "Shark Tooth" saw, or something like that. It is the fastest hand saw that I have ever used. IMHO, that wood be just the ticket for you.

[reible]

Hi,

I have three of those saws and yes they are quite the saw. I have some of the pink material in the garage and I will give it a shot. I have a feeling it will produce a lot of crumbling at the bottom of the cut but I guess I could tape it first???

I will confess I have used this material as a base to cut on when cutting up plywood and had no problem with it. Thinking a circular saw would work I gave it a try.... BIG mistake. Major kick back and if I had not had two hands on the saw I could have gotten bit. As it was it just tore up the insulation and btw the blade got the material stuck on it so bad.... my red blade is now pink... Anyway that was a just diverted disaster for me. Maybe I should have tried my destruction (construction) blade that cuts about anything except concrete.

Ed

I doubt if the Fein will cut the foam any faster then a hand saw. Foam does cut pretty fast. Stanley makes a hand saw that is rather short and cuts in both directions. They call it a "Shark Tooth" saw, or something like that. It is the fastest hand saw that I have ever used. IMHO, that wood be just the ticket for you.

[a1gutterman]

Hi,

I have three of those saws and yes they are quite the saw. I have some of the pink material in the garage and I will give it a shot. I have a feeling it will produce a lot of crumbling at the bottom of the cut but I guess I could tape it first???

I will confess I have used this material as a base to cut on when cutting up plywood and had no problem with it. Thinking a circular saw would work I gave it a try.... BIG mistake. Major kick back and if I had not had two hands on the saw I could have gotten bit. As it was it just tore up the insulation and btw the blade got the material stuck on it so bad.... my red blade is now pink... Anyway that was a just diverted disaster for me. Maybe I should have tried my destruction (construction) blade that cuts about anything except concrete.

EdI think that you ought to give it a try, as you say, but I had knot thought about foam filling the blade up. Huh...let me know how it works, oakay?

Another option might be a sabre saw (hand held jigsaw).