I am pondering whether to rent or buy a jamb saw. Since I will be piece mailing my rooms due to logistics, renting would cost me more than 1/2 the price of a new saw.

The question I have is, does the saw create a lot of dust when cutting the door jamb, as well as, I want to under cut the existing dry wallwith the saw to eliminate the need for a shoe molding.


Any input would be greatly appreciated. Yes I know the worst case scenario would be to use a manual jamb saw and utility knife for the dry wall. This is very time consuming, but if I have to go that route then I have no choice.

Thanks,

Mike

Buy the saw and e-bay it, when your done. or post it for sale right here or on the other installer message boards.

I have this. Well worth the money if you do only door casings and the like. Although a refurb, it came with new blades and I've used the crap out of it and it keeps on working.

http://bosch.cpotools.com/reconditioned ... vs-46.html

I am thinking that I will want to undercut our fireplace, so I'll have to spring for the more expensive rotary saw at that time.

Thanks guys for the input.



Mike

If you are only doing your house then buy one of these http://hectorshardware.com/285773.html they are much cheaper and if you are doing one house its not going to kill you. The power saws are for pros where ever minute is money lost. With a manual saw you can undercut every door in a house in 45 minutes to an hour. The power saws will take 5 to 10 minutes to do a house. So you have save 40 to 55 minutes of time on a single house. Which means you are paying $100 to $200 to save about an hours time, if you make more than that an hour then by all means it is worth it to buy it as your time is valuable, as for me I’d save the money and pay with a little sweat and elbow grease.

Hence my suggestion to buy a refurb unit for $80.00 For the additional $58.00 I think it's worth it. I can never undercut with a manual as quickly as you mentioned, nor as well as I would like.

If you have a good hand saw use that! I undercut every jamb in my house in about an hour , worked perfect.

I have two Crain undercut saws and that Bosch Finecut. The Bosch is very good for door jambs but you will need an undercut like the Crain for the walls. The Crain 812 or 820 will cut all the inside corners. Buy it and resell it.

I second what pdixon said. I can cut a whole door casing in just a few seconds with a Stanley traditional crosscut saw. Use the long one, not the toolbox saw.

It is a very safe way for DIYers to cut doorjambs. You will be suprised how easy and accurate it is. A few years ago, my jamb saw burned up and I used my crosscut saw for about a month before I broke down and bought a new 810. I carry one on my truck to this day. I can get the thing razor sharp in about 5 minutes with a file.

If you are wanting to buy a tool to keep, buy the Fein multi master. It makes a pretty handy jamb saw plus about a million other things.

I'm planning on the 820 when it comes to the fireplace undercutting. Seems like overkill for that one application, but it'll be worth it. The Crains are great tools.

Will it do masonry? I was planning oin the Crain, but the Fein look interesting.

Boy, am I stupid. I mised the part about undercutting sheetrock.

Buy an 812 or an 820. The latter is cheaper but more than enough power for what you are doing. The dust port is more than enough reason to choose one of those saws.

rbose,
The Fein will not do masonry. Either of the crain saws will come with a masonry cut off blade. The 822 blade by Crain is necesarry for cutting stone.

I have never been much of a fan of the cut off wheels. They are slow as hell and wear out quickly. I am still using the Crain 822 blade I bought with my 812. I have undercut more rock fireplaces with it than I can recall. It runs through brick as though it were wood..

Ugh, I missed it too. The Bosch won't do drywall (at least not easily or very well). I'd just spring for what Chuck says. The Crains get great reviews all around.

Too bad, the Fein seemed very versatile.

Glad to hear about the ease of cuttting through stone. I was wondering how easy of a job that would be.