Cutting plywood out of wdw rough opening.

mae-ling

I build my walls on the floor, plywood them (OSB now) housewrap then stand them.
I normally cut out the windows with a circular saw, snapped lines. Sometimes the lines can be a little off, say 1/4".

Have used a sawzall from the inside and find it hard to not cut on an angle.
Used a router and like it the best but it seems slower to me.

What method do you use and why.

joecaption

Sawsall from the inside. If you use a wide long blade you can use the wall stud as a guide.
Really should install the house wrap after the the wall is up and the holes are cut so you can fold in the house wrap around the rough framing.

mae-ling

With circular saw and router you cut out the plywood before putting on the housewrap.

ratherbefishing

I was using a (very good) framing book that suggested driving a fininshing nail from the inside in each corner of the window. Go outside, snap lines between the nails, cut with a circ saw. Sounded great, until I realized I'd be standing on a 12' ladder. I ended up using a sawzall with a long wide blade, running it along the inside of the RO, from the inside of the room.

Duckweather

Try using a drywall T square and mark the openings as you sheath. If the walls are square, the cuts should not be off any more than the cutters ability to follow the line.

sixeightten

Why not cut the opening before standing? We always cut the hole with circ saw and then install housewrap. If you want to cover the hole for weather, cut it out, then tack the piece back in prior to housewrap. Then you can easily remove it when it is time for window install.

stokes7

A good quality router with a good quality panel bit is by far the fastest and cleanest way to do it.
http://www.freudtools.com/p-173-panel-pilot-bits.aspx

This is the bit I use... plunge it right in and follow the r.o. around. I wouldn't even think of doing it any other way. Beats snapping lines and skill saw or hacking it with a sawzall.

mae-ling

I do cut when the wall is down, before I houewrap it with the wall laying down, beats housewraping it when you have to use ladders.

Maybe I just needed a better router bit. that is the style of bit I use just not a freud.

stokes7

Have you got a decent router? I've used some knockoff bits before and they still worked all right. I've been using a Bosch router for the last 6 years or so and its been working pretty good.

stokes7

Another thing to note is make sure you always staple the walls after you router all the windows. Missed staples have a habit of chewing up router bits.

mae-ling

Mine is a 2HP Craftsman, bought before I became a carpetner. Should do the job though.

sixeightten

One of the reasons we don't use a router for that. The other reason is, the saw is already out, the router has no other use during framing. I guess if you like putting more tools away, the router can be used.

stokes7

Craftsman is all right. A better router would definitely make it faster.

If I was you I'd use the craftsmen till she burns but and then buy yourself a better one. The Bosch I've got is good... heard good things about Milwaukee and deWalt as well.

stokes7

If you like wasting time snapping lines to use a skill saw and taking twice as long to save 1 trip to the trailer then go for it!

Dosnt take any work to change your routine and router windows before stapling either.

And I dont know about you, but when I am building walls the skill saw is nowhere on the floor. Everything is setup and cut beforehand at a cut station. All plates layed out beforehand.

sixeightten

Maybe on tract homes. Been doing custom homes for 25 years and only used a router once. Visit a few jobsites. Probably 90% are using the skilsaw for window cutouts. Wonder why?

Also, pieces cut out with skil saw have a nice enough edge to be used elsewhere. Not likely with the router.