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[Lee Douglas]

I need to install 132 round in-ceiling 70V speakers in 1/2 inch drop ceiling tiles. I usually just use a drywall saw, but I'm thinking there has got be a better way for larger numbers. Is there a tool available that can do this quickly? Does anyone have any tips on how to do this easily?

Thanks.

[Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC]

How big of a hole? For 6-5/8" they make a hole saw that can be had with conventional teeth or a carbide grit. I would suggest the carbide grit even for ceiling tile because it (the fire resistant type) can be pretty abrasive and will dull a regular blade. Besides, you can use it for nearly any material later.

If you need to go larger I use a Rotozip with a circle cutter attachment and carbide cutter. It will be best to take the tiles down for ease of working and do the cutting at some location where the dust won't be a problem. Matter of fact that might not be a bad idea with the hole saw either.

-Hal

[Rob Timmerman]

Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC wrote on Fri, 26 March 2010 20:36

How big of a hole? For 6-5/8" they make a hole saw that can be had with conventional teeth or a carbide grit. I would suggest the carbide grit even for ceiling tile because it (the fire resistant type) can be pretty abrasive and will dull a regular blade. Besides, you can use it for nearly any material later. If you need to go larger I use a Rotozip with a circle cutter attachment and carbide cutter. It will be best to take the tiles down for ease of working and do the cutting at some location where the dust won't be a problem. Matter of fact that might not be a bad idea with the hole saw either. -Hal

McMaster sells hole saws up to 12" (although they aren't cheap), as well as hole saws designed for use on ceiling tiles in 4-3/8, 6-3/8, 6-5/8, and 6-7/8 (recessed lighting hole saws).

[Phil LaDue]

Greenlee and Klein both make adjustable recessed light hole saws that fit in a 3/8" chuck.
http://www.mytoolstore.com/greenlee/holesws.html

[Lee Douglas]

Thanks for the replies.  I've got one of these:

http://www.lsdinc.com/content/product_details/30

But I was kind of worried about it shredding the ceiling tile, but it sounds like I may already have the right tool.  I'll have to give it a try on some old cieling tiles I've got laying around.  I love the smell of asbestos in the morning!

[Jason Lavoie]

I've yet to come across anyone who was happy with those adjustable drill attachments.

hole saws are great for the smaller sizes, and for the bigger sizes the rotary tool/circle jig can't be beat.
the more of them you are doing the faster it gets.

get a garbage can (with flat clean rim) and lay the tile down face down
get a straight edge or tape measure and lay it from corner to corner, mark a line roughly where the center should be
do the same thing across the other two corners and voila, you have the exact middle with no measuring (this will save you at least an hour over that many speakers)
then cut the hole.

the whole operation should only take about 30 seconds.

the rotary tool is one of my tools that if it got lost or broken I would get another one tomorrow even if they cost twice as much.

ps: for normal ceiling tiles I've only broken a few bits over the last 5-6 years. drywall chews them up fast, but ceiling tiles are like paper

pps: I know your asbestos comment was tongue-in-cheek, but if you read the label that comes with a new package of tiles there are warnings that they do contain silica (some of them anyway), which is known to be harmful. so if you're doing a lot of them in a poorly ventilated space it might be good to wear a mask.

Jason

[Karl P(eterson)]

I install a lot of Atlas FAP42T's (although this shortage is getting a little old....) and have a router jig made up for both 2x2 and 2x4 panels.

It has lips that catch the sides of the panel, so all we do is lay the jig on the tile put down the router and make the circle. You could do the same thing with a rotozip or larger dremel.

We place it on either a 5 gallon bucket or garbage can.

With one person it is <30 seconds a panel.

With two or three people it is <10 seconds a panel (one cutting, the others moving material and possibly positioning the jig.

I cut 30 of them a few months ago in under 10 minutes.

Karl P

[Lee Douglas]

Now that's a fine idea.  You just make my labor on this project profitable again!  You wouldn't happen to have or mind snapping a pitcure or two would you?  Thanks!

[Dick Rees]

Friends...

I cannot stress too highly the danger of the dust and fibers kicked up in cutting these materials.  I have lost 3 friends to the ugliest forms of cancer and lung disease from having worked with such stuff.

More than adequate ventilation and more than just a dust mask.  At a minimum I would recommend a carbon filter mask for everyone involved, the kind with the soft rubber mask that molds air-tight to the face.  At the maximum I'd say a respirator.

You cannot be too careful.

DR
St Paul

[Silas Pradetto]

Community makes a hole saw setup specifically for their Cloud series.