RotoZip Spiral Saw
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In 1972, Roto Zip Tool Corporation pioneered spiral saw technology by inventing the first drywall cutout tool. Using a variety of bits spinning at approximately 30,000 RPM, this spiral cutting action slices through a variety of commonly used building materials up to 1" thick. |

Rotozip® Spiral Saw's primary advantages are cutting speed and control. The Roto Zip Spiral Saw can plunge cut directly into material as easily as if it were drilling. The user can then proceed to cut with a great deal of freehand control and no surface rip-out on either side of the material being cut. Common applications include sink cutouts, plumbing and electrical cutouts, drywall cutouts and roof work.

Builtonline.com tested both the battery powered and the normal version of the Roto-Zip. There were no significant difference in power and handling. The decision between the two versions basically comes down to the increased cost of the battery-powered version vs. the increased convenience. Both of them are well-built solid tools. About the only thing I'd improve on the tool itself is the depth gauge-it is just a hair flimsy.

The bits that we tested were:

  • Sabrecut: All wood and wood composites, plastics, fiberglass, solid surface materials, foam board, acoustical tile, laminates, aluminum and vinyl siding.)
  • Tilecut: Ceramic wall tile, cultured marble, cement board, plaster.
  • Drywall: All drywall openings.
  • In our testing the sabrecut bit worked well for light material. It was an absolute lifesaver since the cabinets we had installed were just a hair too low for the garbage disposal to go in. With the sabrecut bit we cut out just a bit of the trim so that the garbage disposal could go in. I did manage to ruin the bit by letting it hit the hard underlayment for the tile.

    The tile bit works extremely well with wall tile. As RotoZip warns, it does not cut floor tile (although it lets loose a spectacular shower of sparks). Since the RotoZip was originally designed for cutting through drywall it worked wonderfully for that. It took seconds to cut a hole for an outlet.

    Like any other tool, the RotoZip takes a bit of practice to use. At first, it is difficult to cut in a straight line without a guide. With a bit of practice it is possible. Before cutting into the maple next to our cabinets, I spent about 30 minutes practicing on scrap wood (and tile). Also, the RotoZip is an excellent tool for making cuts in close quarters-it is not a replacement for every saw in your toolbox.

    The RotoZip is available at www.qvc.com as well as a number of retail establishments. If you would like to find out more information about the RotoZip you can visit the RotoZip web site at www.rotozip.com


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