efixx 8 minutes ago ***UPDATE*** We made this quick video to answer a few questions raised on our Cavity Master review video. How do you know cables, pipes etc aren't sitting right under the floorboards? th-cam.com/video/HtZlqd8wt9s/w-d-xo.html
Still need to have balls the size of King Kong. I went through pipes that had actually been clipped to the underside of the chipboard once! My circular saw was about a millimetre over the depth of the board and that was enough for a face full, and floor cavity fool of nice cold running water
@@1992jamo good luck with that, mate. How to do intend on getting the exact measurement of the chipboard in a new build house, to the mm, before you do that?
@@CoulterTravel I literally just finished cutting the floor and it went well cheers! I used a hole cutter where the board is over a joist, and measured the thickness of the plug. Set the saw about 1mm above that. The board was surprisingly stubborn with so little material left, so I used an oscillating on it's lowest setting and carefully cut through the little remaining material. It worked really well, and I'll use it again when doing the kitchen lights. I'd send a picture but I have no idea how to do that on youtube.
I’d be worried about pipes. Even had one once where the plumber had notched the underneath of the chipboard out to get the small bore plastic over a full height R.S.J. That was fun to repair. Excellent videos thanks.
Yes definitely feeling the fear factor on that point. I'm a general builder and my first point of contact on a job is to find out where I can turn everything off 😅😅.
Seems to be a tool for a problem that doesn't exist. Use any size hole saw you like. Screw a piece of 2x4 timer across the underside of the hole when you're finished and reuse the board cutout. Easy.
Used to do that for decades and it worked fine till got the Armeg version. Quicker and neater this way and, in a few awkward cases, a batten is enough to restrict access.
Have you tried an 85mm circular saw with the depth set at just under the thickness of the board to create a hatch, breaking the last little bit, that way nothing passes through the boards,, with plastic water pipes now widely used its become extremely difficult to detect where the pipes are so I would prefer nothing to go through the board. Advantage you can make the hatch to whatever size you need then use a bit of roofing batten to screw the old bit of board to cover the hole. Also works for cutting floor boards. Also at over £55 quid for basically a hole cutter with a modification plus expensive covers I think for me super rod can stick it up their cavity.
A builder done some work for my mum a few year back and replaced the flooring with chipboard sheets... I told him to take it all up and put down proper timber floorboards.
Word of warning! Don't get cheap substitute. Long time ago, got a budget version: rebate cutter snapped off, flew like shrapnel, just missed colleague's eye. Replaced cheap version with Armeg. It's great. Cuts deeper rebate for deeper, plastic covers. Amusing to see sparky awkward when using wood related tools.
Great video. I prefer the armeg version if I'm honest, which I have used in one of my videos. They sit flush into the hole and there is no need for silicone. Those flat metal plates without messing about with silicone look as though they could easily slip out the hole when attempting to put underlay and carpet back. And.... 🙂 those ferrets are awesome. As you are about to show one in your next video. That video is worth a watch for those without one, one of the best tools iv bought in a while. I have a video where we are using the ferret to fish cables under chip board flooring, very handy for seeing where the timbers are, and viewing a potential cable route.
I need to stop watching these reviews I'm never gonna have any money 😂😂 So much easier than cutting a bit out with a skill saw then have to screw it all back down again. The rods are amazing too literally wouldn't of been able to do some of the jobs I have recently without them!
Wow 2.60 for each plate, that's a bit steep. How about just using a hole saw and put the blank back in by using a bit of roofing batten and a couple of screws? You could get a lot of pieces of roofing batten for 2.60!!
@@bertiebassett1972 Maybe you need to use two bits of batten and a bit of silicone, that will cut into the profit margin but I think you'll still come out on top.
Trend have been making something similar for years also, called the “trend roundabout” Iam sure. The trend version lets you use the circle of chipboard you cut out be used to infill the hole by using a plastic ring. This then allows for future access unlike this one where you have to stick down the metal plates to keep them in place.
efixx if you just search TH-cam for “trend roundabout” it’s the first video. The only negative to it is that it requires a router but the parts seem to sit in the floor more level and stable. Do you have a price for the one you used in the video?
efixx yeh the one you have does have its advantages as in it just needs a drill (that most sparks will have), less dust and doesn’t require an additional tool (router) to be carried around. Price wise it’s pretty good, it’s not one of those prices that scares people off. One thing I would like to see improved on it is the seating of the metal plate, if this could be done another way that makes it easily taken off and refit without glue that would be good. Thanks for the upload 👍
i have a older version in my house plastic covers u can feel the dip in the floor where they are and one is rear a door so it moves under a carpet so need to fix it soon
Great version but I’ve got the armeg version which comes in 2 sizes which is very handy when you need to get past your elbow😁. The plastic pucks are good but like you said might need some mastic just to seat them properly. The trick is to cut through the board just to remove the wood puck then you can check if there’s anything close to the surface before you go mad with the rebater. I’ve had an issue with plastic plumbing pipe just missing it by millimetres 😳😊
Very useful tool, maybe if you could screwfix the access plate rather than glue it... Will have to upgrade my drill and bit tote bag with all the new gadgets that are coming on stream to make it easier for us sparks... Good video gaz, looking forward to the next one...
First thing that comes to mind is “what’s below!!!?” I’d be reluctant to use that not knowing what’s concealed. The time you save could easily be reversed and costly. Great kit but way to risky.
I agree. But when this is something you do all the time every other day, you get the hang of it and know when to stop cutting. You can just feel when your coming to the end of the cut, then you take it steady from there for the final bit by just dabbing the drill down bit by bit. If your drilling between joists 99% of the time it's clear. Because your using these for chipboard and chipboard generally was installed in newer properties, cables and pipes sit in the centre of them, most of the time. Nothing is better than taking a whole board up if it can be done, but they're awkward and can be broken easily so sometimes using the cutter is the most sensible option.
@@ARElectrics I am not sure that with the drag and noise of the hole saw you would feel, hear or otherwise sense the drill bit penetrating a cable or even worse a pipe.
There's only one way to be sure of not hitting pipes and cables, start drilling and once a couple of mil down remove the pilot arbor bit, then carry on and stop when rebate blade just touches the floor,remove and tap out the plug with a hammer as there will still be 1mm of board not cut. Once you see all is clear then finish cutting. It's a bit of a faff but not as much faff as going thought a heating pipe.
the Armeg equivalent does seem the neater option as it cuts a tighter hole and the plate seems to go on more flush which might not require filling. would like to see a comparison video against these two though as it seems a handy tool to have. th-cam.com/video/tQT3ztxXj9g/w-d-xo.html
one would hope you would do your due diligence. or at least, use common sense, I mean you dont just ram a drill into a wall do you, Im' sure Gaz knew it was safe to drill where he did.
Would probably be even quicker if you had a li-on drill and you didn’t have to cover the manufacturer!! Another good video guys. Small hole end endoscope first just to be sure I’d say
I rather use normal hole saw and then scew the existing floor cut back into position. The metal plates didn't seem to fit flush floor level and looked rather odd. Personally I would go through the headache of lift the floor boards instead of making several holes around the floor area.
efixx
8 minutes ago
***UPDATE***
We made this quick video to answer a few questions raised on our Cavity Master review video. How do you know cables, pipes etc aren't sitting right under the floorboards?
th-cam.com/video/HtZlqd8wt9s/w-d-xo.html
Still need to have balls the size of King Kong. I went through pipes that had actually been clipped to the underside of the chipboard once! My circular saw was about a millimetre over the depth of the board and that was enough for a face full, and floor cavity fool of nice cold running water
@@CoulterTravel And just like that, I'm now going to set my circular saw to 1mm above the depth of the board. Cheers.
@@1992jamo good luck with that, mate. How to do intend on getting the exact measurement of the chipboard in a new build house, to the mm, before you do that?
@@CoulterTravel I literally just finished cutting the floor and it went well cheers! I used a hole cutter where the board is over a joist, and measured the thickness of the plug. Set the saw about 1mm above that. The board was surprisingly stubborn with so little material left, so I used an oscillating on it's lowest setting and carefully cut through the little remaining material.
It worked really well, and I'll use it again when doing the kitchen lights.
I'd send a picture but I have no idea how to do that on youtube.
@@1992jamo you got lucky this time, fair play. These new build plumbers do what they want. Pipes can even be clipped to the bottom of the boards!
I’d be worried about pipes. Even had one once where the plumber had notched the underneath of the chipboard out to get the small bore plastic over a full height R.S.J. That was fun to repair. Excellent videos thanks.
Wise words! - those pesky plumbers.
Yes definitely feeling the fear factor on that point. I'm a general builder and my first point of contact on a job is to find out where I can turn everything off 😅😅.
Excellent demo Gaz. I liked the flush finish for the plates great idea 👍
what a simple idea, but the best ones are usually simple, it's what newbuilds are needing, good video mate
Bin using these for years they are awesome
Me too and for access holes in plaster board great bit of kit
Seems to be a tool for a problem that doesn't exist.
Use any size hole saw you like.
Screw a piece of 2x4 timer across the underside of the hole when you're finished and reuse the board cutout.
Easy.
Used to do that for decades and it worked fine till got the Armeg version. Quicker and neater this way and, in a few awkward cases, a batten is enough to restrict access.
Have you tried an 85mm circular saw with the depth set at just under the thickness of the board to create a hatch, breaking the last little bit, that way nothing passes through the boards,, with plastic water pipes now widely used its become extremely difficult to detect where the pipes are so I would prefer nothing to go through the board. Advantage you can make the hatch to whatever size you need then use a bit of roofing batten to screw the old bit of board to cover the hole. Also works for cutting floor boards.
Also at over £55 quid for basically a hole cutter with a modification plus expensive covers I think for me super rod can stick it up their cavity.
A builder done some work for my mum a few year back and replaced the flooring with chipboard sheets... I told him to take it all up and put down proper timber floorboards.
Ashman Electrical Services can’t beat a bit of T&G
Very interesting eFIXX 👍
Word of warning! Don't get cheap substitute. Long time ago, got a budget version: rebate cutter snapped off, flew like shrapnel, just missed colleague's eye.
Replaced cheap version with Armeg. It's great. Cuts deeper rebate for deeper, plastic covers. Amusing to see sparky awkward when using wood related tools.
Probably be quicker to take the boards up than using that drill! Haha
It's an old 1.3ah de walt 😁😁😁
Great video. I prefer the armeg version if I'm honest, which I have used in one of my videos.
They sit flush into the hole and there is no need for silicone.
Those flat metal plates without messing about with silicone look as though they could easily slip out the hole when attempting to put underlay and carpet back.
And.... 🙂 those ferrets are awesome. As you are about to show one in your next video. That video is worth a watch for those without one, one of the best tools iv bought in a while.
I have a video where we are using the ferret to fish cables under chip board flooring, very handy for seeing where the timbers are, and viewing a potential cable route.
I need to stop watching these reviews I'm never gonna have any money 😂😂 So much easier than cutting a bit out with a skill saw then have to screw it all back down again. The rods are amazing too literally wouldn't of been able to do some of the jobs I have recently without them!
Cavity master is ok its the insulation you find in floors now that caused us an issue getting the rods through.
Handy bit of kit
Great bit of kit
Thanks Craig 👍
Wow 2.60 for each plate, that's a bit steep. How about just using a hole saw and put the blank back in by using a bit of roofing batten and a couple of screws? You could get a lot of pieces of roofing batten for 2.60!!
John Jones I’ve done that when I ran out of pucks but I’ve noticed (my new build) the floor is creeking in places so I’m going to have to investigate.
@@bertiebassett1972 Maybe you need to use two bits of batten and a bit of silicone, that will cut into the profit margin but I think you'll still come out on top.
Your local blacksmith / metalworker will punch out these plates for pennies.
Trend have been making something similar for years also, called the “trend roundabout” Iam sure. The trend version lets you use the circle of chipboard you cut out be used to infill the hole by using a plastic ring. This then allows for future access unlike this one where you have to stick down the metal plates to keep them in place.
Send us a link if you get a chance - sounds an interesting piece of kit.
efixx if you just search TH-cam for “trend roundabout” it’s the first video. The only negative to it is that it requires a router but the parts seem to sit in the floor more level and stable.
Do you have a price for the one you used in the video?
Found it - might need to dust down the router. Cavity master kit is £42.98 + VAT inc 5 plates - link to CPC in description (Lowest UK price atm)
efixx yeh the one you have does have its advantages as in it just needs a drill (that most sparks will have), less dust and doesn’t require an additional tool (router) to be carried around. Price wise it’s pretty good, it’s not one of those prices that scares people off.
One thing I would like to see improved on it is the seating of the metal plate, if this could be done another way that makes it easily taken off and refit without glue that would be good.
Thanks for the upload 👍
i have a older version in my house plastic covers u can feel the dip in the floor where they are and one is rear a door so it moves under a carpet so need to fix it soon
Interesting concept would be interested to see how much those plates cost separately.
Great version but I’ve got the armeg version which comes in 2 sizes which is very handy when you need to get past your elbow😁. The plastic pucks are good but like you said might need some mastic just to seat them properly.
The trick is to cut through the board just to remove the wood puck then you can check if there’s anything close to the surface before you go mad with the rebater. I’ve had an issue with plastic plumbing pipe just missing it by millimetres 😳😊
Very useful tool, maybe if you could screwfix the access plate rather than glue it... Will have to upgrade my drill and bit tote bag with all the new gadgets that are coming on stream to make it easier for us sparks... Good video gaz, looking forward to the next one...
I've noticed how there's no congratulatory likes for people leaving critical comments of the product... #justsayin
First thing that comes to mind is “what’s below!!!?” I’d be reluctant to use that not knowing what’s concealed. The time you save could easily be reversed and costly. Great kit but way to risky.
I agree. But when this is something you do all the time every other day, you get the hang of it and know when to stop cutting. You can just feel when your coming to the end of the cut, then you take it steady from there for the final bit by just dabbing the drill down bit by bit.
If your drilling between joists 99% of the time it's clear. Because your using these for chipboard and chipboard generally was installed in newer properties, cables and pipes sit in the centre of them, most of the time.
Nothing is better than taking a whole board up if it can be done, but they're awkward and can be broken easily so sometimes using the cutter is the most sensible option.
I agree, small hole and a cheap endoscope first I’d go for. Learnt the hard way!
@@ARElectrics I am not sure that with the drag and noise of the hole saw you would feel, hear or otherwise sense the drill bit penetrating a cable or even worse a pipe.
There's only one way to be sure of not hitting pipes and cables, start drilling and once a couple of mil down remove the pilot arbor bit, then carry on and stop when rebate blade just touches the floor,remove and tap out the plug with a hammer as there will still be 1mm of board not cut. Once you see all is clear then finish cutting. It's a bit of a faff but not as much faff as going thought a heating pipe.
the Armeg equivalent does seem the neater option as it cuts a tighter hole and the plate seems to go on more flush which might not require filling.
would like to see a comparison video against these two though as it seems a handy tool to have.
th-cam.com/video/tQT3ztxXj9g/w-d-xo.html
So how do you go about getting through the next joist
Could of been anything under that hole there when you cut through,plus that coke can patch youv put in looks a bit flimsy ?? Not for me
Thanks for commenting and watching. Point taken. 👍
one would hope you would do your due diligence. or at least, use common sense, I mean you dont just ram a drill into a wall do you, Im' sure Gaz knew it was safe to drill where he did.
Treat yourself to some brushless drills bud...
Will this not weaken the floor over time?
Not usually a problem - it avoids the squeaks and groans you get when making a regular square hole.
Would probably be even quicker if you had a li-on drill and you didn’t have to cover the manufacturer!! Another good video guys. Small hole end endoscope first just to be sure I’d say
Top tip on the endoscope - thanks
Would this also work on marine ply? I don't see why not
Yes should work
Screw the plug to the plate then it can be removed easy next time
I rather use normal hole saw and then scew the existing floor cut back into position. The metal plates didn't seem to fit flush floor level and looked rather odd. Personally I would go through the headache of lift the floor boards instead of making several holes around the floor area.
Or just put a nog in after n screw the piece back in 🙈
Check for pipe work first before drilling
Christ, get a decent drill.
Dewalt 😆😆
Get a proper battery drill would help tight git xx
Good idea!
Question is how easy is it to get replacement plates ?
We’ve put a link in the description - they are readily available from lots of sources. - avoid eBay they tend to be overpriced.
@@efixx nice one, normally when you buy stuff with extras they tend be nearly be super hard to get you end up buying the whole item again
Used to get mine from TLC do a meshed cover plate for plasterboard too
Silveline and Erbauer have been producing these for years 🙄
😃👍🏻
£12.50 per plate and you would have to cut a fair few