How to fit letter box

[Ken]

Sorry as even I feel this looks stupid question as it seems so easy but here I go.

Moved to a house with silly small post box, on wall next to front door, but not big enough for larger items of mail. Hence the need to remove and put in a conventional letter box in the door. I do limited DIY but will have a go at things and wonder how to cut the hole so it is smooth and accurate. I will need to buy whatever tools needed so would prefer not to have to buy stuff that would cost as much as getting a joiner in.

Any tips would be useful?

Ken

[shazzbat]

The hole won't be visible, therefore doesn't need to be all that smooth and accurate, you just need to avoid falling into the trap of not leaving enough material round where the screws are going to go. Get one with a flap or brushes etc on the inside to keep draughts down and it will hide a multitude of sins.

Mark on the door the hole you're about to cut and make sure you mark the screw holes, to stay away from them when cutting. Is the door wooden or PVC? If the latter, it may be a complex shaped extrusion, or there may be a steel bracer inside, either of which will complicate matters.

Steve

[Ken]

Thanks for the tips and just found this video on a Google. My door is wooden and also just found a padsaw blade that will attach to my Stanley knife as I don't have a jigsaw. I guess it will be harder work cutting but I will have a go. Hope I can find the solid bits of the door in the middle and not just empty voids!!!! Ken

[On Web]

Borrow a jigsaw and a drill from a friend/neighbour. It'll all be finished in 15 minutes.

[Muddymike]

Having tried to do this a few years ago with a Bocsh jigsaw I would say you are better off with a nice stiff padsaw blade and plenty of time. The problem I found was that the jigsaw blade bends too much in thick material like a door. The side you are working from may be nice and straight but the other side will be all over the place as the blade bends making for a very wavy line.

Just drill (making sure you keep the drill square to the door) each corner of the hole with a bit large enough to get the padsaw blade through, then cut between the holes. This leaves a neat hole with nice round corners.

Mike

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[Ken]

My past experience was not good with a jigsaw. Perhaps I needed a more expensive one or different blades but!!!!!!

[On Web]

Precise accuracy is not required for the hole. The fittings will leave a good margin for error and the actual hole and cut need never be seen - covered either by a flap or brushes. I think a jigsaw should be OK provided only light pressure is applied to the blade.

Anyway good luck!

Paul

[Palindrome]

Especially if it is a hardwood door, then, IMHO, the door needs to come off, a template made and that and a router used. But no way would I recommend using a router with a cutting bit, to anyone who might try using it without a template guide.

If the OP wasn't used to using a router, I'd still suggest using one but with a large-shank 1/8" drill bit used to plunge dozens of holes into centre-popped marks around the outline. The holes will then all be at right angles to the wood and can be joined up with a pad saw without a lot of effort.

Argos has a plunge router for £29.99. I use routers for loads of tasks - I don't know how people can manage without one :)

If I had to use a jigsaw, I'd still take the door off and use a couple of guide rails to hold the saw on track for each of the cuts. Plus use a new *high quality* blades of the right type - so that there would be a chance of it cutting straight. As you suggest, light pressure is essential. But a high quality blade, with no bias to one side, makes a lot of difference.

[Abbot]

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I find that once the wood gets beyond about 1" thick no matter how slow I run the jiggle saw or how slow the feed, the blades always seem to bend & give sloping sides. Toolstation

and others do reverse cut blades (part numbers end in 'R') that do the business on the up stroke and give me a squarer cut. All depends on how 'slow' is defined I suppose. Regards, A

[Palindrome]

Do you find that the blade bends when cutting thick MDF/chipboard worktops?

If so, then I would strongly suggest try screwing a guide rail either side of the saw - so it cannot rotate at all. Then try again. I find that, using new quality blades, gives consistently good results. Using just one guide doesn't - at least IME.

If not, but it bends when working on real wood - does it always bend to the same side, even if you reverse the direction of cut?

With real wood, the blade will want to bend away from knots and will want to find the path of least resistance - only cutting very very slowly will produce a decent job if there are knots to encounter, or you are cutting /almost/ along the grain.

If I try and use a jigsaw freehand, the results are bloody awful..:(

Of course, YMMV.

[Abbot]

Yes! I think it is down to technique, once the blade has gone the slightest bit off vertical my only solution is to drill another hole & start cutting again.

Looks like this old dog has been taught a new trick! Never thought of using

2 guides. If I can clamp 2 guides parallel enough so as the jiggle saw doesn't bind things should look up for the next sawdust creation excercise.

Real wood! On a pension! I don't think the trees at the end of the garden will be ready for my ministrations in the foreseeable future.

and follow the grain. Why are trees so awkward?

as long as it is undersized a goodly bit of chiseling cures most things.

Cheers, A