Can I cut a hollow door with a jigsaw?
It is recommended to use a circular saw but I don't have one.

Can I use this and do a decent job? It is an old UK wood hollow door.

Thanks

 

The blade on the jigsaw and the actual saw speed will not lend itself to cutting the hollow door efficiently.  You may end up with it splintering severely from it chattering.

Not a good idea...borrow a circular saw from a neighbor...or offer to rent it for a few baht.

11 hours ago, toast1 said:

Can I cut a hollow door with a jigsaw?

 

Sure no problem 

 

 

11 hours ago, toast1 said:

It is recommended to use a circular saw but I don't have one.

Can I use this and do a decent job?

No chance, you need a circular/track saw with a guide.

 

if you completed your profile with your location suggestions would be easier, but if you are within driving distance I could lend one of mine.

A skill saw (what it's called in the states) is best but a bit of elbow grease and a cross-cut saw would probably do the job too.

Op doesn’t state how much he needs to trim of,,,,,Depending on how much you need to cut a plane would be the preferred tool.

1 hour ago, taninthai said:

Op doesn’t state how much he needs to trim of,,,,,Depending on how much you need to cut a plane would be the preferred tool.

Having just fitted 4 doors I can assure you that a plane not my preferred tool. My tool of choice is a tracksaw as that gives me a perfectly straight 2.2 metre cut, the thickness to be cut is of no concern. A circular saw with a guide will do the same job.

 

a plane on a hollow core door could be problematic as well.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

If I used a fine blade and went slowly after putting down tape on the door - could i get away with it?

Any saw will do or does it have to be a long saw?

Thanks

 

21 minutes ago, toast1 said:

If I used a fine blade and went slowly after putting down tape on the door - could i get away with it?

Any saw will do or does it have to be a long saw?

Thanks

 

Almost impossible to keep it straight with a jig saw. A normal carpenter's saw wiil do for manual cut. Not sure if that is considered "long". 

On 5/17/2020 at 8:07 AM, taninthai said:

Op doesn’t state how much he needs to trim of,,,,,Depending on how much you need to cut a plane would be the preferred tool.

Perhaps an electric sander may do the job.

This thread had me thinking about a scene in Shining.

Imagine after the hole is cut and a slice of bread is coming through saying ' Here is Toast '  ????

 

 

 

I have made a cut in the hollow door back at home for a window. A jigsaw was near to destroy the board as they weren't in 'harmony' and I stopped at time.

 

Used a shorter blade and cut the boards at both side of the door and took with a knife the paper-honey-grate filling out. Done.

 

With the PVC doors here I would do the same. Only with massive (wood/non hollow) doors I will use the full length blade jigsaw.

Thanks for the info

 

The door is modern, I think its wood, pressed into a design with 4 squares, not solid wood.

What do you mean by 'shorter blade', shorter hand saw?

Thanks

 

6 hours ago, toast1 said:

What do you mean by 'shorter blade', shorter hand saw?

 

A picture says more than thousands words ????‍♂️

 

Jigsaw A has a shorter blade than Jigsaw B.

I used a broken blade, works great.

Short blade exist I have a two of them in my blade-box.

Or use a piece of wood to lift the jigsaw from the door.

As long the blade doesn't hit at the board on the other side you are good.

 

If the plan is to cut the bottom completely off a hollow door then maybe it's time for a new door instead. A door with no bottom will be terribly weak as it was never designed to have structure taken away. One misplaced step into it can finish it and it will be flimsy, weak and easily deform until that day comes. The hollow opening will also be an attractive home for roaches, ants, mice, etc.

 

You could try clamping two pieces of straight wood parallel to the cut line, one on each side of the cut line.  If you measure carefully, you can use one as a guide for the jig saw.  That should keep chattering to a minimum.  Best to use a new, sharp blade.

Most hollow core doors and panels I've encountered in Thailand have a styrofoam filler or baffle inside so if that's the case with your door, it should help in keeping the wood from chattering.

Thank you so much for he help.

I cut the door, went past the wood at the bottom, then my jig saw died.

I have to cut off another 1/2" the hollow section.

 

Metropolitan your suggestion is great, as the jig saw is not good for cutting the hollow section, as it is difficult to keep things straight and I don't have clamps, I will try a broken blade.

 

 

1 hour ago, toast1 said:

Thank you so much for he help.

I cut the door, went past the wood at the bottom, then my jig saw died.

I have to cut off another 1/2" the hollow section.

 

Metropolitan your suggestion is great, as the jig saw is not good for cutting the hollow section, as it is difficult to keep things straight and I don't have clamps, I will try a broken blade.

 

 

You should not have got to the hollow section by cutting an inch off the bottom. 
 

now you are into the hollow core I would be stripping the skins of the bit you cut off and gluing it back Inside to get some of the integrity of the door back.

I used half a jigsaw blade, and did one side at a time, which worked fine, but I did hit the hollow area as had to go higher than 1"

Thank you