# Tool of Choice to Rip 1/2" Off Fiberglass Shower Flange



## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

What would you use to rip part of a fiberglass shower flange off. I want to do it fast but don't want to bust it.

I figured a circular saw would work as long as I would take it slow and make sure I was at full speed before contacting the workpiece.

I screwed up and grabbed a 32" tub with surround instead of a 30" and now I'm improvising....  :no:


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## CENTERLINE MV (Jan 9, 2011)

I bet a skil saw would work fine. Finish blade (more tpi the better). Jig saw would make less dust though.


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## CarpenterSFO (Dec 12, 2012)

or angle grinder with cut-off blade.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

CENTERLINE MV said:


> I bet a skil saw would work fine. Finish blade (more tpi the better). Jig saw would make less dust though.


Yeah, I was thinking that all that fiberglass turned to dust might be a bad idea for the lungs, not to mention being itchy the rest of the day.


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Any of the above would work. I wonder if fiber cement shears would do the trick? No dust that way. Either way, you've probably spent more time thinking about it than it's going to take to cut it with and of those tools. I do the same thing....


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

I would be leary of a skil saw. If you do, use as fine a tooth blade as you can and support the cut with a piece of ply.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Track saw with a 48 tooth blade, connected to a dust extractor. Secure rail with the FS Rapid Clamp. 

Tom


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## Johnny_5 (Apr 24, 2014)

I'd probably try an oscillating multi tool first. Might be a bit slower, but probably do the job fairly quickly and with a little more control and less chance of grabbing and breaking off a chunk. Plus less airborne dust.


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

I've used both a jigsaw and a grinder with a diamond wheel to cut fiberglass. With both though I held the shopvac hose right at cut as I was cutting to catch the dust.


Dave


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

tjbnwi said:


> Track saw with a 48 tooth blade, connected to a dust extractor. Secure rail with the FS Rapid Clamp.
> 
> Tom


Now you're talkin. I think that would work real good.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

EricBrancard said:


> Either way, you've probably spent more time thinking about it than it's going to take to cut it with and of those tools. I do the same thing....


Probably, but I really don't want to screw it up and I just love coming on here and picking everyone's brain finding better ways to fix mistakes. :thumbup:


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

Spencer said:


> Now you're talkin. I think that would work real good.


Plus none of the other options involved festool.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

CarpenterSFO said:


> or angle grinder with cut-off blade.


That's not a bad way.


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## Dan_Watson (Mar 1, 2008)

Grinder with a diamond blade.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

dan_watson said:


> grinder with a *diamond glade*.


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## Dan_Watson (Mar 1, 2008)

TNTSERVICES said:


> View attachment 111834


Covers the smell of the burning fiberglass right up....Like you werent even cutting.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

if you hot glue a strip of masonite on the back and cut thru it and the surround with a skilsaw, it's less likely to break off a piece.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Roughly 0% chance of cracking with a drywall route if you don't push hard. It's slow, the bits will gum up. but you don't have to support it. If you use an improvised guide, you can get a really straight cut. Otherwise, high RPMs, fine teeth, and a reversed blade are your friends - circ saw or angle grinder with reversed metal blade or ply blade.

Frankly, I tend to break thin plastic stuff of any kind if what I'm using has teeth.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

At this rate we'd be better off meeting at a central location and helping him cast a new tub.

Grab that angle grinder and cut the thing already. Sheesh.


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

So you're removing the entire back wall flange??

Need some pics of this...:whistling


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

CarpenterSFO said:


> or angle grinder with cut-off blade.


That would be my go to tool for this job.:thumbsup:


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## Stoneyard (Mar 30, 2014)

Electric Fiberglass Cutter: http://www.amazon.com/Fiberglass-fiberglass-Capacity-sharpening-Adjustable/dp/B007XUAJW4

Router:
4" Angle Grinder with a diamond blade:
Jigsaw: With a metal cutting blade


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

I'd use a pickup truck..., 














to return it and get the right unit..


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

TimelessQuality said:


> I'd use a pickup truck...,
> 
> to return it and get the right unit..


Here lies the correct answer.

Besides...if you cut the flange off...you no longer have a flange.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> Here lies the correct answer. Besides...if you cut the flange off...you no longer have a flange.


Yeah no flange is a bad idea lol


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## ubcguy89 (Mar 23, 2013)

I have cut these with a circular saw and framing blade no problem. They cut just like FRP, and a lot cleaner than you would think


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

I used a grinder with diamond blade. Worked perfect. Took about 10 seconds each with a 2x4 on the bottom.

The rest of the story. I had to replace this tub unit. I'm uber busy so I went to pick one up from lowes at about 8:30. Wasn't thinking and assumed the models they had on display would all be 30 inch units. Loaded it up and went home.

Got up the next day. Started surgically removing the old tub, cutting drywall with my multimaster to have minimal drywall repair.

Here is where I went into la la land. The old tub had a nailing flange so I had to remove the drywall over the flange to get it out. Cut it just to the outside of the flange. Got the tub and surround out. 

The new tub just so happened to have no nailing flange on the tub piece. It also just so happened to fit perfectly in the opening I had cut from the old tub. Put it in didn't think anything about it. Hooked up drain assembly and moved on...

Put up the larger back piece of the surround. Fits absolutely perfectly. It went in just the way I wanted it to. I start thinking...wow...I know I'm good but sometimes I even impress myself....then I grab one of the end pieces.....jaw drops....oh chit.....

I still made it work it just took some doing. I had to rip about 1/2" off of the flange. It will be fine and the HO marvels at how wonderful of a job I do....

Thanks for the advice guys. Grinder worked great. :thumbup:


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Yes I know I'm an idiot. I figure if I humiliate myself by posting pics i will be less prone to do stupid things like this. Rookie mistake. I'm ashamed. 

Picture is worth a thousand words. 

Also a bonus picture of the lovely sink drain pipe from upstairs that they jammed down through the wall directly where my mixing valve needed to go. I re routed it.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Toolbag in the new tub without the cardboard cutout?

You monster.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Easy Gibson said:


> Toolbag in the new tub without the cardboard cutout?
> 
> You monster.


Thanks for the chastisement. Such a rookie mistake. 

Got it done. Nothing special about this project. It was good practice.


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