ICF "Styrofoam" house and hot knifes or chainsaws

[treyp3]

How are you guys wiring these ICF houses? Do you use hot knifes, what brand do you like, and are you familiar with the box attachment? Also, I have been concerned that using a chainsaw will get me into trouble with the neighbors due to the mess I assume it makes, how do you manage that?

 

[petersonra]

How are you guys wiring these ICF houses? Do you use hot knifes, what brand do you like, and are you familiar with the box attachment? Also, I have been concerned that using a chainsaw will get me into trouble with the neighbors due to the mess I assume it makes, how do you manage that?

If you make a mess, it is up to you to clean it up. In any case, it is your problem to make sure whatever debris you create does not get to the neighbor.

 

[eagleelec]

For the ICF work I have done, I wound up using an electric chain saw. I removed the tip guard and installed 2 wheels, one on either side of the bar, in place of the guard that gave me the proper depth as not to hit the concrete. I attached a shop-vac hose to the bar to suck up as much styrofoam as possible. I did try the hot knife but it was way to slow for me, and smelly. The hot knife wound up being used only for the actual box locations for the custom cutting. I got the hot knife from amazon for around $80.

 

[MChauvette]

Trey, is there a way to DM you directly?

 

[GoldDigger]

Trey, is there a way to DM you directly?

The PM system (called Conversations) only becomes available to new members after a number of approved posts. I am not sure what the threshold is.

This affects your ability to send PMs. If someone sends a new member a PM they will still be able to read it, but may not be able to reply.

 

[MChauvette]

The PM system (called Conversations) only becomes available to new members after a number of approved posts. I am not sure what the threshold is.

This affects your ability to send PMs. If someone sends a new member a PM they will still be able to read it, but may not be able to reply.

Thank you very much for the update

 

[Dennis Alwon]

We did a hebel block house and we got the builder to do all the cutting. He used a rotor. He bought a cheap one and threw it out at the end of the job.

 

[GoldDigger]

Thank you very much for the update

Just FYI, once you are able, clicking on the avatar/thumbnail of a member at the left of one of their posts will show the option "Start Conversation".

It is not the most intuitive way to access the service.

 

[infinity]

We did a hebel block house and we got the builder to do all the cutting. He used a rotor. He bought a cheap one and threw it out at the end of the job.

What is a hebel block house and what is a rotor?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

What is a hebel block house and what is a rotor?

router my bad... This keyboard misses letters and sometimes it's my brain. haha

I just realized that Hebel is the brand name for an ACC block. It is 5 times lighter than concrete block.

Hebel makes its ACC blocks from a mix of cement, lime, sand, gypsum, water and an expanding agent. It’s hardened in a mold and then steam-cured under pressure.

 

[treyp3]

If you make a mess, it is up to you to clean it up. In any case, it is your problem to make sure whatever debris you create does not get to the neighbor.

Engineers, am I right? I realize now that I left that part of my question open to interpretation to anyone too smart for their own good. So, I'll edit the end of that sentence. How are you managing the mess that it creates. Will a shop vac catch all of the tiny bits of Styrofoam or will the filter become clogged very quickly. This wasn't intended as a question as to how to manage angry neighbors.

 

[treyp3]

Trey, is there a way to DM you directly?

Honestly, I am not sure how that works?

 

[gadfly56]

Honestly, I am not sure how that works?

Hover your cursor over the avatar for the member you want to start a conversation with, and the pop-up will show you information on the member, and at the bottom, an action menu for "Follow", "Ignore", and "Start conversation".

 

[petersonra]

Engineers, am I right? I realize now that I left that part of my question open to interpretation to anyone too smart for their own good. So, I'll edit the end of that sentence. How are you managing the mess that it creates. Will a shop vac catch all of the tiny bits of Styrofoam or will the filter become clogged very quickly. This wasn't intended as a question as to how to manage angry neighbors.

I have done a small amount of cutting of foam insulation. I have not found that the debris that it creates has clogged any filters. The big problem I have had is trying to cut and hold the vacuum cleaner nozzle in the right spot simultaneously to suck up the debris. It is really a 2 person job. But if there is any wind, all bets are off.