# Removing metal nail on box



## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Any tricks to removing these boxes when doing old work ? Trying to find an easy/clean way to remove these when I need to fit a deeper box in the wall. 

They usually end up destroying the wall. 


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

Saws-all with short blade between stud and box cut nails. Cut towards middle


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I usually take a large flathead screwdriver and gently pry it away from the stud. You need to make sure the far end is pished in a little or you need to cut it out just a tad wider. 

If the nails are inside the box then you take a pair of nippers or large diagonals and from inside the box pry the nail out by putting pressure toward the stud while holding the nail with the tool


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## niteshift (Nov 21, 2007)

What cowboy said X2.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

A sawzall works but I find an oscillating tool with a sharp high quality blade works best, the blade doesn't need to go past the nail with that tool.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

I do a bit like Dennis, I pry it gently with the beater, then I switch to the sawzall. I also score around the old box to make sure it isn't touching the plaster or sheetrock, less of a chance of it cracking.


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

I've done both offered above but I usually try prying/side cutters first.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

joe-nwt said:


> I've done both offered above but I usually try prying/side cutters first.


Yeah. Old wood can hold those nails tight. If they’re...the word escapes me...those boxes you take apart and gang up...you can tear them apart to gain more room to get at the nails.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Sawzall. Or an oscillating saw. Take your time.


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## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

99cents said:


> Yeah. Old wood can hold those nails tight. If they’re...the word escapes me...those boxes you take apart and gang up...you can tear them apart to gain more room to get at the nails.


I believe the word is gangable.

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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

The few I've done, a sawzall with a fine-tooth metal blade worked well.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Forge Boyz said:


> I believe the word is gangable.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


That’s it! 🤣


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

+1 for the oscillating tool, so much more control of the blade.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

"Pished"?


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

Worked great 


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## HertzHound (Jan 22, 2019)

LARMGUY said:


> "Pished"?


Pushed. The box needs to be “pushed” back in the wall while prying. Otherwise it won’t move if it’s up against the Sheetrock.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

WronGun said:


> Worked great
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Which one worked great
A. Saw all 
B. Screwdriver and *****
C. Osculation tool


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## oldsparky52 (Feb 25, 2020)

just the cowboy said:


> Which one worked great
> A. Saw all
> B. Screwdriver and *****
> C. Osculation tool


Ugh, yes?


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## oldsparky52 (Feb 25, 2020)

MechanicalDVR said:


> +1 for the oscillating tool, so much more control of the blade.


I've never used an oscillating tool. Sounds like a must have tool these days.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

oldsparky52 said:


> I've never used an oscillating tool. Sounds like a must have tool these days.


I don't use it very often but for some things it makes a tricky job very easy. 

It's absolute garbage, but the Harbor Freight cheap one for $15 is adequate to tinker around and see what they can do.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Don't forget to stick your tongue out while your doing it. It helps tremendously.


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## WronGun (Oct 18, 2013)

just the cowboy said:


> Which one worked great
> A. Saw all
> B. Screwdriver and *****
> C. Osculation tool


M18 hackzall

I’ll try next time with multi 


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

WronGun said:


> M18 hackzall
> 
> I’ll try next time with multi
> 
> ...


I like the multitool idea, I did not have one when I had to cut a box out. Metal blades burnout quick though.


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## VELOCI3 (Aug 15, 2019)

I cut a 12x12 piece out, change box and replace rock with same piece. Can always cut a new piece. Add some short pieces of stud or other material to support the sides. Tape then paint. 


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

VELOCI3 said:


> I cut a 12x12 piece out, change box and replace rock with same piece. Can always cut a new piece. Add some short pieces of stud or other material to support the sides. Tape then paint.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


This works too and in the long run, this is more efficient for you and not much more work for the guy doing the taping if there is other taping to be done.


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## jarrydee (Aug 24, 2019)

I use a sawsall, works great.


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## niteshift (Nov 21, 2007)

WronGun said:


> Any tricks to removing these boxes when doing old work ? Trying to find an easy/clean way to remove these when I need to fit a deeper box in the wall.
> 
> They usually end up destroying the wall.
> 
> ...


Sawzall also good when the wall is plaster and lathe. After all the good reviews will be adding multi-tool to my collection.


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## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

oldsparky52 said:


> I'v
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

oldsparky52 said:


> I've never used an oscillating tool. Sounds like a must have tool these days.


I was slow to get one but now carry it all the time and find it very handy.


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## mofos be cray (Nov 14, 2016)

oldsparky52 said:


> I've never used an oscillating tool. Sounds like a must have tool these days.


They're a cast saw. If that helps.
Small kerf, very precise. Great to plunge cut. They make a box cut out blade for drywall that cuts all 4 sides at once.
I haven't been super impressed with my metal cutting blades I'll have to get better ones.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

One thing about the oscillating tools. I had a job where I needed to make a kind of big mortise in wood and ran out and bought the harbor freight one to see if it worked. It was really useful so when I saw a Fein Multimaster, the original super high quality one, on craigslist, I bought it. Every job people asked about that tool, and it was promptly stolen. 

Before it was stolen I did some head to head testing with the harbor freight. Not surprisingly, the winner is whichever one has the better blade. The advantage of the Fein is quality that will last a long time. Which doesn't matter if it gets stolen. Nobody will bother to steal the horrible freight. 

The blades are a significant consumable expense, the good ones work better and stay sharp longer but they are not cheap. For example I remember I used the oscillating tool to remove some windows from a brick building, cutting the screws around the casing, within 24 cuts a $15 blade was slowing down quite a bit. It was so quick and easy you wouldn't think twice about spending the $15 but just remember to spend enough on blades.


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## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

Exclusive Husky 10 in. Close Quarters Hacksaw
Model# 80-522-111


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## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

splatz said:


> One thing about the oscillating tools. I had a job where I needed to make a kind of big mortise in wood and ran out and bought the harbor freight one to see if it worked. It was really useful so when I saw a Fein Multimaster, the original super high quality one, on craigslist, I bought it. Every job people asked about that tool, and it was promptly stolen.
> 
> Before it was stolen I did some head to head testing with the harbor freight. Not surprisingly, the winner is whichever one has the better blade. The advantage of the Fein is quality that will last a long time. Which doesn't matter if it gets stolen. Nobody will bother to steal the horrible freight.
> 
> The blades are a significant consumable expense, the good ones work better and stay sharp longer but they are not cheap. For example I remember I used the oscillating tool to remove some windows from a brick building, cutting the screws around the casing, within 24 cuts a $15 blade was slowing down quite a bit. It was so quick and easy you wouldn't think twice about spending the $15 but just remember to spend enough on blades.


Tool thieves are a real pain... as are the one’s who will borrow a tool and never bring it back.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Quickservice said:


> Exclusive Husky 10 in. Close Quarters Hacksaw
> Model# 80-522-111


For years when I ran into this I used a hacksaw blade with an improvised tape handle, and it was a pain, but it wasn't the end of the world.


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## mofos be cray (Nov 14, 2016)

The hack saw posted reminded me of one of the most tiresome tasks in resi: old boxes held together by screws and you have to put a gfi in the box so you have to cut the screws off shorter.
Just thinking about it makes me wish for an apprentice.


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## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

mofos be cray said:


> The hack saw posted reminded me of one of the most tiresome tasks in resi: old boxes held together by screws and you have to put a gfi in the box so you have to cut the screws off shorter.
> Just thinking about it makes me wish for an apprentice.


Wouldn't a 2-gang plastic old work box be better?


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Bosch makes some really good blades for the oscillating saws. Their carbide tipped blades make fast work of lath and plaster. I used a single blade on a whole house rewire in SF. A two pack is $35-$40, so that was about $20 worth of blades.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Quickservice said:


> Exclusive Husky 10 in. Close Quarters Hacksaw
> Model# 80-522-111


Bro! Throw that dinosaur away! 

I don't even use a regular hacksaw anymore, much less that silly nonsense. I HATE those things!!


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## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

MHElectric said:


> Bro! Throw that dinosaur away!
> 
> I don't even use a regular hacksaw anymore, much less that silly nonsense. I HATE those things!!


I don’t use it either 😆. See the Milwaukee multi-tool I posted above. With a carbon tooth blade it will cut through a nail super fast. It is a life saver when you need to cut a straight channel through a chair rail when installing Wiremold.


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## mofos be cray (Nov 14, 2016)

Quickservice said:


> Wouldn't a 2-gang plastic old work box be better?


We don't have those in canada.


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