Getting more done with your reciprocating saw / SAWZALL

A mainstay for demolition jobs, a reciprocating saw makes fast work of wood or metal studs, drywall, plaster, nails—just about anything you’d need to remove from a residential home. But what if you want to get more out of your saw without taking down a wall?

Earlier this summer Milwaukee, the inventor of the original Sawzall, set its site on a core user: plumbers and their cast iron pipes. While most DIYers won’t ever have to worry about cutting cast iron drain pipe to size, there might be other uses for the aggressive diamond bits that are embedded in the nickel blades.

The technology—abrasion—is similar to what cuts tile, stone, and bricks. After speaking with Milwaukee reps at recent event we talked about using the blades to cut tile, trim pavers and cut bluestone. To use these outside, poke a small hole in a gallon of water and have a buddy aim it at the blade to keep it cool, and to keep dust down, while you’re cutting. The diamond grit Torch blades retail for between $11-$21 and available in 6 or 9-inch long sets, both with a 1-inch tall.