I wan to install some can lights into a room that has a plaster ceiling. I found cans made for this, but they are over 50 each so I want to figure out a way to rig standard can fixtures to work on my ceiling. I am guessing it will be over an 1inch thick. Also whats the best way to cut the circles out for the cans in old dryway without it all cracking and coming down on me?
If you have plaster ceilings your going to need a ceiling hole cutter.
It looks like a T with the long end inserted into the chuck. It will have a blade on the end of the T and a cup to collect the dust that comes down.
If you have lathe and plaster ceilings its going to eat blades like nothing you have ever seen, at 15$ a blade for the good cutters its just something to keep in mind. I went through 10 putting in 25 small 5 inch cans with the low wattage 50 bulbs.
Also you are going to need retrofit cans for plaster no way to use the cheaper drywall stuff the locking wings will not work over the depth of the plaster that you have. 50$ is also on the low side for good low wattage renovation cans. you might end up in the 70-95$ range.
THe thread title had me thinking along the lines of, "Honey? Do these recessed lights make my butt look big?" 
When getting the can lights, look for contact and non contact types. Contact means it's OK for it to be in contact with insulation, which is very important if you want the house to not burn down. The contact types generally use only a floodlight bulb, a standard incandescent bulb (even low wattage) will make them overheat and trip the internal temperature breaker. And yes the contact types are more expensive.
Contact types are also virtually impossible to install in an existing ceiling without access from above.
I didn't have much luck with the device wearymicrobe suggested. I ended up using a jig saw with long blades, purchased in bulk. I'd usually get maybe two 4" holes per blade. I covered the base of the saw with painters tape to minimize marring the ceiling. I was cutting holes for a/c diffusers and smoke detectors, but it was just as miserable.
Once you get them in this is one of those times it's worth it to bite the bullet and buy LED lights.
You'll appreciate them for the light quality but you'll love them for the lack of heat. That means you can seal the cans so that all the conditioned air in the house doesn't wick away through the cans.
This is where spending more on a tool up-front pays off.
What you want (says the guy who's completely remodeled 2 plaster houses) is one of these:
Big-ass arbide grit hole saw - not the crappy Harbor Freight one...
Put a drop cloth down, and have your significant other hold the shop vac nozzle while you bore away.
Use regular Halo or Juno remodel cans - contact type if there's insulation above the plaster.
I used all LED inserts in cans in the bathroom I just built and they're great. Dimmable, 8000k white, and last essentially forever. About $35/ea at Home Depot.
If I don't get to buy a new tool, the project is just not worth doing! Ill have to pick one of those up.. Think I figured out how to make a normal can work.. 15 per can is a hell of a lot better then 50! This is grm!
If you haven't been hit with a frying pan lately you could just get her a light up t shirt
motomoron wrote: This is where spending more on a tool up-front pays off. What you want (says the guy who's completely remodeled 2 plaster houses) is one of these: Big-ass arbide grit hole saw - not the crappy Harbor Freight one...
these work really well if you can find them locally and in the can size you have.
If you have blown in insulation though it will get messy. Like divorce messy
wearymicrobe wrote: these work really well if you can find them locally and in the can size you have. If you have blown in insulation though it will get messy. Like divorce messy
Or vermiculite insulation.. (shudder...) I figure every hour I spend in the attic is a year off my life span. I should be dead in a few years.
You don't need lights for her can to make her happy - you need a Hootis Headlamp.
wearymicrobe wrote:
Wow, that is brilliant. I wish I had known that these existed.
Woody wrote:wearymicrobe wrote:Wow, that is brilliant. I wish I had known that these existed.
+10000
I have had some very crusty eyes doing that job with safety googles.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=360-300
Source for the ceiling cutter.
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