Round Peg for a Square Hole

If you reckon cutting square holes for switches and downlights is a proverbial pain, there is finally an answer to your suffering. A power drill attachment that converts rotary motion into four planes of lateral motion with saw blades that then cut a perfect square is on the market. It cuts the time taken to do the job from minutes to seconds.

Square cut

Eritrean inventor Michael Sebhatu realised there was a need for such an innovation back in the late nineties: “Working as a kitchen fitter whilst finishing my masters degree in product design, I watched an electrician sawing the opening by hand to fit an electric box to a wall and wondered why he didn’t use a cutter. That’s how the idea was born.” In other interviews he says “I really did not know that there was no such a thing—it never existed”

Saves time

It exists now and apart from saving time, the device limits dust and has blades that can be changed to suit different sizes. A built-in spirit level ensures that things are straight. The product is called the Quadsaw and it has the potential to become a standard part of any electrician’s kit. At the moment it’s priced for the professional, but the time and hassle savings it offers are considerable.

Cut out for success

It’s a remarkable invention from a remarkable man. A refugee from Eritrea, Mr Sebhatu grew up in a village with no running water or electricity and still managed to realise his dream of becoming an engineer despite having only limited English when he started his studies. His new device is the result of years of hard work shelf stacking, driving minicabs and supporting himself as a handyman while pursuing an idea he was confident had a huge market.