how to install ceiling speakers without making a drywall mess

I found this method to avoid drywall dust to work so well I had to share it.  Enclosed is a .pdf on how to make one and use it.
 
Dan you may want to add this to the how to section if your still maintaining it.
 
P.S.  It looks like you can't attach a .pdf.  How does one handle doing this?

Host it on a file sharing site such as dropbox or other (ensuring it's listed with proper access) and provide a link here... Else, save the .pdf pages as .jpegs and attach them individually.

Without the .pdf, is it the knife through a box trick? I just use a shop vac while I cut.

You can buy a kit that has a plastic "pan" that you push up against the sheet rock and it catches the dust.

Trouble is if you're using a drill the plastic pan gizmos tend to spin, this leave a worse mark than had you just used a handsaw.  I know this from experience.  There are better ones that supposedly are less likely to spin.  But it's still a challenge if you're just one guy up on a ladder.  Instead it's usually simpler to just get someone else to operate the shopvac and pull away the dust as you make it.

No, you're supposed to hold the plastic piece. Works perfectly.

Wife + shop vac = Success here also....

Gatchel:  You must be a genius!  I can barely get my wife to use the central vac let alone help me with the shop vac! ray:

One of the plastic playground balls cut in half with the cutter put through the center, with a slightly larger hole is also a winner.

The problem with the catch-all gizmos is marring the outside area WHEN (not if) the drilling saw kicks back as you encounter different layers of the material you're cutting.  While trying to maintain your balance on the ladder.  And not break your thumb or wrist when the drill kicks back (or fall off the ladder).  
 
But it really does help to use as tall a ladder as possible and a corded drill with plenty of power.  That way you're going to really power your way through the material while having a much more secure place to stand.
 
It really does end up being a lot less work to either have someone else with a vacuum or use plastic drop cloth.  Otherwise you're faced with having to get out the drop cloth anyway when you have to repair the nicked drywall and repaint the ceiling.  But I'm just going on personal experiences here...

I've found a keyhole saw, plus lots of vacuuming after, works OK, if you're patient.  I'm not a pro, time is not money.  I'm on salary.  Room gets vacuumed well, for a change.

Yeah; It was a PITA in FL to install two ceiling speakers in the "great room" some 10 or so years ago.
 
I had left mudplates where I wanted them and the ceiling was wired for the speakers but it was a vaulted ceiling and the attic had insulation blown in.  Here too used a keyhole saw / razor blade and took my time. 
 
I put in rectangular speakers (a bit large) in Florida. 
 
Basically asked my wife to go shopping for the day and went slow with the endeavor working on a ladder that day and cleaning up took much more time than cutting the drywall. 

Home Depot circle cutter for drywall is about 10 bucks and makes a nice clean circle!

Sorry, I've not checked back in a while.  I tried to attach a picture of the thing but with all attempts they would not stay.  File size is only 82k.
 
When I bought my new home I had the low voltage wiring contractor install a lot of stuff.  However they would not install my selected 8 inch ceiling speakers.  Their best stuff was mediocre 6 ½ inch speakers and they would not install anything they did not sell.  So all they would do is run the wires and mark the center spot in the ceiling drywall with a plastic bracket behind the drywall called a EZ Plug.  While this indicates the center, the plastic bracket must be cut out along with the drywall in this process.  That pretty much prevents me from using any hand tools.  And I have 26 speakers to install…
My first attempt at installing a pair was a big mess.  I used a rotozip saw and my girlfriend followed me around the circle with a shop vac equipped with a special filter to pick up the drywall dust.  I made the holes ok, but it was a total failure in terms of dust prevention.   The rotozip just kicks up a torrent of dust.  After some thought I came up with The Containment Vessel.
The name pretty much sums it all up.  A specially modified garbage can is lifted up to the ceiling to contain the dust when the hole is made.  All the dust stays in the can.  I found this setup to work excellent.  So good I thought I should share it with others who may be in similar situations. 
Here is what you need to build one

• Rubbermaid 32 gallon plastic garbage can.  Cost is about $25 at home depot.
• Atlas Glove WG772XL 26-Inch Long Sleeve Nitrile Coated Cotton Lined Work Gloves, X Large.  Cost is about $13 at Amazon.com.
• A rotozip saw.  Pick your favorite tool.
• Clear plastic for the viewports.  I got some clear plastic gift wrap from Michaels craft shop.  It was not ideal (too thin), but it worked.  Cost was about $5.
• Hot water pipe foam insulation with adhesive.  The stuff designed for 5/8” pipe seemed to work very good for the lid seal against the ceiling.  Cost is about $6 for a six foot long strip at home depot.
• Telescoping tubing.  They sell different lengths in the cleaning section at home depot for about $18.  Something that goes from about 4 feet to 8 feet worked for me.  The length needed will depend on your ceiling height and can height.
• A 1 foot square (or diameter) piece of wood.  Only needs to be 1” thick.  Drill a hole in the middle for the telescoping tubing to attach to it.  Together they keep the can pressed against the ceiling.
• A roll of 2 inch wide Gorilla tape.  Don’t substitute generic duct tape, it’s not strong enough.
• Additionally you will need a sharp utility knife, scissors, and a sharpie marker.

Construction steps

• Mark out the viewport slits along the top of the garbage can using the sharpie.  Cut out the strips with the utility knife.  Don’t remove too much can plastic.  Cover the strip openings with the clear plastic and gorilla tape on inside and outside of the can.  This double wrap of plastic is necessary to keep the dust in.
• Cut a X pattern about a foot above the bottom of the can wall.  Push through the rotozip plug from the inside.  Cut as small of an X as possible to get the plug through.  Use the gorilla tape on inside and outside to seal up the X cut around the wire.
• Wrap the pipe insulation along the top of the can.  This will form a seal with the ceiling to keep the dust in.  This pipe insulation should be a clean and continuous fit along the surface facing the ceiling.  Try to minimize any leaks at the wrap around connection point by using scissors to make clean/sharp cuts and leaving a little extra length to force-fit the two ends together.
• Cut two holes in the can side for your arms and gloves.  Do this very carefully and plan it out with the sharpie first.  Be sure the height and separation are correct for you to see through the viewports and hold the rotozip along the speaker circle.  The gloves must be taped to the can on both the inside and outside.  Use lots of gorilla tape as inserting and removing your arms really tugs on all of this.  I mean really tape the crap out of it!

 
 

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