When you’re working with tools, if you need to make a round hole, you reach for a drill. If you need a square hole, you reach for a saw. But a new accessory called the Quadsaw lets your drill cut square and rectangular holes as well, and faster than you can do with an electric saw.


Wrapping your head around the idea of a spinning drill making anything other than a round hole gets a little easier when you look at the business end of the Quadsaw.


Instead of a drill bit, the accessory uses the tool to power a set of four reciprocating saw blades that work in unison to cut either a square or rectangular hole, depending on where the blades are attached.

The Quadsaw comes with a telescoping support that makes it easy to ensure the holes you’re cutting are at the perfect height for installing power outlets or light switches, but it does have its limitations. It’s really only designed for cutting through drywall or plaster walls, not wood. And it can only be configured for cutting two specifically sized holes, which happen to correspond to the size of European electrical boxes.

So with a price tag that’s close to $250, it might be a time-saving investment if you work as an electrician overseas installing European power outlets, but the average carpenter might want to hold on to their saws.

[Quadsaw via New Atlas]