Replacing Back Boxes

Depends if the wall has to be chiseled out to accommodate the 35mm boxes.

 

You will have more damage now than fitting 35mm boxes fom the start.

 

Drill a series of holes to correct depth and chisel out to make the hole for the new boxes.

 

Have you got an SDS drill?
An sds chisel would do one in under 5 minutes

If not, kools method of drill a bunch of holes and then hand chisel works well.

 

Could hire small sds breaker with scutch chisel for a day might be an option.

Drill cost is around £20 a day, might get a better deal with a smaller independent hire shop.

And don't forget to use grommet on the knockout to prevent cable chaffing.

 

Good option too with the cost of sds chisels and that it is only 15 boxes.

Could mean the difference between half an hour for each box or 5 minutes per box.

 

Of course, easier method but a lot more messy would be my favored way................Dynamite!

 

Have never used an SDS chisel to cut out a box as I have seen the mess it can make.
I prefer to take the little bit of extra time with a Scutch Chisel, Bolster and club hammer to ensure a neat job and a nice flat surface to fix to.

 

Indeed, as the cables will be in the boxes, and I guess the wall is now plastered?
If that is the case then you have to make a hole bigger than the box itself so that you can get the cables out, or you cannot remove the old box!

You could, of course, just get sockets that will go into a 25mm box!

 

I presume your old electrician chased out the old sockets, so why not get the new one to do the same ?

 

OMG...thats soo slow Deleted member 11267! I couldn't be without my SDS drill and chisel. Rodin would be proud of me. I can chisel out right-angles everywhere.

 

Tricks I have used to loosen 25mm deep boxes have included using an SDS chisel on the back box itself to vibrate it from side to side and up and down. It can then usually be manouvered to slide out with a little more persuasion.

I must admit though 25mm back boxes are usually sufficient depth for normal white accessory plates. The ones that need 35mm are the thin flat plate style that look so ok yah thats so cool dude ok yar.

 

Still do it the way I was taught when I served my Apprenticeship.I have a few middle to top of the range SDS drills, but would never dream of using them for cutting out boxes.
It may be slower the way I do it but it is a far neater job.

 

You ain't seen my chopping out, dude. Proud of it tbh, a joy to behold.

 

To remove a metal back box I usually fold each side and top & bottom inwards with a chisel and hammer, they come out quite easily that way and for cutting the hole or making a single into a double I use the scutch chisel and club hammer.

 

last time i helped a sparking friend with a job i was lucky enough to use www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-ebs-tri-cut-circular-cutter/65294 he followed me up with www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-ebs-single-box-cutter/65150 or for the doubles www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-ebs-double-box-sinker/64983 and i must say it was the fasted way to do them (could cut a box in 3 mins (once i got going that is) had a adapted weed sprayer for dust suppersion stuck to the side of the drill (just had to keep pumping it up) then had a bucket of water to dump the boring head into (after every 6 holes ground) as it was old concrete but yea best i have ever used)

 

*** just buy some sockets that fit