Wall Chasing advice wanted

This for removing plaster http://www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-electrical-box-sinker-chisel-hard-material/90956 and this for correct box depth http://www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-sds-plus-scutch-comb-chisel/50887. Seen it all before where some attack a wall with a kango and low and behold theres a newly formed hatch between you and your neighbour to share dinner. Anyway, I'm sure there will be other " preffered or better" methods to follow, Regards...

 

You can hire  a wall chasing machine frim most hire shops. These chasers usually have 2 diamond blades which can be set to required width and depth.
A word of warning: It will create alot of dust but less than an angle grinder.

 

SteveMJ,
The wall chasing machine that you mention will do the job fine!
At £99.99 from our hosts, it will save you an untold amount of work and hassle. You can connect it to a vacuum cleaner and it will collect about 80% of the dust that is created.
If you have got a lot of drops / chasing to do then it will be well worth the £100 spent. If you never use it again afterwards, you can sell it on e-bay and re-coup some of the money. Its a no brainer.

Snezza31

 

Its the way I use to do it (and still will)   remember to use level to strike verticals - and don't forget zoning. ''Afore Ye Go'' m8 and don't forget a lot of dust is generated..so wear a mask and stuff. This method is mainly used in empty properties where considerable dust generation is not a problem..it does seem that the property you are re-vamping is empty so no probs presumably.

 

Although I do have a double disc wall chaser I find my 4 inch angle grinder with a diamond disc does the job just as well and is much easier to handle. Just make 2 runs to the width of chase you need then chisel out the centre bit with the sds or hammer and chisel if it's fairly soft. 4 cut's around where the back box is going is also an easy method for sinking the boxes in.

 

I saw this posted but thought I'd wait to see if anyone would post the logical thing. well done Unphased. Unless you're planning on moving everything.
I'd get an angle grinder and SDS drill, as above. More useful afterwards and easier to sell on .  

 

I've always used normal drill hammer and chisel. I've got an SDS drill and a customer bought a chaser, only a cheap thing from aldi, but I never used it so they gave me it. Still haven't used it.

 

I used to do it the old fashioned way with an angle grinder and an SDS chisel as well. BUT THE DUST !!!!!!!!

If you have a lot of cables to chase in on a rewire, then the wall chaser saves time, un-necessary mess and i find it easier overall.
I do a lot of wiring in houses that are actually being lived in and the thought of " opening a window and getting a through draft " to allow the dust to dissipate beggars belief TBH!,

Snezza31

 

Brick dust, yummy.

 

Messy business.......

 

Lucia,
Point taken about the 50,s and 60,s. I seem to remember that you guys,back then, also used to use little wedges of wood inserted into the brick joints to allow you to fix a metal cable clip to hold the cables in place. Perhaps a brace and bit to drill holes?

Things have moved on! There are tools now called "Battery Dills" and "Plastic rawlplugs" and "Plastic cable clips".
The guy that thought up the idea of a wall chasing machine must have thought "Angle grinder? Dust? Mess? Too slow ! "
You are correct, the chaser does not collect all the dust, but 80% is better than nothing. I connect mine to a Festool CT26 and I have never had any complaints about the 20% that I have to clear up.
I suppose it all comes down to ones own experience and preferences, but my days of drilling 100 holes with a drill for a cable chase and a back box or using an angle grinder with all that mess, are well and truly over.

Now, where did I put that old reel of lead covered 2 core cable? I could use it for the 2 DSS I,m putting in today !

Cheers Lucia

Snezza31.

 

. . .you can get some other individual to do this work for you mate

Domestic ***** at its very best, im steering away from ANY chasing now, to me its a bloody builders job as there is nowt 'electrical' in this.

Ill be back to drop my cables in and cap em

 

Hi m8. I use the one you posted for really rough work like chopping out concrete from around fence posts before fitting concrete spurs and it is ok..but a bit unwieldy for internal chasing and stuff,,,,,,

http://www.screwfix.com/p/direct-power-bs26s3-5kg-sds-plus-drill-230v/58494?_requestid=2077063#

However I thoroughly recommend one of the Bosch Blue Hammer and SDS chisel drills as follows,,good stuff and great for whipping in a hole for the no 8/10 screws when ready...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-gbh-2400-2kg-sds-plus-hammer-drill-240v/25831

You can get a heavier version, but for general work this drill is brilliant (my Bosch Green lasted years and that is the DIY version of posted)
Ok its what a half hundred more, but well worth spending the extra as it will serve you well. If you do buy don't forget to register the 3 year guarantee. Ps look for Bosch Blue bargains on the website if you decide to buy because sometimes Screwfix do twin pack bargains and stuff.


Grinder?..loads of them. I use a Ryobi no probs..but then again you can buy more expensive Bosch Blue. Diamond blades are a must, as are goggles and rigger gloves.

Ps : - Check out SDS scutch comb attachments, and also chisels/chisel sets.

 

I still use little wedges of wood.Why drill the brick when you can just poke some mortar out.  and to drill holes, i use a masonry drill bit in a holder and a hammer. Job done,

Fact is there's very little chasing to do, its mostly plaster depth so no bricks. A few back boxes need sinking deeper. just drill it round and knock it out wityh your chissel. be a man fgs 

 

You don't need all these fancy gadgets to chase walls. There is generally no need to chase the wall for the wires, they just sit on the surface of the wall in the plaster or under the plasterboard. Removing a plaster chase is a doddle and is best done using an SDS drill with a chisel bit locked in hammer action mode. Don't bother buying the shaped ones they are useless. A wide flat chisel bit is best. The same tool will chop the boxes out if you need to. If you intend to gut the place, and plaster board line the walls, everything can be laid on the surface of the walls as the plasterboard will cover the wires and end up flush with the back box. The only chasing you need to do then is for deeper boxes 35mm or 48 mm deep so they sit 25mm proud of the wall surface. It is good practice to cap the wires. I use galv capping nailed on using extra-wide head clout nails. If the nails won't hammer in drill and plug then hammer the nail in to the plug. Also, if you are rewiring and don't wish to move any of the lighting switches they can normally be reired by using the old wires to pull in new up the existing capped channel. Sockets can also be done this way but tend to be alittle trickier due to the longer lengths involved and the larger sized cable. If you are not familiar with wiring then personally I would just get the spark to do the lot as he will do it quicker and will know where.

 

Hey Loosia, I dont know who Snazza is but a "Dill" is similar to a drill without the "****". OOPPS I mean "R"s.

Snezza/Snazza 31

 

I need a sense of humour on here, I,m a kitchen fitter............!

Sneeeeza31 (Attishoo.......!)