Tips for chasing into hard & brittle brick ?

[ban-all-sheds]

I wonder how much chasing could be done with one of those vibrating multi-tools?

In hard bricks, probably about none.

In soft bricks and aircrete, yes, but how deep would it go?

And how long would it take?

 

[stillp]

I'll try to cut a couple of bricks tonight. I have some spare blades...
Depth could be 20 - 25 mm.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

OK - so enough for a chase, but not necessarily a box.

 

[stillp]

If I can cut a 20 mm recess for a box, then I could cut a further 20 mm from that.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The recess would be stepped, though.

 

[stillp]

No it wouldn't BAS. The plunge blades are offset to allow the cut to be flush with a wall.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ah yes - of course.



[clutching at]

What about the body of the tool? At some point won't that stop you going deeper unless you angle it?

[/straws]

 

[SimonH2]

Turning things around, I might try putting it at the back to door pressurise the whole house - it'll do the same job as de-pressurising the room I'm working in.

If you pressurise the room you're woking in higher than an adjacent room, you'll force the dust into that adjacent room.

No, I said pressurise the house - which means airflow would be from the house, through the room I'm working in, and out the window. With the fan I've got, wouldn't worry about the house being leaky - it shifts plenty of air

But I think I'll just stick to the chisel, doesn't make too much dust that way.

Coool
<quick search><adopt Yorkshire accent>HOW MUCH
Yup, I'll stick with the chisel - not too many boxes to do.

I wonder how much chasing could be done with one of those vibrating multi-tools?

I had thought of that, but with bricks this hard I figured it would finish off an expensive blade in no time.

As to depth of cut, the blade itself is (from memory) about 2" of free length, but the machine head hits the wall at around 1 1/2". As mentioned, if working from within the partial knockout, then the head can go deeper and I'd say a plunge blade will go well further than any box I'd be wanting to sink (45mm should be no problem).

 

[ban-all-sheds]

<quick search><adopt Yorkshire accent>HOW MUCH

http://www.tvtoolhire.co.uk/product/arbortech-allsaw/

 

[studentspark]

For brittle bricks I find the best thing is a scutch chisel and hammer.
The toothed blade chips away nicely at the brick and does not tend to crack them so much.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'll try to cut a couple of bricks tonight. I have some spare blades....

I'll be interested to hear the results - I've got a Bosch GOP. Never thought to look to see if you can get blades that will do brick.

 

[SimonH2]

<quick search><adopt Yorkshire accent>HOW MUCH

http://www.tvtoolhire.co.uk/product/arbortech-allsaw/[/QUOTE]
Slight geographic issue with that outlet
Someone with a branch in my area : http://www.hss.com/g/3126/Allsaw-Multi-Purpose-Saw.html
Nigh on £70 + VAT for the first day. Since I'm not doing the whole house at once it'll soon add up.

For brittle bricks I find the best thing is a scutch chisel and hammer.
The toothed blade chips away nicely at the brick and does not tend to crack them so much.

Only used one once - many years ago when someone let me use their Split to chase out in some rendering that I couldn't even mark by hand (it had been a cattle shed and was being converted to offices)

I guess this plus these. Are they a standard size or do the combs have to be the same manufacturer as the holder ?

 

[stillp]

Travis Perkins have them for hire.

Sorry I haven't tried the multi-tool yet, work got in the way again. Will try later in the week.

 

[studentspark]

That's them.
Pop in any electrical wholesaler they will have the chisel and combs in a set
Sometimes the combs can be a bit smaller and fall out, as they are only wedged in, but a few blow on the chisel with a hammer tightens things up.

Only thing I find with scutch chisels is they never come with guards, so you can give your knuckles a few bangs in the process.

Chasing in 12 sockets tomorrow with my trusty scutch

 

[SimonH2]

Only thing I find with scutch chisels is they never come with guards, so you can give your knuckles a few bangs in the process.

I don't have a guard on any of my chisels - you soon learn where to aim the hammer !