which hire tool to cut brick?

[SJRSJR]

Hi. We need to cut out the area under the existing window to replace with sliding doors. It's a brick cavity wall. Can anyone recommend the best hire tool to use please? Would it be an angle grinder or wall saw? Thanks

 

[wakey77]

ask for a still saw at your local tool hire mate you'll also need goggles dust mask and it's advisable to use a dust inhibitor or at least wet down the area while cutting using a water bottle.

 

[SJRSJR]

Thanks. HSS suggested
http://www.hss.com/g/3126/Allsaw-Low-Dust-Wall-Saw.html

or this
http://www.hss.com/g/7122/Hilti-300mm-Cut-off-Saw-DSH700-.html

I've got 6 courses to remove. I prefer the look of the first one, the second one looks a bit of a challenge!

Will both give the brick a clean cut or will I have to remove them and turn them round? (They'll end up being painted to match the outside wall.)

 

[wakey77]

personally I'd go with the 300mm disc saw basically because they do exactly what it says on the tin I have seen the other saw but never used it so can't really comment.
however if it's only 6 courses you'd be better off with a good 2" bolster chisel a plugging chisel and a lump hammer what ever you choose you'll have to cut the opening back in if you want the reveal to match the existing.
Another reason to choose the hammer and chisel route is the fact disc cutters can be extremely dangerous in untrained hands.

 

[SJRSJR]

Thanks, sounds like good advice.

 

[maltaron]

Not sure if they are still available but there used to be a hand saw to cut brick. If you can find one it will be safer and less messy than any power tool.

 

[SJRSJR]

Well I never...
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Masonry-Saw-62cm/p/200394
Thanks, elbow grease it is.

 

[Burnerman]

Personally I think you'll be disappointed with the hand saw......ok for thermalite or soft cement pointing but that's about it.
I'd go for the disc cutter, and fix a timber lath to the wall as a guide.
John

 

[wakey77]

Silver line (believe it or not) do a good block hand saw as said they are handy for thermalites and can with some persistence cut through only the softest of bricks however they are not really suitable for the job described by the op.
I would still advise against the unskilled / untrained attempting to use a disc cutter as i have seen 1st hand the damage they can do.
safest and cheapest way for a diyer is the hammer and chisel approach.

 

[s60tsy]

years ago i saw someone using an electric 9" grinder with the black disc doing one of these brickouts, thedisk smashed and threw the grinder straight at his leg and he cut straight to the bone in an instant. messy!

 

[catlad]

I used one of those allsaws that hss hire not long ago to cut an opening and it was ok for old common clay brick but it spat its dummy out when I hit a brick that had been fired ie similar to accrington brick.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Jewson hire out a chainsaw thing- trying to remember what its called now.....ah yes, ICS hydraulic masonry saw. Pricey but if it works (hire bloke at my local branch swears by it) then it looks good. Google it if interested... though for 6 courses its probably a bit overkill

If it was me doing it and I had a 9" grinder handy I'd probably use it to score the brick/block faces by 10mm or so from either side (drill a hole all the way through the wall top and bottom for your line) then finish with the hammer and chisel.

 

[rjm2k]

Hi. We need to cut out the area under the existing window to replace with sliding doors. It's a brick cavity wall. Can anyone recommend the best hire tool to use please? Would it be an angle grinder or wall saw? Thanks

You could ask a few builders if they would do just those cuts with their saw, do the rest yourself. Probably wouldn't cost much for an hour of their time and much safer for you.

Otherwise, as a diyer myself I would use a stihl type saw with appropriate blade, I would avoid an angle grinder if possible. I doubt you would have much success with the hand saw. I had a guy try the wall saw with little success on "clinker", he went to his grinder after that failed to do anything. lots and lots and lots of dust! You can always do the visible part of the cut with a saw and chisel the rest out.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

A petrol stihl saw will be safe enough, the belt will slip before the blade jambs, unlike the electric saw, if the blade jammed you would get a nasty kick.

Wear a long rubber masons smock, and water attatchment via the bottle or hose pipe to keep the dust down.
Or get some one to spray water on the blade with a garden sprayer, you might need to chuck a couple of old dust sheets down.

 

[garyo]

For the sake of ~10 courses I'd take the bricks out whole with no cutting. To make a nice job of the reveals you'll have to turn them around and re-lay anyway, so I'd knock the bricks out with a lump hammer, using an SDS with an 8mm bit to loosen out the mortar around the bricks where required - especially around the reveal so that you don't disturb anything too much. Way less dust and far quicker than driving to a hire shop and back.