Chasing walls.....weapon of choice.

[Scott Jacob]

Whats your preferred method and therefore tool of choice for chasing all types of hard walks (brick, block, stone etc)?

Is it the grinder and hammer drill method (if so do you use a purpose demo hammer drill or a standard SDS rotary with hammer function). battery or corded grinder?

Is it a wall chaser and hammer drill or demo drill.

Is it good old hammer and chisel.

Or any other methods?

 

[SparkyChick]

Depends on the length, depth and material.

I have a chaser I've never used (bought for a job then found the walls were coated in asbestos laden Artex so that was a no no), I find the grinder too dusty so normally it's just my SDS (both battery and 110v) or the good old hammer and chisel.

 

[Dave OCD]

I tend to try and avoid chasing but when I have to I'll stitch drill it with SDS then switch to rotary stop and use a 40mm SDS chisel bit, with practice you can cut boxes in really well.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Makita wall chaser and 110V sds on hammer only with a chisel bit.

 

[Pete999]

I tend to try and avoid chasing but when I have to I'll stitch drill it with SDS then switch to rotary stop and use a 40mm SDS chisel bit, with practice you can cut boxes in really well.

2 pound hammer and a 4 inch bolster chisel

 

[Leesparkykent]

2 pound hammer and a 4 inch bolster chisel

Maybe in your day...You wouldn’t be competitive on a rewire using these methods now.

 

['mr2'gd4u]

Wall chasers are good but... You need to hook em up to a hoover. Still my method though, seems to work out quicker for me.

 

[Pete999]

Wall chasers are good but... You need to hook em up to a hoover. Still my method though, seems to work out quicker for me.

The old method are the best Mate, all this carp with chasing machines could have finished the bloody job before you have got you chasing machine and vacuum cleaner out of its nice new box. What person on their right mind will want all that crap in their living room, when a bit of care and consideration, and a lump hammer and bolster will do the job far better than some costly machine that makes more dust than a hurricane.

 

[Scott Jacob]

I tend to only use the grinder method on empty house rewires as like you said the dust is crazy

 

[Andy78]

Bolster and scutch chisel on standard brick or block walls for boxes, SDS+ chisel for the chases.

 

['mr2'gd4u]

The old method are the best Mate, all this carp with chasing machines could have finished the bloody job before you have got you chasing machine and vacuum cleaner out of its nice new box.

I dunno once it's out of it box that's it. 5 mins nice tidy chase

 

[Pete999]

I tend to only use the grinder method on empty house rewires as like you said the dust is crazy

If it's empty I agree, chasing machine??????

 

[Scott Jacob]

Never tried one not sure if it’s worth the money and it only has one purpose. A good grinder can be a god send

 

['mr2'gd4u]

Never tried one not sure if it’s worth the money and it only has one purpose. A good grinder can be a god send

Takes twice as long and not in line with each other.
Edit can't write a coherent sentence today..

 

[stevethesparks]

I recently purchased a Milwaukee rotary hammer drill with hammer only. Its been very impressive so far, but on empty buildings then a disc cutter. Don't rate the twin disc cutters though, they seem to spit out to much dust and more times than not the chase isnt wide enough.

 

[123]

A twinblade grinder with a good vacuum attached isn't dusty, chipping out the track with a decent sds drill set on roto stop makes more dust.

 

[123]

The old method are the best Mate, all this carp with chasing machines could have finished the bloody job before you have got you chasing machine and vacuum cleaner out of its nice new box. What person on their right mind will want all that crap in their living room, when a bit of care and consideration, and a lump hammer and bolster will do the job far better than some costly machine that makes more dust than a hurricane.

Total nonsense.

 

[Sparkie30]

Hilti wall chaser set to 40mm wide + hilti dust extractor = nicely done

 

[123]

If it's a small track, I'd just use the 18v SDS Drill. For anything else it's the twin blade grinder, vacuum and a 3kg SDS drill on roto stop.

If it's a new build or total refurb I sub it out to specialised tracking firms who use twin blade grinders, vacuum and an SDS drill or similar on roto stop.

Bear in mind we are sinking in 20mm conduit over here as well.

 

[FatAlan]

How about installing a socket in an internal exposed stone wall the surface of which had to stay intact for decorative purposes? You can’t come in from outside / and or behind?

 

[123]

How about installing a socket in an internal exposed stone wall the surface of which had to stay intact for decorative purposes? You can’t come in from outside / and or behind?

Bare MI Cable ran surface.

 

[FatAlan]

No surface run cables either. The only option I can come up with is to try and route cable up from floor a short distance in mortar gaps between stones.

 

['mr2'gd4u]

No surface run cables either. The only option I can come up with is to try and route cable up from floor a short distance in mortar gaps between stones.

Put the socket elsewhere...

 

[westward10]

I think his name is John however it is hard to tell as he is always covered in brick dust.

 

[FatAlan]

Put the socket elsewhere...

Yes, but that’s the sensible and easy option

 

['mr2'gd4u]

Yes, but that’s the sensible and easy option

Lmao

 

['mr2'gd4u]

There was an experiment I read about several (10?) years ago about project solar generated electricity from space to a receiver on earth, could this be employed on said stone wall??

 

[Leesparkykent]

I think using a twin disk wall chaser and roto stop SDS is at least 4 x quicker than using a lump hammer and bolster.

 

[SparkySy]

I have a twin disk saw too and sds, with a good extractor no more dust than hammer and bolster or scutch. I use all methods tbh, if it's long chases I will use the twin saw for small chases in plaster a multi cutter with a hoover is very effective especially when the plaster is weak and won't take an sds! I do favour stitch drilling a hammer and scutch for tidy additional boxes in existing decorated places though!

 

[telectrix]

29 posts on wall bashing and nobody's mentioned using the most useful tool of all..
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An Apprentice/

 

[Corbs]

Hilti wall chaser set (vacuum) you can normally hire them for around 100 a week

 

['mr2'gd4u]

Hilti wall chaser set (vacuum) you can normally hire them for around 100 a week

Why hire it??

 

[simpson93]

Grinder and SDS if it’s a complete renovation and the dust isn’t an issue, if not SDS on its own.

 

['mr2'gd4u]

One kitchen I was chopping out with a sds, neighbour came round complaining of a crack appearing... It was a single skin brick wall separating the two houses. I vowed never to use sds alone again.

 

[Corbs]

Why hire it??

you can buy it its around 3k but if youve got the work go for it

 

['mr2'gd4u]

you can buy it its around 3k but if youve got the work go for it

OK I didn't check up on the price (I know its Hilti but 3k??) my point is more towards a slightly cheaper setup?

 

[sparkdog]

Sometimes use a diamond multitool blade for a short chase.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I have this chaser and it’s attached to a cheap titan vacuum from Screwfix which I brought a longer hose for from eBay. Does the job and next to no dust.

Makita SG1251J 125mm Wall Chaser (240v) | Fastfix - https://www.fastfix.co.uk/makita-sg1251j-2-125mm-wall-chaser.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi5u7vKKE3gIVzJPtCh28XwBiEAQYASABEgJ7HvD_BwE


https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/titan...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CJau346jhN4CFdC1UQodLIcJmw


6m Extra Long Extension Pipe Hose Kit for Titan Vacuum Cleaner + Adaptors 5056026842976 | eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6m-Extra-Long-Extension-Pipe-Hose-Kit-for-Titan-Vacuum-Cleaner-Adaptors-/191708764158

 

[Midwest]

What type of product are we installing in this chase, conduit, oval conduit, just cables or capping. I'm orrffh to bed, curry was nice.

 

[Leesparkykent]

What type of product are we installing in this chase, conduit, oval conduit, just cables or capping. I'm orrffh to bed, curry was nice.

Oval for me in chases.

 

[Adam W]

Metabo 230v wall chaser, Trend M Class vac and SDS hammer drill for me.
I didn't choose the setup the company bought it for me, but I've got no complaints with it.

 

[MJPD29]

Corded grinder and 110v sds on hammer or kango if it is available at the time

 

[mhar]

Obviously you guys do not come accross beach pebble or Marland brick, both very common around here. Both require diamond cutting disks and then grinding disks. Beach pebbles can deflect a drill bit when drilling through a wall causing it to jam,have had to cut a few off and leave them in the wall

 

[suffolkspark]

I have the cheapo titan chaser and titan hoover, long hose off ebay, works a treat as long as you change the hoover bag frequently as thats their let down there ----. The whole setup is £130 though! Tap it out by hand after or sds, i use the armeg box chaser on my sds for boxes

 

[Adam W]

Obviously you guys do not come accross beach pebble or Marland brick, both very common around here. Both require diamond cutting disks and then grinding disks. Beach pebbles can deflect a drill bit when drilling through a wall causing it to jam,have had to cut a few off and leave them in the wall

Nope, never had to work with cob or bungaroosh either.
I use diamond discs anyway, which cuts through anything I've come across - plaster, brick, block, concrete, water pipes...

 

[Tes369]

Either a Labourer or an Apprentice armed with a 110v wall chaser and a piece of galv conduit for a depth check. Obviously walls marked out first so they can't mess it up.

** ideally main builders labourer could be used to do it like on many other sites.

Then sit back put the kettle on read the paper or electrical drawings. I have too many much more important issues to contend with than wall chasing and getting myself dusty and dirty.

 

[Pete999]

Maybe in your day...You wouldn’t be competitive on a rewire using these methods now.

Perhaps the client would opt for surface mounted install

 

[Leesparkykent]

Perhaps the client would opt for surface mounted install

Maybe council/housing association bashing. In my whole career I’ve never had a customer that’s opted for a trunking rewire apart from 24 flats in Stamford hill which were being done up for a housing association.

 

[Pete999]

Maybe council/housing association bashing. In my whole career I’ve never had a customer that’s opted for a trunking rewire apart from 24 flats in Stamford hill which were being done up for a housing association.

Yeah I know mate, just reminiscing back to the old days, should maybe, get up to date, at least with my thinking, kin chasing machines what ever next? Funny story about chasing, did a rewire (empty house) with my Lad, and we had to cross a solid floor under the stairs, RFC, bonding and Kitchen Radial, builders never told us they would be boxing the back of the void in, bit of a shock when we came back to 2nd fix to find al our hard work boxe in, a few expletives, but in hindsight we should have probably asked before we crossed the solid floor, a word beginning with T and ending in S

 

[Leesparkykent]

Yeah I know mate, just reminiscing back to the old days, should maybe, get up to date, at least with my thinking, kin chasing machines what ever next?

SDS drills, multi tools, Sabre saws, circular saws, impact drivers, etc. gone are the days of rawlplug jumpers, manual hand drills and knocking chases out by hand